Ian Murray, Ph.D., was among 92 faculty members celebrated by Texas A&M University’s Center for Teaching Excellence in May who earned credentials through the Instructional Excellence Project. To date, 160 faculty have earned the credential through the initiative.
Participating faculty engage in one of many courses offered by the Association of College and University Educators (ACUE). Each course promotes evidence-based teaching practices proven to close equity gaps and promote student success.
Murray was recognized at a ceremony, along with other newly credentialed faculty at the flagship campus in College Station.
“At the Center for Teaching Excellence, we take pride in offering our faculty a variety of opportunities that meet them where they are and speak to the unique needs of their classrooms and their students,” said Debra Fowler, director of the Center for Teaching Excellence.
“Each of the courses offered through the Center for Teaching Excellence enabled me to enhance my own teaching philosophy and pedagogy to self-reflect and understand how I might augment my delivery of instruction,” said Murray. “I am more cognizant about how I relate to my students, and more importantly, how each student receives my instruction. For the most optimal outcomes, I have discovered the learning styles of my students and attempt to accommodate each will instruction that delivers.”
“As faculty, each of us contributes to creating a culture of teaching excellence at the university by virtue of how we show up in our roles as instructors,” said Heather Wilkinson, associate vice president for faculty affairs and associate provost for faculty success. “I appreciate the ACUE participants for investing in themselves and thereby contributing to both the culture of teaching excellence and the culture of mentoring, and also to making Texas A&M University a best place to live, work and learn.”
The courses offered by ACUE are based on more than three decades of research that show how effective teaching improves the outcomes for all students. Independent validated research shows students enrolled in courses taught by ACUE-credentialed faculty are more engaged in learning, more likely to complete courses and more likely to express satisfaction with the instruction received.