Teaching Awards at UNSW@ADFA 2008
The purpose of the awards and commendations is to improve the learning and teaching performance at UNSW@ADFA by recognising meritorious and outstanding contributions to teaching.
There are two levels of “teaching award” at UNSW@ADFA:
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Rector’s Commendations for Teaching Excellence;
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the UNSW@ADFA Teaching Award.
In 2008, there will be up to seven Rector’s Commendations awarded across all disciplines, and up to two UNSW@ADFA Teaching Awards: one for Arts/Business teaching, and one for Engineering/Science teaching. The Rector’s Commendations will be to the value of $500 each, while the UNSW@ADFA Teaching Awards will be $3000 each.
In 2008 the initial nomination/application process will be the same for both awards: nominations are made for a “teaching award” (either commendation or UNSW@ADFA award). All nominees will be invited to submit a two-page application. From the pool of applications a two-stage selection process will first identify no more than 7 short-listed candidates to be recommended for the award of a Rector’s Commendation. Selected applicants on this short-list will be invited to expand the documentation of their case for a UNSW@ADFA Teaching Award. After considering the expanded evidence the panel may recommend no more than one applicant for a UNSW@ADFA Teaching Award in Arts/Business teaching and no more than one applicant for a UNSW@ADFA Teaching Award in Engineering/Science teaching. The remaining short-listed applicants will be recommended for a Rector’s Commendation.
Nomination
Nominations are to be made for a “teaching award” (not specifying which level of award). Nominations can be for an individual teacher or for a team, and may include sessional teaching staff and non-academic staff.
Nominations may be made by former or current students, colleagues or by self-nomination. The Faculty Learning and Teaching Fellow may make nominations on behalf of the student body.
Nominations may be made via an electronic nomination form. You may complete the form and forward it manually. Further information may be obtained from the Presiding Member, UNSW@ADFA Teaching and Learning Committee.
Nominations should be made to:
The Presiding Member, UNSW@ADFA Teaching and Learning Committee
(Dr Paul Tranter – paul.tranter@adfa.edu.au).
The nominations should provide a brief (not more than one page) justification of the nomination.
Application
Staff who have been nominated will be invited to submit an application of up to two pages for a teaching award. Staff can be academic staff, sessional teaching staff or non-academic staff who contribute to teaching and/or learning. Joint or team applications will be considered where the teaching development has involved group effort and development of team approaches to teaching and learning.
Primary consideration will be given to all undergraduate and postgraduate teaching for students enrolled at UNSW@ADFA. Some consideration can be given to short courses taught to non-enrolled students.
Each application should state which category (Arts/Business or Engineering/Science) it is for. Applicants are invited to discuss the appropriate category with the Presiding Member of the TLC.
Recipients of a previous award (either Rector’s or UNSW@ADFA) would not be eligible for the same or lesser award for the two years after their award. Recipients of a Rector’s Commendation may apply to be considered for the UNSW@ADFA Teaching Awards during this period.
The applications will be assessed on the extent to which they show evidence that their contribution has influenced student learning, student engagement or the overall student experience.
From the pool of applications, up to seven will be short-listed. Selected applicants on this short-list will be invited to expand the documentation of their case for a UNSW@ADFA teaching award (up to six pages). After considering the expanded evidence, the panel will recommend no more than one applicant for a UNSW@ADFA Teaching Award in Arts/Business teaching and no more than one applicant for a UNSW@ADFA Teaching Award in Engineering/Science teaching. The remaining eligible short-listed applicants will be recommended for a Rector’s Commendation.
This expanded application is expected to be based on a written teaching portfolio. Those opting to produce an expanded application may request advice from the Faculty Learning and Teaching fellow in preparing that application.
Items to Include in Initial Applications for a Teaching Award
(i) Applicants shall submit a written application of up to 2 pages, outlining outstanding performance and achievement. This could include evidence of sharing at teaching forums and conferences, publications and formal and informal teaching evaluations. Applicants should also outline their philosophy of teaching, and any innovative approaches to teaching that they have developed. (Note that innovation is not an essential requirement for an award.)
(ii) All CATEI reports (or equivalents from another tertiary institution) for courses (Form A) and individual teaching (Form B) for the past 2 years, that have been administered. CATEI coverage of the nominee’s entire teaching portfolio (i.e. all classes taught) is expected.
(iii) Supportive comments from the Head of School (or equivalent for non-school staff) of up to 2 paragraphs.
Criteria
Applications will be evaluated on the basis of the following criteria that focus on outstanding performance and achievement and/or innovation in teaching and learning:
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In the context of learning and teaching in your discipline and/or in higher education generally – what is outstanding about your sustained performance? What have you achieved in terms of impact on learning that exceeds normal expectations?
For example, how have you influenced, motivated and inspired students to learn, developed curricula, resources and services that reflect a command of the field, designed assessment and feedback strategies that enhance learning, or engaged in scholarly activities and innovations that have influenced and enhanced learning and teaching?
