Dr. Beck is an outstanding classroom teacher at both the undergraduate and graduate levels who is considered by his students and peers to be among the first rank of teaching talent at the University of Alberta. He has devoted considerable effort to improving teaching at the University through the peer consultation process and has developed innovative classroom material and testing devices. For a number of years he devoted a great deal of research effort to the development of teaching materials designed to stimulate analytical economic thinking on current business and policy issues.

• “Student and peer evaluations place him in the first rank of teaching talent”
• Efforts to improve the teaching of others through a peer consultation process
• Innovative materials to teach analytical economic thinking

Teaching Awards Since 1986

• Labbat’s Award for Distinguished Teaching in the MBA/MPM Program, Faculty of Business, 1991.
• Labbat’s Award for Teaching Excellence, Bachelor of Commerce Program, Faculty of Business, 1992.

Early and Continuing Impact of Selection as 3M Teaching Fellow

The Vice-President, Academic and the Alma Mater Fund recognized my selection as a 3M Teaching Fellow by providing $13,000 for the University of Alberta Inventory and Plan for Teaching Effectiveness. Dr. Christopher Knapper, currently Director, Instructional Development Centre, Queen’s University, completed the research and submitted the report in November 1988. A Core Group at the University of Alberta, which I coordinated, assisted Dr. Knapper. The goals were to identify the initiatives already taken to enhance teaching effectiveness here, and to learn from other universities. Our process raised consciousness about teaching and learning issues. It is hard to trace specific effects, except for the Board of Governors’ establishment of a fund to support innovation in teaching and learning, which disburses approximately $50,000 annually.

The 3M Montebello experience taught me that lecturing was not enough – students need to take more responsibility for their own learning and become independent learners. I edged in that direction with small changes until 1992, when – suddenly – my managerial economics class no longer worked. Students were not happy with the learning environment, and I began careful collection of data to define the problem. I requested a peer consultation, hired an unusually astute graduate student to provide a studen perspective on my course, listened actively to a student who had a problem-based learning background, and designed and administered a questionnaire to the class. Discussions with colleagues also were helpful. Careful analysis of these data led me to the following conclusions:

1. Grade competition interfered with learning.
2. Students were coming to class unprepared because I was lecturing.
3. The textbook presented abstractions first and applications second.
4. Students were overloaded.

The course was transformed to deal with these problems. A new text introduces theory after presenting a context. Students come to class having mastered the basics in the text and prove it in the first 20 minutes by achieving at least 80% on a multiple choice quiz (anyone who doesn’t completes the chapter’s learning by submitting a written analysis of the questions they missed). Mastering the basics throughout the term earns a grade of 6 (9 point system). The class then assembles in groups of five to share the one-page example each has written illustrating a concept from the chapter, and to solve problems from the text. Assembling the whole class again, the examples chosen to represent each group are explained to the class; then randomly chosen students explain their group’s answer to the problems. Students who contribute satisfactorily to group learning and have mastered the basics receive a grade of 7. Students who volunteer and successfully solve a difficult problem that requires extending the basics may earn an 8 or 9. I continue to develop this teaching and learning model inspired by my experience as a 3M Fellow.

An innovative and exciting teacher of classics, John Bell also contributed to the encouragement of good teaching in his role as department chairman. He worked in international education as a valued team leader with Third World participants at Guelph in 1982 and in Malaysia in 1984.

His concern for improving student learning was reflected in his work to revise the Classics curriculum in 1979. John Bell’s leadership in promoting teaching excellence was reflected in his work as Chairman of the Board of Undergraduate Studies in the mid-1980’s. In this role, he generated interest in educational goals in every sector of the University.

His students have rated Dr. Erskine as one of the University of Western Ontario’s best teachers in both undergraduate and graduate programs. He has extensive and highly successful experience in teaching practising managers enrolled in executive programs. Through research and publication Dr. Erskine has worked to improve teaching effectiveness. He is regarded as one of Canada’s leading experts on case writing, learning and teaching and has conducted over 100 workshops on these subjects across Canada and in 25 other countries.

Books:
In 1997 Jim, along with Professor Mike Leenders and Louise Mauffette-Leenders published “Learning With Cases” and in 1998 the second edition of “Teaching With Cases. The companion reference books, “Case Research: The Case Writing Process”, is currently undergoing it’s fourth revision.

“One of the most highly rated teachers by students.”
World wide impact on teaching effectiveness through workshops and publications on teaching with cases.
“Extraordinarily generous in helping others to acquire teaching skills.”

One of the first faculty members recruited to the University’s School of Social Work, Dr. Farquharson participated in the development of a highly innovative curriculum founded on competency-based practice and the principles of adult learning. He also played a leading role in the development of the school’s continuing education program and is one of the most respected workshop leaders in the province. He serves as the Director of the University’s Learning and Teaching Centre and has promoted innovative programs for his colleagues to improve their teaching skills.

• “Outstanding record as a teacher and as a leader in adult education.”
• As Director of the Learning and Teaching Centre, offers a wide range of teaching improvement programs, and teaches a graduate course “Teaching and Learning in Higher Education.”

