Book Co-edited by GWU Dean Prince H. Bull Examines Post-COVID-19 Education Environment

Resource Includes International Contributions and Articles from Faculty, Students and Alumna

BOILING SPRINGS, N.C.—A new book co-edited by Dr. Prince Hycy Bull, dean of Gardner-Webb University’s College of Education, and Dr. Gerrelyn Chunn Patterson of North Carolina A&T (NCAT) University, will help educators in the post-COVID-19 environment. “Redefining Teacher Education and Teacher Preparation Programs in the Post-COVID-19 Era” also includes contributions from GWU faculty, students and an alumna.

Published by IGI Global, the book documents the effects of COVID-19 on educators and students and identifies best practices. “We decided to produce this book after we realized the drastic shifts we were making as a College of Education to provide support to our candidates who are practitioners and those who were pre-service teachers in the field,” Bull shared. “Our candidates in the master’s and doctoral programs were provided with vivid first-hand experiences with crisis, modifications, and impact on their wellness and mental health. As dean, I experienced firsthand the pressures faced by our faculty and clinical supervisors. I tried to develop contingency plans and structures but realized that the problem was localized. It was with this mindset that my colleague, Dr. Gerrelyn Patterson, and I started the book to capture history in the fall of 2020.” 

Patterson is department chair of the educator preparation program at NCAT. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in English literature from N.C. Central University (Durham), a master’s in English education from the University of Virginia (Charlottesville), and a Ph.D. in curriculum, culture and change from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

The book provides a global perspective with submissions from India, Turkey, Portugal, and America. Discussed are delivery models, training procedures, and theoretical frameworks. Various other topics include district policies and guidelines; state, national, and international standards; digital design and delivery of content; personal experiences, wellness and mental health, and the latest empirical research findings on the state of teacher education preparation.

Contributions to the book from others in the Gardner-Webb community include:

• “Our Experiences and Voices,” a chapter co-authored by three Gardner-Webb Master of Arts in Instructional Technology (MAIT) graduate candidates, Brittany Jackson, Sherna Henry, and Johnna Freestone.
• “The Importance of Supporting the Social-Emotional Skills of Teacher Educators in the Post-Covid Era,” an article co-authored by Dr. Jennifer Putnam, associate professor and associate dean, with 2021 doctoral graduate, Dr. Mindy Duckworth.
• “Engaging Students Through Integrated Pedagogy: A Case Study From A Year of Pandemic Teaching,” a chapter by professors of chemistry, Dr. Stefka Eddins and Dr. Venita Totten.
• The foreword by Dr. Sydney Brown, professor and dean of Graduate Studies.

Gardner-Webb University is North Carolina’s recognized leader in private, Christian higher education. A Carnegie-Classified Doctoral/Professional University, GWU is home to six professional schools, 14 academic departments, more than 80 undergraduate and graduate majors, and a world-class faculty. Located on a beautiful 225-acre campus in Boiling Springs, N.C., Gardner-Webb prepares graduates to impact their chosen professions, equips them with the skills to advance the frontiers of knowledge, and inspires them to make a positive and lasting difference in the lives of others. Ignite your future at Gardner-Webb.edu.