Chantal Meda
Jon Houseman, associate professor in the Department of Biology, is a dedicated educator. This fall, Houseman will receive the 2006 University of Ottawa Excellence in Teaching Award. One of six Ontario professors to receive top honours from the Ontario Confederation of University Faculty Associations (OCUFA) this year, Houseman has been recognized as one of the province’s most innovative and engaging professors.
Houseman’s teaching evaluations are among the highest at the University and testimonials of students, past and present, reveal how deeply he affects them.
One former student wrote: “I have yet to meet a professor more organized, clear and precise in teaching what would otherwise be complex and muddled biological concepts.” Another, who is currently working on a graduate degree, said: “Every student, if they are lucky, has one professor that inspires them … without him I would not be where I am in my academic career today.”
As an entomologist, Jon Houseman draws a parallel between his teaching philosophy and the natural world.
“A student’s approach to learning is like the butterfly and its flight,” Houseman explains. “We must create a learning environment that frees, not traps the learner, so that he or she may engage in the flight of learning and discovery.”
Houseman’s analogy captures his approach to teaching and underscores his belief that much of the responsibility lies in the quality of the learning environments that are created. Through his teaching methods and practices, Houseman aims to develop a dialogue with students in order to build a series of skills through hands-on exploration, observation, and recording in a manner appropriate to a research biologist.
“I want my students to feel at home in our learning environment, a resource-rich and comfortable learning space with consistent and predictable presentation of well-organized and diverse content,” maintains Houseman.
It was this belief that motivated Professor Houseman to create various student activities that foster reflection and critical thought. “I try to get students to think about zoology outside the classroom by bringing in examples and news stories to place them in a context that they are familiar with,” Houseman explains.
Houseman dedicates a great deal of time and effort to deliver information to students in a clear and concise manner. The creation of Digital Zoology and BIODIDAC are prime examples of his drive to effectively communicate the intricacies of biology to his students.
Digital Zoology, a bilingual multimedia compendium, helps students interpret the specimens and slides they view during their lab work; while BIODIDAC offers a collection of copyright- and royalty-free digital photographs. These projects are among some of the top resources of their kind in the world.
Professor Houseman’s contributions to teaching and learning have been recognized though several nominations and awards, including last year’s Faculty of Science Professor of the Year Award and the University of Ottawa Excellence in Education Prize.
He is an inspirational educator and a pioneer in innovative uses of instructional technology. His impact extends far beyond the University of Ottawa to students around the world, who use his educational online materials.
Related link:
BIODIDAC
