Dr. Jodie Bigalky Receives Provost’s Teaching Award

A commitment to lifelong learning, an empathic and passionate teaching style, and dedication to using health equity research in the classroom has earned University of Saskatchewan (USask) College of Nursing Assistant Professor Dr. Jodie Bigalky (PhD) a USask Provost's College Award for Outstanding Teaching, as the College of Nursing 2025 recipient.

Dr. Bigalky has over twenty years’ experience as an educator, but appreciates although she has nursing knowledge, her students bring their own lived experiences to the classroom.

“My experience teaching in nursing education has shaped how I teach and as I reflect on my career, I can see how my teaching philosophy has evolved over the last twenty years,” said Bigalky.

“As a novice educator, I saw myself as the expert, imparting my knowledge onto the learners I taught. However, over the last number of years, my perception of teaching has shifted to the current view of teaching as a dynamic, reciprocal relationship between the educator and the learner. While I hold more knowledge related to nursing, my learners also bring their experiences to the learning environment, and these can be used to broaden the depth of the knowledge shared. I actively encourage students to share their unique perspectives from their personal and clinical experiences, fostering a more diverse and collaborative learning environment. I believe learning is most effective when students' prior knowledge is acknowledged and integrated into the exploration of new concepts and theories.”

Not only has Bigalky’s teaching philosophy changed over the years, so has the classroom. Dr. Bigalky is located in Regina and previously taught undergraduate theory, lab, and clinical courses in-person, but with the College of Nursing Learn Where You Live model, Bigalky has embraced the challenge of teaching theory in a distributed online format, demonstrating adaptability and innovation.

Her teaching philosophy is aligned with the College of Registered Nurses of Saskatchewan practice standards emphasizing professional responsibility and accountability, knowledge-based practice, ethical practice, service to the public, and self-regulation.

“Both educators and learners share responsibilities in the learning environment,” said Bigalky.

“As an educator, I believe my responsibilities include embracing diversity and creating a positive environment conducive to learning and motivates learners to fully engage in their education. I set clear expectations, use a variety of teaching methods, and provide timely and objective feedback to encourage learning and growth. In nursing education, it is critical that foundational, evidence-based knowledge is provided to nurture the development of critical thinking skills and clinical judgment. It is my responsibility to identify learners facing challenges and offer them the necessary support and resources to succeed. In return, I expect students to take ownership of their learning, develop a strong work ethic, and remain committed and motivated to their learning.”

During her two-decade tenure at USask College of Nursing, Dr. Bigalky has been a part-time clinical instructor, lecturer, clinical associate, instructor, and most recently, assistant professor since 2023.

She teaches in the undergraduate nursing program, with a passion for teaching perinatal nursing. Dr. Bigalky has recently expanded her role to teach at the graduate level.

Nursing students who have had Dr. Bigalky as an educator describe her as follows:

I absolutely love learning from her! Her class is super stimulating in a way that helps us retain the immense amount of content accurately. I hope I have her in all of my future courses!

Jodie was always very well–prepared for our lectures. Her slides included the right amount of information we needed to be successful during our labs and exams. She made sure the information was concise and enough to cover an entire lecture. She made the lectures interesting and provided examples to enhance our understanding of the content.

The lecturer provided a thorough and detailed explanation of the course in the class. The course made me develop a special interest in obstetrics.

I have enjoyed Jodie's lectures since second year. I feel she gives a lot of knowledge in her lectures, that expands the readings we were to read in the textbook. She makes sure the knowledge she is giving is really thorough.

“At the conclusion of each course, I hope my learners leave my classroom, lab, or clinical setting with the skills needed to succeed, but also an eagerness to continue learning,” said Bigalky.

“My ultimate goal is to foster competent, confident, professional, and knowledgeable practitioners who are equipped to provide safe and compassionate nursing care. I anticipate my teaching philosophy will continue to evolve in the dynamic environment of nursing education, as I continue to grow both personally and professionally throughout my career.”

College of Nursing Instructor April Mackey (BSN'12, MN'19) has not only had the pleasure of working alongside Dr. Bigalky, but she was also her student at one point, and currently partners with her on global research initiatives related to women’s health.

“Dr. Bigalky exemplifies the qualities of an outstanding teacher,” said Mackey.

“Her dedication to teaching, combined with her commitment to maintaining high standards, ensures her students receive a positive and meaningful learning experience. Her mentorship played a significant role in shaping me into the safe, capable, and confident practitioner I am today.”

Mackey says Dr. Bigalky consistently prioritizes continuous education, integrates research, scholarship, and professional activities into her educational practice, uses a variety of evaluation methods aligned with course outcomes and clearly communicates expectations to students, values the input students provide through course evaluations, and is committed to advancing initiatives that foster a more inclusive environment ensuring all nursing students feel supported in a safe, welcoming, and effective learning space that addresses diverse needs.

“Dr. Bigalky recognizes the critical importance of integrating Indigenization into nursing education and the need to prepare competent practitioners who are aware of the lasting impacts of colonization and generational trauma on Indigenous Peoples”, adds Mackey.

“Dr. Bigalky is committed to incorporating Indigenization into all courses she teaches, ensuring her students are equipped to foster equitable healthcare practices for Indigenous communities. She encourages students to explore ways in which they can contribute to more culturally safe nursing practices.”

“Dr. Bigalky is a talented professor and passionate researcher in the area of health equity for women and gender diverse populations and we are very fortunate to have her in the College of Nursing,” said Dean Dr. Solina Richter (DCur).

“Her enthusiasm to teach students is evident and her teaching philosophy inspires students. She is committed to educating the next generation of nurses about the disparities in the social determinants of health and uses her background in perinatal nursing to author textbooks and present her work to shape the future of perinatal nursing practice.”

Dr. Bigalky was celebrated as the College of Nursing recipient of the Provost’s College Award at the University of Saskatchewan Celebration of Teaching event June 26^th.