English Professor Francie Quaas-Berryman wins Social Learning Innovator Award
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: December 13, 2023
Media Contact: Aya Aoki; Public Affairs
NORWALK, Calif. - December 13, 2023 - Cerritos College English Professor Dr. Francie Quaas-Berryman was among the 10 winners
nationwide of the 2023 Social Learning Innovator Awards.
Presented by the online annotation provider Hypothesis, the awards celebrate outstanding educators and institutions that have revolutionized the world of education through social learning across various disciplines.
Dr. Quaas-Berryman started using Hypothesis in her drama class as instruction transitioned to online at the onset of the pandemic. With the help of Hypothesis, she embedded resources in her class readings, including playwright information, analysis, definitions, discussion questions, articles, and video clips from performances. Dr. Quaas-Berryman also enriched learning through interactivity by allowing students to collaborate and discuss the text with each other using these resources.
Student David Anzaldo attests to her innovative teaching method. “I genuinely enjoyed reading the comments from my classmates,” he said. It was interesting to see what parts of the play they felt the need to annotate because it stood out to them. The second best part of reading a good play is being able to discuss it with someone and hear their opinions on it. I also enjoyed the pictures, videos, and bits of information posted by Dr. Quaas-Berryman.”
Since joining Cerritos College in 1999, Dr. Quaas-Berryman has taught English and participated in various programs on campus, including learning communities, Puente, and the iFalcon Habits of Mind initiative. She also brought numerous professional development opportunities for faculty as developmental education coordinator.
“We are proud of Francie’s national recognition of her teaching excellence,” said Dr. Jose Fierro, Cerritos College president/superintendent. “She has championed innovative teaching that increases collaborative learning and student engagement.”
About Cerritos College: Cerritos College serves as a comprehensive community college for southeastern Los Angeles County. Communities within the college’s district include Artesia, Bellflower, Cerritos, Downey, Hawaiian Gardens, La Mirada, Norwalk, and portions of Bell Gardens, Lakewood, Long Beach, Santa Fe Springs and South Gate. Cerritos College offers nearly 300 degrees and certificates in nine divisions. Annually, more than 1,200 students successfully complete their course of studies, and enrollment currently averages 21,000 students. Visit Cerritos College online at www.cerritos.edu.
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