Award for innovative teaching practices
In this wild connected world , it ’ s helpful to have a guide .
Dr . Alec Couros is guide , mentor , and technological guru for his students in the Faculty of Education at the University of Regina , as well as youth , corporations , and government ministries , as they navigate the labyrinth of digital literacies , technology integration , and digital citizenship .
His innovative approach is so widely respected that he received the 2018 D2L Innovation Award in Teaching and Learning from the Society for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education ( STLHE ), a Canadian organization that strives to enhance teaching .
Dr . Alec Couros
“ I ’ m honoured to have received this award ,” says Couros , professor of educational technology and media in the Faculty of Education . “ This means a lot to me because it recognizes the peer-driven pedagogical approach that I use in my classes . This approach demands a high degree of student participation , and I ’ ve been extremely fortunate to have worked alongside passionate students who transform our courses into vibrant communities of learning .”
The award , presented on June 20 to five educators across Canada during the annual STLHE conference in Sherbrooke , Québéc , recognizes those at the forefront of innovation both within their academic institutions and higher education more broadly .
“ These educators are demonstrating ignificant innovation and inspiring the future of learning . Their achievements are making learning experiences better and enabling students to excel ,” said John Baker , President and CEO of D2L , an organization that promotes online learning .
Couros was recognized specifically for his innovative educational technology-facilitated student engagement assignments , including the # ETMOOC lipdub assignment in which creative relationship-building occurs among 12,000 students from different countries . Couros ’ students create effective personal learning networks that transcend the boundaries of the course and gain competence using a wide spectrum of educational technology tools , while establishing their online identity .
“ Preparing the next generation of teachers is important work , and there are few people in Canada who do it in with the same level of innovation and enthusiasm as Dr . Couros . This award , which recognizes his commitment to
“ I ’ ve been extremely fortunate to have worked alongside passionate students who transform our courses into vibrant communities of learning .”
using different technological resources and approaches to empower his students , could not be more timely or welldeserved ,” says University of Regina President and Vice- Chancellor Dr . Vianne Timmons .
This is the latest honour for Couros . He was also awarded the University of Regina Teaching Award for Excellence for Innovation in Teaching in 2015 .
By Dale Johnson Reprinted with permission - External Relations
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