McSwane’s Environmental Science Course Gets Two Thumbs Up from College Board
(original publication date: Sept. 20, 2006)
INDIANAPOLIS - If David McSwane ever wondered about the quality of an Environmental Science course he teaches for the IU School of Public and Environmental Affairs at IUPUI, "he doesn't have to do so anymore.
The Center for Educational Policy Research (CEPR,) on behalf of the College Board, identified the course, "Environment and People," as one of the top examples of best practices in a national study of Environmental Science courses.
According to a center official, a total of 53 courses from across the nation were reviewed. In addition to being designated a best practices course overall, McSwane's course received further review that resulted in specific elements of this course being designated as exemplary.
The study sought to identify best practices college courses that could inform the redesign of AP courses in Environmental Science. The goal of the redesign process is to ensure that AP courses reflect the best of college teaching. To identify best practices courses, CEPR assembled a panel of national experts to analyze top courses from a wide range of institutions. The panel reviewed the nominated courses and identified the critical components of best practices present in each course. The College Board then convened a commission in Environmental Science to develop new AP course descriptions, new AP exam specifications, and professional development guidelines for AP teachers. The commission, which is meeting over the current academic year, will utilize the study's findings as a key resource to fulfill its charge. The final result of the commission's work will be AP courses that closely reflect the best practices of college courses in Environmental Science.
"We greatly appreciate the time, energy, and effort that Mr. McSwane put into providing us the requested information, a task that took some considerable time for instructors to complete," wrote Dr. David Conley, director of CEPR. "Without instructor participation of this nature, we would have been unable to complete the study successfully. Your institution can take pride in faculty such as Mr. McSwane and the contributions that faculty of this caliber make to improving educational practices nationally."
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