Coast Mountain College (CMTN) would like to extend a heartfelt congratulations to our outstanding instructor Matthew Beedle for being a recipient of this year’s West Coast Teaching Excellence Award, as well as instructor Dave McKeever for receiving a nomination.
The award was presented by the British Columbia Teaching and Learning Council.
Those nominated for the Award show a commitment to student learning, displaying an intentional approach to teaching that also embeds Indigenous world views into learning practices.
Matt Beedle has demonstrated exceptional engagement and innovation in his teaching of courses in Environmental Geosciences and Applied Earth and Environmental Studies since coming to CMTN as an instructor in 2015.
“It was nice to reflect [on my seven years at the college] a bit more formally,” he says. “Receiving this award is also a reflection of my colleagues, namely Catherine White and Gordon Weary.”
Beedle loves bringing students into the natural world where they can put into practice what they learned in the classroom, involving students in local research projects whenever he can. Matt says he is greatly looking forward to the upcoming field schools that will take place in Summer 2022.
“[Being in the field] builds passion for the things we’re learning about, which is the natural world and the environment,” he says. “That’s what we have built [this program] around, and I’ve had so much fun with the students.”
In addition to teaching at CMTN, Beedle is an adjunct professor of geography at the University of Northern British Columbia.
“I would like to acknowledge the Centre for Learning Transformation and my colleagues at CMTN for their role in all this,” Beedle says.
CMTN Instructor Dave McKeever was amongst the top instructors nominated for this award. McKeever has been with CMTN for 20 years in various roles, including as an Educational Advisor and Learning Assistance Specialist among others. He is currently the Business Administration Program Coordinator for our Prince Rupert Campus.
“[Throughout my time in the college system], I have learned that we are all on this learning journey in our own way,” McKeever says.
In reflecting on his history of teaching, McKeever says that he learns something from each and every course he teaches.
“Being able to gauge students’ grasp of concepts, to understanding their issues and barriers to learning is a critical skill to acquire,” he says.
CMTN is lucky to have many amazing instructors that transform the lives of their students in their teachings.
—
Media contact
CMTN Communications
communications@coastmountaincollege.ca