Teaching includes what happens in a lecture, tutorial or laboratory situation, course development, and preparation of materials for students to use outside class time. An applicant demonstrating outstanding success as a teacher using traditional techniques is eligible for consideration. Innovation will be taken to mean the introduction of any methods and media that are distinct developments on previous practice and that have resulted in improved teaching and learning practices. It can involve applying ideas from other disciplines or courses, applying ideas from professional development courses or implementing one's own ideas.
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What philosophy of teaching underpins and directs the approach to teaching described in the submission?
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What evidence will you present regarding the actual benefits that have resulted from your approach?
Include evaluations of how effective the teaching practices or innovations have been in enhancing learning. (Refer to CATEI and other forms of evaluation)
Obligations of Award Winners
Recipients of awards are expected to contribute to the development of the teaching and learning culture within UNSW@ADFA, and to provide an opportunity for their ideas and skills to be shared with colleagues through, for example:
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a seminar, workshop, or demonstration lecture (e.g. through TLC's Learning Exchange series); or,
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participation in staff development programs related to teaching and learning (usually arranged through the UNSW@ADFA Staff Development Program).
Further Information
Further information may be obtained from the Presiding Member, UNSW@ADFA Teaching and Learning Committee, Dr Paul Tranter, School of Physical, Environmental and Mathematical Sciences, paul.tranter@adfa.edu.au.
Timetable for Awards process
| Call for nominations | by 26 September 2008 |
| Submission of first round of applications for teaching award | 17 October |
| Submission of second round of applications for UNSW@ADFA Award | 14 November |
| Announcement of Awards | early December |
Previous recipients
| 2007 | Dr Katherine Barnes (School of Humanities and Social Sciences) |
| 2006 | Associate Professor Himanshu Pota, Ms Fiona Cotton, Dr Russell Boyce |
| 2003 | Dr Iain L. Densten (School of Business). |
| 2002 | Dr Rodney Blanch, Dr Grant Collins, and Dr Paula Newitt (Chemistry, Team Award). |
| 2001 | Dr Twan Huybers (Economics and Management). |
| 2000 | Dr Obada Kayali (Civil Engineering), Assoc. Prof. Ravi Sood (Physics). |
| 1999 | Dr Bruce Golley (Civil Engineering), Dr James Warn (Economics and Management). |
| 1998 | Dr Lal Godara (Electrical Engineering), Dr Phillippa Kelly (English). |
| 1997 | Dr Adrian Caesar (English), Dr Frantz Clermont (Computer Science). |
| 1996 | No award. |
| 1995 | Mr Peter Looker (English) |
| 1994 | Dr Chris Lokan (Computer Science), Dr Phillip Musumeci (Electrical Engineering), Dr Rick Nunez Vaz (Geography and Oceanography), Dr Stephen Yeomans (Civil Engineering). |
| 1993 | Dr Alan Arnold (Chemistry), Dr John Arnold (Electrical Engineering), Dr Wendy Catchpole (Mathematics), Dr Michael Harrap (Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering), Dr Phillip Thompson (Physics). |
| 1992 | Dr Linda Bowman (History), Dr Dennis Isbister (Physics), Dr Adam Kucera (Mathematics), Ms Catherine Pratt (English), Dr Paul Tranter (Geography and Oceanography). |
Award examples
The awardees' nomination cases (sometimes with and sometimes without supporting documentation) have been incorporated into the ADFA library collection (folio section, call numbers LB 2333 ...). [Note that the collection is incomplete.]
Note: Between their inception in 1992 and 1998, the awards were known as University College Teaching Excellence Awards and only academics on levels A, B, and C (Associate Lecturers, Lecturers, and Senior Lecturers) could be nominated.
Citations
Dr Katherine Barnes
School of Humanities and Social Sciences, for excellence and innovation in undergraduate teaching
This award is for excellence and innovation in English courses taught by Dr Katherine Barnes in the School of Humanities and Social Sciences. The award is specifically for: a creative outlook; thoughtful lesson designs; reframing traditional ways of teaching; a refreshing student-centred approach to learning; and a preparedness to experiment and take risks in learning and teaching.
Dr Barnes successfully challenges students to move out of their comfort zone, and consequently engages students with new and exciting learning opportunities in learning environments that promote genuine interest and involvement among students. She redesigned the course “Creative Writing and Reading”, developing new teaching materials, activities and assessment tasks, with stunning results in terms of student evaluations and feedback. She has introduced a new General Education course, “Persuasive Speaking and Writing”, that is especially relevant to the military careers of officer cadets and midshipmen. Here they learn principles of oratory and rhetoric through the study of famous speeches in their historical context and participation in practical workshops.
Content Coordinator: m.copeland@adfa.edu.au, School of Aerospace, Civil and Mechanical Engineering.