College of Education and Human Development

Mason faculty named finalists for ELTons Innovation Award

Two Mason faculty—Dr. Joan Shin and Dr. Jered Borup—from Mason’s School of Education in the College of Education and Human Development were named as finalists for the British Council’s 2022 ELTons Innovation Award for their book “Breaking Through the Screen: Practical Tips for Engaging Learners in the Online and Blended Classroom.” The book offers practical tips for engaging learners at all levels in the online classroom through an exploration of real online teaching and learning moments from around the world. It was inspired by a webinar series conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic by Drs. Shin and Borup, in collaboration with National Geographic Learning and the U.S. Department of State, for English language teachers in the international community.

Each year, the ELTons Innovation Award recognizes a publication, platform, course, or app for innovation in the delivery of English language education and learning globally in the face of difficult challenges. The award is highly prestigious, and it is an honor to be named a finalist. The awards ceremony took place on November 30, 2022.

In a related note, the webinar conducted by Drs. Shin and Borup is the subject of a study they co-authored along with other researchers, titled “Webinars for English Language Teachers During the Pandemic: Global Perspectives on Transitioning to Remote Online Teaching.” Among their findings, the co-authors concluded that webinars were an effective way to provide professional development for teachers around the world, particularly during times of crisis such as the COVID-19 pandemic.