Andy has given numerous talks and presentations at the University of Victoria, at conferences and at other universities. The topics have included:

• 3M Award Winners panel
• Managing Structured Controversy
• Teaching Adults
• Designing and Managing Learning events
• Lecturing for Learning: An Approach to Effective Lecture Design
• Empowering the Learner: Three Strategies
• Learning and Teaching Styles
• Creating a Culture of Lifelong Learning in the Schools of Social Work
• Facilitating Group Discussions
• Classroom Research
• Creating and Using Overhead Transparencies
• Leading Effective Discussion
• Teaching Assistants at Canadian universities: An Unknown Resource
• Using Critical Incidents videotapes for faculty development

Video Productions and Publications
Andy has produced two videotapes that contain twenty different vignettes depicting various challenges in teaching and learning in higher education. The first tape was also financially supported by UBC and SFU and has been purchased by more than one hundred and fifty universities and colleges world wide. There is also a strong demand for the second Critical Incidents tape, Critical Incidents II (or “Close Encounters of the Academic Kind”. Andy recently completed a book with the provisional title Teaching in Practice which will be published by Jossey-Bass in the Fall of for next Fall. Andy will again direct the annual Faculty Development Pacific Institute which takes place at the University of Victoria in August and which included another 3M winner, Gary Poole, on the Institute faculty.

Dr. Forbes makes her students active participants in the literature she deals with, demanding their intellectual and emotional involvement. Because of her commitment to all students she has been instrumental in initiating a variety of special courses and workshops. She also assisted in conducting effective and successful workshops for incoming teaching assistants and participated in a report on peer evaluation.

“Highly successful teacher who makes students become active participants.”
Instrumental in university-wide programs (remedial English, study-skills).
Assisted in conducting workshop program for incoming teaching assistants.
Recent work on a report on peer evaluation.

“Good teachers are hard to find: outstanding ones are known far beyond their own campus. Such is the case with Dr. Krueger. He has excelled at all levels as a lecturer, advisor, and supervisor. He is known from St. John’s, Newfoundland to Victoria, British Columbia, as a teacher with enthusiasm, patience, understanding, wisdom, and insight.” (Citation upon receiving award from the Canadian Association of Geographers.)

A former public school teacher, Ralph Krueger is the author of a number of Geography textbooks currently in use throughout Canada and he is highly regarded for his lifetime commitment to teaching. His skill as a teacher has inspired a love of geography in many of his students. In 1983 his colleagues in the Canadian Association of Geographers presented him with the “Award for Service to the Profession of Geography” and in 1984 he received the Distinguished Teaching Service Award of the National Council of Geographic Education and in 1985, the Distinguished Teaching Award, University of Waterloo.

“Actively responds to the teaching and learning needs of colleagues, teaching assistants and students.”

Initiated a TA training program including field camps and a manual.

Offered an alumni funded “teaching apprenticeship” program for senior teaching assistants (TA and instructor collaborate on designing and delivery of a course).

Professor Sheese’s commitment to effective teaching and learning has resulted in the development of a number of innovative programs, models and techniques. He has also evaluated the results of his work and published reports in professional journals on such subjects as critical thinking, the use of interactive computer programs, and effective teacher writing. In doing so, he has had a substantial and continuous impact on students, and raised the consciousness and aspirations of his colleagues.

“Has shown dedication to the art of teaching…an example to us all.”
Researched and developed a computer writing lab wherein students compose, revise using a style editor, and receive feedback.
Promoted the development of students’ critical skills across the curriculum.

Dr. Sistek has proven to be a very effective teacher since his arrival at the University of Ottawa in 1969. As chairman of the University’s Senate Committee on the Evaluation of Teaching and Courses, he was responsible for the development and supervision of the University’s evaluation system. He has also served on several committees working for the improvement of professors’ teaching skills and has volunteered to co-ordinate workshops on teaching. He is actively involved in curriculum development and has published articles on quality and evaluation in education and on teaching methodology.

“Knowledgeable, effective, innovative and extremely dedicated to students.”

Responsible (1981-1988) for the development and supervision of the University’s evaluation system (includes compulsory campus- wide student evaluations which are included in promotion and tenure decisions as part of the faculty collective agreement).

Widely published on teaching methodologies (especially audio-visual aids).

Since 1990, he is a chairman or member of a number of committees responsible for the preparation, implementation and execution of the collaborative, multi- disciplinary type of medical undergraduate curriculum in small groups of students, using the problem-based methodology. Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, implemented this type of hybrid learning/teaching methodology in which still the carefully selected lecture, laboratory and other activities supplement the students’ active learning system, In September 1992.

Widely recognized as an expert on teaching and learning within the Engineering academic community, Don Woods has developed novel ways of evaluating teaching and has written several articles to assist administrators in judging effective teaching. Considered an outstanding teacher by his peers and students, he took the extraordinary step of “returning to school” in 1974, and for four years, took every undergraduate level engineering class. Don Woods also developed the current Chemical Engineering curriculum at McMaster.

“His compassion for students is unmatched by any teacher I have seen.”
Studied the curriculum by actually taking undergraduate engineering courses.
World-wide reputation in the area of assisting students with the acquisition of problem-solving skills.
Developed an innovative departmental program for the evaluation of faculty.