Petra Turkewitsch is the 2023 recipient of the honorable mention of the Association québécoise de pédagogie collégiale for Cégep
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The Cégep de la Gaspésie et des Îles is proud to announce that Ms. Petra Turkewitsch, chemistry teacher at the Gaspé campus, received the honorable mention from the Association québécoise de pédagogie collégiale (AQPC) for the college. This prize, awarded at the last symposium in Rivière-du-Loup, highlights the excellence and professionalism of the winners.
Designer of the OClaRE (Online Collaborative Lab Reporting Environment) project, Petra Turkewitsch has always shown great concern for the development of scientific learning among her students. OClaRE is a collaborative platform that allows the student community to write quality scientific reports by offering them support and educational monitoring. This project has also been presented several times at the AQPC and SALTISE (Supporting Active Learning & Technological Innovation in Studies of Education) conferences.
Also inspired by environmental issues, Petra Turkewitsch implements innovative educational projects. In addition, in one of her courses, she developed a protocol for the synthesis and characterization of biodiesel, a fuel made from recycled oils. She also introduced her students, as well as the college community, to the manufacture of non-toxic cosmetic products. Added to this are other significant achievements, such as the insertion, in 2013, of problem-based learning, which combined the performance of laboratory experiments in chemistry and the use of Virtual ChemLab software. She has also created virtual lessons and developed a website incorporating several resources for the student community.
An inspiring role model, Petra Turkewitsch obtained a doctorate, then pursued postdoctoral studies, before returning to work in her native environment, the Gaspé Peninsula. Coming from the English-speaking community of Gaspé, Petra Turkewitsch works actively to maintain significant links with other levels of English-speaking education in the region. For fifteen years, her efforts have enabled her to invite Secondary 5 students from Gaspe Polyvalent School to come and carry out a chemistry laboratory experiment. Finally, from 2009 to 2012, many elementary students at Gaspe Elementary School were able to enjoy a “magic show” in which Petra and a few students performed impressive chemistry demonstrations. So many accomplishments that testify to her remarkable commitment to her community!
The Cégep de la Gaspésie et des Îles would like to congratulate Ms. Petra Turkewitsch for obtaining this prize, which she fully deserved for her involvement and dynamism.
About Cégep de la Gaspésie et des Îles
The only higher education institution in the region, the Cégep de la Gaspésie et des Îles has four campuses and a national school. Its training offer includes pre-university, technical and professional training. The Cégep stands out for the quality of its teaching in an exceptional environment, its diversity of programs, its research activities, its continuing education offer and its international dynamism.