Information Systems Department
Professor Case featured in the summer 2007 issue of Georgia Southern magazine
INVOLVEMENT INC.
'Engagement' is Tom Case's key to success
in classroom and community
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After more than 25 years in academia, Tom Case has discovered it's difficult to focus on any one of the three prime aspects of professorship: teaching, research and service. "Much of the research that I am currently involved in focuses on teaching effectiveness," said Case, interim chair of the Department of Information Systems (IS) in the College of Information Technology (CIT). "I want to promote and build knowledge of how to be an effective IS teacher, and when I share that with others through journal articles and conference presentations, I am providing a service to the profession. So, where does the separation occur?" Since joining Georgia Southern, Case has excelled not only in the classroom but in service to the University and the community. While he considers his teaching style "eclectic, depending upon the size, level and type of class," Case stressed that the common denominator for learning and student success to occur in his courses is "by making students articulate their views." "As the instructor, I get to choose the starting point for the discussion. 'Let's look at this quote from the assigned reading,' or 'Let's discuss this article in today's Wall Street Journal,'" said Case. "I control the flow of the exchange and guide it through focal questions. But there is so much that they (students) learn from each other." While he relishes the give-and-take of the classroom, Case emphasized his belief in the power of engaging students through written assignments. Even though Case admits he's spent more than one weekend wondering why he gave students a writing assignment, he reminds himself of writing's potentially "magical" qualities. "Writing forces people to think, and it provides one of the truest gauges of students' knowledge. Those that can clearly explain, describe and articulate their points tend to be successful students while they are here and successful where ever life takes them after graduation," Case stated. |
While the ultimate goal is student learning, Case said the process begins with enthusiasm. "Students have to be able to see that I'm engaged and excited about my discipline. Enthusiasm comes across to students," Case said, adding that the majority of student evaluations he's received have mentioned how he demonstrated his interest for the material. "That's important, otherwise I'm not teaching the right thing," Case said. In addition to teaching, Case is serving a fourth stint as acting chair of the IS department. Answering the call to service is second nature to Case. After earning a doctorate from the University of Georgia, Case accepted a position in Georgia Southern's School of Business, now the College of Business Administration (COBA). In the 1980s, as the growth of technology changed business education, the University needed instructors capable of teaching management of information systems (MIS). Case responded by attending professional development training offered by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business in order to teach MIS courses. "It's been my desire to meet the needs of my school, college and University and plug in where I'm needed," stated Case. In satisfying that desire to serve, Case has chaired numerous university-level committees as well as committees within COBA and CIT and maintains memberships in a number of professional organizations. Case's commitment to service also extends into the community. A strong proponent of service, Case extols its virtue to his students in classes. "I encourage my students upon graduation to be actively involved in community service - if you want the community to embrace you, you have to be actively involved in your community," he said. "You can't move forward as a person or in a profession without being engaged. You have to talk to others around you to find out what you and your company can do to help." -Phillip Brown |
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