Benjamin D. Wood

Benjamin DeKalbe Wood (November 10, 1894 – July 6, 1986) was an American educator, researcher, and director / professor at Columbia University and an expert in the educational field.

Ben D. Wood
1917 graduation portrait University of Texas
Born
Benjamin DeKalbe Wood

(1894-11-10)November 10, 1894
Brownsville, Texas, U.S.
DiedJuly 8, 1986(1986-07-08) (aged 91)
Westchester, New York
NationalityAmerican
Other namesBen D. Wood
EducationBrownsville Area Schools
Occupation(s)Psychologist and educator
EmployerTeachers College, Columbia University
Known forModern educational psychology
SpouseGrace T. Wood
Signature

Early life

Wood was born in Brownsville, Texas, on November 10, 1894.[1] He attended the Brownsville area schools, Mission High School, and the University of Texas.[2]

Later life and death

Woods retired in 1960[3] but remained active. In 1969, he was given the Teachers College Medal for Distinguished Service.[3][4] He received a honorary doctor degree from Union College in New York, from Lawrence College in Wisconsin, and from Colorado State Teachers College.[2] Wood died at the age of 91 of a heart attack on July 8, 1986.[5]

Legacy

Wood established the Elbenwood Fund for Education Research, the Ben D. Wood Fellowship Economic Fund and the Institute for Learning Technologies Fund.[6] Twenty-six students had qualified through 2009.[4]

Committees and societies

Wood was a Phi Beta Kappa and a member of the New York Academy of Sciences, the American Psychological Association, and the American Association for the Advancement of Science.[2]

In academics, he was a curator of Stephens College, and the chair or director of 20 national education committees.[2] He was a director of Eastman's teaching film experiment, the American Council of Education test service, and the Commonwealth Fund for research on measurement of achievement in college courses.[2]

Wood served on the New York state board of regents' examining board, and on committees for the American Institute of Accountants.[2]

Works

Books published by Wood are:

  • The Measurement of College Work (1921)
  • The Measurement of Law School Work (1924)
  • Columbia Research Bureau American History Test (1926)
  • Motion Pictures in the Classroom (1929)
  • Study of the Relations of Secondary and Higher Education in Pennsylvania (1938)
  • Our Air-age World: A Textbook in Global Geography (1945)
  • Geography of the World (1959)

References
  1. Baker 2006, p. 48.
  2. "Valley Native Son Gaining Honors in Education Field". The Brownsville Herald. Brownsville, Texas. August 20, 1950. p. 26. Archived from the original on December 20, 2016. Retrieved March 24, 2016 – via Newspapers.com open access.
  3. Buck, Jerry (March 8, 1967). "Task Is To Get The Student To Learn By Thinking: Teachers Spend Too Much Time Teaching, Expert Says". Lubbock Avalanche-Journal. Associated Press. p. A-3. Retrieved February 3, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. "Leaving a Legacy". Teachers College Newsroom. Columbia University. Archived from the original on December 20, 2016. Retrieved March 12, 2016.
  5. "Obituaries - Ben D. Wood". The Monitor. McAllen, Texas. July 20, 1986. p. 4. Retrieved August 10, 2022 – via Newspapers.com open access.
  6. "The Ben and Grace Wood Legacy". TC Media Center. Columbia University. 2002. Archived from the original on March 14, 2016. Retrieved March 13, 2016.

Sources

Further reading
Books
News
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