After being nationally recognized for his teaching excellence earlier this year, David Hutchison is again being honoured for his efforts in the classroom.

A professor in Brock’s Department of Educational Studies and Director of the Centre for Digital Humanities, Hutchison has been awarded a 2017-18 Teaching Award by the Ontario Confederation of University Faculty Associations (OCUFA). OCUFA represents 17,000 faculty and academic librarians in 29 Ontario faculty associations.

Since 1973, the OCUFA Teaching and Academic Librarianship Awards have recognized exceptional professors and librarians for their contributions to higher education in Ontario. Hutchison is one of five Teaching Award recipients from across Ontario this year.   

“As a cross-appointed professor at Brock, it has been my privilege to observe so many diverse examples of teaching excellence amongst colleagues, working with students in groups — large and small — in-person and online,” Hutchison said.  

“I really see this recognition as a tribute to how well Brock nurtures and values teaching excellence, especially teaching approaches which support experiential cross-program collaborations, which has been one of my goals.”

Hutchison’s teaching efforts were widely recognized earlier this year. In February, he was awarded a 3M National Teaching Fellowship, one of Canada’s most prestigious awards for teaching excellence.  

“David is an innovative instructor and through his teaching and mentoring of students contributes significantly to our students’ positive experiences and, more broadly, to Brock and the community,” said Michael Owen, Dean of the Faculty of Education. “As his colleagues, we celebrate this well-deserved recognition of his dedication and talent.”

Hutchison and his fellow award recipients will be honoured at OCUFA’s 45th annual awards ceremony in Toronto on Saturday, Oct. 20. The ceremony will be hosted by the CBC’s Nana aba Duncan.  

“David Hutchison challenges his students to test those perceptions of the world they might take for granted by comparing them against the diverse experiences of others,” said Professor Judy Bornais, Chair of OCUFA’s Award Committee.  

“Through his teaching and the experiential learning opportunities he incorporates into his courses, he empowers students to feel like their work matters and that they can affect change.”