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The University of Southampton
Ocean and Earth Science, National Oceanography Centre Southampton

Two winners for Ocean and Earth Science!

Published: 8 May 2014
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Ocean and Earth Science Southampton is proud to announce that Dr Simon Boxall and Dr Eleanor Frajka-Williams were both 'winners' in the faculty final at the Excellence in Teaching Awards 2014 hosted by SUSU.

The 2014 Excellence in Teaching Awards (ETA's) were hosted at the Highfield Campus on Thursday 8th May and we were very proud to say that we had eleven academics nominated from Ocean and Earth Science.

The ETA's are an annual event hosted by the Students Union at University of Southampton. The ETA's give our student's the opportunity to recognise the support of the staff that teach them and show how that teaching has had a real impact on their academic experience.

The categories for the awards are:

  • Outstanding Lecturer
  • Teaching & Learning Lifetime Achievement
  • Innovative Teaching
  • Best Feedback Provision
  • Contribution to Academic Support

Dr Simon Boxall was named faculty winner for being an 'Outstanding Lecturer'. The reason behind his win was his engaging lectures and passion for his subject which was clearly stated and supported by his students.

'Simon clearly displays a high level of enthusiasm in his lectures that students find very enjoyable. A clear passion for his subject is demonstrated in each lecture which helps students to appreciate the importance of the topic. Content is explained in an understandable way but is also expanded on with interesting academic developments and both personal experiences working in that field. The informal approach to teaching makes Simon approachable and engaging to his classes, and he is also always around and willing to clarify points after lectures. He also ensures interaction with the class in each lecture to make sure they are focused and understanding the content.'

Dr Eleanor Frajka-Williams was named faculty winner for 'Best Feedback', with her encouragement and supportive approach to teaching clearly outlined in the reasons why she won this category.

Eleanor frequently encourages students to contact her either in person or by email if they are experiencing any difficulties with any aspect of her module. Following a mid-term exam, Eleanor provided face-to-face feedback with each of her 50 students, highlighting strong and weak areas and providing in-depth feedback on exam technique for the finals. Eleanor also made herself available for one-on-one coursework help and feedback throughout the module and students commented that she considered "no question a stupid one", making her approachable for instant verbal feedback during practicals and lectures.

The Excellence in Teaching Awards allows students across the university to highlight, recognise, and celebrate their favourite lecturers. Ocean and Earth Science Southampton prides itself on the high quality academic experience it offers its students. This is demonstrated right across the department from our teaching to our research excellence. This has been further reinforced this year by our rise to 10th in the UK in the subject rankings in 'The Complete University Guide'.

 

 

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