Big people helping little people

It's an education collaboration that is perfect and natural--the way it's supposed to be. Dr. Diane Gower, elementary and special education, just received a grant that will allow MTSU students to go to Hobgood Elementary School and help children with math. One college student will be assigned to one child--and together over the next few weeks each pair will create and design an original game that will help the child conquer an aspect of math. Tomorrow, Feb. 21, will be the initial meeting of these partnerships--during the 9:15-9:45 a.m. class and the 10:15-10:45 a.m. class. Media welcomed tomorrow to talk to the big and little people and the organizers.

Contact Gower at 615-898-5643
dgower@mtsu.edu
or Chick Knitter at Hobgood (307 S. Baird Lane) at 615-895-2744.

The public opinion tool

At what point does public opinion kick in and actually influence decision-making in government at or near the top? There is good evidence that presidents use the poll data to move the public in the direction of their preferred policy rather than orienting their policy toward what the polls show, says Dr. Robert Wyatt, journalism professor and public opinion expert. "The strategy pursued by both Bushes is a case in point; Clinton's ambitious health care program was defeated by clever PR efforts ... which swayed public opinion; the public didn't turn against Vietnam until the bitter end--we left because political pressure was so intense."

Contact Wyatt at 615-898-2335.
rwyatt@mtsu.edu

Photo candy

This Saturday, Feb. 22, at MTSU, creative middle and high school students--from more than 20 public and private schools in Nashville, Franklin, Murfreesboro, Smyrna, Portland, Gallatin, Hendersonville, Harrogate, and Madison--will go head to head in 20-plus competitions involving science, engineering, math, writing, bridge building, bottle rocket design, and much more. The Science Olympiad will begin at 9 a.m. (end at 3 p.m.) at various campus locations. Community sponsor State Farm Insurance will present scholarships to winning teams. Registration will start at 7 a.m. in the Business and Aerospace Building. Media welcomed.

Contact Dr. Pat Patterson, event director, at 615-904-5085. Contact the NPA office at 615-898-2919--we will fax you an event schedule with locations and times.

TR EXTRA: TODAY, Feb. 20: More than 300 area high school students (Riverdale, Blackman, Mt. Juliet) will experience the sights, sounds and smells of science demonstrations from 9:30 to 11 a.m. in the Keathley University Theater, performed by MTSU chemistry students. Contact Dr. Gary White at 615-898-2072 or Dr. Andrienne Friedli at 615-898-2071. Media welcomed.
TODAY, Feb. 20: videoconference (and live audience), 3:30 p.m., Learning Resources Center, professional development for teachers, "Physical Activity's Impact on Childhood Disorders," Drs. Chris Quarto and Susan Sobel. Contact Quarto at 615-898-5933 and Sobel at 615-898-5288. Media welcomed.
TODAY AND FRIDAY, Feb. 20-21: Adult Learning Conference, James Union Building, starts at 10:45 a.m. (8:30 a.m. Friday). Contact Dr. Carol Ann Baily at 615-898-5989. Media welcomed.
TOMORROW, Feb. 21: At 2:30 p.m., at the Murfreesboro Airport, media are invited to join MTSU President Sidney A. McPhee as he "kicks the tires" of a single-engine, 4-seat DA40-180 Diamond Star aircraft--identical to 20 of the planes purchased by MTSU's aerospace department from and being built by Diamond Aircraft. Another five planes were purchased from The New Piper Aircraft. Contact Dr. Paul Craig, aerospace chair, at 615-898-2788.