Teaching Committee

Mission Statement

The Teaching committee is concerned with all aspects of instruction and education in the discipline of phytopathology other than those traditionally reserved for continuing education as carried out by the Extension Service and other agencies.

Annual Reports

Proposed Sessions for APS Annual Meeting

2005-– The Teaching Committee has proposed a symposium entitled “Human Pathogens in the Plant Pathology Teaching Laboratory: Cause for Concern.” George Hudler will be the organizer this symposium. Some topics to be addressed include: * Human-pathogenic and opportunistic fungi in laboratory culture * Human-pathogenic and opportunistic bacteria from soil and plant debris * Plants from the field and greenhouse: Can they be dangerous? * Mycotoxins: Tenacious threat to human health

Current and Past APS Annual Sessions

2004 “Adapting Teaching Styles and Techniques for a Changing Student Population” Melissa Riley and Ed Braun organized this symposium. The focus of this symposium was a consideration of the changing needs and the changing characteristics of today’s student population. The speakers and presentation titles were as follows: Dr. Robyn Wright Dunbar (Stanford University) “How students learn science: What research and experience tells us.” Cleo D’Arcy (Univ. of Illinois) “Increasing student diversity: Challenges and opportunities.” Melissa Riley (Clemson Univ.) “Utilization of case studies in teaching plant pathology.” Darin Eastburn (Univ. of Illinois) “Better or just different? New technologies and teaching.” 2003 “Teachers of Excellence”, a symposium, was organized by Melissa Riley and Paul Vincelli. The session focused on presentations by three outstanding and award-winning teachers followed by discussion. The three teachers are: plant pathologist Fred Zettler (Univ. of Florida), biologist J. A. Waldvogel (Clemson Univ.), and rural sociologist L. Garkovich (Univ. of Kentucky). A goal of this presentation was to highlight award winning teachers and promote their recognition. “The Role of Teaching Assistants in Higher Education” was organized by Carol Stiles and George Hudler. George Hudler, John Andrews and Jim MacDonald provided faculty and administrative perspectives and three graduate students, S. L. Thomas (Ohio State), D. G. Schmale (Cornell Univ.), and B. A. Edmunds (Iowa State) provided perspectives from the point of view of the teaching assistant. This session was presented in cooperation with the Graduate Student committee.