On 5 July, DMU held a lunchtime event in Trinity House Chapel to recognise teaching excellence. The gathering celebrated recipients of the 2023 Students’ Choice Teaching Awards and the DMU Teacher Fellowship Awardees.
Students were also recognised, either as members of the Student Action Committee or for their contributions as Student Learning and Teaching Consultants.
Professor Susan Orr, Pro Vice-Chancellor Education, told the attendees: “I would like to give a personal thank you to the students. We need to work in partnership with our students to enhance this university. We remember our best teachers for the rest of our lives. For some of you it will be recent, for others it could go back decades. I say that because the educators that we have in this room will be talked about in 10 or 20 years’ time – that is incredible – we are celebrating your achievements but it is also a moment to look at the impact you have had on students’ lives.”
Below you can see the list of winners, read comments from some of the guests.
Students’ Choice Teaching Awards 2023:
The Students’ Choice Teaching Awards are an opportunity for students to nominate those inspirational teachers who have taught them here at DMU.
Winners:
| Daniel Cowlam |
Arts, Design and Humanities |
| Takako Kato |
Arts, Design and Humanities |
| Niloufer Abdool |
Business and Law |
| Irina Gokh |
Business and Law |
| Brett Koenig |
Business and Law |
| Chizindu Wonu |
Business and Law |
| Sarah De’Ath |
Computing, Engineering and Media |
| Salim Hasshu |
Computing, Engineering and Media |
| Archie Khuman |
Computing, Engineering and Media |
| Chris Knifton |
Health and Life Sciences |
| Mohsen Seifi |
Health and Life Sciences |
DMU Teacher Fellowship Awardees 2023:
The DMU Teacher Fellowship Awards recognise and celebrate innovation in teaching practice. Fellows take a leadership role in teaching and learning.
Winners:
| Irina Gokh |
Business and Law |
| Swati Virmani |
Business and Law |
| Sumeya Loonat |
Business and Law |
| Simon Coupland |
Computing, Engineering and Media |
| Chris Knifton |
Health and Life Sciences |
| Kathleen Nthakomwa-Cassidy |
Health and Life Sciences |
| Chris Wright |
Library and Student Services |
Students themselves were recognised as members of the Student Action Committee and for their work as Student Learning and Teaching Consultants, helping to form policy on the new LearningZone VLE and Education 2030.
Student recognition
| Student Learning and Teaching Consultants: | Student Action Committee: |
|---|
| Jemima Mathew |
Anne Nwaokolo |
| Radha Badarupalli |
Oluwalonimi Agunbiade |
| Mahvish Khan |
|
| Alisher Djumkaey |
|
Kathleen Nthakomwa-Cassidy, programme lead for the MSc in Global Health in the Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, received a DMU Teacher Fellowship Award presented by Vice-Chancellor Prof Katie Normington.
Kathleen said: “I feel great. I am so passionate about teaching and it is wonderful that it is being valued by the students. We are here for the students, to see them grow and develop, and that is what I am passionate about.
“I come from a clinical background so I want to embed the theory with practice so it is more meaningful, and the students enjoy it. I would say real, valid and authentic learning is the most important. I think teaching is all about working with the students and understanding their needs from beginning to end.”
Dr Chizindu Wonu completed a PhD in Finance at DMU before moving into teaching Project Management in BAL in September 2022. Now, in July 2023, he has received a Students’ Choice Teaching Award.
He said: “I really didn’t expect this award. I joined the academic staff at DMU in September and so I was really surprised to be nominated. It is good recognition for the amount of effort I have put in to ensure my students have a good learning experience.
“I introduced practical classes which are more in line with what students will see in the corporate world and collaborated with professional bodies, building closer relationships with them and getting them to provide support for the students. I am really grateful for the award and look forward to doing more. This is a real boost.”
Salim Hasshu, who teaches Games Programming and Games Production in the Faculty of Computing, Engineering and Media, received a Students’ Choice Teaching Award.
He said: “I am over the moon about receiving this award. It really shows that the hard work and dedication that you put in is being recognised by the students. This award reassures you that the students appreciate your work. It is really nice to recognise the positive things that are being done well and now look at how we can do more of it.”
Dr Takako Kato, a member of the English team at DMU and a specialist in Medieval literature in ADH, also received a Students’ Choice Teaching Award.
She said: “I am really happy and honoured to receive this award. Teaching is about seeing students as individuals, recognising their potential and making them feel confident that they can achieve. I enjoy it when some students are facing challenges but you can help them to overcome them and go on to achieve their aims. Those are the best moments in teaching.”
Posted on Tuesday 11 July 2023