University of Alberta Edmonton, Canada 4 April 1997

1997 Rutherford Awards For Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching

International leader is simply a 'great teacher' at home

To much of the world, Dr. Robert Steadward is recognized as the head of the Rick Hansen Centre, the president of the International Paralympic Committee, and the man who helped build the Paralympics to an international event on a par with the Olympics. To students in the Faculty of Physical Education and Recreation, however, he's known as the man who can take a "dry" subject like first-year anatomy and make it exciting.

PEDS 100, Introduction to Anatomy, is a major component of Steadward's undergraduate teaching. It's a course with more than 150 first-year students in their first term of university, who are required to be there.

It's a daunting task, but according to colleague Dr. Marsha Padfield, with Steadward teaching, "Not only do the students master this content, but they change from being scared, doubtful and outright hostile in some instances, to being enthusiastic about the subject matter."

Dr. Gudrun Doll-Tepper, world leader in the field of sport science and a professor at the University of Berlin, says, "I continue to meet students who have studied under Dr. Steadward and they now carry both his enthusiasm and his message about the beneficial influence of sport and the importance of health, fitness and well-being through physical activity for all in their work worldwide."

Carrie Hornby, third-year student, has taken two classes from Steadward and sought his help in research for another class. "In the past five years of knowing Dr. Steadward, he has been the most influential role model and has helped to shape my life . . .," says Hornby. "For this I am thankful."

Sylvia Ciurysek, third-year, says "Dr. Steadward is a professor that possesses a combination of intellect, approachability, and benevolence. . . He does not just 'hand over' the answers. He probes to get me to answer my own questions . . . His ability to get me thinking critically has allowed me to integrate this skill into my other classes."

Masliyah is the clear student choice

Nearly half of the students Dr. Jacob Masliyah has taught rate him as their best professor.

This achievement came to light in a survey of third- and fourth-year Chemical Engineering students. Students themselves conducted the survey, nominated Masliyah for the Rutherford award and, with the exception of external reviews, solicited supporting documents. Their thorough search process clearly identified Masliyah as a professor with an infectious passion for learning.

A former graduate student of Masliyah's and a current faculty member, Dr. Suzanne Kresta, finds him inspiring. "He is able to bring the beauty of his discipline alive for everyone from high school students to his colleagues of many years. When Jacob teaches a new course, his presentation of the material is so arresting that it is not unusual to find several faculty members sitting in on the lectures."

Dr. Norman Epstein, UBC professor emeritus, describes Masliyah as a "veritable whirling dervish" of activity," who has acquired "a tremendous reputation as a superb teacher, a dynamic lecturer, a knowledgable consultant, an effective member of scientific committees and a most distinguished researcher."

His students admire him for the clarity with which he explains complex concepts, his in-depth knowledge of industry, the time he has for them, and his passion for his subject.

Roderick Gonzales, fourth-year student, says, "Dr. Masliyah once said to me, 'undergraduate students are my first priority whenever they come to my office. They have the most demanding time schedule of all the people that I must see.everything else can wait until after I have attended to the student's questions.'"

Even reluctant students learn to love math

Dr. Bruce Allison has taught struggling first-year calculus students and talented honors and graduate students with equal success. In addition, he has strongly influenced colleagues.

Professor Michel Racine, of the University of Ottawa, says Allison successfully clears "the two traditional pitfalls of mathematicians: treating undergraduates as children or assuming that mathematics is so beautiful and clear that anybody can figure it out on his own."

The students agree. Peter Cartwright says, "After a week or two on campus, I got the feeling that I was nothing more than a number in the University's database," he said. "But in Dr. Allison's class, he made me and everyone else feel like we were not mere numbers, but individuals with talents, skills and knowledge."

Brett Binette says prior to Allison's class, she dreaded math. "Dr. Allison, with his subtle humor and friendly attitude, made math not only accessible to me, but actually got me to enjoy sitting in class for an hour-and-a-half at a time and doing problems on my own time."

