2022 UCalgary Teaching Awards Recipient: Dr. Dawn Johnston

Congratulations to Dr. Dawn Johnston of CMF for receiving the UCalgary Teaching Award for Educational Leadership (Formal)! The Teaching Awards celebrate the extraordinary efforts that UCalgary educators put into creating meaningful learning experiences for their students in online, in-person, and blended environments. These awards are a distinguished honour for members of the university, and are available in different categories.

Dr. Johnston has taught many courses in CMF over the years, including the Capstone Seminar in Communication and Media, Food Culture and Communication, and Special Topics in Communication and Media Studies. As Associate Dean for Teaching, Learning and Student Engagement, she is responsible for overseeing all areas of teaching support within the faculty, directing the faculty’s contributions to university-level plans for teaching and learning, and developing strategic plans for improving student engagement.

Initiatives that enhance student-learning and the teaching development of her colleagues are at the heart of Dr. Johnston’s work. In her own teaching, she fosters student-led discussions and creates learning experiences centered on team-based learning communities. She has led several Group Study Programs, co-developed Global Challenges courses, and collaborated with students as partners in her own research. In 2018, she organized an international workshop with two former students to explore effective mentorship practices for teaching and learning.

Dr. Johnston has also mentored many faculty members in improving their teaching, and led workshops on scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL) to help them build effective teaching practices. She mentors new faculty members developing their first courses, as well as senior faculty members applying for teaching awards and grants. As Chair of the faculty’s Teaching and Learning Committee, Dr. Johnston mobilizes her colleagues to promote excellence in teaching and learning.

We are so fortunate to have Dr. Johnston as a colleague and educational leader in CMF!