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In Your Words

End of an era

By Dave Gibson

It was sad to read about the end of an era with regards to the transfer of programming authority from Miami's WMUB-FM to Cincinnati Public Radio. Congratulations are due to all of the present and past staff members at WMUB radio for their hard work and service to the greater Butler County community over the years. The recently announced transition at WMUB radio completes a 50-year tradition at Miami University in the field of educational radio, television, and technology. It is a part of Miami's history that the university can be especially proud of.

In 1959, Miami was a major player in an innovative program titled MPATI that provided instructional television programs to area schools through a collaboration with Purdue University. The K-12 video programs were "delivered" daily to schools by TV broadcasts from a Douglas DC-6 (known as The Flying Classroom) that flew out of the Purdue University airport. Thanks to the efforts of dedicated Miami staff members Dr. Jack Neill and Robert Wood, thousands of Ohio children were exposed to foreign language, advanced math, and science courses previously available only to the wealthiest school districts. This was one of the first examples of distance learning that have transitioned to 21st century, commonplace models such as student courses over the Internet and interactive videoconferences. Those of you who are Baby Boomers may remember watching the MPATI airborne courses on state-of-the-art, 21-inch black and white TVs in your elementary school's classroom!

In 1968, Dr. Neill (with the support of the dean of education, Dr. C. Neale Bogner) led a collaborative effort with local school superintendents to form a nonprofit corporation at Miami called the Southwestern Ohio Instructional Television Association or SOITA. SOITA expanded the work started by MPATI and involved hundreds more area schools in the instructional television service through the efforts of SOITA administrators Robert Wood and John Vaughn MA '78. This could only have been accomplished with the full support of Miami University's Channel 14, WMUB-TV broadcasting locally to area schools. Key to the success was support from Miami President Phil Shriver and WMUB-TV station manager Dr. Steve Hathaway. In addition, several Miami professors (including Dr. Robert Vogel, Dr. Bernard Phelps, Dr. Johnny Hill, Dr. James Wesson, and Dr. Gene Willeke) were enlisted to share their expertise via locally produced video programs that could be inexpensively shared with area schools via videocassettes.

SOITA, headquartered on Miami's Western Campus, expanded its educational technology role in the 1980s by supporting area schools' implementation of the first classroom microcomputers. Volume discounts on hardware and software gave thousands of children their first computing experience on an Apple IIe using such pioneering educational programs as "Oregon Trail" and "Number Munchers." (It makes you wonder if the popularity of today's Apple iPod technology with the 20-something generation might have something to do with their first computing experience.) During those early computing years, SOITA distributed tens of thousands of licensed floppy disks to schools throughout Ohio, and millions of dollars worth of Apple hardware was purchased and installed. Again, this SOITA computing service, including a highly regarded teacher development component, was accomplished with a strong commitment by several Miami leaders including then President Paul Pearson.

Due to new statewide regional service guidelines, SOITA left Miami University in 2005 but continues to serve 300,000 K-12 students and 30,000 teachers in 20 Ohio counties from its headquarters in Franklin. SOITA conducts an annual teacher conference at the Dayton Convention Center that is nationally recognized and one of the most comprehensive educational events in southwest Ohio.

So, after 50 years, Miami has a proud tradition of starting and supporting a variety of innovative educational technology and public service programs. These programs went well beyond what has been sometimes defined as the "core" Miami mission of providing an exemplary undergraduate educational experience. How unfortunate it would have been if the Miami leaders of yesterday had not supported the vision for the various programs that went far beyond the "core" mission and brought tremendous value to the schools and communities of southwest Ohio. Thousands of jobs, learning experiences, and groundbreaking programs were advanced due to the visionary leaders of Miami's past. The powerful collaborations created among area schools, the university, state agencies, the private sector, and nonprofits served as a unique model for other regions in Ohio and neighboring states. The outgrowth of what they started 50 years ago continues to be influential today in the greater Ohio educational community.

As Miami's history is written during this special Bicentennial year, it is my hope this chapter of extraordinary vision and innovation is included and the accomplishments will, in some way, continue to be built upon.

"If I have seen a little further it is by standing on the shoulders of Giants." — Sir Isaac Newton

Dave Gibson retired from Miami in 2005 after serving 19 years as executive director of SOITA. He lives in Liberty Township, Ohio, with his wife, Joelle MA '85, a librarian at the Hamilton Freshman School.