Some teachers take a few weeks off during the summer after a long school year, but not Durham College Plumbing professor Edward Logan. He was busy doing what he loves to do, teaching.
And he’s being recognized for that effort.
Logan, 46, received a Minister of Colleges and Universities’ Award of Excellence for his teaching efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic. He was nominated by Dr. Rebecca Milburn, executive dean of the School of Skilled Trades, Apprenticeship, and Renewable Technology (START) at Durham College.
This award was given to Logan because of his dedication to his community and providing his students with quality education. Logan says he was humbled and grateful to receive a nomination, let alone win the award.
“I felt good, as most people would feel good about being recognized for the work they’ve done. It felt really good. I was shocked and surprised, but I felt good about it,” says Logan.
Jen Crawford, 28, was taught by Logan from January to August of this year. She was pleased he received this award.
“I think it’s really good for him and he definitely deserved it. He definitely goes above and beyond, especially with the pandemic going on,” says Crawford.
Throughout the school year Logan was very helpful and tried to do all he could to make learning easier for his students, she adds.
“He was constantly in contact with us. He made sure we knew exactly what was going on and he was constantly in touch with us and saying if we need any extra help to let him know,” says Crawford. “He goes above and beyond. You can tell this isn’t just a job for him, it’s a passion for sure.”
Since March, Logan has been teaching Plumbing, Dual-credit, Apprenticeship, and Math programs exclusively online.
“I think the award shows appreciation for the work I did during the pandemic,” says Logan.
Outside Durham College, Logan has organized several virtual community practice sessions for Skilled Trades professors across North America. These events were designed to bring teachers together and discuss what skills and methods could be effective for students, while they teach remotely online.
Logan says he has tried to create an easy online learning experience, but acknowledges it’s challenging, especially in a hands-on program like Plumbing.
“I’ve created a lot of more interactive activities, videos that I haven’t used before so the students can learn on their own, but if they did come to our class it would be more like a discussion than a lecture,” says Logan, who incorporates weekly Kahoot quizzes and video tutorials into his online teaching.
As for this school year, Logan continues to teach online.
“I’m excited because I’m fortunate that I’m one of the teachers who’ve been teaching online strictly,” he says. “I’ve developed things that I didn’t have before to help with me teaching and to help my students learn.”