Teaching Awards

The University of Calgary Teaching Award for Experiential Learning Initiatives recognizes the teaching excellence of an individual or team of academic staff members on Continuing, Contingent, Limited-Term or Sessional appointments who have taught two or more courses that integrate meaningful experiential learning opportunities for learners. Instructors who have taught the same course on two or more separate occasions are eligible for this award.

Experiential learning is learning by doing, being, connecting and reflecting. Experiential learning happens when knowledge and experience are bridged through critical reflection, with students at the centre of their experience. Students put their learning into practice in a meaningful, relevant, and authentic context. The range of eligible experiential learning initiatives recognized by this award is wide, including but not limited to undergraduate research experiences, curriculum-integrated experiential learning, and land-based learning in the University of Calgary or in the wider community. Please note there is a separate University of Calgary Teaching Award to recognize Work-Integrated Learning including: clinical or other professional practica, cooperative education, internships, community-engaged or service-learning and applied community/research projects with a partner organization

No individual or team may receive the University of Calgary Teaching Award for Experiential Learning Initiatives more than once. There will be one award available annually. The adjudication committee may recommend more recipients if multiple outstanding nominations are received.

Teaching excellence at the University of Calgary is demonstrated by characteristics of scholarly teaching. This award recognizes outstanding contributions to student learning by individual academic staff. There are many ways in which individual teachers demonstrate teaching excellence. The assessment of nominations will be guided by the following criteria:

• Authentic Experience and Design 
  • Use an authentic experience to help students apply knowledge, motivate students’ interest and learning, and establish relevance of subject matter.
  • Intentionally design experiential learning opportunities, including establishing clear learning outcomes/goals that are aligned with authentic EL learning activities and assessment strategies.
• Student Engagement
  • Design meaningful experiential learning experiences that actively engage students in relevant and purposeful challenges or problems, and encourage collaboration between students, course instructors, and often community partners.
  • Challenge learners to develop their critical thinking and independent learning abilities through experiential learning.
• Critical Reflection and Feedback
  • Guide students through meaningful and ongoing critical reflection to help them make connections between their knowledge and practice, and to unpack their assumptions, biases and perspectives.
  • Design strategies to facilitate on-going feedback (e.g., instructor, self, and/or peer) on students’ learning to motivate and support continuous learning and growth, and the application of knowledge in students’ academic and life activities.
• Respect and Inclusion
  • Co-creates respectful and inclusive learning environments and communities that promote active engagement, participation and a sense of belonging, throughout the often unpredictable experiential learning process.
  • Seeks to understand and adapt teaching practices based on student’s diverse backgrounds, needs, prior knowledge and experiences, and approaches to learning.
• Self-Reflection and Growth
  • Collects feedback, engage in professional learning activities, and reflect on teaching, in order to strengthen their teaching practices and improve experiential learning.
  • Adapts, innovates, and responds to change and scholarly experiential learning and teaching approaches.

The nomination should be prepared by the nominator(s) and the nominee. Nominators may be one of, or any combination of academic staff, academic administrators, staff, or former students.

The nomination package includes:

• An online form verifying the nominee’s and nominator’s contact information, and the award they are being nominated for.
• A nomination letter (2-page maximum or 5 minutes maximum video or audio length) highlighting the nominee’s strengths, contributions, and accomplishments as they relate to the award criteria. This can be contributed by an individual nominator or co-written by nominators. Audio and video submissions that speak to the award criteria will also be accepted; and
• A nomination dossier (10-page maximum or 20 minutes maximum video or audio length). Audio and video submissions that speak to the dossier requirements will also be accepted.

3.1 Nomination Letter (2 pages or 5 minutes maximum video or audio length)

A nomination letter highlighting the nominee’s strengths, contributions, and accomplishments as they relate to one or more of the award criteria is required from an individual nominator or can be co-written by multiple nominators. Nomination letters are not included in the dossier page count; the letter should be a maximum of two pages or 5 minutes for audio or video submissions. 

3.2 Nomination Dossier (10 pages or 20 minutes maximum video or audio length)

Evidence of impact in teaching and learning should be provided from multiple sources, including a nominee’s self-reflections, student feedback, and feedback from colleagues. 

The nomination dossier should be a maximum of 10 pages or 20 minutes maximum video or audio length:

• Teaching philosophy statement (1-page)
  The teaching philosophy statement explains the beliefs and values that guide a nominee’s practice and provides information about a nominee’s unique teaching experiences, contexts, approaches and contributions, as they relate to their beliefs and values about teaching and learning. 
• Descriptions of specific teaching and learning strategies 
  Dossiers should provide descriptions of specific teaching and learning strategies used, with relevant evidence of impact on learning. Evidence of impact may come from multiple sources and perspectives including the nominee’s self-reflections, excerpts from student comments, feedback and work, and input from colleagues, including letters, testimonials, or statements of support.
• Summary of student input and feedback 
  A summary of student input, feedback and representative samples of student comments received related to the nominee’s teaching practice, across multiple learning contexts and years. Student comments and feedback from multiple sources can be used, in addition to any available formal data (e.g. UCalgary Course Experience Survey or other relevant unit-specific course feedback). Student testimonials, statements and letters of support can be included within the dossier page limits.
• Self-reflection statement
  This self-reflection should provide committees with a clear overview of the nominee’s unique teaching practice and context, highlight strengths and contributions as they relate to the nominee’s philosophy and practices, and identify future areas for learning and growth.

Nomination packages are stored and treated with care and confidentially, with access limited to adjudication committee members. All written and recorded materials submitted must adhere to appropriate University copyright policies and procedures and will remain the property of the creator.

3.3 Video and/or audio submissions

Video and/or audio recorded submissions that recognize oral traditions and speak to the award criteria will be accepted. Recordings should present a first-person narrative to support the nomination. Professionally produced videos will not be accepted. 

3.4 Support

Support for creating nomination letters and dossiers, including video and/or audio submissions, is available through the Taylor Institute for Teaching and Learning.

Administrative processes surrounding communication, nomination and selection processes is coordinated through the Taylor Institute for Teaching and Learning.

A committee, chaired by the Vice-Provost Teaching and Learning (or delegate) and consisting of two academic staff members, two students (undergraduate and/or graduate), and a support (AUPE) staff, management or professional staff (MaPS) or postdoctoral scholar representative, will adjudicate the nomination files. 

The University of Calgary recognizes that a diverse staff, faculty, student and postdoctoral community benefits and enriches the work, learning and research experiences of the entire campus and greater community. We are committed to addressing systemic inequities by removing barriers that have been historically encountered by underrepresented identity groups in our society. We strive to ensure equitable representation on the awards adjudication committees. To this end, we encourage equity-deserving identity groups, including Indigenous peoples, racialized people, people with disabilities, 2SLGBTQI+ persons and women, to join and serve on these committees. All committees are provided with resources and training to mitigate bias and ensure fair and inclusive decision-making processes.

All committees are guided in the adjudication through a consensus-based discussion with reference to the criteria for the award.

Recipients will be presented with their awards at the Celebration of Teaching and recognized on the Wall of Honour in the Taylor Institute for Teaching and Learning. 

Award recipients will be invited to join the University of Calgary Teaching Academy, to share their experience and expertise back to the academic community.