Learning and Teaching Awards 2008

The UTS Learning and Teaching Awards recognise the importance of learning and teaching for both undergraduate and postgraduate students. They are aligned with the national Australian Learning and Teaching Committee Awards and state Quality Teaching Awards (see below).

Award categories

The UTS Learning and Teaching Awards are awarded in the following categories:

  • Team Teaching ($5,000) - for an outstanding contribution to learning and teaching or an exemplary and sustained innovation in learning and teaching through a collaborative, team based approach; the team can be of two or more staff and the application may be focused on team teaching in a single subject or on teaching by a collaborative team across a coherent group of subjects or program.
  • Individual Teaching ($3,000) - for an outstanding contribution to learning and teaching, or an exemplary and sustained innovation in learning and teaching by an individual member of staff
  • Early Career Teaching ($3,000) - for an excellent contribution to learning and teaching, or a very significant innovation in learning and teaching by an individual member of academic staff within her or his first five years as an academic
  • Internationalisation of teaching and learning ($3,000) - for an outstanding contribution to teaching and learning or an exemplary innovation related to aspects of internationalisation of teaching and learning, for example internationalisation of the curriculum, teaching and/or supporting international students, teaching approaches that support diversity and cross-cultural learning
  • Postgraduate supervision ($3,000) - for an outstanding contribution to postgraduate supervision, or a significant support program or innovation that improves the learning experiences of postgraduate research students
  • Enabling ($3,000) - for an outstanding contribution to learning and teaching, or an exemplary innovation which has benefited Indigenous students or students who have experienced educational disadvantage
  • Academic Support ($3,000) - for an outstanding contribution or an exemplary innovation in academic or student support services or the provision of resources to facilitate learning and enhance the student experience.

In addition, in 2008, two special categories have been introduced:

  • Teaching by a casual or sessional staff member ($3,000) - for an excellent contribution to learning and teaching, or a very significant innovation in learning and teaching by casual or sessional staff member.
  • Curriculum renewal ($3000/$5000) - for exemplary and innovative renewal of the curriculum to enable students to learn for the future in a subject ($3000) or course/course major or significant strand ($5000). 'Curriculum' in this category is defined as a broad system that includes content and how it is structured but also the learning experiences, assessment and other components that contribute to the student learning experience and students' development of professional, personal and intellectual attributes within a subject or course.

The committee will normally make one award in each category annually but may decide to make no award, or more than one award, in each category in a particular year. It may also commend nominations not given an award.

Eligibility

For the Team teaching award, teams (consisting of two or members) are eligible if the team leaders are continuing or fixed term academic staff members, with at least three years' service at UTS. Casual, support and other academic staff members with at least two years' service are eligible to be included as team members.

For the Individual award, all continuing or fixed term academic staff members, with at least three years' service at UTS are eligible.

The Early Career Teaching Award is available to continuing or fixed term academic staff members within their first five years of teaching provided they have at least three years' service at UTS.

The Award for Casual or Sessional Teaching is available to casual or sessional academic staff members with at least six semesters' service at UTS.

For the Internationalisation, Postgraduate Supervision, Curriculum Renewal, Enabling and Academic Support Awards all continuing, fixed term or casual, academic or support staff members with at least three years' service at UTS are eligible to be nominated individually or as team leaders. For team nominations, team members with at least two years' service are eligible to be included.

Previous award winners are not eligible for renomination in the same category for a period of three years following receipt of an award. Staff members who have indicated, prior to the closing date, an intention to resign or retire from the University will not be eligible for nomination.

Selection Committee

The Selection Committee is convened by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice-President (Teaching, Learning and Equity) and includes:

  • Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice-President (Teaching, Learning and Equity) - Chair
  • An undergraduate student
  • A postgraduate coursework student
  • A previous winner of a UTS Learning and Teaching Award
  • A Professor or Associate Professor nominated by Academic Board
  • A Fellow of UTS

Staff members from the Institute for Interactive Media and Learning and the Equity and Diversity Unit attend the selection committee meeting(s) as observers.

Criteria for Selection

UTS considers teaching to include any activities that contribute to student learning including but not limited to: course design and innovation; assessment and feedback; facilitation of online learning; development of learning materials and resources for students; face-to-face teaching; support for students on practicums and work experience; postgraduate supervision. Elements of good learning and teaching such as knowledge of discipline, the ability to clarify concepts, the ability to organise subject matter and programs coherently, practice orientation and responsiveness to students are fundamental. They join with academic and student support services and the provision of resources to enable learning and enhance the student experience.

In looking for outstanding or exemplary contributions, the Selection Committee is seeking evidence of a contribution which goes beyond the basics to display a sensitivity to students' needs and a well-informed, distinctive and sustained contribution to students' learning, engagement and/or experience of university.

Applicants must address one or more of the following five overall criteria, choosing those that are most relevant to the contributions described in the nomination. The committee makes judgements in relation to the quality of evidence provided for the selected criteria, rather than the number of criteria addressed.

  1. Approaches to teaching and learning and/or to teaching and learning support that influence, motivate and inspire students to learn
  2. Development of curricula and resources that reflect a command of the field
  3. Approaches to assessment and feedback that foster independent learning
  4. Respect and support for the development of students as individuals
  5. Scholarly activities and service innovations that have influenced and enhanced learning and teaching.
    This includes contribution to the development of good learning and teaching practices through leadership or mentoring

In judging the awards, the Committee shall consider the extent to which the evidence submitted confirms the nominee's fulfilment of the chosen criteria.

