Peer Learning: Meet the Interactive Science Educators of the Year

Every day, educators across the country teach science online in order to provide their students with the opportunity to gain scientific literacy and pursue studies or potential career paths in the field of science. On that basis, we launched our inaugural Interactive Science Educators Award program to recognize and celebrate educators for their exceptional contributions to the field of online science education. 

Of the thousands of educators in our community, these four honorees standout for using innovative strategies and tools to positively impact student success and expand access to science education, specifically across four categories: Student Engagement, Hybrid Learning & Teaching, Technology Use, and Accessibility. During this one-hour webinar (available on-demand), you’ll hear from these educators, as they share their innovative work along with the challenges, lessons, and best practices they’ve learned along the way. By the end of this webinar, you’re sure to have new ideas and strategies you can implement in your course.

Presenters include: 

Dr. Lori Wilson from the University of North Georgia (Chemistry) represents the category of Unique Methods of Student Engagement. As a winner in this category, Dr. Wilson is creating memorable and impactful experiences for her students. With weekly office hours, interactive multimedia, and her transformed approach to grading, students have a stronger sense of ownership over their own learning.

Dr. Effat Zeidan Hatoum from the California Baptist University (Anatomy & Physiology, Biology) represents the category of Leveraging Hybrid Learning and Teaching Strategies. As the winner in this category, Dr. Zeidan Hatoum is successfully increasing access to science education by combining hands-on experiences with virtual content in creative ways that support student success. Her focus on personalized feedback, motivational messaging, and mid-course progress reports helps take the fear out of learning STEM online for students and underscores her commitment to student success. 

Ms. Latoya Hill from Barton Community College (Pharmacy) represents the category of Innovative Use of Technology. As the winner in this category, Ms. Hill is maximizing the use — and pushing the limits — of technology to impact student success. She creates a seamless experience, integrating virtual lab simulations with the LMS in order to prepare her pharmacy students for real world applications and reinforce what they are learning through hands-on experiences. Her ability to bridge the gap for online students, by providing personalized feedback using accessible technology, is unmatched. 

Dr. Charuta Mirajkar from Brightpoint Community College (Biology) represents the category of Promoting Accessibility.  As the winner in this category, Dr. Mirajkar is using technology and tools to foster a supportive and accessible learning experience for all. Her commitment to expanding the reach of science education to students of different ages, socio-economic backgrounds, and learning preferences, provides students the same opportunities as on-campus students. Her use of custom hands-on lab kits, particularly with her virtual BIO 101 course, ensures the same quality and rigor as on-campus labs while maintaining affordability.

Learn more about the 2023 Interactive Science Educators Award here.