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- Dr. Ed Steiner
College of Education Faculty Oral Histories
Dr. Ed Steiner
LB: Now this goes back to about that time, I think. Frank Breit related to me that Bill Engle, who was in math education at the time, sent away for the parts and built a very primitive computer. He felt that was probably the first computer in the College of Education, although it belonged to Bill Engle. He got his students involved with it and that was really the beginning of instructional technology in the College.
LB: How did that happen?
ES: Bill was a very creative guy and he enjoyed designing new things. He was also a magician. He did magic shows and he used it in his teaching of mathematics. He’s a very effective and creative guy and he did build one of the first computers in the College. I don’t know if it was the first in the University, but it could have been. From there more people began to get interested in computers and eventually, instructional technology became a program area itself. In fact, Frank became one of the faculty members in the Instructional Technology Program. He transferred from the Science Education Program to Instructional Technology Program. Now, instructional technology is a very big part of the College. The history of technology in the College is quite interesting. I think it is significant to note that before the use of computers, instructional materials had to be on paper or stencils and were filed in file cabinets. At times, we couldn’t find enough rooms for the file cabinets.
LB: I think that’s why most records were thrown away after five years or so. We just didn’t have the space.
ES: As soon as state regulations permitted, documents and materials that were no longer needed were disposed of.
LB: I know that you were an associate dean in the College for a number of years. What was the first year you entered that position, and how did that occur?
ES: Well, I was department chair from 1974 until 1980, and then I became the Associate Dean in 1980. I stayed in that position for fifteen years until 1995. Then my plan was to return to science education and to teach and to be involved in research and development activities in that area. I always had close connection with teachers and students in the schools and wanted to do what I could to help improve the teaching of science before I retired.
However, my plan didn’t materialize. I went back to Secondary Education Department as the department’s chair. I really did not have any break from administration from 1974 until I entered the phased retirement program in 1999. For about a year and a half of the phased retirement program, from 1999 to 2001, I taught and supervised interns in the Secondary Education Department. Then in 2001, I was asked to be Interim Dean of the College. I held that position until the summer of 2002. I was then asked by the next two deans, to remain in the Dean’s Office as an associate dean. I agreed to that arrangement, and then finally retired in May 2004. It’s been quite a history of different positions all through those years. I guess now it has now been 36 or 37 years since I first came to USF. When I finally retired in May 2004, I had been here 35 years. All but five of those years, I was an administrator, either as a department chair, an associate dean, or interim dean.
LB: You came to the rescue, so to speak, for the College on many occasions and are often referred to as “the rock” of the College to keep the ship headed in the right direction for the various deans.
ES: Well, that’s one of the nicer things that I have been called.
LB: In those roles, you have seen college-wide a number of projects and grants and centers and so forth that have developed. One that I am trying to find out more about and I will be talking with Carolyn Lavely next week about it is the Institute for At-Risk Infants, Children, Adults and Their Families.
ES: Well, that was in the early ‘80s. Carolyn, of course, can tell you exactly when it was. We were successful in getting several special legislative allocations for projects that the state wanted. Carolyn was instrumental in enabling the College to be awarded those programs. The funds for the projects were allocated into the base budget of the College. Two other legislative special allocations were for the SCATT program and the Children’s Center. The Children’s Center is now directed by Kofi Marfo. It was directed for many years by Jim Barnard. The At Risk Center that Carolyn Lavely directed was initiated in the early ‘80s. I believe about 1983, but, I may be off a year or so. The At-Risk Institute has been very effective in helping at-risk children and families since its formation. It made quite an inroad in helping young people.
LB: This meant being in the base budget, you didn’t have to write a grant every year?
ES: Correct.
LB: As long as you kept doing well?