1 Category: Outstanding Innovation in Digital Teaching.
Brian's lectures, welcome videos, or basically anything else on Logic 1's website brings me joy. He puts a large effort into the material he prepares and is the most technically literate teacher I have ever seen. He makes the lectures enjoyable, which makes it easier to keep focus, and I am at times amazed at the editing ideas he comes up with. I can't think of a better candidate for this award.
2 Category: Outstanding Innovation in Digital Teaching.
Dr Brian takes us for Logic 1 in first year philosophy. It is evident he has taken a lot of time editing his lectures to make them fun and engaging for us to watch. They are such a lift during the day to see his added animations, video clips, voice effects and even card tricks! He has embraced the world on online teaching and very quickly become our favourite lecturer! Off to listen to his Logic Spotify playlist now!
3 Category: Outstanding Innovation in Digital Teaching.
His videos are entertaining, Brian puts jokes and music in them (from my favourite band, King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard), there are games all the way throughout the course, links to fun activities and vegan cookies. The information for this course and help is stored in all the right places and you don't feel confused or overwhelmed when locating things.
4 Category: Teacher of the Year.
I had no idea what logic was going to be like and it is now one of my favourite things; I have completely converted. Brians style (not attire) is very relaxed as if all of this stuff was actually just very straightforward, which it kind of is, once you get past the great fear of the unknown and the way logic looks at first sight. THANK YOU
5 Category: Teacher of the Year.
Brian has the best combination of fun, being engaging and great teaching.
6 Category: Teacher of the Year.
I'm a first year student so have pretty much only known online learning at uni, the logic lectures Dr Brian Rabern provides are not only actually interesting and engaging- he understands that its a tough topic and adds things to keep interest and help. Though they are prerecorded lectures from past years, he actually looks at them again, edits, ensures quality and an engaging watch despite the fact we aren't there in the lecture hall.
7 Category: Teacher of the Year.
By far the most engaging lecturer via online uploads. Dedicates time to creating content with a high production value that feels more like an in person lecture than raw recordings do. Delivers challenging material in a well structured way and witty manner. Has created his own website for homework on the course. A friendly teacher who gives the impression that he enjoys not just his subject, but also the teaching of it.
8 Category: Outstanding Course, Logic 1.
Logic 1 is a course that is not just wildly exciting in terms of the content, but also in the way it is delivered! There's so much activity that makes the course seem so much more alive than expetced from a course being taught in the midst of a pandemic. The efforts put in by Dr. Brian are truly commendable and I definitely would recommend this course! Excellent lecture quality although it was just recorded lectures from last year. But the sort of animations added in to make it a little less monotonous, the accessibility of the course website (firstly, the course has it's own brilliant website?!?!?) and just the support received through discussion boards, tutorials, etc. are definitely worth a lot more recognition!
9 Category: Teacher of the Year.
I have so many good things to say about him that this could span paragraphs; but to sum it up briefly for now: his lectures brighten my day. Since the pandemic has begun, there has been a constant air of anxiety, uncertainty and well, just plain boredom. However, when watching Brian's beautifully edited videos, this all goes away. I suddenly forget that I am locked inside my own room that I haven't left for the past three days and I am transported to a lively lecture hall, where I should've been in this year. There stands a happy lecturer, cracking jokes and who actually looks like he enjoys doing his job, delivering me characterful and funny, yet informative lectures on logic. In fact, I enjoy Brian's videos so much, that I have started to just watch them in my downtime, relishing what 'normal' used to look like. It is clear that Brian puts a lot of effort into his craft, with his informative content and what I assume, hours-worth of editing. His lectures are like no other, and I cannot express how much I appreciate him being my lecturer, even though he doesn't know me. His efforts and passions are definitely not wasted, and they have encouraged me to work very hard on logic!
10 Category: Outstanding Innovation in Digital Teaching.
Because his online lectures and use of discussion blogs have made his courses very fun and engaging every week and have much more of a sense of humour and novelty than other tutors.
11 Category: Outstanding Innovation in Digital Teaching.
Dr. Rabern has managed to create the only engaging online lectures I've viewed all year. He uses recordings of last years lectures (which on it's own is more engaging than a lecturer alone in their office, watching the lecturer play off a crowd is very engaging), but he doesn't leave them as is, he takes the time to edit them in order to make them even more entertaining. For instance, adding audio effects, etc. In one lecture he edited something he said into a 30 sec music video. He essentially creates memes in the middle of lectures, meaning there is a built in brain break, and one that wouldn't be possible to achieve in a normal lecture hall. It is so hard to focus on a powerpoint and a lecturer talking alone for 40 mins. However, Dr. Rabern creates lectures that are genuinely entertaining, meaning we the students are able to better maintain focus on the educational content we're supposed to be absorbing. Their engaging nature ultimately makes them more informative. Not only that, but the homework is very conveniently completed online, and is more informative because of the online platform it is completed on, given a computer can tell you when you are wrong and a piece of paper can't. Dr. Rabern has taken the current circumstances in stride and created a class that doesn't suffer from the online format, but takes advantage of it and really delivers a quality curriculum.
