Applying for an OLT Citation 2016
INSTITUTE FOR TEACHING AND LEARNING
DR ALISON KUIPER , SENIOR LECTURER
INSTITUTE FOR TEACHING AND LEARNING October 2015
Welcome to this session
Aim: to provide information and support
› Learning outcomes for today
› Increase your knowledge about making an application for an OLT Citation
- get answers to questions
- reflect on your teaching
› So you will be able to
- confidently access whether to make an application
and
- begin preparing a quality application for a Citation
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What is an OLT Citation ?
› Looking at what’s required
› The criteria
› Making a successful application
› Introductions
- Who and why you are here
- Anything in particular you would like to
take away from this session?
› Questions throughout
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Where Citations fit
http://www.itl.usyd.edu.au/awards/vcawards.htm
- VC’s Awards
- Outstanding Teaching
- Support for the Student Experience
- Excellence in Research
- Systems for Collective Excellence
- Office for Learning and Teaching (OLT)
- Citations
- Awards
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Other awards
› Faculty awards
› The VC’s Award for Outstanding
Contributions to Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander Strategy
› Review of University awards
planned by DVCE
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Citations are prestigious national awards
Awarded by the Office for Learning and Teaching
› Citations For Outstanding Contributions to Student Learning recognise and
reward the diversity of contributions made by individuals and teams to the
quality of student learning.
› They are awarded to academic staff, general staff, sessional staff or
institutional associates who have made significant contributions to the
quality of student learning.
› In 2016, up to 150 Citations, including the Early Career category, with
prize value of $10,000 each, are available nationally
› The University can submit six nominations
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Eligibility
› All nominations must relate to contributions to student learning in higher
education
› Nomination is open to academic, general and sessional staff, and
institutional associates (full-time or fractional, continuing or contract) at
eligible institutions
› Nominees with no more than five years’ experience teaching in a higher
education institution, including tutoring and part time teaching, may apply
for an Early Career Citation
- The five years can be non-sequential and must be counted on a semester basis
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Who does what ?
› ITL has support role
- workshops and resources
- individual help - as far as possible but limited
› and administrative role
- including arranging and supporting selection panels
› Decisions made by Committee appointed by the VC (not by the ITL)
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University process
› Internal applications due early semester 1, 2016 [date to be advised]
through ITL webpage
› Selection panel meets, reviews applications choosing up to 6 for the
University to nominate
› Applicants advised; support available for successful applicants
› Resubmission by date to be advised [April]
› After signoff by VC, University submits applications to the OLT
by 5pm Thursday 5 May
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Choose one of the following criteria
› Approaches to teaching and the support of learning that influence,
motivate and inspire students to learn
› Development of curricula, resources or services that reflect a command of
the field
› Evaluation practices that bring about improvements in teaching and
learning
› Innovation, leadership or scholarship that has influenced and enhanced
learning and teaching and/or the student experience
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Your contribution will be judged
By the evidence it gives of having
› Influenced student learning, student engagement or the overall student
experience
› Gained recognition from fellow staff, the institution and/or the broader
community
› Been sustained for a period of no less than 3 years (2 years for early
career)
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Choosing a criterion
Approaches to teaching and the support of learning
that influence, motivate and inspire students to learn
› This may include
- fostering student development by stimulating curiosity and independence in learning
- participating in effective and empathetic guidance and advice for students
- assisting students from equity and other demographic subgroups to participate and
achieve success in their courses
- encouraging student engagement through the enthusiasm shown for learning and teaching
- inspiring and motivating students through effective communication, presentation and
interpersonal skills
- enabling others to enhance their approaches to learning and teaching
- and developing and/or integrating assessment strategies to enhance student learning
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Development of curricula, resources or services
that reflect a command of the field
› This may include
- developing and presenting coherent and imaginative resources for student
learning
- implementing research-led approaches to learning and teaching
- demonstrating up-to-date knowledge of the field of study in the design of the
curriculum and the creation of resources for learning
- communicating clear objectives and expectations for student learning
- providing support to those involved in the development of curricula and
resources
- and contributing professional expertise to enhance curriculum or resources
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s
Evaluation practices that bring about
improvements in teaching and learning
› Evaluation comprises making judgements about the quality of programs
and activities that are part of the academic, cultural and social experience
of higher education. This may include
- showing advanced skills in evaluation and reflective practice
- using a variety of evaluation strategies to bring about change
- adapting evaluation methods to different contexts and diverse student needs and
learning styles
- contributing professional expertise to the field of evaluation in order to improve
program design and delivery
- and the dissemination and embedding of good practice identified through
evaluation
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Innovation, leadership or scholarship that has influenced and enhanced
learning and teaching and/or the student experience
› This may include
- participating in and contributing to professional activities related to learning and teaching
- innovations in service and support for students
- coordination, management and leadership of courses and student learning
- conducting and publishing research related to teaching
- demonstrating leadership through activities that have broad influence on the profession
- providing innovative learning and teaching for different contexts, including technology
enhanced environments, for large and small class sizes and/or to meet the needs of a
diverse student cohort
- and influencing the overall academic, social and cultural experience of higher education
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Stages in process of making an application
Stages
›1
Read the application form carefully
›2
Note the requirements
• Written statement with citation, summary and statement addressing criteria
• References
• Photo
›3
Read the resources on the ITL site
›4
Think
Draft Gather evidence Revise
• Gather supporting evidence
• Seek help from colleagues and mentors
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Tell your story
and provide the evidence
in the form of triangulated data
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What makes an effective teacher?
› Some common characteristics
› All encourage student learning
› But not all effective teachers are the same
› Key question is whether what you do works for student learning
- Can you provide evidence of this happening?
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Providing evidence
You need to make your case and support it
› Evidence should be of supporting student learning over time
- Quantitative
- USE or other survey data
- Show data for sequential years – evidence of improvement is valuable
- Dates, class sizes and response rates are required
- Comparable data for similar course (discipline, class size, year, program level)
may be useful
- If that’s not available use faculty data
- Use percentages, rather than means which can be misleading
- Reflective comments provide connections between data and your teaching
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Evidence
http://www.itl.usyd.edu.au/programs/teaching_insights/pdf/insight7_evidence.
pdf
- Qualitative
- Comments from USE or surveys
- With name of unit of study and date
- Other student comments
- With name of unit of study and date
- Note whether solicited or unsolicited
- Peer review
- With name of colleague, date source e.g. email etc. and whether solicited or
unsolicited
- Other comments from colleagues, invitations etc.
- With name of colleague, date, source e.g. email etc. and whether solicited or
unsolicited
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A possible approach
› Clear articulation of aims
- What do want the students to be able to do?
- What is the situation?
› Description of approaches and strategies
- In the classroom, in assessment, overall
› Account and evidence of achievement
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Resources
› Handouts on the webpages
› http://www.itl.usyd.edu.au/awards/infosession.htm
› http://www.itl.usyd.edu.au/programs/teaching_insights/pdf/insight7_eviden
ce.pdf
› Copies of past successful applications held in the ITL
› People!
› Colleagues, mentors, A/Deans, past winners
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My questions
› What is your story?
› What is the evidence to back this up?
› And your questions……..
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Frequently Asked Questions about Teaching
Awards
› Do I have enough evidence to apply?
› Will it look bad if I apply more than once?
› How can I get a peer review?
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