Dr. Oscar Aliaga joins the USF faculty

We are pleased to announce that Dr. Oscar A. Aliaga has joined the College of Education faculty at the University of South Florida. He will serve as Associate Professor in the Career and Workforce Education program area starting in fall 2020.

Dr. Aliaga holds a Ph.D. in Human Resource Development from the University of Minnesota. For several years he was Program Director and Research Associate with the National Research Center for Career and Technical Education at the University of Louisville and the University of Minnesota, respectively. Prior to joining the University of South Florida he was the first Career Pathways coordinator for the Agency of Education in Vermont, where he developed a career pathways system for the K-12 educational system in the state. Dr. Aliaga has taught at the graduate and undergraduate level at the University of Minnesota, the University of Louisville, and the Catholic University of Peru. He also holds a Law Degree from the latter. His professional collaborations include organizations and universities at a national and international level.

Dr. Aliaga has extensive research experience in Career and Technical Education, with a focus on issues of student participation, outcomes, and achievement. His research has received awards and has been published in national journals, as well as in international venues. He may be contacted at oaliagaabanto@usf.edu. Welcome to USF!

Michael Gessler Awarded Honorary Degree at USF

Provost Wilcox introducing Dr. Michael Gessler

Admittedly, Dr. Michael Gessler was a little nervous as Provost Ralph Wilcox was introducing him to the audience attending the Spring Commencement ceremony at the Sun Dome in the University of South Florida (USF) campus. Dr. Gessler was about to receive an Honorary Degree by USF and was wondering if his speech would meet the expectations.

The undergraduate graduation ceremony was held on Saturday, May 6, 2017 at 1:30 pm, and the recipients of an honorary degree are the highlight of the event, as they are expected to give a speech with inspiring takeaways.

USF President Judy Genshaft, and a distinguished party including college deans, vice presidents, faculty and alumni representatives were there serving as respectful witnesses. In front, there were over 600 graduates and thousands of their excited family and friends, all awaiting for his speech after his introduction. Dr. Gessler's speech was well received.

Nominated by the Career and Workforce Education program at USF, Dr. Gessler was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Education degree in recognition of his significant work in Vocational Education and Training (VET). Dr. Gessler is member of the Board of Directors of the Institut Technik & Bildung [The Institute Technology and Education] (ITB), and Professor in vocational and adult education at the University of Bremen. His areas of research interests are project-based learning and teaching, educational management, school-to-work transitions, work-based learning and innovations in VET.

During his visit to the University of South Florida to receive the honorary award, he conducted a presentation in the College of Education entitled, “Competence-Based Vocational Education and Training in Germany and the United Kingdom: Differences That Make the Difference.”

Please join us in congratulating Dr. Gessler for receiving an Honorary Doctor of Education award from USF in recognition of his outstanding work in VET.

2017 Florida Teacher or the Year Finalist Shared Lessons Learned Teaching CTE

Donald Blake being introduced by Dr. Bill Blank.

Donald Blake, Instructor ar Marchman Technical College in Pasco County, shared the lessons he has learned over 30 years of teaching experience in career and technical education at the University of South Florida (USF) on Saturday, August 20th. He shared his teaching journey, from novice to master teacher, with a group of graduate students and faculty in the Career and Workforce Education program at USF.

The audience included graduate students pursuing a master's degree in career in technical education (CTE)  and doctoral students in career and workforce education, representing a diversity of backgrounds and settings in the field. For this group, having the opportunity to learn his teaching story would have been in itself worth attending. However, this was a rare occasion because Mr. Blake was selected this year as Pasco County Schools' Teacher of the Year, which had never been awarded to a CTE teacher. In addition, Mr. Blake was also selected as one of the five Finalists for the 2017 Florida Teacher of the Year award. But there's more.

Mr. Blake was coming back to his academic home as an alumni of the career and technical education program at USF where he graduated from about 30 years ago. To celebrate and recognize Mr. Blake's career and teaching award, Dr. Bill Blank, Professor Emeritus in Career and Workforce Education, was delighted to accept the invitation to introduce him at the gathering, and shared how motivated Mr. Blake was to join the teaching profession as an undergraduate student. 

As he shared the lessons learned over his teaching tenure, Mr. Blake noted that the research on competency-based learning was one of the foundations he used to become a successful teacher in CTE. He also noted that, a foundation of trust between students and teacher and using CTE to make learning relevant, are essential elements for bridging rigorous teaching and learning in schools. His story was inspiring as he received a standing ovation from the career and workforce education program at USF.

Mr. Blake teaches electricity at Marchman Technical College (MTC) in Pasco County. The Electricity Program provides students with the knowledge and skills required for planning, installing, and maintaining residential and commercial electrical systems. Regional, state, and national awards earned at skills competitions, and a 100 percent employment placement rate are evidence of the program's success under Mr. Blake's leadership.

The Career and Workforce Education community at USF is proud of Mr. Blake's achievement and hopes his work is further recognized during the process for selecting the 2017 Florida Teacher of the Year.