Provost's Award for Online Teaching

Purpose

This award, the first Illinois Tech student nominated teaching award, recognizes, celebrates, and spotlights those dedicated faculty who have gained the admiration of students for delivery of coursework online. All instructors who teach fully online and hybrid classes are eligible. For hybrid classes, the focus will be on the online component.

The Center for Learning Innovation will highlight select nominees on the new CLI website and use them as a resource to disseminate best practices.

If successful, the award may become a regular award each semester. Success will be measured by the number of student nominations received.

Process

     Communication about this award will be through IIT Today, CLI newsletter, SGA, UFC, etc. The nomination form will be available via CLI’s website.

     Nominations will open the week of October 19 and will remain open until December 1 (after Thanksgiving Break).

     Students will complete a short online nomination form, describing why the instructor is deserving of an “excellence in online teaching” award..

     Any faculty member teaching an online or hybrid course during the Fall 2020 semester is eligible.

     A small review panel of faculty (1 each provided by UGSC and GSC), and 1 CLI staff representative will review the nominations and select the final recipients. Depending on the number of nominees, the award could have a first and second place winner and/or honorable mention.

     Nominations will be objectively reviewed against a short rubric to address unintentional bias. For example, a ratio like #nominations / #students taught may help compare multiple nominations from one who teaches a larger number of students and one who does not.

     The Provost’s Office will provide a $500 cash award to the winning instructor and a $50 gift card to one of the students, chosen at random, who nominated the instructor. In the event of more than 1 nomination, there will be a drawing from those who provided the nomination. 

     Faculty who are selected will be announced the week of December 7.

     The Center for Learning Innovation will highlight select nominees on the CLI website.

     Nominees may work with the CLI as a resource to disseminate best practices.

Draft Communication

This semester, Illinois Tech faculty are teaching differently while staying true to our mission to provide distinctive and relevant education. To recognize our instructors who exceptionally engage students online, the Provost and the Center for Learning Innovation (CLI) are sponsoring the first student-nominated university wide Provost’s Award for Online Teaching. All instructors teaching an online or hybrid course (with a focus on the online portion of the course) for Fall 2020 semester are eligible.

All students are encouraged to nominate an instructor for classes they feel deliver an excellent online experience this semester. Online nominations are open now and will remain open until December 1 (the end of Thanksgiving Break).  A small review panel of faculty and CLI staff will review submitted nominations and select the final recipients. The recipient will be announced the week of December 7 and will receive a cash award. The student who nominates the winner will receive a $50 gift card. Should more than one student nominate the winner, a student will be randomly selected from among those nominations.

The Center for Learning Innovation will then highlight select nominees on the CLI website so they can be a resource for best practices.

Draft Form Instructions (on the form header)

This first student-nominated teaching award celebrates the skilled and dedicated faculty who deliver an excellent online course experience.

All instructors teaching an online or hybrid course (with a focus on the online portion of the course) for this Fall 2020 semester are eligible.

To nominate an instructor, students should explain below why an instructor deserves to be recognized. For example, students should share how the instructor is so engaging online. Or what the instructor does online to motivate the class. Or how they inspire critical thinking or doing one’s best in the online environment. Or how they make all students feel included online. Or how they facilitate the learning process online, making material clear and easy to follow. Or simply how instructors convey online their enthusiasm for the topic, making the online learning experience more enjoyable. Please be as specific as possible.

Nominations are open until December 1 and may be anonymous. A small review panel will select the recipient(s) from nominations received. Faculty selected will be announced the week of December 7 and will receive a cash award. If contact information is provided, the student nominating the selected instructor will receive a $50 gift card. In the event that more than one student nominates the winning instructor, the gift card recipient will be selected by a random drawing of those nominations.

Form (Google Form)