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Friday, September 6, 1985/The Battalion/Page 3
ON THE SIDE OF
Warped
A&M center aids professors
to improve teaching skills
By MARYBETH ROHSNER
Stall Writer
The guy who stands in front of
your 8 a.m. class has a couple of
Ph.D.s, an IQ of 200 and a vocabu
lary that would make William F.
Buckley blush with shame. So,
you’re getting the best possible edu
cation tor your money, right?
Well... maybe.
Several studies indicate that even
Nobel Prize-winning professors can
have difficulty in communicating
their ideas to students. With that in
mind, the Texas A&M Center for
Teaching Excellence was set up for
mally in 1983. The center works
with professors and teaching assis
tants in sharpening teaching skills.
The center’s director. Dr. Glenn
Ross Johnson, says, “Until recently,
nobody seemed to be too concerned
with professors’ abilitv to teach, and
most professors have had no train
ing in education. There’s been very
little effort, time or assistance in
helping them interact with stu
dents."
The center offers a variety of free
services to professors and leaching
assistants w ho wish to improve their
teaching techniques.
The center frequently holds in
quiry seminars on weekday af
ternoons for interested faculty mem
bers. On a larger scale, Johnson says
about 40 professors and 100 learn
ing assistants attend the “Enhancing
College Teaching” workshops con
ducted by the center at the begin
ning of each semester. In addition,
the center also conducts an annual
symposium during the spring. The
symposium features guest speakers
who provide helpful hints.
1 he center also works on a one-
on-one basis with instructors who
wish to improve their teaching.
Dr. Libby Gardner, assistant di
rector of the Center, uses technology
to analyze an instructor’s teaching.
Gardner says she frequently video
tapes lectures to analyze the amount
of time the instructor spends inter
acting with students.
“Students learn much better
through active interaction with the
teacher,” Gardner says. “And some
profs spend as much as 98 percent
by Scott McCuiiar Designated
driver program
started in B-CS
By MEG CADIGAN
Stall Writer
Half of all people killed in
drunk driving accidents are the
drunk drivers themselves, says Dr.
Kirk Brown, president of the local
Mothers Against Drunk Driving
7 . i* chapter.
A' ‘^^ <>5 Vn/ And to combat this problem
MADD and the National Safety
Council are promoting the desig
nated driver program.
Brown says the designated
driver program involves attending
parties in groups and having the
driver of the group abstain from
drinking alcohol. MADD is pro
viding lapel stickers for the desig
nated driver to let others know
where to find a safe ride home, he
of class time with no interaction with
students.”
Gardner, who works primarily
with teaching assistants, also uses less
complex methods of helping instruc
tors.
She frequently attends lectures at
the request of instructors to analyze
lecturing methods. And, if the in
structor wishes, she uses student
evaluation forms to recommend
changes in teaching techniques.
The most common problem,
Gardner says, occurs in the area of
course organization.
“The teacher ought to let the stu
dents know the course objectives on
the syllabus,” Gardner says. “Then
they should make up the tests from
those objectives.”
Every service the center offers is
completely confidential. The advice
given to tne instructors is not made
available to anyone except the in
structor who requested the analysis.
“Nobody wants to have their tea
ching analyzed if they think some
one is going to run back to the de
partment head and report,”
Gardner says.
says.
“By letting friends drive drunk
you are contributing to the possi
bility they could kill themselves,”
Brown says.
MADD has contacted local beer
distributors, liquor stores, sorori
ties and fraternities to promote the
designated driver program, he
says.
Brown says that this program
could help protect various groups
from legal action taken by families
of those killed while driving
drunk.
“Increasingly, victims’ families
have been successful in suing the
organizers of parties,” Brown says.
He says another 25 percent of
those killed are passengers of
drunk drivers.
He says MADD is now devel
oping apian for helping drunk pa
trons of local nightclubs get home
safely.
Any groups or individuals inter
ested in getting designated driver
lapel stickers or additional infor
mation on the program should
contact MADD at 690-0512.
PUBLIC AUCTION SAT 1^ r .'.m.
CITY OF
BRYAN
Surplus Equipment and Unclaimed Property, Miscellaneous Items & Bi
cycle Sale, Vehicles & Heavy Equipment
All items will be sold as is cash, check, cashiers check, or Personal Check with
Proper Identification, large purchases and checks from out of town buyers should
be accompanied by a bank letter of guarantee. _ , .
For more Info
A.L. Buck Buchanan II
• 8:30 a.m. Auctioneer
• Register and Viewing 7:30 a.m. day of sale T*B-076-nsfi'i
• 2200 Fountain Ave Bryan (409) 846-3069
• Typewriters • Calculators • Jewelry • Office Equipment
• Chain Saws • Radio Equipment • Tools • Tool Boxes
• Over 300 Bicycles
The Only Chinese Fast Food
in Town.
Fast Fresh and Good Taste
Menu Change Daily
Stop by and try it. You’ll Love It.
(Next to Fish Richard’s)
805 B. Wellborn Rd.
696 7686
696 3788
testers
Back to School at
Lester's
Your Shoe connection
Lester’s wishes you the best for
this school year! Come in and
see our collection of casual and
dress shoes.
Shown, basics and wardrobe
sparkers:
Rappagallo, $48.
Bass Penny loafer, $44.
Bandoline, $64.
TEXAS ASM UxssmS/
FREE ALLERGY SCREENING
for Children 6-12 years
willing to participate in a two-week antihistamine
trial. $100 monetary incentive for children
chosen to participate. Known allergic children
welcome. If you would like to know more call
776-0411
Allergy Associates
cut here 1
Defensive Driving Course
Sept. 9th & 10th 18th & 19th
College Station Hilton
Pre-register by phone: 693-8178
Ticket deferral and 10% insurance discount
cut here
Our experienced instructors, low course cost, and ideal
training environment will ensure a friendly, professional,
and affordable flight training program for you.
BRING THIS AD WHEN YOU ENROLL AND GET YOUR
FIRST FLIGHT FREE
Please call for reservations.
779-6120 Coulter Field Airport;
2 miles east of Bryan on Hiway 21
HUGHES
aviation
2504 Kent at villa Marla Rd.
775-0173
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