Students give Allison top marks in all his classes, but he has unexpected success with Math 113-a class many colleagues shy away from.The classes are large (125-150 students) and the students have done poorly in high school math. With Allison, however, many students report their first good math mark, and others say math is no longer a painful experience..

His colleagues have also benefited from his careful approach to curriculum. Allison was dissatisfied with the labs in a first-year calculus course he taught. He asked to teach the course again to try out ideas he had for improvements. Every other instructor followed his suggestions and agreed they significantly improved the course.

Colleague Dr. Robert Moody says Allison's teaching style "appears plain and simple. But that is of course the magic. It appears that he is doing nothing special, but at the end you realize you have understood everything that he said. Not a common phenomenon in mathematical talks!"

McKay continues in mentor role--even for graduates

Dr. Roberta McKay is committed to undergraduate teaching. "I truly believe that just as the kindergarten and grade one years are formative in a child's school career, so too is our undergraduate program formative in a teachers' professional career," she says.

That McKay acts on this belief by giving undergraduates her best, is reflected in student evaluations that sometimes have a median score of five and are always in the very high fours.

Andrea Dzenick-Giroux, a former student and current teacher, says "She makes learning relevant for her students and ensures that they also understand the importance of making learning relevant for their students. She also emphasizes cross-curricular links, which again promote a more realistic representation of the 'real world.'"

"Even though we are no longer her students," says Dzenick-Giroux, "she is still there for us, providing us with advice, encouragement, support, praise."

Dr. Bob Jackson, department chair, says that in addition to preparing courses meticulously, McKay is a leader in program innovation. "Through her ability to relate theory and practice, her inspiration as a role model and her willingness to design and teach in innovative programs, Dr. McKay demonstrates her excellence as a teacher," he says.

Valerie Guajardo, fourth-year student, has taken several courses from McKay and says, "She has been an excellent model for future teachers by demonstrating valuable and effective teaching techniques and thoughtful planning and organization of her materials and resources."

Student Kathleen Hollywood, describes McKay as an "outstanding model of the teaching profession." Moreover, says Hollywood, "Dr. McKay consistently demonstrates a true concern for student progress and is always readily available and approachable for out-of-classroom consultation."

Graduate Daylene Luaman says "As I am now a Social Studies teacher myself (and using Dr. McKay's textbook as part of the Grade 8 curriculum) I have been able to incorporate many of the activities and theories taught by Dr. McKay because they directly relate to present-day pedagogy . . ."

"Rigorous playfulness" characterizes English professor

In evaluations, Dr. Dianne Chisholm's students have called her both a god and a goddess. And this "divine transgendering," says Department Chair Patricia Demers, "merits a special award."

But joking aside, consistently glowing evaluations show Chisholm inspires awe in students in her twentieth-century poetry, feminist criticism and literary theory classes.

She is held in high esteem by colleagues as well. Dr. Robert Martin, University of Montreal, describes Chisholm as, "a young scholar very much on the cutting edge of contemporary theory who brings her sharp intellect to bear on everything she undertakes."

While Dr. Toril Moi, Duke University, North Carolina, says, "The range and depth of Professor Chisholm's syllabi are astonishing."

Dr. Henry Abelove, professor of English at Wesleyan University, Connecticut, says, ". . . Professor Chisholm has been an early figure in introducing lesbian/gay/queer studies into university literature programs. I know that her example has been important for other teachers both in Canada and elsewhere."

Chisholm believes in teaching the tools of critical discourse, then having students use them to work with issues rooted in daily life. She continues the discussion in the margins of student essays.

Karen Chow, a 1994 seminar student, says, "Dr. Chisholm directed class discussions with provocative questions and complexified many assumptions about gender, sexuality, and art that I had previously held. Her academic rigor, complemented by her enthusiasm, creativity and sense of play, made often difficult texts lucid and even exciting."

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