by Kim Foreman
Fall 1997
Dr. Farhad Saba, acknowledged with
the first annual International Division Award for Outstanding
International Journal
Article in ETR&D.
“It has been a great honor to
receive the first International Review Award ... Establishing
and expanding the Educational Radio and Television of Iran became
possible through the close cooperation of its Iranian staff, with
their American mentors ... I felt that this story should be documented
and presented. I am grateful to Karen Murphy ... who encouraged
me to write the article.” Fred Saba
Q Please tell me how
you started in the Educational Technology field?
A My first position in
the field was as the Managing Director of Educational Radio and
Television of Iran. I held that position from 1973-1978. Between
1978 and 1984, I was the Director of Telecommunications at the
University of Connecticut, and since 1984 I have been a professor
of Educational Technology at San Diego State University. I also
publish The Distance Educator, which is a quarterly newsletter.
(http://www.distance-educator.com)
Q What is your research interest?
A Since 1973, I have concentrated
on the use of systems dynamics technology to understand distance
education. Recently, I have conducted several data-based, theory
driven studies to verify key theoretical concepts in a dynamic
model of distance education. These research results have been
published in the American Journal of Distance Education.
Q What is your most comfortable
teaching style? Give me an example of how you teach your class.
A I teach graduate students in
classes that last about two hours and 40 minutes. Usually, I demonstrate
a technical procedure or a theoretical concept during the first
half of the class, and devote the second half for students to
try the procedure on their own, or discuss the theoretical concept.
The web and e-mail are bound to change this practice, as most
of my course contents are transferred on the web, and discussions
are transferred to web chats and listeners.
Q You, as a non-native English
speaker, won the writer’s award. Tell me about your secret.
Do you have any advice or tips for writing especially for non-native
English speakers (like myself)?
A There is no magic secret. Just
like anything else in life, practice makes perfect. You have to
write, write, and rewrite. Taking a creative writing course, several
years ago, also helped me to improve my grammar, refine my style,
and above all increase my self-confidence.
Q What is your most memorable
(or embarrassing) experience in your teaching career in
the US?
A The first time I walked into
a classroom at San Diego State University 13 years ago, a blond,
blue eyed American student greeted me in fluent Farsi. We have
become good friends since then, and have kept in touch over the
years.
Q When your career is over,
how would you like to be remembered? For example, what would
your students say about you? How would you like to be remembered
by your colleagues and by your students?
A I would like to be remembered
as one who prepared my students for the future. As you know,
technology is moving very quickly, and I am in constant debate
with myself as how much to emphasize current techniques, which
may make the students more marketable immediately, and how much
time “I” devote to theoretical concepts which may
increase students’ quality of work and life over the long
run.
NB: This article
first appeared on a web site hosted by the California State University,
Fresno web site. The original link is found at:
http://bogota.soehd.csufresno.edu/news98/fall97/interview.html
