In memory of Joanne Lazirko, Lecturer in the Lubar College of Business (formerly the Lubar School of Business), an annual award has been established to celebrate her passion for teaching and successful use of learning technologies in her classes.

The Lazirko Award, bestowed by the Provost’s Office in consultation with the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETL), recognizes innovation in the effective integration of learning technologies to promote student engagement and collaboration, active learning, and critical thinking. Technology-enhanced teaching recognized by the Lazirko Award is particularly meant to identify models and practices of pedagogy that may be productively used by other instructors. All full-time faculty and academic staff with no less than three years of service at UWM who routinely use learning technologies in their teaching to accomplish these ends are eligible for consideration.

The Lazirko Award recipient will be recognized at the Fall Awards Ceremony hosted by the Chancellor and receive $1,500.

Candidate Award Portfolio

All candidates must submit an electronic award portfolio that includes this documentation and addresses these criteria.

Award Criteria

The candidate’s portfolio will be reviewed with the following criteria:

  • Integration of innovative learning technologies to promote student engagement and collaboration, active learning, and critical thinking.
  • Evidence of impact on students and student learning.
  • Alignment of learning objectives with content, activities, and assessments
  • Promotion of interaction and communication
  • Provision of learner support and resources
  • Demonstration of enthusiasm for teaching
  • Potential of the pedagogical and technology practice to be used by other instructors.

Portfolio Documents

Each candidate must submit a complete portfolio with the following PDF materials in this order:

  • Candidate Reflection and length of time teaching at UWM (see description below)
  • Digital Photo for CETL website and award ceremony
  • Canvas course sites and link
  • Sample course materials and syllabus
  • Midterm and/or final course evaluations
  • Student feedback
  • Three letters of support from individuals familiar with the candidate’s teaching.

Reflection

Please discuss the following five areas in your Reflection and include these headings:

  • Teaching goals in general
    • Why do you teach? What is most important for you to accomplish?
  • Pedagogical motivations
    • What motivated you to incorporate your pedagogical strategies into the course reviewed for this award?
  • Teaching methods-How do you:
    • Align learning objectives with content, activities, and assessments.
    • Promote interaction and communication.
    • Provide learner support and resources.
    • Demonstrate enthusiasm for teaching.
  • Innovative Technology Enhancement
    • Description of innovative online and in-class activities, (documentation if applicable)
  • Description of how your innovative technologies have enhanced the learning experience, student engagement, collaboration, active learning, and critical thinking (in the course(s) to be evaluated for this award)
    • What teaching and learning problem you sought to address?
    • What did you do to address this issue?
    • What documents these efforts?
      • (For those teaching online or blended courses, evidence of demonstrated effectiveness in the face-to-face environment should also be submitted).
    • Impact of Innovation
      • Description of the impact of your innovation – how you know it worked and how it impacted students and learning.

Submissions must be made via email to cetl@uwm.edu by April 19, 2024

Review and Award Process

The materials will be reviewed in late spring. All candidates will be notified of the results in May. The Awardee will be announced at the fall Awards Ceremony. CETL will confirm permission to provide UWM access on the CETL website to the Awardee’s photo, Reflection and Innovative Course Materials only.

Joanne LazirkoLecturer in the Lubar School of Business

On November 12, 2009, Joanne Lazirko, 52, of the Village of Merton in Wisconsin, passed away after a courageous 15 month battle with breast cancer. She is survived by her loving husband of 30 years, Mark Yamilkoski, and her sons Thomas and Daniel Yamilkoski of the Village of Merton. She will also be missed by 4 siblings: Marianne, John (Kumiko), Barbara (Hugh Watters), and William (Susan) as well as 5 nieces, nephews and many wonderful friends.

Joanne dedicated her life to education, both as a student and a teacher. She received her Bachelor of Science in Business from the University of North Carolina in Greensboro and her Master of Science in Management from the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee. She worked at UWM for 20 years and taught Management Information Systems there for the last 16 years. She began her doctoral studies in Management Information Systems while at UWM but switched to teaching when her children were born so that she could devote time to her family. Joanne was respected and admired by her colleagues and students. She always believed that education was the key to both personal development and solving of the many problems that society faces. She was a true educator because she believed that the acquisition of knowledge had no meaning unless it was effectively used and conveyed to others. She studied how students learn and incorporated new techniques and technology into her large lecture halls to make her presentation more interactive.

Joanne was dedicated to her children and active in their school, University Lake School. She volunteered at the school’s Barn Sale and was a Class Representative. She enjoyed participating in Parent Association meetings.