Waynesburg U. Certification Coordinator attends PAC-TE Fall Conference

Waynesburg University's Certification Officer and Field Placement CoordinatorMelissa Wood recently attended the Pennsylvania Association of Colleges and Teacher Educators (PAC-TE) Fall Conference, where she connected with education professionals across Pennsylvania to discuss the latest challenges and advancements in teacher education.

PAC-TE is a nonprofit professional association dedicated to training and developing professional educators in Pennsylvania. The association is committed to advocating for high-quality educator preparation across the state.

During the conference, Wood attended workshops on effective teaching practices and new supervision models, which she found particularly valuable for her teaching seminar.

She also attended sessions focused on research aligned with Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) competencies, which provided relevant information for her role.

One of the most memorable experiences for Wood at the conference, however, was the opportunity to network with other education professionals in the state.

"One of the most impactful moments was connecting with other education professionals and sharing insights on common challenges and innovative solutions in teacher education," she said, reflecting on her experience. "It was inspiring to see how other institutions approach similar goals."

The conference also helped Wood identify key trends within teacher education that are shaping her work.

"A key trend I observed was the increased focus on integrating social-emotional learning within teacher preparation programs," she said. "Additionally, technology's role in education continues to grow, with discussions about best practices for remote and hybrid learning environments."

Waynesburg University continues to support the professional development of its faculty, enhancing the quality of education for its students by staying current with educational innovations and trends.

Department of Education