USU professor honored as online instructor of the year
Ted Andra was presented Utah State University’s online teacher of the year award for his teaching in distance education.
Andra began teaching at USU 37 years ago, and has been teaching online classes for six years. He currently teaches four English literature classes: two introductory survey courses in British literature, one popular course of perspectives in literature, and one upper division course in period studies in British literature.
Andra received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from USU, and his doctorate degree from Oregon State University.
Andra said his favorite aspect of teaching online classes is contacting students nationally and worldwide.
“I like students with interesting backgrounds and assignment responses,” Andra said.
Marina Hall, a colleague of Andra’s and lecturer in the English department, said, “Teaching is in his blood, and he just wants to do it any way he can.”
Hall said she has known Andra for about 15 years. She said Andra jumped into the newer technology of teaching, when other professors where skeptical and avoided the use computers and e-mail.
“Not every person from his generation embraces technology. Many simply refuse to even try to learn,” Hall said. “But he tackled that head-on too, with no reservations that I’m aware of.
“I’m tremendously impressed with his eagerness to keep learning,” Hall said.
Hall said Andra eagerly went into teaching online, excited to learn new ways of teaching.
Andra was chosen because of his excellence in teaching.
Vincent J. Lafferty, USU director of distance education, said, “Ted is heavily involved in teaching his class.”
Lafferty said Andra converses with students, guides and mentors them, and interacts well with them.
“He’s a facilitator instead of a lecturer,” Lafferty said.
It takes a lot of skill to teach an Internet class and online students are pretty demanding, Lafferty said, but Andra responds to them in a timely manner and addresses their concerns.
Lafferty said that in distance education, students must participate and they cannot hide, and that makes teaching different.
“He motivates his students, which is much more difficult in an online situation,” Lafferty said.
All distance education teachers were considered for this award, Lafferty said.
Andra also greatly enjoys traveling. Lafferty said he always makes sure his class is well-covered while away. Andra said some of his favorite places to travel are Europe, England and Paris.
“The personal attention he gives to students is unparalleled,” Hall said.
Throughout Andra’s teaching career he has received many teaching awards for his teaching skills including four Mortar Borg Society awards – three in teaching and one in advising – the Robin’s Award for advising, ACT/Nacada region outstanding adviser, and some other unlisted awards.
“Selected from a pool of 100 nominees, Andra was singled out not only for his outstanding attention to students, but for the Web design of his class,” Hall said.
Lafferty said, “Ted is popular with students because he not only maintains high academic standards, but through his enthusiasm and concern for students, demonstrates an effective teaching style, no matter what the medium. He’s a very capable person.”
-amysueh@cc.usu.edu