UA News

Ana Christina DaSilva Iddings and Luis C. Moll were each named Erasmus Circle Fellows, one of the highest honors that can go to UA College of Education faculty members.

Two University of Arizona College of Education faculty members have been named Erasmus Circle Fellows.

Luis C. Moll, a UA language, reading and culture professor, and Ana Christina DaSilva Iddings, a UA assistant professor of teaching and teacher education, were both honored during an event at the Arizona Inn Tuesday night.

The award is one of the highest honors faculty members can receive in the UA College of Education. The Erasmus Circle carries the name of the Renaissance scholar whose work in education changed humanity.

"Upon finalizing the selection of the 2009 Erasmus Circle Fellows, Naomi Karp – our advisory board president-elect – commented that Iddings and Moll represent the extraordinary caliber of our faculty, which is increasingly appreciated and valued by this community," said Ronald W. Marx, UA's College of Education dean.

The society provides unrestricted financial support for the college by supporting initiatives that help improve scholarship, teaching and research.

Respected in both national and international settings, Moll is the recipient of two of the most prestigious awards in education: election to the National Academy of Education and the Sylvia Scribner Award of the American Educational Research Association.

Moll's career path and accomplishments "exemplify his deep commitment to developing a theoretical research base from which to design and improve educational practice for linguistically and culturally diverse learners," said Ana Luisa Terrazas, the college's communications director.

Moll has distinguished himself in many areas, especially in learning and development related to second-language learners, early literacy development and sociocultural approaches to teaching and learning.

He is particularly known for his application of the "zone of proximal development" to create instructional settings that lead children to leverage their existing skills while learning new skills.

A "tireless contributor to professional associations and editorial boards," Moll still finds time to be a supportive mentor to junior colleagues and goes to great lengths to help students achieve their educational goals, Terrazas said.

Iddings has served three years as a faculty member in the UA college and, during that time, has "compiled an impressive record in teaching, scholarship and service," Terrazas said.

"Her publication record is notable and reflects a critical research agenda focused on understanding the social, cultural, political and educational circumstances of young immigrant children," she added.

One of Iddings projects is helping to improve the literacy of immigrant children attending school in the San Manuel School District.

"With her expertise in early childhood education," Terrazas said, "she is poised to become a leader in the state."