American College of Education Alumnus Awarded by Character Lab

INDIANAPOLIS - June 3, 2015 - PRLog -- Alumnus Dave Stuart Jr., M.Ed., of American College of Education, (http://www.ace.edu/) a leading provider of online graduate programs for educators, was recently awarded a grant from Character Lab for his original teaching theory. Stuart’s idea on how “pop-up” debates can grow persistence for freshman students received a $10,000 prize from the nonprofit research organization, along with additional funding and support to implement his project idea.

“I am excited to have the opportunity to really measure a theory that I believe will help students improve not just in school, but in their life pursuits as well,” said Stuart. “This grant will allow me to test my theory, which I believe has the ability to enhance students’ overall critical thinking skills.”

Targeting ninth graders in his classroom, Stuart will host pop-up debates to grow both grit and confidence, two qualities that will allow students to thrive during their freshman year of high school. The difficulty of debate will be the context in which to teach about grit, giving students a chance to deliberately practice their development of perseverance, retention, and debate and argumentation skills.

“I was able to come up with this theory after researching the works of Eric Palmer, whose ideas highlight the normalization of public speaking,” said Stuart. “I think that targeted debates relating to classroom curriculum will challenge students to use logic, evidence, and zest–skills that can be directly applied to their time in high school, in college, and in life.”

“We’re thrilled Dave has earned this opportunity,” said Dr. Lee Tincher, Academic Dean and Director of Graduate Programs at American College of Education. “He’s innovative and student-oriented, and we’re excited to see what this grant enables him to do for his community and beyond.”

Since 2006, Stuart has taught English and history classes, first in Baltimore, MD, and now in Cedar Springs, MI. In both of these settings, he has found all students enjoy the opportunity to learn, specifically in the areas of character and literacy. Stuart has also found these to be great predictors of opportunities in life, which is why he loves talking to teachers about dominating literacy instruction and character development in the classroom.

Stuart’s additional honors include the 2014 Alumni Achievement Award from American College of Education. He was also one of five finalists for Michigan Teacher of the Year in 2015.

American College of Education offers master’s degree program tuition for $215 per credit hour. Details on how to receive a master’s degree in several education tracks are listed on the college’s website under academics. (http://www.ace.edu/academics/master-of-education) To learn more about their other graduate programs, including doctorate and specialist degrees, visit www.ace.edu. (http://www.ace.edu/)

About American College of Education

Founded in the digital age, American College of Education (ACE) delivers affordable, online graduate degree programs and professional development programs for educators across the US.  American College of Education is dedicated to the belief that educators should have the opportunity to receive advanced degrees affordably, without having to incur substantial debt.  ACE offers opportunities for students to earn degrees from a regionally accredited college that expand their knowledge and aid in the acquisition of new skills and methods from a highly credentialed and experienced faculty. Learn how you can earn your advanced degree at www.ace.edu.

About Character Lab
Character Lab is a nonprofit on a mission to develop, disseminate, and support research- based approaches to character that enable kids to learn and flourish. They are an early-stage venture that invests in research to uncover the best methods to grow character skills in the classroom.