Posted on Aug 29, 2006

MURRAY, Ky., Aug. 22 — Three Murray State University history professors participated in the annual reading and scoring of the College Board’s Advance Placement Examinations over the summer. Bill Mulligan and Stephanie Carpenter read and scored the exam in United States history at Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas, and Andy Gannon read and scored the World History exam at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Sponsored by the College Board, each year the AP Program gives more than one million capable high school students an opportunity to take rigorous college-level courses and examinations. Based on their exam performance, they may also receive credit and/or advance placement when they enter college. Over 8,000 readers from universities and high schools evaluated approximately 2.3 million examinations in 20 disciplines. More than 330,000 students took the exam in United States history, the largest number in the 50-year history of the exam. Representing many of the finest academic institutions in the world, these men and women are among the best high school and college educators in the United States, Canada, and abroad. The AP reading is a unique forum in which academic dialogue between secondary school and college educators is fostered and strongly encouraged. “Reading exams for a week in the summer may seen like a strange thing to do, but the opportunities to discuss teaching methods and approaches with so many people is a tremendous chance for professional development,” Mulligan said. “You get a good sense of what is being done in secondary schools across the country. I always come away with a new idea or two.” “The reading draws upon the talents of some of the finest teachers and professors that the world has to offer,” said Trevor Packer, executive director of the Advanced Placement Program at the College Board. “It fosters professionalism, allows for the exchange of ideas, and strengthens the commitment to students and to teaching. We are very grateful for the contributions of talented educators like Bill Mulligan, Stephanie Carpenter and Andy Gannon.”