Outstanding Information Science Teacher Award: Teaching, Writing and Reflective Practice

Abstract

EDITOR'S SUMMARY

Lisa Nathan is an assistant professor at the iSchool at the University of British Columbia (UBC) and recipient of the 2016 ASIS&T Outstanding Information Science Teacher Award. She creates “real-world” assignments and thoughtful activities in order to develop students into critically thinking information professionals. Lisa outlines four teaching techniques she uses and provides examples of each one. In a method she calls reflective reading, she asks students to come up with discussion questions based on the weekly reading materials, and the originators of each question run a discussion with other students. She promotes effective communication by building up writing and oral skills for each student to allow them as many outlets as possible to express their opinions thoughtfully. Finally, she extends her teaching outside the classroom and was awarded funds from the UBC's Remote Community Based Learning Fund in 2016 and 2017 for graduate students to work with the Heiltsuk Cultural Education Centre.