UT faculty member wins second Blackboard Catalyst Award

September 6, 2018 | News, UToday, Alumni, Natural Sciences and Mathematics, University College
By Marla Gootee



Dr. Claire Stuve was among honorees from around the world who were recognized during Blackboard’s annual conference this summer in Orlando, Fla.

It was the second year in a row the curriculum developer and technology researcher for University College won a Blackboard Catalyst Award.

Stuve

Stuve was honored in the category of exemplary course, which recognizes faculty and course designers who develop exciting and innovative classes that represent the very best in technology and learning.

Since its establishment in 2005, the Blackboard Catalyst Awards have honored innovation and excellence in the Blackboard global community of practice.

Recipients of the awards are selected by a cross-functional team of Blackboard experts.

The awards program honors clients who have gone above and beyond in using technology in innovative ways from impacting the student experience to building exemplary courses.

Since 2011, Stuve has been a staff member and an adjunct professor in University College; she joined the Department of Mathematics and Statistics as an adjunct in 2016.

Her responsibilities as curriculum developer and technology researcher in University College include creating a research-based curriculum that incorporates emerging technologies and evaluating data on new and redeveloped courses.

Her research interests include using technology to foster engagement and applying the principles of good course design.

“I love technology and the impact it can have on learning,” Stuve said. “So I’m interested in finding out what technologies have the biggest impact, how I can help students learn better and increase retention, and how I can help students have fun.”

She is also a campus liaison for New Media Consortium and a Quality Matters Certified Master Reviewer. And she is a master’s student in UT’s Public Health Program. The UT alumna received a bachelor’s degree in physics, a master’s degree in instructional technology, and a doctoral degree in curriculum and instruction.

The course she is being recognized for this year by the Catalyst Awards is called Blackboard Collaborate Ultra Training, which is designed to teach faculty how to use Blackboard Collaborate Ultra with students and how to incorporate it into their curriculum.

As an undergraduate student, Stuve struggled with her work, motivating her to help future students who may be struggling become successful while also teaching faculty how to ensure their students’ success.

“Part of helping students be successful is helping faculty be better teachers and know themselves how to help struggling students,” she said. “Therefore, I wanted to design a course where I could teach faculty how to use innovative and fun technology to help students.”

The training course utilizes innovative technology through advanced multimedia, simulations and web conferencing, and was the first course of its kind offered at UT that incorporated training simulations.

Stuve explained how she recognizes every student is different and learns differently, so she tries to incorporate numerous teaching methods that present content in multiple ways. She also makes it her mission to ensure students are having fun when they’re learning.

“I’m honored to have won a Catalyst Award for a second year because it reaffirms to myself that I am making a difference and that what I do is helping students,” she said.

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