Dr. Qian Xiao, assistant professor of management in Eastern Kentucky University’s School of Business, has received the 11th annual Jack L. Dyer Excellence in Teaching Award.
Nominations for the 2014-15 award were made by the chairs for the Department of Accounting, Finance and Information Systems and the Department of Management, Marketing and International Business. A three-member selection committee considered such factors as evidence of excellent classroom instruction, peer review of instruction, student evaluations of teaching performance, curriculum development, teaching load and innovative teaching methods.
The committee noted that Xiao’s teaching evaluations and peer reviews have been excellent. Furthermore, students noted that Xiao’s classes included real-world examples, current events, and business trends, which fostered engagement and enhancing learning.
Comments from her students were overwhelmingly positive.
"Dr. Xiao's class was great,” one student said. “She knows the information and can relate it to the class very well. Her tests were difficult, but prepared us for them. She has a great personality and can make the students laugh and enjoy the information. I would take the class with her again."
Another student remarked: "Dr. Xiao has an excellent rapport with her students. You can tell she enjoys the topics and is interested in the students. She presents a good sense of humor and pushes students to think. Dr. Xiao requires student participation and provides activities during class to guide student learning. She gives a thorough overview and summary of each discussion item. Dr. Xiao is an excellent teacher!"
Xiao said she was “very honored to win the award this year. It means a lot to me. I understand that learning and teaching improvement is a never-ending process. I see this award as a big encouragement that motivates me to continue with my efforts and contributions to the college, the department, and students."
Xiao joined EKU's School of Business faculty three years ago and has taught both principles and upper level course work in management that covers qualitative and quantitative courses as well as business strategy. Continually challenging herself and her students, she introduced the flipped classroom and created innovative class projects. Her hard work did not go unnoticed. She was nominated by students, and received EKU's 2013-14 Critical Thinking Teacher of the Year Award.
Dyer served the EKU School of Business for more than 30 years, including 13 as director of the University’s MBA program, before retiring in 2002.