Senior lecturer receives 2016 Creative Teaching Award

Ilse Mason, a senior lecturer and basic PE program coordinator in the Department of Kinesiology, recently received the 2016 Creative Teaching Awards from the Office of the Vice President for Instruction.

Along with four other faculty members, Mason was recognized for her excellence in developing and implementing creative teaching strategies to improve student learning and encourage instructional excellence. She was officially recognized during the UGA Faculty Recognition Banquet on April 11.

"I am proud and thankful to be part of a College and university who value and recognize innovation and teaching; to have the Center for Teaching and Learning and the Office for Online Learning provide valued faculty support; and to have kinesiology colleagues who inspire and challenge me," said Mason.

For the last three years, Mason has been developing open educational resources for UGA's basic physical education courses. Her efforts, supported by Learning Technologies and Innovative Instruction Grants, have saved students $270,000 in textbook costs since 2014.

Additionally, she has worked with colleagues from the Office of Online Learning and the Center for Teaching and Learning to experiment with content hosting options that benefit students from UGA and other institutions nationwide.

Mason teaches the only online PE course at UGA, and her students use GPS-enabled heart rate monitors to track their progress throughout the course. She also guides students in monitoring their fitness level after they participate in her online walking course.

"When creating an optimal learning environment for my students to thrive, whether in an online or face-to-face context, adopting interactive activities and creative strategies is instrumental in fostering student engagement," said Mason. "Incorporating active learning pedagogies enables my students to be responsible learners and independent thinkers."

The Creative Teaching Awards are sponsored in-part by the Office of the Vice President for Instruction, the Office of the Provost and the Center for Teaching and Learning.