Queen’s Teaching Awards 2016

QUB Teaching Awards Aims of the Briefing Session To raise awareness of the Queen’s Teaching Awards Scheme To encourage colleagues to apply for a Teaching Award To provide guidance on the type of information that should be included in an application To be transparent about the selection process

Background The Scheme has been running for 18 years 132 Teaching Awards have been made to date

Aims of the QUB Teaching Awards to identify and acknowledge good learning and teaching and learning and teaching support to encourage and reward the development of learning and activities that support learning, by individuals or teams, that have led to particularly effective/worthwhile learning to disseminate information on good learning and teaching and support practice throughout the University.

Who can apply? Teaching Award categories Sustained Excellence (Individual Award) Rising Stars (Individual Award) Excellence in Teaching or Learning Support by a Team Student-nominated Award

Process Guidance notes, application forms templates, samples of previous applications and podcasts of interviews with previous winners can be downloaded from the CED website at Application form – template to be completed electronically and sent to Please send a Word version rather than Deadline 5 pm on Friday 11 March 2016.

Process Shortlisting by Teaching Awards panel Professor David Jones (Chair) Director of Academic and Student Affairs Representatives from the Faculties Representative from the Students’ Union Maria Lee, Educational and Skills Development Dr Kate Exley (External)

Process Brief Presentation by shortlisted candidates to the panel on 17/18 May minute presentation on identified issues 10 minute discussion with panel Successful applicants will be notified of the outcome shortly after the presentation

What if I win? Financial prize Certificate of achievement presented by the VC at summer graduation Contributes to your personal promotion profile Asked to disseminate the information on your good practice to a wider University audience

What if I don’t win? Don’t be disheartened – try again next year Applicants will be given feedback to strengthen the application It may be that the application will benefit from an extra year or two of development It’s a confidential process

Writing the analytical account

Focus of the application Your application could focus on: l A broad brush approach over an extended period of time ( years or a career ) or l Your particular contribution across several modules or l A more specific innovative contribution to learning and teaching/ learner support

Reflecting current priorities and QUB Education Strategy For example: Developing students’ employability and learning skills Active and interactive teaching/learning Creating opportunities for internationalising the curriculum Assessment and feedback Research informed teaching Interdisciplinarity

Where to place the emphasis l Innovative approaches and/or l More conventional teaching carried out exceptionally well l Diversity of approaches l Including specific examples l Impact on your students/learners is key

l Emphasis is on your practice – not an academic paper, but l Mention any funded projects, publications and briefly work that has informed your teaching

Structure of the analytical account 2,000 words in total Context (300 words): Introductory statement on your contribution to learning and teaching to date, e.g. Types of activities: track record l Subject, modules, numbers of students l Particular educational interests l Teaching philosophy (very briefly)

Discussion: Promoting and enhancing the learners’ experience (1000 words) i) How you stimulate and inspire learners Enhancing your students’ learning experience (including examples) Dealing with diverse learning needs Evidence?

Types of evidence student/learner feedback evaluation scores comments from peer observations external examiners’ reports comments from colleagues, internal and external results of student assessment

ii) How you develop, organise and present learning resources, e.g.: l Paper-based On-line – e-learning l Physical models, artefacts etc l Use of physical space l Staff resources How do these support learning?

iii) How you assess students/learners l Range of methods used l Assessment of learning outcomes l Innovative methods, e.g. peer and self assessment l Feedback to students Rationale for assessment approach and any changes you are thinking of making

Discussion: Supporting colleagues and influencing support for learning (350 words) i) Development of colleagues: l Informal support, sharing materials, etc Team- teaching l Mentoring l Peer observation l Workshops, within the School or more widely Impact on your colleagues and on their students’ learning?

ii) Contributing to School and /or institutional initiatives, e.g. l Committees or working groups l Developing policies or initiatives l Internal projects on learning and teaching l Staff or educational development activities Impact in your School and the University?

iii) Regional/national/international contribution, l Collaborating with colleagues in other universities l External examining l Pedagogical conference papers, posters, publications l Externally funded projects l Work with HEA Subject Centres or other bodies

Discussion: Ongoing professional development (350 words) (i) Ways in which you undertake professional development, e.g. Reading and reflection Courses, conferences and events On-line learning What did you learn? Evidence of improvements for your learners as a result of professional development

ii) How you review and reflect on teaching Student feedback Colleagues’ feedback l Self / team reflection l Module review l Peer observation of teaching How do you use these activities to review and enhance your practice?

Key questions to address in the application l Why do you take this approach? l Why is your approach valuable for your learners? for your School or area? for the University? in a wider context? l What evidence do you have to support your claims? An analytic and evaluative stance

l What have you learned so far from your experiences? l What developments might you make to improve future learners’ experiences? A reflective approach

And finally l Please try to stay within the word limit l Don’t include any additional materials, including web sites -- they won’t be considered and l Why not give it a try!