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Center for Teaching, Learning & Technology

Outstanding College of Education Teacher Award

Purpose

The Outstanding Teacher Award exists to honor and recognize the individuals who have achieved excellence as teachers in the College of Education. By honoring such individuals, the College demonstrates its commitment to teaching as a scholarly endeavor, emphasizes the importance of outstanding teaching, and provides incentives for faculty members to pursue activities that enhance them as teachers. The College of Education recognizes tenure track faculty whose teaching accomplishments are outstanding among their peers in the College. The Outstanding College of Education Teacher Award provides $500 in appropriated operating funds.

Eligibility

In order to be eligible to compete for the Outstanding College of Education Teacher Award, a faculty member must: 1) be a full-time tenured or tenure track faculty member with at least two years of service at Illinois State University, 2) receive support for their candidacy for the award from their department chairperson.

Those not eligible to receive the Outstanding College of Education Teacher Award are faculty members who, within the last five years, have received the Outstanding College of Education or Outstanding University Teacher Award.

Documenting Outstanding Teacher Qualifications

The teaching portfolio should include:

  1. For the purposes of this award, the complete portfolio, including appendices, is limited to a single, two-inch, three-ring binder (or its equivalent), plus a videotape, if the candidate desires to submit the latter. Portfolios that deviate significantly from this volume of material will not be considered.
  2. A complete, up-to-date curriculum vitae.
  3. A narrative that includes:
    1. The candidate's teaching philosophy.
    2. A statement of the candidate's teaching responsibilities for the last three years.
    3. A summary of the candidate's student evaluations of teaching placed in the context of departmental norms.
    4. A summary statement by the department chairperson about the candidate's teaching which includes: assessment of the candidate's teaching, an evaluation of the candidate's ability to incorporate academic rigor and challenge into his or her instructional and evaluative practices; and an evaluation of the candidate's teaching contribution to the department and the discipline as a whole.
    5. Discussion of course materials from at least two different instructional settings.
    6. Self assessment of teaching in regard to the criteria for College of Education Outstanding Teacher Award (see below).
    7. Other means of documenting qualifications, which might include (but are not limited to):
      • honors, awards, or other forms of recognition received for excellence as a teacher,
      • statements from colleagues,
      • evidence of student achievement as a direct result of the candidate's teaching,
      • statements from former students who have experienced the candidate's teaching.
  4. A set of appendices with artifacts and examples that provide support for those matters discussed in the narrative section. 1

Criteria for the Outstanding College of Education Teacher Award

  1. Instruction: This category refers to the actions of teachers that result in effective learning in the teacher-class setting. This criterion will remain foremost in the selection process. Exemplary instruction is a necessary, but not necessarily sufficient characteristic that defines outstanding teachers. Exemplary instruction can include:
    • Encourage cooperation among students because learning is enhanced through interaction and team efforts (e.g., use collaborative learning tasks in class; encourage student study groups; require group work; use peer-teaching methods).
    • Encourage active learning; students must think and process through writing, applying, and doing (e.g., students present work to class; written assignments; use of simulations, role playing, debates; field trips; service learning).
    • Provide prompt feedback, including assessing current knowledge/skills, and offering ongoing useful guidance (e.g., use formative evaluations; use appropriate classroom assessment techniques; provide useful, timely feedback).
    • Emphasize time on task, including time management and realistic expectations about time (e.g., require on-time work; clarify minimum amounts of time on tasks; help students set challenging goals; require challenging amounts of homework).
    • Communicate high expectations and employ appropriate methods to help students meet them (e.g., syllabi explain expectations and give reasons for them; fair, but tough, grading; acknowledge exceptional student work).
    • Assign authentic tasks and evaluation to help students learn, remember, and synthesize (e.g., learn and use students' names; demonstrate to students love of discipline / learning; give students shared control of course).
  2. Mentoring: This category both refers to working with students on their development and with faculty colleagues as a master teacher. Typically, mentoring refers to one-on-one or small-group interactions. Examples include:
    1. Student Mentoring:
      • Regularly spend time with students outside of class, giving feedback and instruction.
      • Work on research or creative projects with students outside of class.
      • Observe and give feedback on student activities in various settings (e.g., symposia, rehearsals, and exhibits).
      • Serve as a direct model as a teacher and scholar (e.g., TA-instructor relationships and co-authoring).
      • Orient students and serve as a resource in ways that exceed that of the average relationship.
    2. Faculty Mentoring:
      • Help orient new faculty to the university's teaching resources, curricula, instructional technology, etc.
      • Function as an expert teaching resource, both for information and by giving counsel (e.g., peer observation).
      • Serve as an outstanding model for teaching, by example and as a partner in co-teaching settings.
      • Take a leadership role in identifying and fulfilling mentorship opportunities in the department, college, and/or university.
      • Use experiences as a mentor to enhance own teaching-engage in learning / dialogue with protégé.
  3. Professional development and teaching related service: This refers to activities teachers engage in to develop their own teaching and to share their teaching expertise broadly. For professional development to be considered exemplary, evidence should be presented to demonstrate the positive impact such activities have had on teaching and learning. Examples include:
    1. Professional Development of Teaching
      • Attend Illinois State University teaching workshops, symposia, etc.
      • Attend disciplinary or other teaching conferences, workshops, etc., off-campus.
      • Participate in other teaching-related activities, such as teaching-learning teams or the AAHE Campus Program.
      • Engage in applied or fieldwork in discipline and use it to enhance own teaching.
    2. Teaching-Related Service
      • Actively advise a student club or organization.
      • Chair or participate in campus committees dealing with teaching and curriculum.
      • Advise undergraduate majors in department/program.
      • Develop course and or curriculum.
      • Develop teaching materials.
      • Organize teaching brown bags and workshops.
      • Participate on teaching-related committees in disciplinary organizations.
  4. Innovation: This refers to taking risks with new ideas, demonstrating success and/or failure, and systematically reflecting on the innovation and its effectiveness for teaching and learning. Examples include:
    • Design and implement new approaches to instruction.
    • Adapt "old" methods and pedagogies to new disciplines or contexts.
    • Introduce teaching-related ideas to Illinois Sate that have been successful elsewhere.
    • Develop novel teaching materials.
    • Introduce teaching-related ideas to Illinois State that have not been used before at Illinois State.
  5. Scholarship of Teaching: This refers to the systematic reflection on teaching and learning made public. Examples include:
    • Apply methods of inquiry from disciplines and professions commonly associated with the study of teaching, such as the social sciences and teacher education.
    • Apply methods of inquiry from disciplines and professions not commonly associated with the study of teaching, such as the arts, humanities, physical sciences, and information technology.
    • Apply personal analysis and meditation related to experiences with teaching and learning (e.g., course portfolio).
    • The results of reflections should be made public through such means as:
      • Formal dissemination through books, book chapters, journal articles, and conference papers and presentations.
      • Formal dissemination through exhibitions, performances, and demonstrations.
      • Informal dissemination at brown bags, discussion groups, symposia, etc.

1 Candidates are encouraged to consult with the Center for Teaching, Learning & Technology (CTLT) or their department for information on teaching portfolios and their preparation. CTLT holds special sessions on portfolios during the year, as well as sessions during the University Teaching Workshops.