DR Anne Dolan, who is a lecturer in Geography Education at Mary Immaculate College, has won this year’s Mid-West Regional Teaching Excellence Award in recognition of her outstanding practice in higher education teaching.
The annual awards are a collaborative competition between MIC, UL and TUS Mid-West, with academics from the three institutions entering detailed teaching portfolios which demonstrate evidence of their own excellent practice.
Dr Dolan, who is a native of Galway, said that MIC had a long history in teaching excellence and it was a privilege for her to be part of this tradition.
“As a lecturer in primary geography, I engage with my students in discussions about the great challenges facing society today, including war in Ukraine, climate change and a loss in biodiversity. My teaching is informed by student feedback, enquiry-based approaches and active based learning.
“I have taken students to many outdoor sites around Ireland in the hope that children in primary schools will have many opportunities to engage with their locality as a site for geographical exploration. This award is dedicated to my amazing students”.
Last month, Dr Dolan was highly commended at the Geographical Association Conference in London for her new book, ‘Teaching Climate Change in Primary Schools: An Interdisciplinary Approach’.
Dr Dolan is also the Programme Coordinator of the M Ed in Sustainability and Global Citizenship. The two-year, part-time programme offers a focus on climate justice, outdoor learning, biodiversity, intercultural and citizenship education, peace studies and children’s agency.
Congratulating Dr Dolan, MIC President Professor Eugene Wall said the Mid-West Regional Teaching Awards showcase and champion outstanding teaching practice in higher education.
He also paid tribute to Seán de Brún, Head of the Department of Language and Literacy Education at MIC, on being one of six others across the three institutions who were shortlisted for the award.
