Teacher Giving Relevance to Complex Issues
In his second teaching career, Assistant Professor Cliff Franklin is sharing his knowledge of audiology and speech pathology while challenging his students to deliver better patient care in a clinical setting. With the ability to take complex information and make it relevant in the real world, he is making a solid impact – not only on his students, but their future patients.
Dr. Franklin encourages his students to think critically and solve problems with the information they glean from the classroom. These skills sharpen future clinicians’ diagnostic testing and trouble shooting abilities, better preparing them to deal with patients in a professional manner. Dr. Franklin also uses both practical and written examinations, giving those students who experience test anxiety the opportunity to excel.
“The final positive outcome for our program is how much of the knowledge our students can apply to their work with patients,” Franklin said. “Their enthusiasm for learning excites me and makes me find whatever is most novel about any concept and use it in the classroom. When we take what’s important from our past and present it to our students, that helps them retain the knowledge and use it.”
Not only does Dr. Franklin involve his students in the classroom and with auditory and speech pathology equipment, he invites them to accompany him on Neurotology Grand Rounds at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. This exposure to physicians, clinicians, and researchers allows those students to see the myriad career options after they receive their initial degree in speech pathology.
After earning both his bachelor’s degree in secondary education and master’s degree in communication disorders from Auburn University, Dr. Franklin completed the requirements for his doctoral degree in hearing science from the University of Tennessee. He is a member of the American Speech-Language Hearing Association and the American Academy of Audiology.