Faculty at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff School of Agriculture, Fisheries and Human Sciences have an opportunity to earn a national credential in college teaching, according to Nina Lyon Bennett, SAFHS professor and assistant dean for academics.
The Association of College and University Educators and North Carolina A&T State University, the sponsoring institution for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s $18.1 million NextGen Grant, are collaborating on this opportunity.
“This high-quality course in effective teaching practices is part of our commitment to teaching excellence and encouraging tremendous student success in agriculture, fisheries and human sciences,” Bennett said in a news release.
“ACUE, the only college teaching program endorsed by the American Council on Education, equips faculty with evidence-based practices proven to increase student engagement, retention and performance,” she said.
The ACUE course is a fully online, asynchronous learning experience led by a facilitator and taken alongside a cohort of peers from other 1890 land-grant institutions.
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Six SAFHS faculty participated in the first cohort. Several commented on the program.
“I highly recommend this program for its effective tools that promote student success and support dedicated educators committed to teaching excellence,” said Ying Gao-Balch.
Sathish Ponniah said ACUE is an excellent learning platform for instructors — a must for faculty who are working with students.
“The training provides new tools for teaching. I learned more about the mindsets of students and how to handle classroom situations. It offers new ideas to improve my teaching skills from day one of class through to grading students,” Ponniah said.
Adedeji Olufemi Adetunji gained insight.
“Before taking the course, I felt teaching students how to get the most out of attending classes was not the role of the instructor,” Adetunji said. “However, I now have a better understanding of what part I should play in this process. Recently, I have been intentional about the strategies I deploy to get the level of participation I want, and I can now get everyone involved in my teaching. ACUE did that for me.”
Jaafar Abdulridha said: “The ACUE learning program was a wonderful experience. I learned a lot about teaching styles, participation, feedback, communication and discussion. I tried some of these techniques in my lectures, and they have proven effective as I learn more about teaching, curriculum, structure and more. I recommend that all staff join this program to develop teaching methods.”
The remaining participants in the 2023-2024 cohort were Uttam Deb and Ajoy Saha. The 2024-2025 cohort, which began in the fall, includes Kimberly Haynie, Yong Park and Alicia Farmer.
For more information about the ACUE course set for 2025, contact Nina Lyon Bennett at bennettn@uapb.edu.