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The University of New South Wales

Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences
Dean's Learning & Teaching Awards

Introduction

The UNSW Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences Dean’s Awards for Learning and Teaching and for Supervision Excellence recognise and encourage sustained excellence and leadership in learning and teaching and postgraduate supervision. The following may be allocated each year:

  1. Teaching Awards
    1. Teaching excellence
    2. Excellence in sessional teaching
  2. Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SOTL) awards
    1. the best SOTL publication
    2. the best contribution to the SOTL
  3. Excellence in postgraduate research supervision award

All categories may include excellence in service that has an impact on learning and teaching.

All awards carry a prize of $4,000, to be used towards L&T and professional development and to be spent within a period to be specified.

Nominations

Nominations may be by self-nomination, or by a colleague, student or school committee. Each nomination must be submitted on the nomination form and accompanied by a half to one page statement from the nominator outlining the reasons for the nomination.

Nominations may be for an individual or team.

Staff members who have received a FASS L&T award are not eligible to apply for an award in the same category for six years, but may apply in another category after 3 years from the time of application.

The nomination form is available on the FASS L&T web page.

Assistance and advice

The Faculty Learning and Teaching Fellow is available to provide assistance on how to present a case for these awards. General information on excellence in L&T can be found on the UNSW Teaching @ UNSW website, particularly in the section on teaching portfolios. http://learningandteaching.unsw.edu.au/content/LT/teaching_support/teaching_portfolio.cfm?ss=2

Selection process
Selection Committees

The Faculty Education Committee (including the student representative) with the Dean and an appropriate external member will select the best application in each category, except the Research Student Supervision Category in which case the Higher Research Degree Committee (including a student representative) with the Dean will select the best application.

Submission process and dates

Applications are to be submitted to the Associate Dean (Education) at a date in July to be announced each year.

Award dates

Awards will be announced at the end of August each year.

Staff members who are unsuccessful are encouraged to re-apply the following year.
Staff members who are successful are encouraged to apply for a Vice-Chancellor’s Teaching Award and/or a Carrick Citation as appropriate.

Guidelines

The Awards

1. Teaching Awards
a. Award for teaching excellence

The core element of an application is a written statement of not more than 5 pages in which nominees describe their teaching experience and provide evidence of achievements in relation to the selection criteria and alignment with the Guidelines on Learning that Inform Teaching at UNSW.

The written statement should be presented under the following headings as appropriate, in the order indicated below, and should not exceed 5 pages in total.

  • Brief overview of the application
  • Selection criteria
    1. approaches to teaching that influence, motivate and inspire students to learn
    2. development of curriculum 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 that have influenced and enhanced learning and teaching

Selection Criteria
All nominees will be assessed on provision of evidence in relation to a number of the five selection criteria. In addressing the selection criteria nominees are expected to present a succinct, cogent case for excellence, and need to refer to student evaluations, peer reviews or other appropriate forms of evidence. Nominees are not expected to provide evidence of excellence in all areas, but should build a profile that best highlights their achievements. The award focuses on sustained involvement in high quality learning and teaching such as excellence in building program coherence, embedding graduate attributes, research enhanced teaching and educational technology. A claim for research-based learning and teaching may be made under each criterion as appropriate.

b. Award for excellence in sessional teaching

The award for excellence in sessional teaching recognises the invaluable contribution that sessional teaching staff make to the quality of student learning in the Faculty. Sessional teachers are defined as University instructors not in tenured or permanent positions, who teach over a whole session or on a regular basis. The definition encompasses tutors, casual lecturers, practice tutors, studio teachers and people external to the University from the professions or industry. The award gives recognition to the dedication, commitment, skill and impact on students of those teachers. This is part of an integrated strategy to support the development of learning and teaching practice amongst sessional staff.

The core element of an application is a written statement in which nominees describe their teaching activities and achievements, and specifically address two of the selection criteria that are most relevant to their teaching experience.

The written statement should be presented under the following headings as appropriate, in the order indicated below, and should not exceed 4 pages in total.

  • Brief overview of the application
  • Selection criteria
    1. approaches to teaching that influence, motivate and inspire students to learn
    2. development of curriculum 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 that have influenced and enhanced learning and teaching

All nominations will be assessed on evidence they provide in relation to the criteria. In addressing the chosen criteria nominees are expected to present a succinct, cogent case for excellence in relation to the criteria, and refer to student evaluations, peer reviews or other appropriate forms of evidence.

2. Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SOTL) Awards
a. Best SOTL publication

Articles, books, book chapters, monographs or relevant to the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning [1] are eligible as publication entries in this category. The publication must make a contribution either to SOTL in a discipline/interdisciplinary field or to the general theory and practice of L&T. The nominating staff member is required to provide a one page argument as to the importance of the publication and attach the publication. The panel (as above) including the Director, L&T unit as the external member will judge this category.

The prize money may be used towards attending and presenting at an approved/relevant L&T conference, further SOTL publication or other L&T professional development.

b. Best contribution to SOTL

This award recognises those who have made a significant contribution to student learning or the student experience in a specific area of responsibility, over a sustained period and who are widely recognised for their achievements within the faculty. Nominations are encouraged from academic, professional and technical, sessional staff, and institutional associates.

Team-based nominations from teams that include general staff, such as those who run practicum and internship programs, those who develop e-learning, are encouraged.

The prize money may be used towards attending and presenting at an approved/relevant L&T conference, further SOTL publication or other L&T professional development.

3.Excellence in Postgraduate Research Supervision

This award recognises sustained excellence and leadership in postgraduate research supervision.

All academic staff, either full time or part time, who have supervised at least three research higher degree students to completion as a supervisor are eligible to apply for the award.

Applications

Applicants should submit the following information in no more than 4 pages (excluding references and supporting material):

  1. Cover Sheet
  2. Supervision Record Table
  3. Supervision Statement
  4. Head of School Report
  5. Two References
  6. Supporting Material (no more than 8 pages)

(a) Cover Sheet

Application Cover Sheet: summarising UNSW appointment details and relevant appointments, committee memberships, invitations, publications and resources relevant to higher degree research supervision.

(b) Supervision Record Table

Supervision Record Table: summarising all current, completed, withdrawn and transferred higher degree students, completion rates, candidature details, research outcomes (publications, conferences, exhibitions, prizes etc) and employment post graduation.

(c) Supervision Statement

(max. 1.5 pages) Applicants may present a case for outstanding supervision based on either:

    (i)  Outstanding track record in higher degree research supervision which may include the number of candidates supervised and student completion rates; nature of the research program and academic profile that attracts high calibre local and international students; supervision practices that lead to publications, prizes and awards, presentations at prestigious conferences, and theses judged to be of outstanding quality; supervision practices that lead to timely and successful completions; induction of students into the national and international research communities; career mentoring; or

    (ii)  Outstanding supervision of a small number of research students plus leadership in supervision reflected in appointments to key roles in the School/Faculty/University with reference to the specific achievements and impact of the applicant in these roles which may include significant contributions to relevant policy development and best practice in the School/Faculty/University or wider community and mentoring of new staff.

Applicants should structure their submissions to best highlight their contributions and case for outstanding PG supervision and leadership. The statement should include reference to the outcomes and information provided in the Cover Sheet, Supervision Record Table and Supporting Material in order to justify claims. Further advice on structuring the application is available to assist applicants in the Supervision Award Toolkit on the Graduate Research School web site.

(d) Head of School Report

(max. 1 page) commenting on the applicant’s performance as a supervisor and/or their leadership in supervision including any discipline specific issues related to supervision.

(e) Two References

(max. 1 page each) by experienced supervisors who are able to comment on the applicant’s supervision and/or leadership and scholarship in higher degree research training. References cannot be from current/past students but applicants are strongly encouraged to include these submissions in the Supporting Material.

Evaluation

This L&T Awards process will be evaluated by the Associate Dean (Education) two years after commencement: September 2010

Downloads

  • Faculty of Arts & Social Sciences Learning and Teaching Award Guidlines [PDF]
  • Dean's Learning and Teaching Award Nomination [RTF]
  • Dean's Scholarship of Learning and Teaching (SOTL) Award Nomination [RTF]
  • Excellence in Postgraduate Research Supervision Application [RTF]

Notes

[1] The Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SOTL) is a form of inquiry based on practitioner research that seeks to explore teaching and learning in university environments. Like discipline research, its outputs are public and peer reviewed.