2007-2008 Undergraduate Academic Catalog - Plymouth State ...

Child Development and Family CenterThe Plymouth State University Child Development and FamilyCenter, a state-licensed and nationally accredited early childhoodprogram, is part of the Department of Education. Themission of the CDFC is to provide high quality early childhoodprograms to young children and their families and to serveas a model program for preparing early childhood professionals.Its child-centered philosophy reflects an understandingof the needs of young children in a complex society. TheCenter employs teachers who have degrees in early childhoodeducation and/or have considerable experience in the field.The Center is open weekdays September through June from7 a.m.–5:15 p.m. and serves children between the ages of 13months and six years. The Center hires undergraduate studentsas classroom aides and serves as an observation, fieldexperience, and practicum site for all Early Childhood Studiesmajors as well as for students in other degree programs.Frost Faculty Center for Learning and TeachingExcellenceThe Frost Faculty Center for Learning and Teaching Excellencegathers faculty interested in improving learning and teachingat Plymouth State University. Drawing upon the University’sexcellent and dedicated faculty, the Center takes advantage ofin-house expertise by creating informal and formal opportunitiesfor faculty to exchange ideas they have found effective inhelping students to learn. It also serves as a location to furtherfaculty development through externally funded initiatives.Our goals include synchronizing the educational aspirationsof students and faculty by encouraging a campus-wide learningenvironment. We build upon proven pedagogical experienceshelping students to foster the desire and the ability toengage in a positive disposition toward learning and research.The Center works toward these goals by offering faculty-drivendiscussions of pedagogies that help students think critically,value quantitative reasoning, work with others toward commongoals and to develop students’ abilities to listen, read,write, and speak with skill and conviction.Institute for New Hampshire StudiesFounded in 1975, the mission of the Institute for NewHampshire Studies is to advance knowledge about NewHampshire and its relationship to the New England regionthrough ongoing education and research efforts. The Institutebrings together the proficiencies of permanent and adjunctfaculty from the social science disciplines, frequently applyingan interdisciplinary approach. The Institute sponsors a minorin Northern New England Heritage Studies and has hostednumerous workshops and field schools in related topic areas.Since 1980, INHS has sponsored several archaeological fieldschools as well as research projects, including: prehistoricsite excavations; evaluations of a range of 18th and 19th centurysites; surveys and excavations of shipwrecks having NewEngland significance; and research to support planning anddevelopment initiatives of tourism communities, accommodations,and attractions, as well as historic properties.In 1983, INHS instituted its Occasional Publication series. Thefirst of these, New Hampshire Indians: A Guide for Instruction,is still being used by teachers throughout the state. There havesince been a number of other volumes on subjects relating toNew Hampshire and New England issues.In 1985, the Institute received a grant to begin the conservationand cataloging of a large collection of photographs thatdocument the history of the Brown Company, a major producerof lumber and paper in the city of Berlin, NH Electroniccataloging is in process, with the intention of expanding theavailability and utility of this important collection.Since 1990, INHS has conducted nearly 100 individual projectsfor the NH Division of Travel and Tourism Development;tourism research contracts total approximately $1.5 million todate. The INHS online tourism database is the state’s largest.These efforts have gained the University an international reputationas a tourism education and research center.The Institute received a gift from Professor CliffordMcGoldrick of photographs taken in the Arctic in 1896.Institute faculty mounted an exhibit of selected photographsentitled The McGoldrick Collection of Arctic Images. Currentplans are to create a traveling exhibit.INHS has hosted the Society for Industrial Archeology wintermeetings during alternate years. The Institute has also been aco-sponsor of NH Archeology Society meetings.An affiliate program of the Institute is the Heritage Studiesoption in the PSU Master of Education degree program. Thisprogram also co-sponsors the aforementioned archaeologicalfield schools and other educational seminars.INHS projects and activities are components of a continuingeffort to serve the state and New England region, in keepingwith the mission of Plymouth State University.Judd Gregg Meteorology InstituteEstablished in 2003, the Judd Gregg Meteorology Instituteis located on the third floor of the Boyd Science Center andhouses Plymouth State University’s meteorology program.The purpose of the JGMI is to support and/or develop educationalprograms and research activities that relate to theatmosphere within the state of New Hampshire and beyond.It contains the PSU Weather Center, one of the most sophisticatedweather centers in the country, and also contains someoutstanding state-of-the-art meteorological equipment.Academic ResourcesPlymouth State University Academic Catalog 2007–2008 39