Excellence in Teaching, 2014
Sociology
Catherine Moran says she knows she has one of the best jobs in the world, at its root about sharing ideas and fostering an environment where ideas can change people's lives. She tries to bring an enthusiasm for learning–and a recognition of her own good fortune–to her teaching. According to her students, she succeeds mightily. Professor Moran teaches core courses in sociology, including statistics, sociological analysis, research methods, and the sociology of fashion. Though some of these courses might be viewed as dry, students say she brings energy, enthusiasm, and excitement to class. She can actually make statistics fun, as more than one student has offered.
How does she do it? Well, consider this: She dances to help students develop physical mnemonics for interpreting data analysis output. She wears a Victorian brooch made of human hair to connect past fashion to the present era. She uses Weird Al and Rhianna music videos to teach deviance and social constructionism. For Professor Moran, classroom teaching is performance, and the more contemporary, engaging, wacky, or silly she can make her presentation, the better the chance is that students will make the associations she hopes to help them make.
Learning and changing are challenging, says Professor Moran, and they require taking intellectual risks. Her teaching is about fostering a safe learning environment where students are encouraged and rewarded for risk-taking.
By: Kenneth Fuld, Dean, College of Liberal Arts
About this Award
Each year, the University selects a small number of its outstanding faculty for special recognition of their achievements in teaching, scholarship, and service. Awards for Excellence in Teaching are given in each college and school, and University-wide awards recognize public service, research, teaching, and engagement.
