Oleckno to present Presidential Teaching seminar

by Lesli Groth

William Oleckno, professor in the Public and Community Health Program, will present next week his Presidential Teaching Professor seminar on tips to make classroom lectures more interesting and dynamic for students. Oleckno, named a Presidential Teaching Professor in 1998, will present "From Talking Heads to Listening Hearts: Simple Ways to Improve Classroom Lectures," at noon Tuesday, March 26, in the Heritage Room in the Holmes Student Center. Refreshments will be served from 11:30 a.m. to noon.

William Oleckno

"We know that the student attention span is often short, yet some instructors stand in front of a class and lecture continuously for an hour or more, then wonder why students can't recall the details of their lectures," Oleckno said. "I will touch upon some time-tested principles for improving lectures, which are probably the most common method of teaching at the university level."

NIU's Presidential Teaching Professorships were established in 1991 to recognize and support faculty who excel in the practice of teaching. After four years as a Presidential Teaching Professor, the faculty member is designated a Distinguished Teaching Professor.

"Presidential Teaching Professors symbolize the university's enduring commitment to teaching as a central and highly-valued activity," said Interim Vice Provost Robert Wheeler. "Their presentations to the university community—approximately one each semester—provide an ongoing opportunity for NIU faculty, staff and students to be inspired by the excellence which is in our midst."

Oleckno is known for his research on DeKalb's water issues, and his work, "Achieving Compliance with the Radium Standards for Drinking Water in a Midwestern Community: A Case Study," was published in the April 2001 issue of the Journal of Environmental Health.

"Being a Presidential Teaching Professor has motivated me to do an even better job in and out of the classroom," he said. "I have taken the opportunities provided by this award to write a textbook in my discipline, learn more about learning styles and develop case studies for use in class."

The Office of the Provost and the Faculty Development and Instructional Design Center sponsor the event, which is open to all.

For more information, call 753-0595.