President's Awards for Excellence in Teaching 2012/2013

- Call Now Open -

Are you a current or former DCU student who would like to recognise someone who has made a significant impact on your during your time in dcu?
Are you a staff member who would like to see a colleague's outstanding contribution to teaching and learning in DCU recognised and rewarded?
The President's Awards for Excellence in Teaching recognises outstanding contributions to DCU's Teaching and Learning activities.

Deadline for receipt of nominations: Extended to Friday, 8th March 2013 at 12.00 noon.

The President's Awards for Excellence in Teaching recognise outstanding contributions to DCU's Teaching and Learning activities (see What is Teaching Excellence?). The awards are considered under three categories - Academic, New Lecturer/Tutor (with less than 3 years teaching experience) and Teaching Support.

2011/2012 Winners

From left to right with Professor Brian MacCraith: Dr Jean Cushen (New Lecturers/Tutors Category, Vincent Hooper (Academic Support Category), Dr Derek Molloy (Academic Category), Dr Mary O'Connell

Who is eligible for the award

All DCU staff members who are involved in teaching or teaching support in DCU may be nominated. Nominations may be made for individuals or for groups or teams. Nominations can be made under one of the three following categories:

New Lecturer/Tutor – (any person with less than three year’s teaching experience);
Academic (any person who has taught in DCU for more than three years);
Academic Support (anyone who makes an indirect contribution to teaching - these may include, but are not limited to, lab technicians, demonstrators, librarians, etc.

Note:

Previous award winners are not eligible to be considered for another award for three years after receiving their award. Please check previous award winners before making a nomination, as such nominations will not be considered. If you wish to recognise those providing administrative support outside of teaching it is preferable to use the Human Resources Reward and Recognition System for Administrative, Support and Technical Staff.

Who can nominate?

Students/Alumni: Students and alumni can nominate individuals or teams who they feel have made a significant and outstanding impact on their learning experience in DCU. Please note the exception to this is current PhD students who may NOT nominate their supervisor.

Colleagues: Individuals/teams can be nominated by colleagues, heads of school or anyone else who wishes to acknowledge their outstanding contributions to teaching and learning in DCU.

Nomination Process

Nominations can be made using the appropriate online form provided below. Please note that up to two additional nominators can be included on a single nomination. Where a larger number of people wish to nominate an individual/team, multiple nominations should be made. Where an individual, for example, a Class Rep, wishes to nominate on behalf of a class this can be stated in the nomination however greater emphasis will be placed on nominations received by individual nominators rather than on behalf of a group. Each nominator and supporter(s) will receive an email acknowledging the nomination.

To make a nomination in the Academic or New Lecturer Category click here Teaching Support Category click here.

Guidelines when making a nomination

Self-nomination is not permitted and canvassing for a nomination on one’s own behalf is strongly discouraged
Nominations from current PHD students for their supervisors are not accepted.
The more specific information you can provide the better the nomination will be. Nominators should give examples of the impact, significance, difference the nominee has brought to their teaching. To achieve this carefully consider and answer the questions provided in the nomination form.

Evaluation and Selection Process

All nominations are evaluated by an evaluation panel made up of a sub group of DCU’s Learning Innovation Advisory Panel (LIAP) and DCU’s President. DCU’s Faculties and relevant units are represented. The evaluation process is described below:

Academic and New Lecturer categories

In the case of these two categories, a shortlisting process is employed.

Shortlisting

Shortlisting is carried out by a group comprising the Deputy Registrar/Dean of Teaching and Learning, Associate Deans for Teaching and Learning/Education (one from each Faculty) and the Head of the Learning Innovation Unit. Shortlisting is based on the nominations received, so it is important to include as much pertinent information as possible in the original nomination. Those shortlisted will be invited to proceed to stage two of the evaluation process by submitting additional information to support their nomination and to further illustrate their teaching approaches.

Final Evaluation and Selection

The shortlisted nominations are evaluated by a sub group of DCU’s Learning Innovation Advisory Panel (LIAP) which is made up of DCU’s President and representatives of DCU’s Faculties and relevant units.

Teaching Support Category

Nominations for this category are evaluated on the basis of nominations received only. No additional information will be sought from nominees and there is no shortlisting process.

Awards

There will be an overall award winner in each of the three categories. In addition, at the discretion of the evaluation panel, up to two additional special awards may be made. Awards are presented at DCU’s Annual Teaching and Learning Day. All of those nominated, including those not shortlisted, will be recognised at this event.

Key information

Deadline for receipt of nominations: Friday, 8th March 2013 at 12.00 noon.
There are three award categories: Academic Staff, New Lecturers/Tutors (with less than 3 years teaching experience) and Academic Support Staff.
Staff nominated under the Academic staff category may, after an initial evaluation of nominations, be invited to augment their nomination(s) with a short supporting document.
A nomination can be made for an individual member of staff or a team.
An individual or team may be nominated more than once.
Nominations can be made by an individual member of DCU staff, DCU students, DCU alumni, or any combination of these.
Nominations will be considerably strengthened if they include student testimonials.
Evaluations will be conducted by a panel comprised of a subgroup of the Learning Innovation Advisory Panel (LIAP) and an external evaluator from another third-level institution.
For academic staff nominations, awards will be made in three areas - Teaching Assessment, Feedback and Group Teaching. In addition, an overall award for Teaching Excellence will be made in the form of a teaching enhancement grant, to be used to further enhance the winner's teaching practice and/or student learning: Academic Staff - €8000, New Lecturers/Tutors - €2,500, Academic Support Staff - €2,500.
Winners will also receive a commemorative piece of Tipperary Crystal and nominees will receive a commemorative piece.
Awards will be presented by the University President at the annual Teaching and Learning Day on in May.

How to nominate

Complete the appropriate nomination form.

Learning Innovation Unit - President's Awards for Excellence in Teaching