The Third Annual Jolita Hylland Benson Education Lecture

“Catching up or Leading the Way:
American Education in the Age of Globalization”

Thursday, March 15, at 7 p.m.
Scandinavian Cultural Center, PLU

At a time when globalization and technology are dramatically altering the world we live in, is education reform in the United States headed down the right path? Are schools emphasizing the knowledge and skills that students need in a global society? Are education systems in China and other countries really as superior as some people claim?

Dr. Yong Zhao addresses these and other questions based on his book of the same title. Born and raised in China and now a professor at the University of Oregon, Zhao bases many of his observations on extensive research and firsthand experience as a student in China and as a parent of children attending school in the United States. His unique perspective leads him to conclude that “American education is at a crossroads” and “we need to change course” to maintain leadership in a rapidly changing world.

Dr. Yong Zhao is currently Presidential Chair and Associate Dean for Global Education, College of Education at the University of Oregon, where he also serves as the director of the Center for Advanced Technology in Education (CATE). He is a fellow of the International Academy for Education.

For more information, or to RSVP for this event, call 253-535-7272 or e-mail reisberg@plu.edu.

About the Jolita Hylland Benson Endowed Chair
in Elementary Education

In 2009, a gift from the Benson Family Foundation of Portland, Ore., created the Jolita Hylland Benson Endowed Chair in Elementary Education at PLU. The chair position is in honor of Jolita Benson's tireless work as an educator.  Dale and Jolita Benson, both attended PLU in the early 1960s. 

The Benson Chair in Elementary Education is funded through the Benson Family Foundation whose purpose is to involve the Benson children and their families in charitable activities on behalf of supported organizations.

First Endowed Chair Recipient:
Dr. Leon Reisberg

Dr. Leon Reisberg is the first recipient of the Jolita Hylland Benson Endowed Chair in Elementary Education at PLU.  His current research includes the uses of technology with students with reading and other learning disabiilties and the state of technology in regional school districts.  Dr. Reisberg is involved in collaborative research projects with other faculty throughout the Department of Instructional Development and Leadership and serves on the board of several community educational organizations.

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