Dr. Richard Pennington has produced more than 250 tutorial videos, which have been accessed more than 15,000 times by GGC students.
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Pennington Wins USG Teaching Excellence Award
D
r. Richard Pennington
“come round.” They nominated him for
For example, he created almost 200
understands very well why
the 2013 University System of Georgia
preparatory videos for his chemistry
students struggle with chemistry.
Board of Regents’ Teaching Excellence
courses. Available to any GGC student,
Award – and he won.
the videos have been accessed more than
He struggled with it himself during high school in Manchester, England. “At that time my self-confidence was
The award recognizes faculty who significantly improve student success and
15,000 times, a tribute to their usefulness. “Winning teaching awards is truly
not high so this was a real blow,” he said.
demonstrate innovative teaching tech-
a career milestone,” said Pennington,
“But with help from a tutor, I managed to
niques and programs. The description fits
a charter GGC faculty member. “This
take my chemistry grade from an F to a
Pennington, whose students describe him
award validates my career choice and
B and learned then how much a student
as structured, engaging and innovative.
makes me realize that I am very lucky to
could be affected by a teacher.” That lesson influenced his educational philosophy – that any student can succeed when given the resources and tools
GGC’s TWO PREVIOUS AWARD WINNERS
to do so. Pennington does not lecture,
In only seven years, three faculty members have won the USG
preferring a dynamic environment that
Teaching Excellence Award, indicative of the quality of GGC’s faculty.
engages students in learning. “For some students, that’s initially a tough transition, but in most cases they
In 2009, Candace Timpte, associate professor of biology, became GGC’s first faculty member to receive the award. Jessica Damián, now
come round and appreciate what I am
assistant director, Center for Teaching Excellence, and associate
trying to do,” said Pennington, now an
professor of English, won the award in 2011. Award recipients
associate professor of chemistry at GGC.
receive $5,000 and a certificate of achievement.
Actually, his students did more than
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