By Ellen Holm Tambjerg, AAU Communication and Public Affairs. Translated by LeeAnn Iovanni, AAU Communication and Public Affairs. Photo: Lasse Møller Badstue
 
The students agree that 'Syntax & Semantics' is not necessarily the most exciting course in the Software programme and that the material can be complicated. Nevertheless, Giorgio Bacci, Associate Professor manages to make the course content interesting and digestible with his humour.

- Giorgio has amazing charisma during lectures, making them interesting and spicing them up with humour. This combination makes going to class fun, says students from Software.
 
Giorgio Bacci's teaching is made no less impressive by the fact that he took over the course on very short notice, something the students also acknowledge in their nomination. Giorgio Bacci says that he did not have much time for preparation as he was on parental leave shortly before, but he feels that his on-the-job preparation is getting better and better. The small mistakes that can crop up in his PowerPoints are addressed with humour and thus become an opportunity for learning.

Making difficult material understandable

Giorgio Bacci knows that the course can be a challenge for many Software students. He tries to address this by explaining complex theory in a simplified way. He relates the theories to the issues that the students are working on in their semester projects. In addition, he works with his students on the course exercises, a practice that is instructive both for him as a teacher and for the students.
 
- We come up with the answers together, which is also very useful for me because I get feedback from the students and learn to adapt the lecture by looking at their faces: OK, it's a bit complicated, so I have to explain it again in a different way, says Giorgio Bacci.

Dedicated and enthusiastic role model

In addition to Giorgio Bacci's ability to communicate difficult material in an understandable and accessible way, the students emphasize that Giorgio Bacci is a role model, ready to help and happy to make an extra effort for his students. He does this, for example, by filming lessons for later use, doing test exams as training, and being available to answer questions during exercise sessions. In the nomination for Teacher of the Year at TECH, the students write that Giorgio Bacci is an authentic, dedicated and enthusiastic teacher whom they greatly appreciate.

Giorgio Bacci is very surprised by the award as Teacher of the Year, and he says that it is motivating for him and gives him energy to continue teaching in the future.
 
- I think there are many talented teachers at the department, so I didn’t expect to receive the award. I'm very honoured, he says.