Devoted to making education accessible to all types of learners, Dr. Chris Mattatall has been named the University of Lethbridge's 2023 Board of Governors Teaching Chair.
An experienced and respected academic leader, esteemed researcher and beloved educator, Mattatall has dedicated himself to the study of teaching and learning and is passionate about helping to improve his own practice and that of others in pursuit of the most effective instruction of students.
Dr. Chris Mattatall has dedicated himself to the study of teaching and learning.
The Board of Governors Teaching Chair recognizes teaching excellence and the scholarship of teaching and learning at ULethbridge. Mattatall will be recognized at Spring 2023 Convocation, Ceremony III, on Friday, June 2, 2023, at 9:30 a.m. in the 1st Choice Savings Centre gymnasium.
Dr. Chris Mattatall
An associate professor in the Faculty of Education, Dr. Chris Mattatall has dedicated himself to educational psychology and inclusion, with a keen interest in the study of teaching and learning. Mattatall earned a Bachelor of Arts from Kingswood University and Bachelor of Education from the University of New Brunswick. After beginning his K-12 teaching career, he completed his Master of Education in Learning Disabilities in 2002. He later earned a PhD in Cognitive Studies from Queen's University.
Since starting at the University of Lethbridge in 2015, Mattatall has made a significant difference in many areas of the Faculty of Education. Within the classroom, he excels as a clear communicator with a gentle and affirmative style. He is willing to draw from his life experience to bring a sense of relevance and approachability to the subject matter of his lessons and his students are widely receptive to his instruction. He has twice been nominated for the University of Lethbridge Excellence in Teaching Award and consistently receives very positive feedback from students in course evaluation comments.
His ability to connect with students spans all program levels, and he is respected for going the extra mile to ensure a positive student learning environment and experience. He describes his research focus as being centred on helping struggling learners through good teaching, believing all students have the ability to learn.
As Board of Governors Teaching Chair, he proposes to work closely with the Teaching Centre to facilitate the introduction of small teaching. Small teaching is a way of thinking about improving one's practice by leveraging easy-to-implement teaching strategies that are supported by the Science of Learning and Development. By soliciting the help of instructors across the University, Mattatall looks to develop a video library of effective strategies demonstrated within the classroom or lab.
