Teaching Associate Professor and Director of the Spanish Language Program Dr. Anastacia Kohl is the recipient of the 2020 South Region Professional, Continuing and Online Education Instruction Award from the University Professional and Continuing Education Association (UPCEA) for 2020. The award recognizes Dr. Kohl’s work in developing a self-paced elementary Spanish course for the Correctional Education Program offered through the UNC Friday Center.
Launched in early 2020, the self-paced SPAN 101 course designed by Dr. Kohl has made language learning accessible to incarcerated North Carolinians enrolled in the Correctional Educational Program. This is the first language course offered in the program. Technological restrictions in the prisons have posed an obstacle to including the listening and speaking practice required in language courses. Dr. Kohl managed to formulate an instructional method that achieves the desired learning outcomes despite these unique teaching constraints. This accomplishment illustrates the innovation and dedication she brings to all her work for the Spanish Language Program at UNC.
The Continuing and Online Education Instructional Award is given to an instructional member at an UPCEA South member institution who has assisted the field of professional, continuing and online education in an exemplary manner. The individual receiving the award must have served as an excellent teacher to professional, continuing and online education learners; developed and/or coordinated model professional, continuing and online education programs; facilitated new programming areas through professional, continuing and online education; and opened new avenues for the advancement of professional, continuing and online education learners.
Congratulations, Dr. Kohl!