On Aug.23, several Texas A&M University Kingsville professors received the Association of College and University Educators (ACUE) certification in the Memorial Student Union Building ballroom, closing an almost year-long course for the professors.
During the ceremony professors were recognized and congratulated virtually by TAMUK Provost Dr. Lou Reinisch and A&M’s Associate Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Dr. Shonda Gibson.
“This course consists of 25 online modules that are divided into blocks. The first block focuses on developing a good learning environment for students, the second block focuses on active learning, the third block focuses on inspiring inquiry and lifelong learning and the final block is on course design,” ACUE Academic Director Cindy Blackwell said.
After completing each block, professors would collaborate and work together in discussion and implementation of course material.
“It’s offered for student success and that’s why ACUE exists,” Blackwell said.
The ACUE certification was offered to professors through a grant from the National Association of System Heads, provided though the A&M System. The program is currently offered statewide though the A&M System.
“The primary focus of the course is for our faculty to be exposed to effective teaching strategies in the classroom and the opportunity was made possible by a grant from the system and they were able to offer this course. It’s a nationally recognized credential for professional development and teaching so it’s an amazing opportunity that our faculty were able to take advantage of,” Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Jaya Goswami said.
Professors who received certification included Dr. Ammar Bhandari, Dr. Lihua Zuo, Dr. Elizabeth Janzen, Dr. Nirmal Goswami, Dr. Amir Hessami, Dr. Nick Sciullo, Dr. Fang He, Dr. Weimin Xi, Shannon Aguilar, Dr. Robert Villa, Dr. Maura Krestar, Dr. Teresa Young, Dr. Montamas Suntravat, Dr. Kevin Francis, Dr. Timothy Oblad, Dr. Marion Blake, Dr. Lisa McNair, Dr. Monica Wong-Ratcliff, Dr. Patricia Huskin, Dr. Mike Desiderio, Ashlee Burt, Dr. Amber Shipherd, Dr. Ashfaqur Rahman, Dr. Ayush Goyal, Dr. Matthew Alexander, Dr. Zhaoqi Fan, Dr. Craig Meyer, Dr. Kenneth Price and Dr. Scott Jones, who served as the Faculty Facilitator.
“We are exceptionally proud of them because not only did they go through this year long course over and above everything else that they do but during one of the toughest years in their professional careers, during the pandemic,” Jaya Goswami said.
Desiderio, a professor in the Department of Teacher and Bilingual Education, said the course was reinforcement to the practices he had already been implementing in his classroom.
“Even someone like me who’s in the twilight of their career, I still learn new things. I was able to implement some practices that were good to me and do them very effectively,” he said. “I was able to change some of the things I was doing to include more students, and my students who I practice this with gained significantly in their learning.”
His biggest take away was knowing everyone can become a better teacher regardless of experience.
“This [course] is very amazing because the more I use those different strategies, because they’re research based, I can engage the students better. I am better prepared and can also incorporate their feedback,” Associate Professor Radcliff said.
Radcliff said the course took commitment and determination to complete.
The national certification program has been renewed to certify more TAMUK faculty with the strategic course.
“If it’s not about student success then why are we here? This is one very strong way of supporting that mantra, that goal that we have, that all of us have students, faculty, staff we want our students to succeed, and so this is one way that we are helping that happen,” Jaya Goswami concluded.
