Center for Teaching, Learning & Academic Support
      Advancing Teaching, Research, and Creative Endeavors

The Director's Philosophy

As early as 1869, Dr. Charles Eliot of Harvard was perceptive enough to know that it is not so much as "what to teach" as it is "how to teach." Knowledge of content, without knowledge to plan, implement, manage, and evaluate instruction is ineffective. As Russell Edgerton (1988) exclaims in "All Roads Lead to Teaching," many college professors are very knowledgeable in their content areas and "stand on shoulders of giants." However, when it comes to pedagogy, they are not as knowledgeable and "stand on the ground."

Research shows that some of the most ineffective teaching occurs on college campuses because professors often arrive on college campuses without any formal teacher training or preparation (e.g., a teaching practicum or the study of teaching/learning theories, models, paradigms, and instructional design). Some learned to hone their skills through trial and error, and too often through error. Some who have naturally "good" interpersonal skills have managed (without formal training) to craft their art of teaching to become "effective." Others with less interpersonal skills and no teacher training have not fared as well in terms of impacting student outcomes. Moreover, some "effective" professors have ventured to augment their effectiveness with the infusion of technology (computers and multimedia) to enhance their delivery as well as to increase time efficiency in presenting concepts. Notwithstanding available technology, no professors can ever maximize their impact on student outcomes without an understanding of the teaching/learning process, instructional design, and delivery. The Center's premise is that a sound pedagogy should drive technology. Therefore, the Center for Teaching, Learning and Academic Support will focus on the integration of pedagogy and technology. One without the other stymies a professor's full potential to impact student learning.