Internationally recognized for his insights into teaching and learning, Ken Bain has presented all over the globe and is coming to BYU-Hawaii as the main speaker for the teaching symposium on Feb. 19-21. Bain is a long-time professor and bestselling author. His book, “What the Best College Teachers Do” won the “2004 Virginia and Warren Stone Prize for an outstanding book on education and society, and has been one of the top selling books on higher education,” says Amazon.com about the author. “It has been translated into twelve languages and was the subject of an award-winning television documentary series in 2007.”Dr. Ben Jordan, assistant professor in Physical Science, who has been to a conference Bain held before, said, “His ideas and suggestions are really good. They help the faculty to improve.” He said it was “valuable when I went to one of the sessions with him,” and he got the opportunity to learn from him and the teachers who attended.The event is focused toward the faculty of BYUH campus, but is also open to students. The topic of the symposium will be the “leadership of the church,” according to Kevin Kimball, director of the event.“On Saturday, we would love students to come,” said Kimball. If students want to attend, they should contact Kimball at kevin.kimball@byuh.edu.“I think it’s a good idea for faculty to get together to learn new things and talk,” said Randal Allred, a BYUH English professor. “I don’t think anybody knows everything about teaching.” The teaching symposium allows for teachers to come and share teaching techniques, regardless of their fields of study. Guest speakers from BYUH include Ellen Bunker, Perry Christensen, Leola Solis, Amanda Wallace, and more. Another professor, Sabrina Sullivan, is coming from Leeward Community College, among others. “I think its really valuable and nice [to go] because you get so busy as a professor,” added Jordan about the symposium. “You get to rub shoulders with other faculty members and it gives you a broader perspective.”
Writer: Rachel Reed
