Teaching that inspires. Students who appreciate it. "Teaching Celebration" Gala at Gdańsk Tech

Teaching Day is an occasion to remind ourselves of one of the most important missions of the university – educating successive generations of students. It is also a time to appreciate those who do not stop at merely imparting knowledge but continually seek new ways to teach, support the independence of young people, and encourage them to ask questions and experiment.

The gala was opened by Vice-Rectors: Prof. Barbara Wikieł and Prof. Mariusz Kaczmarek.

– We are extremely pleased to open this beautiful celebration – the Teaching Day gala – said Prof. Barbara Wikieł, Vice-Rector for Student Affairs. – I would like to briefly go back in time to the year 1773 when the Commission of National Education was established. This is a very important date, which we recall every year precisely on October 14. For the last four years at Gdańsk Tech, this holiday has had a special dimension thanks to this gala. I myself am an academic teacher, and I am very pleased that the role of teaching is so important and appreciated at our university.

– Welcoming the guests of today's event, I would first like to congratulate the academic teachers who will be receiving their awards today – emphasized Prof. Mariusz Kaczmarek. – There are more categories every year, which makes me very happy. Today, for the first time, we will award the Crystal Hashtags to the best of the best, whom students consistently appreciate.

Teaching that never stands still

The Centre for Modern Education (CME) is responsible for the development of teaching competencies at Gdańsk Tech, offering academic teachers a wide range of training sessions, workshops, development programs, and support in designing new teaching methods.

During this year’s ceremony, Prof. Joanna Mytnik, Director of CME, presented the most important activities, including training programs, initiatives supporting teachers' wellbeing, and projects through which experienced educators can share their expertise with others.

Among the initiatives developed are the certified trainer course “Academic and Developmental Tutoring,” conducted by Aneta Sobiechowska and Katarzyna Kubiszewska, as well as the program “Mental Resilience of Academic Teachers and Doctoral Candidates,” led by trainer Grażyna Knitter. The development of teaching competencies is also supported by the Gdańsk Tech Employee Development Academy, which offers a dedicated teaching development path under the guidance of Monika Bębenek.

The activities of CME also extend beyond the walls of Gdańsk Tech. Organized conferences and educational events gather hundreds of participants from universities, schools, and educational institutions across Poland, creating a space for exchanging experiences and discussing the future of teaching.

– We provide training for 11 months a year – emphasized Prof. Mytnik. – There are many topics to choose from, and everyone who wants to train and develop their competencies will find something suitable in our offer. In the last four years, nearly six hundred academic teachers have taken part in at least one training session, and over 60 percent of them returned for more.

Recognized for development and sharing knowledge

One of the highlights of the event was honoring individuals particularly committed to developing their own teaching competencies. Academic teachers actively participating in certified training sessions offered by the Centre for Modern Education were distinguished.

The honored included: Ewa Głowińska (Faculty of Chemistry), Dominika Kalinowska (Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering), Aleksandra Karpus (Faculty of Electrical and Control Engineering), Ilona Kłosowska-Chomiczewska (Faculty of Chemistry), Anna Kuczyńska-Łażewska (Faculty of Chemistry), Agnieszka Landowska (Faculty of Electrical and Control Engineering), Magdalena Łapińska (Medical College), Agnieszka Maczyszyn (Faculty of Mechanical Engineering), Andrzej Marczak (Faculty of Electrical and Control Engineering), Brygida Mielewska (Faculty of Architecture), Adrian Olejnik (Faculty of Electrical and Control Engineering), Anna Ordyszewska-Lach (Faculty of Chemistry), Małgorzata Pykała (Faculty of Electrical and Control Engineering), Małgorzata Rogińska-Niesłuchowska (Faculty of Architecture), Katarzyna Szepietowska (Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering), Małgorzata Śmiałek-Telega (Faculty of Mechanical Engineering), Anna Maria Trzaskowska (Faculty of Management and Economics), Marzena Wójcik (Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering), and Jarosław Ziętarski (Faculty of Management and Economics).

