A University of Montana-Western environmental studies professor who was named Outstanding Baccalaureate Colleges Professor of the Year by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) is back home in Dillon.
Professor Rob Thomas has been a Western faculty member for 16 years. He helped to institute a block scheduling program at the school called Experience One that allows students to take one class at a time, three hours a day for 18 days, earning the same credits over a year as students do in a more traditional university.
Thomas describes his scheduling program not as a better way of learning but as a different way of learning.
Thomas was chosen from a field of over 300 professors from baccalaureate colleges and universities across the United States.
Judges selected national winners based on four criteria - impact on and involvement with undergraduate students; scholarly approach to teaching and learning; contributions to undergraduate education in the institution, community and profession; and support from colleagues and current and former undergraduate students.
Anthony Bryk, president of The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, said the award is a recognition of work that goes far beyond the campus classroom.
"These dedicated teachers are not only leading their students to develop a deep understanding of their respective fields-geology, sociology, psychology and chemistry-but they are also mirroring examples of scholarship, citizenship and community involvement that ultimately will lead to contributions toward a better society and indeed a better world," Bryk said.
In November 2008, Thomas and his Environmental Field Studies students performed an analysis of stream restoration on Montana's upper Big Hole River. In 18 days the students conducted their analysis and drafted a 150-page assessment report on their collaborative effort with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and local ranchers to help preserve the endangered fluvial Arctic grayling fish.
Thomas insisted his award is a reflection of collective efforts taken by his fellow faculty.
(From Nov. 19, 2009)
University of Montana Western environmental sciences professor Rob Thomas has been named Outstanding Baccalaureate Colleges Professor of the Year by The Carnegie Foundation for the
Advancement of Teaching and the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE).
Thomas was chosen from a field of over 300 professors from baccalaureate colleges and universities across the United States.
Judges selected national winners based on four criteria - impact on and involvement with undergraduate students; scholarly approach to teaching and learning; contributions to undergraduate education in the institution, community and profession; and support from colleagues and current and former undergraduate students.
Anthony Bryk, president of The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, said the award is a recognition of work that goes far beyond the campus classroom.
"These dedicated teachers are not only leading their students to develop a deep understanding of their respective fields-geology, sociology, psychology and chemistry-but they are also mirroring examples of scholarship, citizenship and community involvement that ultimately will lead to contributions toward a better society and indeed a better world," Bryk said.
Thomas has been a faculty member at Montana Western for 16 years. In that time he helped transform the institution into the first and only public university in the United States to offer block scheduling. Under this scheduling system, students take one class at a time, three hours per day for 18 days, earning the same credits over a year as students do in traditional multiple-course scheduling models. The scheduling program Experience One (X1) is in its fifth full year at the Dillon campus.
"The facts are impressive," Thomas said. "This university had two degrees and was dying. A small group of committed, visionary people turned this campus around. The award itself is recognition of what we have done to make this campus one of the most unique undergraduate experiences in the country. If this award is being given to me in any way, shape or form because of my role with X1, my role was one of many important roles to make this happen. This happened because of the courage of the faculty to change everything they know about how to teach undergraduate students."
"Southwestern Montana is our lab," Thomas said, which includes nearby Yellowstone National Park, stretches of the Continental Divide and a myriad of wilderness, mountains ranges, lakes and rivers.
In November 2008, Thomas and his Environmental Field Studies students performed an analysis of stream restoration on Montana's upper Big Hole River. In 18 days the students conducted their analysis and drafted a 150-page assessment report on their collaborative effort with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and local ranchers to help preserve the endangered fluvial Arctic grayling fish.
Thomas insisted his award is a reflection of collective efforts taken by his fellow faculty.
"My role in this historic change is best left to others to determine," Thomas said. "However, I know that change of this magnitude requires shared vision, hard work by many people, and the courage to take a risk and try something new. I thank my colleagues for caring enough about the students to take this bold step forward. They have made my working life so much more interesting and worthwhile."