12 Category: Outstanding Innovation in Digital Teaching.
The learn page for the Logic 1 course taught by Dr Rabern is by itself a fun scrolling experience. Little details like a vegan peanut butter cookie recipe and a Logic 1 spotify playlist really help dissolve the barrier between lecturer and student created by the online teaching experience. The lectures provided by Dr Rabern are edited in such a way that I look forward to watching them. They always have fun videos and effects added to them which greatly improves the learning experience. Having interesting things going on in the lectures paired with the closer than normal relationship between student and lecturer (created by Dr Rabern's entire teaching method) really make this course very enjoyable and undoubtedly improve the quality of the entire course. Dr Rabern has definitely risen to the challenge of having to teach solely online and it is no wonder that his name shot straight to mind when considering who to nominate for an award.
13 Category: Outstanding Course, Logic 1.
Brian is the lecturer for Logic 1 and whilst I haven't met him in person, his online materials have been really engaging and have made learning a course that I was previously worried about seem not so bad at all!
14 Category: Teacher of the Year.
Brian has gone above and beyond in the editing and production of each of his lectures for the course Logic 1. Often accompanied by video clips and music, Brian's lectures are extremely captivating whilst also being informative. Logic is a hard course and its compulsory nature for philosophy students can make it daunting, yet Brian makes it intelligible and enjoyable to study. I would recommend sending one of Brian's Logic 1 lectures to the whole teaching department of the University as a prime illustration of how best to engage with your students remotely.
15 Category: Teacher of the Year.
Dr Rabern has introduced me to a topic I would previously never have imagined understanding, let alone enjoying. I was dreading having to take Logic as a compulsory course, however his lectures have completely changed my perspective, and I now have a borderline obsession with the subject. He has an entirely unique manner of teaching, which makes lectures fun and inspiring, and I hope to have him as a teacher in future years.
16 Category: Outstanding Innovation in Digital Teaching.
Brian has clearly put a great deal of effort into making his lectures and content this year. They are informative and the content (which is often quite challenging) is very clearly explained. It is very accessible and he is very willing to engage and help students. His lectures are engaging and the dense material is complimented with humour and often special effects which is really appreciated when watching lectures means staring at a screen for hours! It is a breath of fresh air to have a bit of a laugh every now and then, I think he has been a brilliant lecturer.
17 Category: Outstanding Innovation in Digital Teaching.
Brian made the logic lectures really engaging and entertaining by cleverly editing recordings of live lectures, incorporating sound effects, jokes, and plenty of dub. His passion for logic really shows in the effort he has put into making logic 1 fun and engaging despite being online. He even made a Logic 1 Spotify playlist and twitter account!
18 Category: Outstanding Course, Logic 1.
A well thought out thought provoking and well crafted course with visible effort by the course organizer to make it more engaging during a year of online learning.
19 Category: Teacher of the Year.
Brian has made such an excellent effort on his logic 1 course. It is the module that has really kept me going through this hard semester! He has made his lectures fun to watch, which has been a refreshing contrast to some of the dusty recordings I've had to put myself through. The twitter account, cookie recipe, Spotify playlist and online platforms he provides for students are highly entertaining and I have a lot of respect for him for taking on an entire module all by himself. Additionally, he is always very friendly, helpful and organized. Generally, as a person and teacher, he has left a very positive impression on me and I admire the work he does for students and for the university.
20 Category: Outstanding Course, Logic 1.
Logic isn't for everyone - but the module is so well put together! Brian has really cleverly and vigilantly crafted the module in such a way that makes it achievable for EVERY student to get a good grade (this is also seen through the fact that logic 1 has one of the highest average grades!). His efforts are appreciated by many and I see this every day in the group chats on WhatsApp, he really is a 'student fan favourite' - and I hope to also speak for the students that don't take the time to nominate.
21 Category: Outstanding Course, Logic 1.
The course for Logic 1 is extremely entertaining and even though it is quite a hard course, Dr. Rabern is excellent in the way he teaches the material.
22 Category: Teacher of the Year.
Brian puts considerable effort into making the course engaging despite its online nature, really helping me to feel like part of a real uni cohort despite the fact that my entire experience has been online. He consistently checks in with us, makes his online resources as interactive and accessible as possible and brings a huge amount of character and humour to the table, which only makes the lectures more engaging. His knowledge surrounding logic seems somewhat boundless and it is clear that he deeply enjoys the subject. The pacing of his lectures are brilliant and he always succeeds at engaging the class, incorporating puzzles and interesting ideas that really help to warm up the room.
23 Category: Teacher of the Year.
Dr Rabern made every lecture incredibly interesting. It felt as if we were in a real lecture hall, despite being alone in our bedrooms. His lecturers were so interesting and I looked forward to them every week. He was outstanding as a lecturer in general but especially so during this year where the lectures were online. His lectures were very interesting, interactive and fun, everything was easy to find on Learn and the homework was on a digital platform which was automatically marked and so easy to use. He made me love logic and I know that I want to take another module in it. Furthermore, there was a vast array of support if needed, including a logic lab which I used multiple times where tutors would help and every time I consolidated my understanding. The course organisation and the effort he put in did not go unnoticed!
The annual Teaching Awards provide students with an opportunity to thank staff for their hard work and celebrate the very best of teaching and support at the University. See here.