Thanks were also extended to individuals who support the development of others by conducting training and sharing their knowledge and teaching experience.

The awardees were: Natalia Gietka and Maciej Worwa (CME), Małgorzata Kostrzewska (Faculty of Architecture), Joanna Czerska (Faculty of Management and Economics), Grażyna Knitter and Pola Weryszko (CME), Katarzyna Kubiszewska (Faculty of Management and Economics), Bartłomiej Cieślik (Faculty of Chemistry), Piotr Szczuko (Faculty of Electrical and Control Engineering), Marcin Szczepański (Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering), Elena Atanasiu and Joanna Mytnik (CME), Aneta Sobiechowska (Faculty of Management and Economics), and Marcin Zieliński (CME).

During the gala, units particularly active in developing teaching competencies were also appreciated. In this year’s ranking, the Mathematics Centre, Faculty of Chemistry, Faculty of Management and Economics, and Faculty of Electrical and Control Engineering were recognized.

Ideas that change classes. Teaching Innovation Competition

How to teach data analysis using artificial intelligence? Can gamification help students understand the operation of electromagnetic fields? Or perhaps the best way to learn about railway infrastructure is through a field decision game?

These are the kinds of ideas developed by academic teachers at Gdańsk Tech within the Teaching Innovation Competition (TIC). Its goal is to support new teaching methods and tools that engage students, develop practical skills, and respond to changing educational needs.

This year’s edition presented 14 award-winning projects. They included solutions utilizing artificial intelligence, simulation games, digital technologies, measurement tools, and classes based on solving real-world problems.

The awarded projects are:

1. “AI Data Lab: Personalized Data Analysis Learning” – Karol Flisikowski (Faculty of Management and Economics).
2. “AI-Driven Lean Leadership: a simulation game on managing a team of people and artificial intelligence” – Joanna Czerska (Faculty of Management and Economics).
3. “Starfleet Pilots Academy: integrating gamification, narrative storytelling, and interactive digital tools in laboratory education” – Łukasz Gołuński (Faculty of Electrical and Control Engineering).
4. “Blackout: Measure to Survive” – Anna Golijanek-Jędrzejczyk, Beata Pałczyńska, Ariel Dzwonkowski, and Michał Ziółko (Faculty of Electrical and Control Engineering).
5. “CARTOstory: narrative digital cartography using ArcGIS StoryMaps” – Paweł Wysocki (Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering).
6. “DB Quest: From Model to Salvation. Gamification in Database Subject” – Aleksandra Karpus and Małgorzata Pykała (Faculty of Electrical and Control Engineering).
7. “Tame the Electric and Magnetic Field: gamification in the electrodynamics laboratory” – Adam Młyński (Faculty of Electrical and Control Engineering).
8. “First Physics Lab 4.0: experiment, measurement, and data analysis using Arduino Science Kit R3” – Małgorzata Śmiałek-Telega, Joanna Grochowalska, and Irena Dziwisz-Olszak (Faculty of Mechanical Engineering).
9. “Sensory Laboratory of Construction Materials” – Milena Supernak, Alicja Bera, and Paulina Strąkowska (Faculty of Mechanical Engineering).
10. “Training Program for Team Research Project Moderators as a Tool for Integrating Managerial and Technical Competencies at Gdańsk Tech” – Anna Lis, Ewa Marjańska, and Anna Zielińska (Faculty of Management and Economics).
11. “Designing Without Barriers: Accessibility Engineering in Electronic and IT Systems” – Barbara Stawarz-Graczyk and Sylwia Babicz-Kiewlicz (Faculty of Electrical and Control Engineering).
12. “Design That Comes Off the Page” – Tomasz Żochowski (Faculty of Mechanical Engineering).
13. “RailGame PG: field decision game in educating future rail infrastructure engineers” – Michał Urbaniak, Kamila Szwaczkiewicz, Natalia Karkosińska-Brzozowska, and Piotr Omieczyński (Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering).
14. “Can You Hear It? Detection of Forged Speech in the Generative AI Era” – Szymon Zaporowski (Faculty of Electrical and Control Engineering).

