21 Feb 2013
Staff Writer
Emily Bentley / Staff Writer
Two current UNT professors and one alumnus were recognized as three of the Top 25 Texas Education Professors by the Online Schools Texas.
Current UNT Education psychology professors Smita Mehta and Lyndal Bullock and the University of Texas at Tyler’s Colleen Swain, who earned a Ph.D. in 1997 at UNT were all honored for their flexible learning options, open communication and accessibility to course materials.
Mehta said she attributes this award to her ability to engage students in the learning process, setting students up for successful performance, loving and valuing the job of teaching and being well prepared for each class and topic.
“I truly believe that we cannot claim that we have taught something until students demonstrate that they have learned it,” Mehta said. “I work very hard to make sure students not only learn but enjoy the learning process as much as possible.”
Mehta was previously recognized with the Faculty Teaching Excellence Award in 2009, 2010, as well as this year.
Swain was recognized as one of UNT’s outstanding alum’s and Bullock was honored as the Showcase Honoree forat the Council for Exceptional Children.
Mehta works in a variety of ways to ensure her students are able to learn to their fullest capacity.
She hopes as a result of her teaching that “students will remember the critical things they have learned when they need to apply them in their daily lives as professionals in special education.”
Students also rallied in approval of UNT’s recognized professors.
“This definitely bodes well for the university because it will bring positive attention to its academic standards,” pre-journalism junior Obed Manuel said. “I imagine that the best professors will only want to work at the best up-and-coming universities.”
Health promotion junior Jordan Green said people outside of the university are taking notice of the kinds of teachers that UNT has.
“This makes me feel like I am definitely getting my money’s worth,” he said.
