What happens in the classroom is important, but it is the experience of mentoring undergraduates in research outside of the classroom that has been most rewarding for Dr. Teddi Deka, professor of psychology and honors program director at Missouri Western State University.
“Through the psychology department’s research team class, as well as sponsoring majors’ honor projects, I have had the opportunity to assist and witness the value of applied learning,” Dr. Deka said. “Students really begin to understand the scientific method and data analyses when they are engaged in their own projects and present their research at conferences.”
Dr. Deka is Missouri Western’s recipient of the 2015 Governor’s Award for Excellence in Education.
“Dr. Teddi Deka is an excellent teacher who cares deeply about the success of students,” said Dr. Jeanne Daffron, provost and vice president for academic affairs. “Students often comment on her passion for teaching and learning, her innovation and her dedication to their education. Dr. Deka is a master in the use of applied learning to further the development of students’ knowledge.”
In addition to undergraduate research, Dr. Deka says community service creates applied learning opportunities for students. For example, students in child development classes engage in eight-week mentorship programs through the Healthy Buddy program that pairs the college students with an elementary school student who has behavioral or emotional difficulties.
“Students work one-on-one with children and apply what they are learning in class,” Dr. Deka said. “Many students have never worked with children and these opportunities make the course come alive for them.”
Dr. Deka has worked with Hosea Elementary, Pickett Elementary, the Noyes Home for Children, Building Bridges and the YWCA to provide mentorship opportunities for child development students. She provides similar programs for adult psychology classes through Kendalwood Hospice, the Alzheimer’s Association and Faith in Action.
Dr. Deka received bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees in psychology from The Ohio State University. She has taught at Missouri Western for 18 years.
Dr. Deka and other Governor’s Award recipients from Missouri’s public colleges and universities will be honored at a luncheon with Gov. Jay Nixon on April 7 in Jefferson City. She will be accompanied by Dr. Robert Vartabedian, Missouri Western’s president; Dr. Daffron; and Ann Pearce, special assistant to the president.
Missouri Western State University is a comprehensive regional university providing a blend of traditional liberal arts and professional degree programs. The university offers student-centered, high quality instruction that focuses on experience-based learning, community service, and state-of-the-art technology. Missouri Western is located in St. Joseph, Mo., and is committed to the educational, economic, cultural and social development of the region it serves. Visit www.missouriwestern.edu.