George Alder awarded 2020 Barry Beyerstein Award for Excellence in Teaching

Senior Lecturer Dr. George Alder has been selected as the recipient of the 2020 Barry Beyerstein Award for Excellence in Teaching. Based on nominations from students, this award has been given annually to recognize excellent teaching of regular faculty. Within the department, Alder teaches PSYC 100 (Introduction to Psychology I) and PSYC 201W (Introduction to Research Methods in Psychology).

Student feedback has highlighted his passion and commitment to teaching. By combining humour and the use of new technology to connect with his students, Alder created a highly engaging learning experience for his students.

 “I appreciated Dr. Alder’s innovative teaching style, which incorporated tools such as Menti, iclicker, and interesting video clips. What I liked so much about Dr. Alder’s use of Menti was that it created a dialogue between him and students in a way that didn’t feel so formal,” says one of the student nominators.

Many students have also noted that Alder possessed a friendly and caring demeanor that made it comfortable for students to ask questions and feel heard.

“George was very organized and clear with his expectations for his class. His welcoming presence and friendliness made me feel comfortable and confident in my abilities to thrive in his class,” says another student.

“Dr. Alder had immense respect for his students, and was personally invested in my learning experience. I feel very fortunate to have had Dr. Alder as an instructor for PSYC 100.”