Carl Hoagland is the Emerson Electric Endowed Professor of Teaching and Learning at UMSL.

Carl Hoagland is a visionary. As the Emerson Electric Endowed Professor of Teaching and Learning at the University of Missouri–St. Louis, Hoagland not only imagined a more technologically engaged campus and curriculum, but also turned his vision into reality.

He led the effort to create the E. Desmond Lee Technology and Learning Center, a facility where students and faculty explore emerging technology in a comfortable environment. The center offers individual workstations for both Windows and Mac users. It also houses labs and conference rooms equipped with instructor workstations, interactive white boards, Polycom devices for video conferencing and video operation systems to record class sessions.

Hoagland, a 25-year resident of University City, Mo., also helped the College of Education by integrating electronic portfolios into the curriculum, allowing students to digitally compile their coursework and materials for future teacher certification.

In cooperation with the Department of English, he helped develop UMSL’s Second Life Writing Center, a virtual tutoring and learning space. The center was the first of its kind in Missouri and one of only four nationwide when it opened in 2011.

So it seems Hoagland is always up to something.

“He is truly an explorer, infinitely curious, enthusiastic and always looking for ways to improve education in public schools, colleges, universities and in the community,” said William Klein, teaching professor of English at UMSL.

Hoagland has fans among his students, too.

“I have been lucky to have Dr. Hoagland as an advisor and professor,” wrote Christopher Schott, a doctoral student in the College of Education, in a nomination letter for Hoagland. “His work and teaching has changed the way I look at education.”

Students are challenged to use new technologies in Hoagland’s classes. Projects take on other forms besides traditional paper writing. Students write blogs, produce videos on software like iMovie and Xtranormal, write music on Garageband, interview outside experts via Skype and dialogue on discussion boards via Blackboard.

For his outstanding and innovative teaching, Hoagland is being honored by the four-campus University of Missouri System with the UM President’s Award for Innovative Teaching.

“I am humbled and very excited,” Hoagland said. “Teaching is such an important part of my job, and I am very happy to be recognized for such a prestigious award.”

The Academic Affairs Office at the UM System administers a total of six UM President’s Awards. The annual, systemwide awards are open to faculty from UMSL, the University of Missouri–Columbia, the University of Missouri–Kansas City and Missouri University of Science and Technology in Rolla.

In addition to Hoagland, four UMSL faculty members won a UM President’s Award this year: Rita Csapó-Sweet, associate professor of media studies, for cross-cultural engagement; Susann Farberman, associate teaching professor of nursing, for inter-campus collaboration; Dawn Garzon, teaching professor of nursing, for inter-campus collaboration; and Vicki Sauter, professor of information systems, for university citizenship (service).

Hoagland and his colleagues will receive their awards June 13 at a celebration in Columbia, Mo.