UNC School of Education faculty members Todd Cherner, Ph.D., and Yuliana Rodriguez, Ph.D., have been honored as the 2022-23 recipients of the School’s Teaching Excellence Awards, recognized for their commitment to students and the student experience.
These annual awards recognize UNC School of Education faculty members who demonstrate expertise, creativity, and innovation in their classrooms; who make learning engaging, vibrant, and relevant to students; and whose work and accomplishments set a standard of excellence.
Cherner and Rodriguez each received $1,000 and were recognized at an end-of-semester gathering of School faculty and staff members on Dec. 14.
“Our faculty, across every level and program, is full of exceptional teachers,” said Fouad Abd-El-Khalick, dean and Alumni Distinguished Professor. “School of Education students learn from leading scholars dedicated to advancing our fields and to empowering leaders of tomorrow.
“Drs. Cherner and Rodriguez are incredibly deserving of this award, which recognizes their investment in our students and their experience in and beyond the classroom.”
Current and recently graduated students submitted nominations that were evaluated by a committee of faculty members, including 2021-22 Teaching Excellence Award recipients Martinette Horner and Dana Riger, and Jocelyn Glazier.
Abd-El-Khalick instituted the awards to recognize exceptional teaching at the School. They were first awarded in 2020-21.
Todd Cherner, Ph.D.
Cherner — a clinical associate professor and who has led the Master of Arts in Educational Innovation, Technology, and Entrepreneurship (MEITE) program since 2019 — was praised by nominators for going “above and beyond to curate an engaging learning experience both inside and outside the classroom.”
As MEITE program director, in addition to teaching courses, Cherner also places students into relevant, high-quality internships that connect classroom learning with real-world experience. One student wrote: “I have thoroughly enjoyed my internship experience and have gained so much knowledge over the course of the year. The placement was spot-on.” Another student noted his work to help students outside of the classroom in the development of their own ideas and potential business ventures.
Of the classroom experience, one student said: “Each class is engaging and collaborative. The environment he creates in his classes brings everyone together.”
Another said: “He gives us plenty of space to try new ideas and see if something will work or not, and always wants us to reflect on best practices or why something didn’t go to plan. He creates an environment that is welcoming, supporting, and engaging.”
Another nominator wrote: “This faculty member excelled in making class extremely welcoming despite being hybrid. He is intentional about touching base with each student every class.”
Another wrote: “This class has been the best I have taken at UNC yet! I greatly appreciated the practicality of the lessons and the applications/examples with breaking down the case studies.”
Cherner’s research lives at the intersection of technology and equity. He studies the ways implicit bias seeps into technologies and how teachers and teacher educators can respond. Recently, Cherner’s work has explored generative AI (Artificial Intelligence) for teaching and learning and how it can be used in the classroom. He also served on the UNC Generative AI Committee and created AI literacy modules for UNC-Chapel Hill faculty members. Cherner is continuing this line of research in an upcoming book that will be released in the summer of 2025.
Yuliana Rodriguez, Ph.D.
Rodriguez, a clinical associate professor, teaches courses in the Human Development and Family Science (HDFS) program. Rodriguez’s nominators praised her engaging style, inclusive approach, deep care for her students, and the “unmatched” enthusiasm she brings to HDFS classes and the material she teaches. One nominator called Rodriguez “a vibrant presence” inside the classroom.
Another nominator called her “one of the best professors I have had at Carolina.”
That same nominator continued: “Anyone would be lucky to take a class with her. Her genuine care and love for the material and her students is demonstrated in everything she does.”
Rodriguez was also lauded for insightful feedback on assignments and for providing materials that aided students in producing thorough work.
Rodriguez, who also serves as director of the School’s Senior Honors Thesis program, joined the School’s faculty in 2019. Her research focuses on the experiences of immigrant families living in the U.S. with particular interest on sociocultural factors influencing Mexican immigrant families. She is sought out by local community centers and agencies, particularly those serving the local Spanish-speaking community, to conduct educational outreach efforts such as marital and relationship education given her certification as a Family Life Educator. She is also dedicated to supporting local non-profit organizations and programs that equip first-generation students seeking higher education.
To be considered for the award, faculty members needed to have worked at the School for at least one academic year, taught undergraduate or graduate students, and demonstrated evidence of consistency of exemplary teaching.