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SJSU SLIS Instructors Honored with Award for Online Teaching Excellence The Web-based Information Science Education (WISE) consortium recognized three faculty members from the San Jose State University School of Library and Information Science (SJSU SLIS) with a 2013 Excellence in Online Teaching Award. Dr. Michelle Holschuh Simmons, Dr. Michael Stephens, and Melba Tomeo were all recipients of this national award that honors the accomplishments of online educators. Dr. Michelle Holschuh Simmons <http://slisapps.sjsu.edu/facultypages/view.php?fac=simmonsm> , who teaches courses in information literacy and information resources, received the award for the fourth time. Students who nominated her for the award said Simmons fosters a sense of community and connectedness in her online courses. In her information literacy course, which emphasizes teaching strategies, Simmons provides an exemplary model of what a personable and dedicated educator looks like. "I feel like she set me up for success," said one of her students. "In online classes it can be difficult to feel connected to the instructor," said another student, "but Michelle's humor and thoughtfulness made me feel as if I was in a classroom, face-to-face with her. I enjoyed Michelle's teaching style and class so much that it's helped me to refine my direction with the hope of pursuing an instruction-intensive position upon graduation." Dr. Michael Stephens <http://slisapps.sjsu.edu/facultypages/view.php?fac=stephensm> teaches courses that explore emerging technology, participatory library services, and technology-based learning. According to an award nominee, Stephens provides the right mix of guidance and autonomy to his students. "I felt encouraged but unconstrained and excited about everything I worked on," one of his students shared. Stephens has been recognized multiple times by WISE for his ability to bring authenticity, as well as a vast knowledge of technology trends, to his online courses. Melba Tomeo <http://slisapps.sjsu.edu/facultypages/view.php?fac=tomeom> teaches a course about the history of youth literature. Students who nominated Tomeo for the award said she creates a dynamic and interactive environment. Tomeo covers a wide range of topics and responds to every discussion board post and assignment in a thoughtful and meaningful manner. She also encourages her students to continuously interact and learn from one another, which is particularly noteworthy in a fully online course, where students may live miles apart from each other. "She demonstrates a genuine passion for youth literature," said one student, "which is very infectious!" All three instructors teach in the ALA-accredited Master of Library and Information Science (MLIS) <http://slisweb.sjsu.edu/programs/master-library-and-information-science-mli s> program at SJSU SLIS, which is delivered exclusively online. The awards were announced by WISE at the Association for Library and Information Science Education (ALISE) 2014 conference in Philadelphia, PA. On their website <http://www.wiseeducation.org/faculty/bestpractices2013.aspx> , WISE briefly profiled each award recipient and shared recipients' tips for other online educators. As a member of the WISE consortium, SJSU SLIS students can take online courses from LIS graduate schools in the United States and Canada. The school's faculty can also take advantage of the online pedagogy resources offered by WISE. For more information regarding the school's collaboration with WISE, please visit Web-based Information Science Education (WISE) <http://slisweb.sjsu.edu/current-students/courses/web-based-information-scie nce-education-wise> . About SJSU SLIS The San Jose State University School of Library and Information Science <http://slisweb.sjsu.edu/> (SJSU SLIS) prepares individuals for professional careers in the information professions. Graduates work in diverse areas, such as website design, digital asset management, information architecture, archives, electronic records management, and librarianship. SJSU SLIS offers the following online educational programs <http://slisweb.sjsu.edu/prospective-students/choose-your-program> : . Master of Library and Information Science (MLIS) . Teacher Librarian Specialization . Master of Archives and Records Administration (MARA) . Post-Master's Certificate in Library and Information Science . i.School Open Classes . San Jose Gateway PhD The SJSU information school is a recognized leader in online education and received the 2013 Sloan-C Effective Practice Award <http://cl.s6.exct.net/?qs=6e388deb8b6f5d5a473dfbcaa3182cc52a519f329d5628b14 54703b92b2d679b> in recognition of its effective use of the Sloan-C Quality Scorecard <http://cl.s6.exct.net/?qs=6e388deb8b6f5d5a6393c4a4fd5ed7852609c7d5b56673021 14973806663e035> for the Administration of Online Education Programs. The school is also a member of Quality Matters (QM), a faculty driven, peer review process that is designed to certify the quality of online courses. For more information about the nationally ranked school, please visit: http://slisweb.sjsu.edu <http://slisweb.sjsu.edu/>