Rick Parker Wins National Award
Thursday, June 26, 2008 3:01 PM CDT
 |
| Dr. Rick Parker |
TWIN FALLS, Idaho -- Rick Parker, Ph.D., of Rupert, Idaho, received the NACTA Distinguished Educator Award at the annual conference of the North American Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture held at Utah State University.
The theme for the conference was “Retaining the Best.” The purpose of the annual conference is to provide for professional advancement of faculty engaged in classroom teaching. Participants have the opportunity to share teaching methods, philosophies, and styles of instruction.
Parker completed his undergraduate degree at Brigham Young University and completed is Ph.D. in Reproductive Physiology at Iowa State University. After two post-doctorate positions at University of Alberta and University of Wyoming, and a stint as a co-author with M.E. Ensminger, Clovis, Calif., he served as a division director and instructor at the College of Southern Idaho in Twin Falls for 19 years.
As director, he worked with faculty in agriculture, information technology, drafting, marketing and management, and electronics. He also taught agriculture classes, computer classes, and writing classes at CSI n consistently receiving excellent teaching evaluations. Currently, he serves as the director for AgrowKnowledge, the National Center for Agriscience and Technology Education, a project funded by the National Science Foundation. Additionally, he is the editor for the peer-reviewed NACTA Journal, which focuses on the scholarship of teaching and learning.
Parker is also the author of several Delmar textbooks: Aquaculture Science (second edition), Introduction to Plant Science (currently being expanded to Plant and Soil Science), Introduction to Food Science, and Equine Science (third edition).
He has been involved with NACTA for more than 20 years and has served in the following capacities: state coordinator then western regional director (1990-94); vice president (1995-96); president (1996-97); secretary-treasurer (1999-02); NACTA Journal editor (2002-present).
Throughout his career he has tried to promote and expand the value of knowledge and education in the lives of people through — curriculum development and design; using traditional and new delivery methods; helping people realize and reach their potential; and developing full use of the technology to improve the education of people.
Some of his guiding philosophies are:
Teaching: “I hear; I forget. I see; I remember. I do; I understand.”
Life: “Make no little plans,” “Persistence and consistency always pay off.”
Interpersonal relations: “People first”
Personal: “Integrity needs no rules.”
Family: “Family first”
He and his wife, Marilyn, of 39 years are the parents of eight children and grandparents to 19.
The North American Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture is a professional society that focuses on promoting, recognizing and rewarding excellence in teaching agriculture and related areas at the post secondary level in North America.
Comments »
Comment on this story
Comments will be approved within 48 hours
|
