In response to the pandemic, numerous University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa faculty members arose as the leaders of pedagogical adaptation and innovation. The Innovation and Impact Showcase (IIS) initiative, started in 2021, provided a platform to celebrate UH Mānoa faculty members’ innovative and high-impact teaching practices. It aims to celebrate educational excellence at the Mānoa campus, to create a repository of innovative approaches and educational materials, and to communicate the quality of education to a broader audience.
Out of 55 nominations, 10 showcase applications rose to the top that demonstrated “skillful integration of innovative techniques/approaches to systematically engage students in deep learning and application of knowledge and skills,” practices deemed by the peer reviewers as representing a new teaching paradigm, a key criterion for the selected showcases.
“It’s such an honor to showcase and celebrate these excellent Mānoa educators who are dedicated in pursuing and implementing innovative pedagogical approaches to help students learn. Their showcase videos and the teaching materials published online is a valuable teaching resource,” Yao Z. Hill, the IIS Committee Chair, said, “I hope that more faculty members will be inspired to apply and to be showcased.”
The Office of Vice Provost for Academic Excellence, Center for Teaching Excellence, Assessment and Curriculum Support Center, General Education Office, and Technology and Distance Programs created the Innovation and Impact Showcase initiative.
The group worked with videographers to produce short videos of professors who’s work in this area were recognized among the best on campus. Supporting materials such as faculty’s syllabi, assignments, sample student work and more provide a pathway for other educators to consider adding to their own tools.
Those who were recognized for their work at a small ceremony in October.
Award winners:
- Associate Professor Rebecca Chong, College of Natural Sciences
- Associate Professor Daniel Hoffman, College of Education
- Associate Professor Kyra Len, John A. Burns School of Medicine
- Associate Professor Peter Leong, College of Education
- Professor Scott Lozanoff, John A. Burns School of Medicine
- Associate Professor Brandy McDougall, College of Arts, Languages and Letters
- Professor Aaron Ohta, College of Engineering
- Associate Professor Brett Oppegaard, College of Social Sciences
- Associate Professor Lorinda Riley, Office of Public Health Studies
- Associate Professor Jamie Simpson Steele, Institute for Teacher Education
- Associate Professor Vanessa Wong, John A. Burns School of Medicine
Project Goals
- To inspire faculty to adapt and adopt innovative teaching practices with high impact.
- To showcase educational innovations that positively impact student learning.
- To communicate to the UH Mānoa and broader communities the educational excellence at our institution.
