1. Queen’s Teaching Awards 2017

2. 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 .

3. Background The Scheme has been running for 19 years
141 Teaching Awards have been made to date

4. 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.

5. 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

6. 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 PDF.
Deadline 5 pm on Monday 13 March 2017.

7. 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 Claire Dewhirst, Centre for Educational Development
Dr Kate Exley (External)

8. Process
Brief Presentation by shortlisted candidates to the panel on 23 May 2017
10 minute presentation on identified issues
10 minute discussion with panel
Successful applicants will be notified of the outcome shortly after the presentation

9. 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

10. 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

11. Writing the analytical account

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

13. Reflecting current priorities and QUB Education Strategy 2016 - 2021
For example:
Dynamic and relevant curriculum
Widening Participation, Equality and Diversity
Employability, Enterprise and Global Citizenship
Internationalisation
Innovative and flexible delivery

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

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

16. 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
Subject, modules, numbers of students
Particular educational interests
Teaching philosophy (very briefly)

17. Discussion: 3 Sections
Promoting and enhancing the learners’ experience (1000 words)
Supporting colleagues and influencing support for learning (350 words)
Ongoing professional development (350 words)

18. 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?

19. 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

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

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

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

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

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

25. 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

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

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

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

29. And finally Please stay within the 2000 word limit
Don’t include any additional materials, including web sites -- they won’t be considered
and
Why not give it a try!