The diversity of awarded projects shows that teaching innovations do not necessarily mean only new technologies. Equally important are ideas for engaging students, creating conditions for independent experimenting, and combining theoretical knowledge with practice.

Edush#re – students say “I appreciate and thank you”

A special moment of Teaching Day was the presentation of awards in the Edush#re program. This initiative allows students themselves to decide on recognizing academic teachers, indicating those who are particularly inspiring, engaged, and supportive in their learning.

This year’s, fourth edition of the program brought 16 Gold Hashtags and 7 Crystal Hashtags. Crystal Hashtags were awarded for the first time. They were presented to lecturers who had already been awarded in the first edition of the program and were again appreciated by students this year.

What do students value most about their lecturers? Their ability to explain even the most complicated issues, patience with questions, willingness to joke, and genuine care that students learn something. In comments about the honored teachers, words such as kindness, commitment, and a great atmosphere in classes often appear. Students appreciate those who “infect with their positive energy,” who “instead of giving ready-made solutions on a plate, prefer patiently guiding students onto the right track,” and who “really care that we acquire knowledge.” Thanks to them, even subjects “infamously notorious” become interesting, and classes cease to be a burden. Because a good teacher is not only someone who knows their subject thoroughly but also someone who can inspire curiosity in others, encourage courage, and make attending classes enjoyable – even if the lecture starts at 7:00 a.m.

The Gold Hashtags were awarded to:

• PhD Eng. Marzena Banaszek – Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Ship Technology,
• MSc Ewa Bieńkowska – Foreign Languages Centre,
• MSc Anetta Brękiewicz-Sieg – Mathematics Centre,
• PhD Eng. Maria Chomka – Faculty of Electrical and Control Engineering,
• DSc Eng. Hubert Cieśliński, prof. Gdańsk Tech – Faculty of Chemistry,
• MSc Eng. Dominika Kalinowska – Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering,
• PhD Michał Kassjański – Faculty of Electronics, Telecommunications and Informatics,
• DSc Eng. Rafał Lech, prof. Gdańsk Tech – Faculty of Electronics, Telecommunications and Informatics,
• PhD Eng. Rafał Łangowski – Faculty of Electrical and Control Engineering,
• PhD Eng. Arch. Elżbieta Marczak – Faculty of Architecture,
• PhD Eng. Marcin Narloch – Faculty of Electronics, Telecommunications and Informatics,
• DSc Aneta Panuszko, prof. Gdańsk Tech – Faculty of Chemistry,
• PhD Eng. Joanna Raczek – Faculty of Electronics, Telecommunications and Informatics,
• PhD Eng. Barbara Stawarz-Graczyk – Faculty of Electronics, Telecommunications and Informatics,
• MSc Eng. Arch. Karolina Taraszkiewicz – Faculty of Architecture,
• MSc Maria Zaborna – Academic Sports Centre.

Crystal Hashtags were awarded to:

• PhD Eng. Joanna Czerska – Faculty of Management and Economics,
• PhD Eng. Małgorzata Gajewska – Faculty of Electronics, Telecommunications and Informatics,
• DSc Katarzyna Jankowska, prof. Gdańsk Tech – Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering,
• PhD Błażej Kochański – Faculty of Management and Economics,
• PhD Eng. Krzysztof Nowicki, prof. Gdańsk Tech – Faculty of Electronics, Telecommunications and Informatics,
• Prof. DSc Eng. Jacek Ryl – Faculty of Applied Physics and Mathematics,
• DSc Eng. Piotr Szczuko, prof. Gdańsk Tech – Faculty of Electronics, Telecommunications and Informatics.

This year’s Didactics Celebration demonstrated how many diverse activities contribute to good academic education – from daily work with students, through improving one’s own skills, to boldly experimenting with new teaching methods. They are united by one belief: that good didactics begins with people, their passion, commitment, and readiness for continuous learning.