Members of the university community have until Feb. 2 to put forward their favorite examples of outstanding teaching by nominating them for the 2015 Provost’s Teaching Innovation Prize.
In its seventh year, the competition will award $5,000 to up to five faculty projects.
Unlike other opportunities to honor an instructor’s overall teaching excellence, this prize draws attention to specific innovations that improve student learning, such as new approaches to student collaboration or new uses of instructional technology.
Projects recognized in 2014 included an online curriculum for clinicians, 3-D modeling in virtual reality, lab activities that can be carried out in a dorm room, a materials engineering class without lectures or summative exams, and trailblazing Wikipedia assignments.
“People who receive the Teaching Innovation Prize exemplify the best of what’s happening across campus,” says Provost Martha Pollack. “These faculty develop new effective ways to deepen student engagement and learning.
“The work is incredibly hard, it’s incredibly important, but often it’s incredibly fun. It’s a joy to recognize faculty who are taking risks with their teaching. It is making a very real difference to our students and to the university’s position as a leader in higher education.”
Nominations may be submitted through Feb. 2 by students, faculty, graduate student instructors, department chairs, directors, deans and staff members. Faculty self-nominations also are welcome, as are resubmitted nominations.
The awards will be announced May 4, at the annual Enriching Scholarship campuswide technology conference.
