February, '11] BRUNER: TEACHING METHODS 75 



PRESENT METHODS OF TEACHING ENTOMOLOGY AT THE 

 UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA 



By Lawrence Bruner, Lincoln, Neb. 



When our Secretary sent out his preliminary notification of this meet- 

 ing and asked me to take part in a discussion of "present methods of 

 teaching Entomology," the matter at first seemed of little importance 

 so far, at least, as the speaker was concerned. However, after giving 

 the subject some thought I have decided that it might be well at least 

 to take the time and trouble to attempt to explain briefly a few of 

 the methods by which the student in Nebraska is enabled to absorb 

 some entomological information. In order to do this with an unbiased 

 feeling it might be well as an introduction to state that the speaker be- 

 gan his work as Experiment Station entomologist with the explicit un- 

 derstanding that no teaching was to be required of him. During the 

 twenty-two years and over since becoming connected with his present 

 position matters have changed somewhat. Today the greater portion 

 of the time of the entomologist, during the school year at least, is taken 

 up with instructional duties. A department of Systematic and Econ- 

 omic Entomology has developed; and, thanks to the grade of students 

 •choosing the work, fairly well equipped men have been turned out to 

 take their place among the working entomologists of the country. 



It should be strictly understood by my audience also that the speaker 

 does not consider himself a teacher in any sense of the word, neither is 

 he conceited enough to claim any great amount of credit, if credit be 

 due, for the plan followed in making entomologists at the University of 

 Nebraska. The methods, if any exist, have simply evolved. Again 

 if my audience understood the courses offered and the different classes 

 of students who take these courses, it would be an easier matter to 

 describe our method of teaching the subject. Of course in Nebraska as 

 elsewhere not all the students who are obliged to take up entomological 

 studies do so with the intention of becoming trained specialists, neither 

 do they register for the work with the expectation of learning all there 

 is to be known concerning insects. In fact, though I do not like to 

 •confess it, many of the students who do register for entomology in our 

 institution, do so under the impression that they are registering for 

 "a snap." Others register because entomology is required in the 

 particular group of studies which they have chosen. A very few 

 students in the beginning have decided that they would like to take 

 entomology for its own sake, but none choose the study of insects 

 because by doing this they expect to make it the stepping stone to an 

 independent fortune. 



