The Summit Professor of Learning Technologies and Professor of Educational Technology, Richard Ferdig, Ph.D., has had a multitude of students come through his courses. His passion for teaching never wavers though. Every day is a new one for him. Each student has different preconceived notions, different goals and different reasons for joining his class.
鈥淟earning is often interrupted by personal issues ranging from illnesses, friendships and getting married,鈥� Ferdig told 麻豆视频最新最全 Today. 鈥淭here are a lot of things that happen, and I think that鈥檚 the complexity of teaching, but the question is how you鈥檒l deal with that.鈥�
Teaching online, Ferdig can accommodate his students and show that he cares. As a professor of educational technology, he is aware of how technology can support a student鈥檚 learning in any situation.
鈥淎lthough his students come from a variety of different disciplines, he supports each one in pursuing their own goals within their field as adult learners,鈥� one of Ferdig鈥檚 former students wrote in a nomination letter. 鈥淗e pushes students to succeed by always giving thoughtful feedback on assignments, encouraging us to go beyond the course itself to co-create useful technological products.鈥�
Ferdig helped create the digital sciences program, which is now the School of Emerging Media and Technology. Six years after the program was started, a graduating doctoral student gave Ferdig a hug and warm greetings. It was at that moment he realized he had that student as a freshman in their first emerging media class.
鈥淚t鈥檚 cool to see everything come full circle, working on our expertise, partnering with people within our program, and developing new opportunities for students. I think I was more excited than she was,鈥� Ferdig said.
Excitement was just one of the many emotions Ferdig felt being named one of the 2024 Distinguished Teaching Award recipients.
The recognition, sponsored by the 麻豆视频最新最全 Alumni Association, has been awarded to distinguished educators since 1967 and is the highest honor a tenured or tenure-track professor can receive.
Ferdig, who鈥檚 been working at 麻豆视频最新最全 since 2009, is also part of the Research Center for Educational Technology, and the School of Teaching, Learning and Curriculum Studies.
Knowing who some of the finalists were, he said he was shocked to find out that he was one of the final recipients.
鈥淲hen I got this award, it was one of the best things in my career," Ferdig said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 like somebody is seeing and caring about the effort that you鈥檙e putting into the students.鈥�
An amalgam of things students have said has impacted him and showcased their care for the professor. What Ferdig values the most is when students thank him for loving them for who they are. Whether that鈥檚 understanding their situation, giving them time, coming in early or staying late to explain a concept, students notice.
鈥淚 often found myself wondering how he managed to invest so much time and effort into his responses, which were always fresh, personalized and never recycled,鈥� wrote a former graduate student nomination. 鈥淚t amazed me that despite our interactions being entirely online, Dr. Ferdig's comments made me feel wholly uplifted, supported and seen.鈥�
Putting students first is at the core of teaching because making sure the students know you care about each and every one of them is when you start to make a difference.
鈥淲hen students give you that little feedback of loving me for who I am, that鈥檚 what keeps me going,鈥� Ferdig said.
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