A pioneer in distance education has retired this month from the School of Education after a 36-year career at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point.

Professor William H. Kirby, an educational testing and statistics specialist, was one of UWSP�s first faculty members to teach classes statewide via television, including the first course taught live via satellite. Tapes of his basic statistics course, broadcast over Wisconsin Public Television in 1990, are still available for purchase. He attributes a good part of his success with televised teaching to the excellent facilities and staff support of UWSP�s University Telecommunications. When Kirby travels within the state, people still recognize him from the early 90s as "that guy on TV," he says.

"Today, teaching classes on the Web has changed everything.  It makes every place at any time a potential classroom in any subject," he says. 

The Baltimore native came to UWSP in 1968 after earning a Ph.D. in statistical analysis, measurement and experimental design from the University of Maryland, where he was a National Defense Education Act Fellow. He also holds a bachelor�s degree in elementary education from Towson State University and taught fifth grade in Baltimore County, Md., for four years in the early 60s.

When he came to campus, UWSP had one computer in the basement of Old Main for faculty use and Kirby, of course, was one of the first to use it, serving as director of academic computing from 1968 to 1970. After completing his doctoral dissertation with the assistance of a computer, he could foresee the growing importance of technology in education.

Kirby participated in faculty governance for several years, serving as president of the campus chapter of the Association of University of Wisconsin Professionals. He also served as director of UWSP's Master�s Degree in Education Professional Development program for two years and as the editor of Faculty Forum magazine for six years. He chaired the Futures Research Special Interest Group for the American Educational Research Association in the mid-80s. He was named an outstanding teacher in the School of Education and was recognized for excellence by UW-Extension and the National Continuing Education Association Region IV.

A pivotal event in Kirby�s career was leading a group of students on a semester abroad to Great Britain in 1974. He says he learned as much from that experience as he learned while pursuing his doctorate. He and his wife, Lynn, an online teacher and Web specialist, led a second trip to England in 1998.

Travel is again on the Kirby�s agenda this winter as they embark on an extensive trip through the Southwestern U.S. to visit relatives and attend Elder Hostels. Bill says he plans to "think wild thoughts" and use this time to revamp his mental energies. He and Lynn will miss their four-year-old great grandson, their daughters and granddaughters who live in Wisconsin, but he predicts they will probably continue to flee northern winters every year.

Additional retirement plans involve Kirby�s hobbies of running, lifting weights, yoga, reading, and perhaps, not surprisingly, some online teaching.

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