Teaching prize for Dr Neil Morris
Congratulations to Dr Neil Morris (Institute of Membrane and Systems Biology) who has been awarded the Physiological Society’s Otto Hutter Physiology Teaching Prize for 2010.
He received the award in recognition of his excellence in physiology teaching and, specifically, the work he has done to develop new teaching tools to enhance physiology teaching to science, medical and dental students at the University.
A Senior Lecturer in Neuroscience and University Teaching Fellow, Dr Morris has introduced successful modules, teaching practices, and laboratory classes into the curriculum for biomedical science students. In particular, he has developed a range of problem-solving tutorials that use real data and encourage students to apply their knowledge to solve challenging and unfamiliar problems. His teaching makes innovative use of technology to enhance learning opportunities, including podcasts, video lectures and mobile assessments. These resources have been commended by external examiners and external reviewers and Neil has published the studies in journals, institutional bulletins and at international conferences.
Dr Morris has also developed innovative final year research projects enabling students to develop and test learning resources in controlled research studies, gaining research and teaching skills. Examples include online support for tutorials with formative assessment and online video lectures with blended learning resources. He has championed the institutional VLE and the use of student response handsets and resources to support the transition to university. He led the development of the personal tutoring provision, and helped to develop the institutional Leeds for Life resource, which includes online support for personal tutoring.
The Otto Hutter Physiology Teaching Prize recognises an individual's contribution to teaching undergraduate physiology. Dr Morris was nominated by Professor Jim Deuchars of the University's Institute of Membrane and Systems Biology. He said of Dr Morris: "He receives exemplary feedback from students and peers on the quality of his teaching and the learning resources provided to enhance learning opportunities."