Dr. David Knox earned his Ph.D. from the University of Georgia (2004), where he then served as Director of Technological Academic Initiatives for the University of Georgia Graduate School. Dr. Knox joined Clemson in 2004 where he is now the Director of the University Testing and Education Center (UTEC) and the Founding Director of the Clemson Thinks2 (CT2) Program. We sat down with Dr. Knox to learn more about the University Testing and Education Center (UTEC) and the Clemson Thinks2 (CT2) Program.
What can you tell us about your role as the UTEC Director?
Currently, I serve two roles: as the Director of the University Testing and Education Center (UTEC), and the Director of CT2. UTEC provides Clemson students with proctoring for accommodated, make-up, and online class exams. We are also a testing center open to the public for professional certification exams. For example, we have many students from the tri-state area who come here to take the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam. Examples of other exams we offer are Amazon Web Services, Cisco, Microsoft, Oracle, Salesforce, and Tableau certifications. I have a staff of 4 part-time Testing Specialists. All of our people have certifications from the various testing agencies. Last academic year we administered over 11,000 exams – just to Clemson students!
You have also been the Director of the Clemson Thinks2 (CT2) program since 2014. Can you tell us what makes this program unique?
The Clemson Thinks2 (CT2) program, now in its 11th year, was initially developed by Clemson University as the Quality Enhancement Plan for the University’s 2013 reaccreditation by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). The overarching goal of Clemson Thinks2 is to enhance the University’s pedagogy and curriculum in a way that enables measurable improvement in students’ critical thinking skills and abilities to apply those skills in a variety of academic and non-academic contexts. We envisioned that student learning would take place at multiple levels: in CT2 curricular seminars in which students enrolled, as students applied critical thinking skills in upper-division courses in their majors, and as students utilized these skills during engagement experiences such as internships, service-learning projects, and undergraduate research.
One of the many unique features of CT2 is its equal emphasis on developing faculty critical thinking pedagogical skills and student critical thinking skills. Faculty critical thinking pedagogical skills are enhanced by the CT2 Faculty Institute. The Faculty Institute is an annual 4-day workshop featuring presenters on multiple critical thinking topics and close participant interaction.
How do you think the CT2 Program is contributing to the development of faculty members ate Clemson?
In the 11 years of the existence of the Faculty Institute, over 250 faculty members have participated. Using the Faculty Institute as a model, CT2 realized a long-held ambition in December 2019 with the first Clemson Thinks2 Graduate Teaching Institute (GTI). The GTI is a two-day intensive workshop devoted to developing teaching assistant (and future faculty) pedagogical skills. Since its inception, we have held the GTI six times, with 171 graduate students participating. Clemson University has learned, because of the Clemson Thinks2, that an intentionally designed critical thinking program can have positive effects on students. In the 11 years of the program’s existence, nearly 1000 have been conducted under the CT2 aegis. Further, we have learned that a well-structured and continuously improved faculty professional development program can yield positive results not only for faculty pedagogical skills, but also for enhanced faculty engagement and enthusiasm. CT2 has enhanced trans-disciplinary interaction and cooperation, opening new vistas for course development and energized faculty. Clemson Thinks2 has created a community composed of faculty, staff, students, and administrators dedicated to critical thinking.
What advice would you give a faculty member who is interested in participating?
The Clemson Thinks2 Faculty Institute is open to all Clemson Faculty of all ranks. All we ask is that you are enthusiastic about developing student critical thinking skills and be prepared to devote 4 days to an intense (but fun!) program. Many of our presenters at the Institute are “alumni” of the program. There is a great sense of camaraderie that develops among the participants and many collaborations and friendships have grown from being part of the CT2 program. I generally send out the announcement for the Faculty Institute in late-April every year. Anyone interested in participating should contact me and I can put them on an early-notification list.
What would you recommend Clemson to implement so our faculty are more engaged with critical thinking?
I think enthusiasm about your field and your pedagogy is the key to effective teaching. We have a formula at CT2: Engaged Faculty = Engaged Students. Engaged faculty play a key role in developing strong critical thinking skills in our students. Students also need to take an active role in the learning process. Being an effective critical thinker is like being a successful athlete. It takes awareness, skills, determination, and effort to develop critical thinking “muscles”. Workshops such as the Faculty Institute are an effective way to build faculty enthusiasm and engagement.
Want to lean more?
- Please visit the Clemson Thinks2 website
- Please visit UTEC’s website
- You may also check his LinkedIn profile
