Each year FDEA recognizes an outstanding developmental educator. The winner is selected from those you nominate based on involvement in FDEA, contributions to developmental education, promotion of student success, and professional creativity.

Karin Alderfer was recognized as the Outstanding Educator for 2005 by the FDEA Board. Karin is a Professor of College Prep Reading at Miami Dade College, Kendall Campus, where she has taught developmental reading courses for the past 22 years. She has also served as the Department Reading Coordinator for 6 of those years.

Professor Alderfer is an active member of several local and national organizations that promote literacy:  The International Reading Association (IRA), The National Association of Developmental Education (NADE), The Florida Developmental Education Association (FDEA), and The Florida College Reading Council (FCRC).

Over the past few years, she has made presentations for three of these organizations (FCRC, FDEA, and NADE) about teaching reading online. She has also designed and taught an online reading course for the past three years and served on the college-wide Distance Education Committee, where she has worked with another professor to design an orientation unit to be used by all Virtual College students at the college.

At several points in her career, Professor Alderfer has also been involved in teaching ESL courses. Currently, she is working with Miami Dade’s ESL Department in designing interactive lessons to teach English; these materials include Power Point presentations that allow each student to learn at his/her own pace.

As a teacher, Professor Alderfer has a thorough understanding of her discipline and a commitment to constantly broadening that knowledge and trying new strategies. She is very adept at incorporating current issues and events into her teaching and encourages students to think critically and points out ways in which what they are learning is relevant to their everyday lives. Her students consistently rate her positively in all areas and make such comments as "encourages me to learn," "treats me with respect," and "is available for individual help."

Clearly, Professor Alderfer is thoroughly committed to education and to finding ways of bringing literacy to as many people as possible.