Elizabeth (Liz) Charles, a trailblazing educator and researcher whose innovative work has reshaped active learning in Quebec's CEGEP system, has been awarded the 2025 Prix Gérald-Sigouin by the Association québécoise de pédagogie collégiale (AQPC).
"Elizabeth Charles has fundamentally changed pedagogical approaches at Dawson College and beyond," said Academic Dean Leanne Bennett, one of her nominators. Colleagues describe her as "the heart and soul of SALTISE," and praise her vision and unrelenting dedication: "Liz includes willingly all those who wish to contribute to her quest to improve pedagogy, making the classroom a place for reflective, inventive, and expressive individuals."
Over her 40-year career at Dawson, Liz has been a driving force in transforming classrooms into student-centered environments and creating communities of practice that extend across the CEGEP network. Her dedication to bridging research and teaching practice has benefited thousands of students, hundreds of educators, and the broader landscape of college education in Quebec.
Communities of practice and SALTISE
With a Ph. D in educational technology, Liz has spearheaded communities of practice that have reshaped college pedagogy. She co-founded the Dawson Active Learning Community (DALC) over a decade ago and collaborated with others, such as UDL@Dawson, e-Learning, Writing in the Disciplines, and Learning Communities. These initiatives foster peer exchange and expertise in classroom design and active learning, inspiring similar movements at Vanier College and John Abbott College.
She is also co-founder and emeritus director of SALTISE, an inter-institutional network linking over 600 educators across Quebec and Canada. Under her leadership, SALTISE grew into a recognized community hosting an annual conference that attracts over 500 participants, supporting professional development and creating tools such as CourseFlow and myDALITE. CourseFlow aids program revisions through curriculum mapping, while myDALITE, an asynchronous peer learning platform, now engages over 38,000 students and educators.
Research and leadership
Liz's scholarly portfolio includes over $2.8 million in research funding through provincial and national grants. Her inquiries into inquiry-based learning, technology-enhanced classrooms, and research-practice partnerships have directly informed transformative teaching practices.
Her professional journey began at Dawson more than 40 years ago as a continuing education instructor. After earning her PhD in Educational Technology and a post-doc in Learning Sciences, she returned in 2005 to lead major initiatives such as DALC and multiple research projects that pioneered technology-rich active learning environments and faculty mentorship models.
Defining active learning
Liz defines active learning as "the intentional design of instruction that builds on students' prior knowledge and capacity to engage, recognizing learning as both a social and a cognitive process." She emphasizes that it is not simply group work but "meaningful engagement and guided reflection" that deepens understanding and critical thinking. Her research has shown that active learning reduces failure rates and achievement gaps, especially in STEM fields.
She acknowledges the challenges instructors face when shifting to active learning but stresses the power of gradual change supported by community: "Knowing that you don't have to change everything, everywhere, all at once is often the most important factor."
Recognition
On receiving the award, Liz reflected: "Personally, it is humbling to receive the Prix Gérald-Sigouin especially as only the second Anglophone to be honoured in the award's 30-year history. Professionally, the recognition is deeply meaningful, affirming the importance of the research-to-practice journey I have been privileged to share with colleagues at Dawson and across the SALTISE community."
The impact of her work is evident: more than 36,000 Dawson students have benefited from active learning classrooms developed in collaboration by Liz and Chris Whittaker (Faculty, Physics), while faculty credit her mentorship and networks for fostering innovation, inclusivity, and pedagogical design.
Liz's efforts embody AQPC's core values of integrity, openness, collaboration, and innovation. Dawson College proudly celebrates her extraordinary achievements and the legacy she continues to build, inspiring educators and transforming learning experiences across Quebec and beyond.
She was nominated by Leanne Bennett, Academic Dean of Dawson; Isabelle Carrier, Dean of Academic Development at Dawson; and Teresa Berghello, Director General of John Abbott College.
