Breaking the Barriers of Traditional Learning
When the Fischler School opened its doors more than 35 years ago, the barriers of traditional learning were shattered, causing a ripple effect that can be felt today. Most modern classrooms of the day relied entirely on-site instruction- blackboards, professors, desks, students, and long lectures. Nova Southeastern University (NSU) was new. NSU was novel. NSU and its Fischler School of Education changed the rules of how adult learners learn. Blackboards became WebCT; professors travelled to cluster sites; students learned on-line in the privacy of their homes; lectures became on-line courses with audio, video, discussion, and interaction. Nova and the Fischler School of Education and Human Services brought the concept of customer service and customer care to higher education.
Fischler School's present-day model is online, on-site, and on-time, anytime. From the 18-acre campus in North Miami Beach, Florida, NSU's ideas, approach, and programs inspire students to inspire the people around them to move the world.
Serving more than 15,000 students in approximately 30 states and nearly a dozen countries, NSU's Fischler School of Education and Human Services is recognized as one of the largest schools of education at an accredited university in the United States.
The Past
Abraham S. Fischler, Ed.D., has always been a visionary, an innovator, and a risk taker. After earning his doctorate from Columbia University School of Education in 1959, he went on to serve as a professor of education at the University of California at Berkeley and associate professor of education at Harvard University, before joining NSU in 1966.
Recognizing that the educational system was failing about a third of the American population, Dr. Fischler proposed drastic changes in the way students learn. Rather than compete on the arbitrary playing field of time, he proposed that curriculum be tailored to each student's individual needs, with content delivered in a manner and at a pace consistent with his or her learning style.
In the 1970s, the United States was becoming a place where women and minorities had an opportunity to break the barriers, to challenge previously conceived notions of place and propriety. These groups were beginning to attain principals in big cities and were eager to get their doctorate degree.
So it happened that, in 1971, NSU developed and offered the first doctoral distance education program in the nation. This excursion into the realm of distance education was truly ahead of its time. Dr. Fischler's program was the forerunner of today's online education phenomenon an instructional method now available at nearly every institution of higher learning.
The Present
Today, NSU remains a leader in distance education, offering programs online and via video conferences, at national and international instructional sites, and at the University's campuses in Florida.
Dr. Fischler is currently president emeritus of NSU, and serves on the Florida Education Foundation on appointment by the Florida Secretary of Education. During his 26-year tenure as president of NSU, Dr. Fischler strove to constantly push the boundaries of traditional education methods and succeeded in centering the University around the needs of its students. Today, he continues to advocate for change and evolution in the American school system, and publishes his thoughts regularly in his weblog, entitled "The Student is the Class".
The Fischler School of Education and Human Services has had the great privilege of working with some exceptional students in a variety of degree programs. The following three students exemplify what sets Fischler and NSU apart from other institutions of higher education.
Elizabeth Lustig, M.S. 2006
Elizabeth Lustig is a first grade teacher at Forest Park Elementary in Boynton Beach, Florida. For over 15 years, she has been teaching intermediate grades in Palm Beach County, working primarily with the Haitian-Creole community.
"One of the greatest benefits of earning my degree at the Fischler School of Education and Human Services was the fact that my professors were practicing administrators who worked in the educational community on a daily basis. I continued to teach while I studied, and the genuine, first-hand knowledge of the realities and challenges of the school system that they imparted inspired me to persevere and help my students overcome their barriers to achievement."
I teach at a school with a primarily Haitian population. Many of our students' families are not fluent in English, and their involvement in the school suffers because of this. I believe that in order to increase parental involvement, you have to include parents in education. When you do, these parents go on to succeed in the workplace, to have professional careers, and to motivate their kids to want to learn and strive for more.
When a mother is carrying books and studying, her child wants to follow her example and study as well. The support I received from everyone at the Fischler School eased my path to academic success and further convinced me that in order to succeed scholastically, children need the support of their families and families need the support of the school."
Susan Kabot M.S. 1992; Ed.D. 2005
Susan Kabot is the director of clinical and therapeutic services at the Mailman Segal Institute for Early Childhood Studies. She makes strides every day toward improving the lives of children with autism, not only through the creation and administration of the center's programs, but also by instructing the next generation of autism educators as part of the minor in autism that she developed for the Fischler School's doctoral program.
"My son has autism. When he was four years old I enrolled him in NSU's preschool for children with special needs. Within a year, I was also working at the school, and over the next 20 years, I earned two degrees at NSU's Fischler School of Education and Human Services.
The most important thing to me was that my coursework was extraordinarily relevant; every assignment was directly applicable to problems in my work setting. Additionally, studying at the doctoral level gave me the rare opportunity to really delve deep into my field, to question the practices that many assumed were research based, and to find better ways to teach and, ultimately, succeed in getting children to learn.
After earning my degree, I created The Autism Consortium, a nationwide organization that helps teachers and school districts design programs, structure classrooms, and create curricula for children with special needs. The belief in this field is that the younger the child is when the disorder is treated, the greater the freedom the child ultimately has. My hope is that, through the work I do, more kids will be able to thrive and enjoy the freedom of childhood, not just of a childhood with disabilities."
Tamara Bauck Ed.D. 2002
Tamara Bauck worked with the South Dakota Department of Education for seven years as the director of the Office of Curriculum, Technology, and Assessment. Today, she continues to enhance interactive learning opportunities for students across the state at Three Rivers Educational Co-op in Pierre, South Dakota.
"South Dakota is a state of very small, mostly rural schools. In many cases, there are critical shortages of teachers in math and science classes, not to mention AP courses. Many of our kids never travel very far from their homes, and consequently, don't have a lot of cultural opportunities. While students in other states might visit a zoo, an aquarium, or a museum to learn about science, marine biology, or art—young students in South Dakota almost never have the chance to learn about these subjects first-hand.
I began working with the South Dakota Department of Education around the same time that I entered the degree program at the Fischler School of Education and Human Services. Not only did we wire, connect, and install video conferencing in every school in the state, we also taught educators all they needed to know in order to make the best use of this new technology. Because I, too, was learning at a distance at the time, I was able to understand and anticipate the challenges that come with this type of education.
When we embarked on this venture, out of 167 districts, only six or seven schools in the entire state were using distance education. Now, there are almost 200 classes held by video conference each day, with over 2,000 students participating. As a direct result of the work I did at the Fischler School, I was able to disseminate and implement this technology, giving all of our students access to educational opportunities they wouldn't have otherwise had."
Fischler students comment regarding how the school is state-of-the-art and cutting edge, not bleeding edge. When reflecting on their studies, many remark that the University brings in lecturers from around the country, giving students access to the top professionals in the field. Students also comment regarding the ease-of-use of various learning systems with units and modules that they experience in their cohorts. Furthermore, students do not learn esoteric theory from a decade-old textbook; instead, they address the hot-button issues in education today. Most importantly, students feel that they are able to take what they have learned in the classroom and apply it immediately to solve problems in their workplace.
The Future
At the Fischler School, access is the key, not only to information, but to all the people that play a role in the educational experience. Committed to academic excellence, the Fischler School offers the most innovative, accessible, and technologically advanced programs in the nation. It has been ranked consistently for nearly a decade as the number one producer of African-American doctorates among both traditionally white institutions and historically Black colleges and universities, as well as the number one producer of Hispanic doctorates.
Whether one is looking to earn a degree or add on another certification area, flexible courses—available online, on-site, or on campus—will help students reach their goals and make a difference in life, community, and beyond.