COSAM News Articles 2019 October COSAM Professor Selected for Prestigious Gerald and Emily Leischuck Endowed President Award for Excellence in Teaching

COSAM Professor Selected for Prestigious Gerald and Emily Leischuck Endowed President Award for Excellence in Teaching

Published: 10/16/2019

By: Maria Gebhardt

“I wanted to apply for the Gerald and Emily Leischuck Endowed President Award for Excellence in Teaching because it truly shows the impact of my actual teaching in the classroom,” explained Dr. Paul Cobine from the Department of Biological Sciences in the College of Sciences and Mathematics (COSAM).

Dr. Cobine is not just known for his Australian accent and comical classroom references, he helps students learn through memorable moments and adjusting his teaching philosophy through student feedback. He will listen to a student during office hours and then implement changes based on that input to improve the next student’s experience.

“Teaching more than 1,500 students has given me a chance to learn how I can truly help students learn the material and provide real-world examples to reinforce it,” he added.

Dr. Cobine has incorporated better ways to explain basic information and ways to spark a student’s excitement to learn even more.

“I want all of my students to finish my class with a sense of accomplishment and a positive experience that encourages them to continue to learn,” he said.

In Dr. Cobine’s clinical microbiology class, students might be creating a “So You Think You Can Dance” inspired segment or acting out a skit in class.

“I want to give them that memorable experience while they are developing critical problem-solving skills,” Dr. Cobine shared.

He is known for bringing in movie mash-ups referencing Harry Potter with Cob-indor or referring to A Few Good Men so students realize that the truth is there are all on the same side.

“One person can impact a student’s entire education and career,” he said. “I want to be one of those professors who inspires students to learn and makes the commitment to continually improving for future generations.”

 

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