Hobbs Receives Faculty Excellence in Teaching Award
Hobbs’ dedication to student learning process, professional development for colleagues highlights award selection
HUNTINGTON, Ind. — Dr. F. Collin Hobbs, associate professor of biology, has received Huntington University’s Faculty Excellence in Teaching Award. Hobbs was recognized by his colleagues through a nomination and selection process for his significant commitment to excellence in teaching.
Early in his career, Hobbs became interested in the study of how students learn scientific concepts in undergraduate coursework. In his research, he employed a method that “incrementally introduces the concepts and skills used in phylogenetic analysis,” which improved student learning over “one-shot” or “isolated” treatments of its components. This approach helped to “address student misconceptions, improve student experiences and foster deeper understanding of difficult scientific concepts.”
Hobbs’ students testify to his deep level of commitment to the learning process. As one former student observed, “Dr. Hobbs is very engaging when lecturing. He often talks to students during lecture, and he asks our opinions over topics we cover, such as the moral issues with eugenics.” Students in his courses learn science through an immersive, hands-on approach. For example, they make yogurt to learn microbiology and prepare specimens for the University’s Fred Loew Herbarium as part of his botany course.
His interest and experience in teaching and learning led to his appointment as one of the directors of HU’s Center for Teaching and Learning, where he helped to design and administer professional development programming for his faculty colleagues. He also served in leadership of science education within the state of Indiana as chair of the Plant Systematics & Biodiversity Section of the Indiana Academy of Science.
The Faculty Excellence in Teaching Award promotes faculty professional development in instruction and pedagogy and celebrates the efforts of full-time faculty who have made significant efforts to bring best practices in teaching from their respective fields into HU classrooms, labs and studios.
