Two faculty members in the College of Engineering have been honored with 2015 University of Georgia Creative Teaching Awards.

Brock Woodson, an assistant professor, and Siddharth Savadatti, a lecturer, strive to impact learning and retention rates by incorporating active engagement strategies in their “Statics and Fluid Mechanics” courses.

They also employ flipped classroom practices by introducing students to topics via brief Web videos viewed outside of class, with homework assignments that include foundational problems based on concepts covered in the videos.

In class, students collaborate with instructors, teaching assistants and undergraduate students to work through more complex problems and concepts in both one-on-one and small group formats. Their teaching approach has moved introductory knowledge delivery outside of the classroom while employing hands-on problem-solving strategies in class.

Presented by the Office of the Vice President for Instruction, the Creative Teaching Awards recognize UGA faculty for excellence in developing and implementing creative teaching strategies to improve student learning. Up to three awards are presented annually to encourage instructional excellence.