Oates and Priebe receive Provost's Award for Outstanding Teaching

Associate Professor, Dr. Alison Oates has been awarded the 2022 Provost’s College Award for Outstanding Teaching and Sessional Lecturer, Carly Priebe has been awarded the 2022 Sylvia Wallace Sessional Lecturer Award.

Oates taught her first course in the college in Fall 2010. As a graduate of University of Waterloo, her research focuses on Biomechanics & Motor Control and Neuromuscular Adaptations.

Pursuing the career path of teaching was led by inspiration from students who she has the honour to work with each term.

When asked about a mentor who made an impact of her, she was quick to acknowledge many colleagues and the Gwenna Moss Centre for Teaching and Learning. Dr. Len Gushtart challenged her to think about teaching pedagogy and how to use student feedback to improve her teaching. Dr. Susan Bens helped her develop evaluations and communication techniques with students while supporting course organization and adaptation throughout the global pandemic.

Another mentor was fellow colleague, Dr. Louise Humbert.

“Louise helped me think more broadly about my teaching and about the importance of compassion with boundaries for students,” said Dr. Oates.

Noting that teaching was a lot harder than she anticipated, Oates said that receiving the award acknowledges the efforts that she puts into teaching and serves as encouragement to keep improving throughout the remainder of her career.

Carly Priebe is a graduate from the College of Kinesiology and has been teaching as a sessional lecturer for 11 years. She has taught over 40 sections throughout nine different courses from in-person to remote.

“I have always loved encouraging and helping others. I started coaching from a very young age and I see a lot of cross over between coaching and teaching. I feel so encouraged when I get to work with students and they tell me that they now understand a concept that they didn't before,” said Priebe.

Throughout teaching, Priebe has put a lot of effort into making the transition to remote learning as smooth as possible for students and found it motivating to see students provide feedback indicating they thought ​the way she taught online really worked for them.

“Whenever I receive an email or a note from a student to say thanks it really inspires me to know that what we're doing as instructors can be very influential in students' lives.”

Priebe noted a few current faculty members that have been influential to her over the years. She credits Dr. Louise Humbert, who inspired her to first apply as a sessional lecturer. Dr. Kent Kowalski was a great mentor and worked hard at supporting instructors to work as a team to help mentor one another and most recently, Dr. Joel Lanovaz, who provided support in leadership, guidance, and sensitivity to the student experience throughout the pandemic.

“I feel so fortunate to have the opportunity to do something I love and to be recognized for it with an award feels very special. I got teary eyed when I read the feedback from the selection committee. I had a wonderful university experience during my years as a student. I really hope I can contribute to students having a successful and enriching experience as well,” said Priebe.

Both Oates and Priebe will be honored on June 1^st, as part of the USask Teaching Awards.