Changing the culture of a university’s faculty to encourage student success was the topic of a recent “MTSU On the Record” radio program.

Drs. Robert Eaker, left and Deb Sells will discuss their new book, “A New Way: Introducing Higher Education to Professional Learning Communities at Work,” on the July 4 edition of “MTSU On the Record” that airs on WMOT-FM 89.5. (MTSU photo by News and Media Relations)

Host Gina Logue’s interview with Drs. Robert Eaker and Deb Sells first aired July 4 on WMOT-FM (89.5 and www.wmot.org ). You can listen to their conversation below.

Eaker, a professor emeritus of educational leadership at MTSU, and Sells, the university’s vice president of student affairs and vice provost for enrollment services, are the authors of “A New Way: Introducing Higher Education to Professional Learning Communities at Work.”

The authors suggest that professors can be more effective if they collaborate across disciplinary lines to share their expertise and collaborate on improving teaching methods.

“Very often, people who are drawn to teaching and research as a career are those that tend to like the option of working more independently, who see themselves as sort of ‘lone rangers,’” said Sells.

Instead, said Eaker, “what you really need are collaborative teams of people who actually teach the course, clarifying exactly what it is kids need to be able to do in the course to be successful.”

To hear previous “MTSU On the Record” programs, visit the searchable “Audio Clips” archives at www.mtsunews.com.

For more information about “MTSU On the Record,” contact Logue at 615-898-5081 or WMOT-FM at 615-898-2800.