History of CET

In the early to mid 1980s, Georgia Southern College offered faculty a computer literacy program. The Center for Excellence in Teaching was established in the summer of 1997 by GSU Acting-President Harrison S. Carter. The first director of the Center was Dr. John Daily. John taught political science courses and worked half-time at the CET. Other directors who followed were Drs. Alison Morrison-Shetlar, Kent Rittschof, Eric Hobson, and most recently Alan Altany.

A major thrust of the Center was a revitalization of the computer literacy program that was created in the 1980s. It was renamed as the Faculty Technology Development Lab (FTDL). The role of the lab was to encourage faculty to explore new tools for teaching and student learning. Steve Bonham was named as director of the Lab.

Over the next few years as faculty and students have become more proficient in computer technology and less dependent on technology training, the CET began to rethink and retool its vision and mission. The Center no longer supports primary technology training and now focuses soley on the effective use of the technology in teaching and learning.

Dr. Alan Altany arrived at Georgia Southern University in June 2006 as Director for the Center for Excellence in Teaching. Under his direction, the CET promotes faculty development for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL), Faculty Learning Communities (FLC), and other new programs, which represent new models for working for and with faculty. To gain a sense of faculty development at the Center for Excellence in Teaching, you may explore the information via the links in the left navigation bar: SoTL, Programs, Services and Resources.