Applications must include evidence of contributions to students' learning, engagement and/or experience of university. Depending on the criteria chosen, this evidence is likely to include a range of:

  • evidence of a scholarly approach, framed by a conscious philosophy.
  • clear descriptions of particular practices relevant to the contribution(s), with concrete examples.
  • achievement of positive student outcomes relevant to the contribution. Examples could include: development of graduate attributes such as independent learning, critical thinking, communication, professional dispositions; improvements in learning of particular subject matter; enhanced student engagement; improvements in success for particular groups of students; student achievements such as prizes or awards.
  • positive student feedback, from SFS or other relevant indicators depending on the contribution. In many cases, evidence will also include how the applicant(s) have responded to feedback over time in order to refine/improve the contribution.
  • peer review or recognition of the contribution
  • scholarly communication of the contribution, for example through Faculty or UTS seminars or Teaching and Learning forums, conference papers or publications
  • for leadership contributions, evidence may focus on impacts on teaching or support practices in a course or program that contribute to student outcomes

Nominations

Nominations may be initiated by students, former students, colleagues or the nominee. Students should have been taught by the person or team or have used resources identified in an academic support nomination within the previous three years.

Nominations should be forwarded to the Chair of the UTS Learning and Teaching Awards Selection Committee, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice-President (Teaching, Learning and Equity).

Nominations shall consist of:

  1. Completed nomination form which includes:
    • A short written statement by the nominator outlining the outstanding characteristics of the contributions of the nominated individual or team. The statement should include a title of not more than 25 words which will be used as the citation. It must be signed by at least six people, at least three of whom should be students or former students of the nominee or have used resources identified in an academic support nomination. The statement must address the above criteria.
    • A written statement of consent to the nomination signed by the nominee/s (including all team members for team nominations).
    • The names of the two colleagues, other than their Dean or Associate Dean (Teaching and Learning)/Head of School, who can provide confidential informed comment on the criteria relevant to the individual or team application.
  2. A written statement by the nominee (no more than 8 single sided A4 pages in not less than 12 point font) addressing the chosen selection criteria in a way that demonstrates the quality of their contributions.
  3. Supporting information (no more than 10 single sided A4 pages in not less than 12 point font) including Student Feedback Surveys for at least the last two years (where relevant).

The Chair of the Selection Committee will seek confidential written comments on the nomination from the Dean and Associate Dean (Teaching and Learning)/Head of School and the two nominated colleagues.

The nomination and supporting information should focus on evidence of learning and teaching activities undertaken at UTS.

Short listed nominees will be interviewed by the selection panel.

Notification of Award

Nominees will be notified of the results of the Committee's deliberations after these have been approved by the Vice-Chancellor.

Closing date for nominations

Fifteen (15) copies of all documentation should be forwarded to the Office of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice-President (Teaching, Learning and Equity) by Monday 27th October, 2008.

An electronic copy of the application should also be submitted to: Tracy.Wild@uts.edu.au by the closing date.

Nomination for National and State Awards

Award winners and short listed nominees may be considered for nomination by UTS to the ALTC Citations and Awards for Australian University Teaching and/or the Australian College of Educators (ACE) NSW Quality Teaching Awards in the following year.

The ALTC Awards are highly competitive and involve an intensive selection process to assess the achievements of applicants. They are awarded in eight categories: five discipline categories; a category for Indigenous education (the Neville Bonner awards); a category for early career academics; and a priority area announced annually by the ALTC. The following awards are offered (see http://www.altc.edu.au):

  • Citations for Outstanding Contribution to Student Learning - 210 awards of $10 000 granted to people who have made a significant (widely recognised within the nominating institution) contribution to the quality of student learning in a specific area of responsibility over a sustained period, whether they are academic staff, general staff, sessional staff or institutional associates.
  • Awards for Programs that Enhance Learning - 14 awards of $25 000
    • recognise exemplary learning and teaching support programs and services that make an outstanding contribution to the quality of student learning and the quality of the student experience of higher education and whose effectiveness has been demonstrated through strenuous evaluation.
  • Awards for Teaching Excellence - 26 awards of $25 000 and The Prime Minister's Award for the Australian University Teacher of the Year - One award of $50 000 and a medal
    • recognise the nation's most outstanding university teachers in their fields; university teachers renowned for the excellence of their teaching, who have superb presentation skills and who have made a broad and deep contribution to enhancing the quality of learning and teaching in higher education.

The Australian College of Educators (ACE) NSW Quality Teaching Awards are open to permanent, part-time and casual government and non-government pre-school, early childhood, primary, secondary, university, TAFE and community education teachers (see http://www.austcolled.com.au - State Branches/NSW/Awards). They recognise accomplished teaching practice through a rigorous process involving referees' reports, professional learning portfolios and workplace visits.

Applications

Please contact Katrina Waite (Katrina.Waite@uts.edu.au) or Dr Jo McKenzie (Jo.McKenzie@uts.edu.au) in the Institute for Interactive Media and Learning for further information and advice on making an application.

Fifteen (15) copies of all documentation should be forwarded to the Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice-President (Teaching, Learning and Equity) by Monday 27th October, 2008.