Dr. Bledsoe Gave Alumna the Confidence She Needed to Succeed
by Barbara Miller
Dr. Joe Bledsoe is probably responsible for my succeeding in accomplishing my goal by building my confidence in the area where it needed help.
My only academic weakness was in math. To me, statistics was purely math rather than a logical procedure that used mathematics in solving problems and establishing probability. I was so stressed at having to study statistics that I did horribly on his first test (a pop quiz); he then announced that he repeated his tests until you passed them—that accomplishment was the goal, not instant mastery. From then on, I made all As on his tests; just relieving the stress made the difference.
On an icy day when only two of us made it to class, Dr. Bledsoe assigned topics to be presented in class later. Because we were present, he gave us our choice, retrieved and shared his files on the topic and went into detail explaining each topic.
Dr. Bledsoe loved to talk. Admittedly, he sometimes got off the subject and conferences with him meant scheduling an extra hour. However, it was worth it because you always left with all questions answered as well as having extra information. Apparently, students had tremendous confidence in him because so many of us asked him to serve on our doctoral committees. In fact, he gave me help beyond that of all other members combined. He was the one consulted when there was a question or problem.
The evening before my meeting to defend my dissertation, I realized that the statistical method used was inadequate in resolving one research problem. My data regarding students’ attitudes towards women working outside the home revealed a mean score near the middle. The committee had read the dissertation with no comments regarding the mean. However, that night I realized that the mean was meaningless; the raw scores lay at one extreme or the other. I phoned Dr. Bledsoe who apologized for not catching that and suggested that I use a Duncan Multiple Test Range with the data and rewrite only the relevant pages. (That was before home computers.)
That night I performed the statistical test and retyped two pages to fit properly into the existing document and met him at 8 the next morning; he approved it with no further changes. When the committee met, he announced that he had many students who needed his help but I did not, so he was signing the dissertation and leaving the meeting. Both the committee and I were flabbergasted! They did not even discuss my dissertation but instead discussed my future plans. That left me feeling confident enough to teach research and statistical procedures and work as a research fellow advising other faculty on research procedures.
Barbara Jeanette Miller received her doctorate at the University of Georgia College of Education. She now resides in Muncie, IN.
Alumni Stories Barbara Miller |
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