Mairi Cowan recognized with OCUFA Teaching Award
Mairi Cowan, an associate professor, teaching stream, in the department of historical studies at the University of Toronto Mississauga, has been named one of Ontario鈥檚 most outstanding university teachers.
She has received .
鈥淢airi Cowan loves to teach, and students praise her for respecting them as collaborators in the classroom,鈥 said Edmund Pries, the chair of OCUFA鈥檚 award committee. 鈥淗er passion for history, attentiveness to the needs of her students, and her creativity exemplify the effectiveness of her approach to education.鈥
A historian of the late medieval and early modern world specializing in the social and religious histories of New France and Scotland, Cowan was also recognized recently for excellence in teaching with primary sources.
During the pandemic, Cowan balanced live and recorded teaching. For her large first-year history course, she pre-recorded her weekly lecture in four or five short parts interspersed with activities, such as watching a video or exploring a website. Later in the week, she would get together online with her students so they could ask questions and discuss the material.
鈥淭hroughout the COVID-19 pandemic, this year鈥檚 recipients have distinguished themselves through their dedication and boundless energy,鈥 said OCUFA president Sue Wurtele.
Dragana Obradovi膰, an associate professor in 茄子直播鈥檚 department of Slavic languages and literatures in the Faculty of Arts & Science, and Micah Stickel, a professor in the department of electrical and computer engineering in the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering, were also named winners of the OCUFA Teaching Award.