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Queen’s University professor Richard Ascough has received the prestigious 3M National Teaching Fellowship from the Society for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education (STLHE).

Founded in 1986 through a partnership between the Society for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education and 3M Canada, up to ten Canadian academics annually are named fellows, in recognition of excellence in educational leadership and teaching in the post-secondary sector. Dr. Ascough (School of Religion) is the ninth Queen’s professor to be made a 3M Fellow following James Fraser (Physics) in 2017.

 “I find it both humbling and exciting to be selected as a 3M Teaching Fellow as it recognizes my commitment to actively engaging students in their learning contexts and experimenting with innovation in the classroom,” says Dr. Ascough, Associate Dean (Teaching and Learning).

A recent winner, Dr. Ascough has always approached teaching with innovative and unique ideas. In the 1990s, he embraced online learning and has been a change-maker in regards to attitudes towards online course design.

 “Dr. Ascough has been at the leading edge of technology-enhanced learning, leaping into online teaching in the late nineties when instructors had to accept their role as digital pioneers, contending with clunky platforms and sometimes severe skepticism from their academic peers,” says Jill Scott, Vice-Provost (Teaching and Learning). “He has never been satisfied with simply using technology, but has continually pushed the limits of the medium to ensure deep, transformation learning.”

In the classroom, Dr. Ascough creates imaginative, interactive exercises that ignite his students’ passion for learning. Long before active learning classrooms were being constructed, Dr. Ascough began developing exercises that draw students out of their comfort zone and create excitement about learning. Participatory exercises are one of the hallmarks of Dr. Ascough’s teaching.

“Dr. Ascough embodies Queen’s mission as a research-intensive university with a transformative student learning experience,” says Benoit-Antoine Bacon, Provost and Vice-Principal (Academic). “In my experience, every institution has those few individuals who are hugely influential to so many, yet never seek acclaim. Richard is one of those special leaders.”

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