This year the RWC Distinguished Teaching Award goes to Dr. Robin Lightner of Behavioral Sciences. A dedicated professor, encouraging, and knowledgeable co-worker, she is being honored for her many years of excellence. As a teacher, Professor Lightner has shown unending dedication to her students and the learning process, according to remarks at the ceremony by RWC Dean Cady Short-Thompson. One supporter noted that she “takes time and care to employ a series of best practices to ensure student learning. This, combined with her expertise in her discipline, makes her an exceptional teacher. Her desire to help her students become better learners has led her to test and implement a variety of innovative methods in her classes, including team-based learning strategies, self-regulated learning practices, audio commentary on student writing, problem-based learning assignments, and more.”
Another student said she “pushes students to achieve goals that they may not have even considered previously.”
As a colleague, Professor Lightner has been described as an encourager and a source of inspiration. Furthermore, since she joined the Behavioral Science Department in January 2001, Lightner has made her mark as a teacher and in her research and leadership. Since 2006, she has served as co-director of the RWC Learning and Teaching Center.
Dr. Lynn Ritchey, Chair of the Behavioral Science Department, explains, “As such, she has been responsible for organizing and facilitating the Ohio Teacher Enhancement Program, a yearly faculty learning community devoted to classroom research. Participants develop research proposals, conduct classroom research and present their results for RWC faculty and at the International Lilly Conference.”
Lightner was honored in 2009 by being inducted into UC’s Academy of Fellows for Teaching and Learning. They recognize university faculty who are leaders in the field of scholarly teaching. It is an exclusive honor, for only 40 faculty have been inducted into the organization.
Lightner says she is greatly honored to receive the award, and she described the award ceremony as “very special.” She said she was proud to have family and friends there to see the college.
“Dean Cady was a fabulous host-funny, flattering, and sincere,” she added.
Lightner wants to teach her students important skills, beyond those taught in class. “Many teachers here at RWC work so that students not only learn the content of our classes, but become better students” she said. “I hope that my students learn to study and to write, and incorporate those lessons into my first year classes. Some students find that really helpful while making the difficult transition to college. Knowing about attention spans and working memory, I try to include opportunities for lots of practice and lecture-breaks during my teaching, which can be helpful as well.”
When Lightner started at RWC, she thought it would only be for a short period of time. However, she loved the dedication of students and the caring, expertise of her colleagues.