Congratulations, Dr. Anita Ondrusek, 2014 Teaching Excellence Award for Online Teaching Recipient

Dr. Ondrusek was selected as the first recipient of the Teaching Excellence Award for Online Teaching. Dr. Ondrusek joined VSU in the Master of Library & Information Science (MLIS) department in 2004. Some of Dr. Ondrusek's contributions and engagement with online instruction include:

  • Membership on the eLearning Advisory Board
  • Panelist on the Online and Adult Learning New Faculty Orientation Panel for Fall 2014
  • Volunteer judge for the Georgia Educational Technology Conference Problem Based Learning Media Competition
  • Member of the Online Lifeline Conference Steering Committee from 2009 - 2013

Dr. Wallace Koehler, Professor and Director of the MLIS program said "The quality of the MLIS as well as VSU online teaching would not be nor could it be as progressive as it is without Dr. Ondrusek's participation." Dr. Linda Most, Interim Department Head indicated that "Dr. Ondrusek develops rapport with her students by providing rich feedback and offers them opportunities to review and resubmit their work to demonstrate their mastery of the required concepts. She takes the time to develop scaffolded learning experiences students can use to build the skills they will need to be successful in achieving course learning outcomes. Her students respond to her attentions by doing well in her classes and they thank her via their evaluations."

Dr. Ondrusek writes, "As a professor in a graduate program, I feel that I owe it to the students to give them the 'hard problems.' As a result, students characterize the courses I teach as intellectually demanding. Tempering that rigor with learning opportunities that help students to succeed is my greatest challenge. Watching these students enter the profession and hearing reports from them that they were well prepared by their MLIS education is my greatest reward."

From a letter authored by a current student: "Dr. Ondrusek (Dr. O) is one of the most effective instructors I've had during my college career, and that includes face-to-face undergraduate program. Dr. O also makes herself available beyond the classroom. She encouraged me to carry out my research proposal from Research methods and took the time to point me in the right direction in order to see it through. I know from former students that she was instrumental in helping them publish articles and achieving more than they normally would within the program."

Thank you Dr. Ondrusek for all your contributions to the VSU online programs.