Two UHCL professors lauded for excellence in teaching

Kim Case, professor of psychology, and Desdamona Rios, assistant professor of psychology, were awarded the Robert S. Daniel Teaching Excellence Award and the Jane S. Halonen Teaching Excellence Award, respectively, from the Society for the Teaching of Psychology. Rios and Case will be accepting their awards and presenting at the Annual Conference on the Teaching of Psychology in Phoenix, AZ, Oct. 19.

Every year the American Psychological Association (APA) distributes six awards for teaching excellence. The Robert S. Daniel Teaching Excellence Award recognizes applicants from 4-year colleges or universities for their noted excellence in effective teaching, mentoring student professional development, advancing teaching and learning through scholarship, advancing teaching and learning through service, and training high school, community college or college/university teachers. These criteria must be met with accompanying supportive evidence.

Despite having won awards before, Case indicated that this one is particularly exciting “because they are ‘the’ society.”

Case is a social psychologist and fellow of the APA. She is director of the Applied Social Issues concentration within the psychology master’s program here at the University of Houston-Clear Lake (UHCL) and has published two books on pedagogical strategies in curriculum. Her mixed-methods research looks at ally behavior in the face of bias and better understanding intersectionality and systemic privilege, reducing prejudice, and creating inclusive spaces within educational and community settings.

“I was stunned,” Case said. “I was told, ‘No one gets this the first time they apply, and they’ve never given two to the same institution at the same time.’ I was pleasantly surprised that [social justice issues] should be considered something that matters in psychology.”

Both Case and Rios said their application for this award was not a personal decision, but rather the result of support from what Case calls “the invisible college of colleagues,” and the application materials required for this award were comparable to applying for tenure.

Case said that she has always felt her research was supported here at UHCL.

“No one has ever come to me [to redirect my interests or dissuade me],” Case said. “I feel really lucky that that has never been an issue.”

Case’s approach to teaching is what she calls a culturally responsive pedagogy.

“I try to talk less and have lots of activities that are illustrating the concepts, and the curriculum I put forward in my class has to be representative of the people in the classroom,” Case said.

Case said she is most happy when her students are awoken to psychology and see it in action.

“It’s molded their brain into a new space, and it’s permanent,” Case said. “You can’t unsee it once you see it.”

Both Case and Rios have encountered stereotypes regarding a narrow interpretation of psychology. Case explained that there is a fundamental misconception that all of psychology is counseling and therapy.

“Dr. Rios and I fight against this a lot because while it’s a big part of psychology there’s a ton of people who aren’t doing that,” Case said. “We’re both social psychologists, and [our] division is trying to get psychological science to impact policy.”

Rios, the recipient of the Jane S. Halonen award, is an associate professor of psychology and women’s studies, with a joint doctorate in psychology and women’s studies from the University of Michigan.

The Jane S. Halonen Teaching Excellence Award is granted in recognition of excellence in teaching at the high school, 2-year college and 4-year college or university level. The criteria for this award are the same as the Robert S. Daniel Teaching Excellence Award with the stipulation of the awardee having achieved these criteria within their first 10 years of teaching.

Rios utilizes an interdisciplinary background and mixed research methods to study identity development in an academic environment. Rios’ current projects include examining the role of culturally relevant curriculum in identity development among Hispanic American high school students, as well as studying narrative identity among groups of gay, bisexual and queer college men. Rios has published work on her unique pedagogical practices.

Rios has been drawn to social justice issues for as long as she can remember. Rios’ interests were piqued by being aware from an early age by asking “who was in the room and what kind of role do they play?”

Whether it be in corporate America or in her journey through higher education, Rios observed time and time again this question of who’s included and who’s not. As she thought about what nailed her win, Rios said, “The criteria for this award, my goodness…”

This is Rios’ third national teaching award.

“I can’t believe I won this award,” Rios said. “I don’t feel like I’m ever doing enough. I know that I always need to get better, that I need to keep learning.”

Rios said she credits her creative and interdisciplinary method of teaching as what makes her unique, as well as her resources acquired from her PhD in Women’s Studies. Rios said she aspires in her teaching to use “psychological science as a tool for making the world better.”

Part of Rios’ inspiration and foundation is finding “what makes us more alike than we are different.”

“How do we use psychological science to bring us together?” Rios said.

In her efforts to be a better teacher, Rios always wants to remind her students that “it’s okay to make mistakes.”

Samuel Gladden, associate dean of the College of Human Sciences and Humanities and professor of literature, praised Case and Rios for their recent achievements.

“The awards bestowed upon Drs. Case and Rios represent their disciplinary colleagues’ admiration and respect for their many accomplishments—no small feat in a field as large and diverse as Psychology!” Gladden said. “That both awards emphasize teaching is especially significant given the central role of teaching at our own university.”

Gladden commended Case’s lengthy career, mentorship practices and consistent publication of new scholarship that resulted in the Robert S. Daniel Teaching Excellence Award. The associate dean was equally impressed with Rios’ early career achievements as a recently tenured member of the faculty.

“I am delighted that each has been recognized by their peers, and I am honored to call Dr. Case and Dr. Rios my colleagues!” Gladden said.