2019 Graduate Student Teaching Recipients
The Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research is proud to announce the 2019 Graduate Student Teaching Award Recipients. Annually, the Graduate Student Teaching Awards recognize outstanding graduate teaching assistants in each Faculty at the University of Alberta.
Please join us in celebrating the Faculty of Kinesiology, Sport, and Recreation students' accomplishments. Congratulations to: Kelsey Wright (supervisor: Amber Mosewich), Chen Chen (supervisor: Dan Mason) and Rebecca Rubuliak (supervisor: Nancy Spencer)
MSc student Kelsey Wright was nominated by assistant professor Amber Mosewich for her work as teaching assistant (TA) for KIN 200 - Physiology of Exercise, HEED 321 - Psychosocial Dimensions of Health Promotion and HEED 110 - Introduction to Personal Health and Well-Being, as well for her role as primary instructor (PI) for HEED 321, which she graduate from TA to PI in Spring 2018.
"I feel honored and humbled receiving this award, and I cannot thank my supervisor, Dr. Amber Mosewich, enough for her nomination and continued mentorship. Teaching has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my graduate program. Seeing the compassion and ingenuity of my students continues to inspire me to adapt and improve my teaching practices".
"Aside from her great teaching skill and ability to translate knowledge, she builds rapport with the students, which has become quite evident to me as I routinely see her interact with our undergraduate students," says Amber Mosewich." Kelsey is also one of the few Masters students with teaching experience as a primary instructor of a course. As Kelsey's supervisor, I can honestly say that she thrived in this opportunity. The course went smoothly, students were engaged and attained good outcomes, and Kelsey was passionately involved in the entire process. Kelsey is a graduate student who has truly shown an investment and skill in teaching."
PhD candidate Chen Chen was nominated by professor Dan Mason for his work as teaching assistant for KRLS 105 - Introduction to the Management of Sport, Physical Activity and Recreation Programs. Chen was also principle instructor for KRLS 105, and seminar leader for KIN 401 - Applied Ethics in Sport, Physical Activity and Exercise.
"What it means to win this award is twofold: First, it is a reminder that I am extremely privileged to have learned from so many real teachers who have deeply influenced my understanding of what teaching means-whether they have a title of "teacher" or not, close or far, alive or dead. Rather an award to me, this is an award to them. Second, it humbles me as I realize the invaluable support I received from the students who I have been fortunate to work with - they surely taught me more than I taught them."
"Chen is a very worthy of this award; KRLS 105 is a difficult class to teach but virtually unanimously students have praised him for his diligence and genuine interest in the students and their success in the class," says Dan Mason. "As the primary marker for several key assignments, Chen would painstakingly review the students' work and provide extensive feedback to them. He would also spend significant time and energy meeting with students to discuss their work in the class. On the basis of this, I felt he would be an excellent instructor for the course when offered in the spring, and he was able to put his own stamp on the course and its content."
Masters student Rebecca Rubuliak was nominated by associate professor Nancy Spencer and professors Donna Goodwin and John Spence for her role as teaching assistant for KIN 293 - Introduction to the Movement Activities of Children and KIN 471 - Physical Activity for People with Intellectual Impairment.
"Teaching has been one of the highlights of my graduate student experience! I am grateful to have worked with amazing undergraduate and graduate students and community partners, and am especially appreciative of the mentors from whom I have received tremendous support and learned so much, including Dr. Nancy Spencer, Dr. Donna Goodwin, Mary Ann Rintoul, Christina Hoang, and Amanda Ebert. I am honored to receive this award. It encourages me to continue pursuing my passion for teaching and learning, and to challenge myself to remain curious and reflective in my approach."
"KIN 471 is a demanding class for a teaching assistant as it is registered with the UofA as a Community Service Learning Class (CLS) and requires several partners to come together to determine and achieve mutually beneficial goals," says Donna Goodwin. "I met with Rebecca weekly over the course of the teaching term. I was amazed and astonished at her level of reflexion and concern for the well-being of all partners engaged in the CSL partnership. She worked tirelessly to support the students, not only during the lab times, but meeting students one-on-one outside of class. She was a tremendous support to me as I was teaching the course for the first time. I came to respect Rebecca's professionalism, scholarly transfer of knowledge to an applied teaching setting, and willingness to think deeply about her role in the preparation of adapted physical activity professionals."
"By all accounts, Rebecca is a conscientious instructor who is well-prepared for her teaching assignments. Whether from principal instructors, the students, or us as administrators, the story is the same," says John Spence.
"Rebecca has simply excelled in all aspects of being a teaching assistant and gone above and beyond expectations," says Nancy Spencer. "Rebecca is one of the most thoughtful and authentically engaged teaching assistants I have ever worked with."