You Make a Difference award
ESU Media Relations
Originally published 02:20 p.m., April 17, 2008
Updated 02:20 p.m., April 17, 2008
“Dr. Carnes is stepping outside her role in her own department and helping out the extremely short-handed psychology department,” says Linette McJunkin, who nominated Gwen Carnes for this month’s You Make a Difference Award at Emporia State University.
Carnes has been at ESU for five years, and teaches graduate-level courses in research and statistics.
“Most of my students are psychology majors. The objective in teaching research design is helping students prepare their thesis proposal, and I often serve as a member of students’ thesis committee,” she says.
Carnes says it is the satisfaction of helping students understand something that is difficult for them to grasp that is her favorite aspect of the job.
“My favorite course to teach is statistics, but that course is often difficult for many students. I receive great satisfaction helping those students who find success only after a great struggle. What we most prize usually comes with some difficulty.”
It is her dedication to helping others on her own time that makes a difference, as well.
McJunkin says, “She is sponsoring numerous research projects, sitting on many thesis committees and is devoting the rest of her free time to helping students outside of class, and in particular, outside her office hours. She is certainly making a difference for many students in Visser Hall!”
Carnes says she is touched by receiving this award.
“The reason why we teach is to make a difference. I feel very fortunate to be a teacher and to receive this award.”
Lucky (anonymous) says...
I am the student who nominated Dr. Carnes for this award. I too am a graduate student, one who is headed to a PhD program after the completion of my degree in Experimental Psychology at ESU. I found the stats class a bit challenging, but thought that Dr. Carnes was extremely helpful the few times I requested assistance, and I continue to stand behind my decision to nominate her for the award.
To address Ms. Merritt's comments directly. There are a number of people within the graduate programs who have a 4.0, so the addition of this personal information on her part should not add any weight to her comments. I can understand her frustration with the course difficulty, however, I think her decision to post comments about a professor on a public website is completely unprofessional.
I think it also important to note that at the time of the first test I believe there were roughly 20 students enrolled within the course. Now, an average of a low C on a test given to 20 people would not be difficult to obtain, considering the small number within the class. The fact of the matter is, there are a number of people within that class who are sitting with a B or better. I know this to be true because after reading Ms. Merritt's comments, I asked some of the students currently enrolled in the course and most of them are feeling okay with where they are grade wise, and feel they will be able to end the semester with a B or better.
Lastly, I find Ms. Merritt's heated comments regarding Dr. Carnes quite ironic, considering she was allowed to take a "different stats course" to fulfill her degree requirement. It would definately lead me to believe her comments are of a more personal nature, than of concern regarding the teaching abilities of Dr. Carnes. Again, I feel her choice to leave a response about a professor on a public forum quite unprofessional and certainly lacking in taste.
May 2, 2008 at 11:27 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
kellim (anonymous) says...
As a graduate student in the school psychology department, I feel it is my responsibility to advocate for the psychology students (certainly myself included) who find Statistics a very challenging aspect of the program. I was enrolled in ER 857 taught by Dr. Gwen Carnes. I felt helpless and hopeless in taking this course. Challenge is not a problem for me, but no student should be made to feel as though they are incapable. As a 4.0 student at ESU, I believe that it is unacceptable to have the need of dropping a course because it's impossible for me to get at least a B. When I initially tried to get assistance from Dr. Carnes, I was faced with inflexibility on her part. I was told by Dr. Carnes that my questions slowed the pace of the class so to bring a tape recorder. My thoughts were heaven forbid the professor slow down and teach the duration of the scheduled class instead of rushing through and leaving an hour early several times. I thought this was especially unacceptable when the average of the class on the first test was a low C. Dr. Carnes did agree to meet with me a couple times after class after I was left to sink on the first test. By this time, however, I was so frustrated and fed up I about dropped the program all together until I was allowed to take a different stats course in place of the initially required ER 857. Dr. Carnes is a very knowledgeable stats professor. I could see her winning a making a difference award in her department. However, the feeling is not mutual in regards of her winning this award as it pertains to teaching this course in the psychology department by myself, and I would guess not by the others who failed or at least didn't make the B they need for their program this semester.
Kelli M.
April 19, 2008 at 10:01 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )