Unique teaching methods and research are two factors that help determine who receives the annual College of Agriculture’s Outstanding Teacher Award.

John Schafer, professor of agronomy, has been recognized for his skills and was presented with the honor.

He received the award at the college’s spring semester convocation Jan. 13.

Schafer is well known for his research in the art of teaching. He has developed an agronomy program where three different courses are offered simultaneously on the Web. Students can access course work for Agronomy 154, 155 and 156 from the same server in room 1102 of Agronomy Hall.

“I think putting together this kind of course for the computer [Web] is a tremendous amount of work, and that is why they awarded me for it,” Schafer said.

The three courses offer the same basic principles of soils, he said, but there is a different application method for each course because they are designed for different majors.

Ben Reisner, junior in horticulture, said he likes the course because he learns better when he can work at his own pace.

“I like the way the course is designed because I don’t have to sit through three hours of lecture every week,” said Kiley Hansen, junior in horticulture. “Working on the computer, if I start spacing off, I can rewind and listen to it again.”

Another example of Schafer’s unique teaching programs is the combination of two of the sections of Agronomy 154 with the class English 105. He applies the concepts the students learn about soil management in Agronomy 154 with the papers they write in English 105.

“The courses are taught in the same room, and all the instructors show up to each class period,” Schafer said.

He said the idea for the course grew out of another course combination, Agronomy 356 and English 309, where students had to write a report developing a soil management plan for a client.

“I have never done any of the traditional agronomic research, but instead focused my research on teaching methods,” Schafer said. “This award shows me that at least someone in the college thinks that is OK.”

Eric Hoiberg, associate dean of the College of Agriculture, said that because of Schafer’s accomplishments with these programs and his teaching methods, he excelled at all the areas the award committee was evaluating.

Hoiberg said Schafer will be a part of the new Academy of Teaching Excellence that the department has been developing. The academy will be made up of everyone who has won the Outstanding Teacher Award during the past two decades.

“They will be acting as an advisory group to the assistant dean and have input on the teaching and advising programs,” Hoiberg said.