Niroj Bhattarai, chair of Social and Behavioral Sciences at Front Range Community College’s Larimer Campus, is the 2016 Jerome Wartgow Teaching with Technology Award winner in all of the Colorado Community Colleges System.
In addition to his chair duties, Bhattarai teaches economics in classroom and online settings, and it is in the classroom that Bhattarai reinvented the way he teaches economics. Technology is the key, and students will appreciate the economy of his methods.
Niroj Bhattarai
Bhattarai requires his students to bring a laptop or tablet to class. These days, laptops and tablets can be cheaper than a collection of required printed textbooks that eventually go out of date. Students use their devices to access real-time statistics, such as from the U.S. Department of Labor website, to apply real data to economic concepts.
Bhattarai also incorporates free, credible online textbooks and other online resources. He has created a free on-campus economics tutoring service.
The annual Wartgow award recognizes a faculty member for excellence in using educational technologies to improve teaching and learning. Wartgow, a longtime Colorado educator, is a former president of CCCS, superintendent of Denver Public Schools, and chancellor of the University of Colorado-Denver. The award was given at a meeting this month of the State Board for Community Colleges and Occupational Education.
About Front Range Community College
FRCC offers nearly 100 degree and certificate programs from locations in Boulder County, Larimer County, Westminster, and Brighton, and online.
FRCC is a member of the Colorado Community College System (CCCS), the state’s largest system of higher education, with 13 colleges across Colorado serving more than 151,000 students annually. CCCS is a vital statewide pathway to individual achievement and economic vitality. Further, CCCS institutions provide an accessible, responsive learning environment that facilitates the achievement of educational, professional, and personal goals by our students and other members of our communities, and each fosters an atmosphere that embraces academic excellence, diversity, and innovation.
