[001] ‘MTSU On the Record’ guests explore ‘new way’ to retain college students

MURFREESBORO — Changing the culture of a university’s faculty to encourage student success is the topic of the next “MTSU On the Record” radio program.

Host Gina Logue’s interview with Robert Eaker and Deb Sells will air from 5:30 to 6 p.m. Monday, July 4, and from 8 to 8:30 a.m. Sunday, July 10, on WMOT-FM (89.5 and http://www.wmot.org).

Eaker, a professor emeritus of educational leadership, and Sells, vice president of student affairs and vice provost for enrollment services, are the authors of “A New Way: Introducing Higher Education to Professional Learning Communities at Work.”

The authors suggest that professors can be more effective if they collaborate across disciplinary lines to share their expertise and collaborate on improving teaching methods.

“Very often, people who are drawn to teaching and research as a career are those that tend to like the option of working more independently, who see themselves as sort of ‘lone rangers,’” said Sells.

Instead, said Eaker, “what you really need are collaborative teams of people who actually teach the course, clarifying exactly what it is kids need to be able to do in the course to be successful.”

To hear previous “MTSU On the Record” programs, go to http://bit.ly/mtsu-otr.

For more information, contact Logue at 615-898-5081 or WMOT-FM at 615-898-2800.