Trinity Western University is pleased to recognize its faculty members who achieve a high standing of teaching excellence. This year Dr. Kelly Arbeau is awarded the Provost’s Innovative Teaching Award and Dr. Mike Bodner receives the Davis Distinguished Teaching Award. Drs. Arbeau and Bonder were selected from 105 student nominations. The awards were presented to Drs. Arbeau and Bodner at the 2018 TWU Commencement ceremony on April 28.
The Provost’s Innovative Teaching Award recognizes and encourages scholarly experimentation and innovation. It is also intended to acknowledge a faculty member who is researching, creating, developing and adapting new methods to improve and enrich student learning. Dr. Arbeau, an Assistant Professor of Psychology in the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, has been teaching at TWU for three years.
According to Myron Penner, Dean of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences at TWU, students consistently report that Dr. Arbeau’s approach and classroom environment allows them to learn more effectively. Students comment on both the innovative aspects of her pedagogy and her personal care and respect for them as learners.
“The support and encouragement of both colleagues and students in my first three years at TWU has been nothing short of inspiring,” says Kelly Arbeau.
Dr. Mike Bodner, Professor in the School of Human Kinetics, is the 2018 recipient of the Davis Distinguished Teaching Award. This award honours a faculty member known for superior teaching and the ability to stimulate engagement and enduring transformational growth. Each award recipient also effectively integrates and nurtures a faith-informed perspective related to their discipline and makes significant contributions to the pedagogical life of the University.
Students consistently describe Dr. Bodner as someone who has a transformational impact on them and provides a challenging academic environment with strong learning and motivational support for students. They are inspired by his passion for his discipline and the way his faith permeates all he does.
One award nomination shares the experience of a TWU graduate, a PhD candidate and Sports Medicine Data Analyst for the U.S. Olympic Committee, who switched his major and completely redirected the trajectory of his career after taking one course with Dr. Bodner 10 years ago. Dr. Bodner continues to be a role model and mentor to this former student who is now teaching the same course to undergraduate students.
“Mike Bodner looks for ways to improve his academic courses whether it be through classroom organization, textbook selection, creative assignments, or classroom examples. He encourages other faculty in their teaching and leads helpful discussions around the topic of teaching effectiveness,” says Blair Whitmarsh, Dean of the School of Human Kinetics at TWU.
The university congratulates Dr. Arbeau and Dr. Bodner on this recognition of their excellence in teaching by the students and staff of TWU.