We invite you to submit a nomination for the Excellence in Online Teaching Award for our 6^th Annual Excellence in Online Learning Conference.

Award Description

The Faculty Excellence in Online Teaching Award recognizes, encourages, and rewards superior teachers and their contributions to the development and delivery of exceptional online teaching and learning. The recipient provides models of excellence for fellow faculty.  The recipient courses use well-designed course materials and instructional strategies while demonstrating a rapport with students and effective achievement of desired learning outcomes using best practices. There will be one award in this category – and includes a $1,000 stipend .

Eligibility for Award

1. All full-time UTRGV faculty members, except for those in a visiting capacity, who have completed at the time of nomination two or more full academic years of consecutive service at UTRGV are eligible to be nominated.
2. Faculty members with part-time administrative appointments may be nominated. Full-time administrators are ineligible for nomination.
3. Faculty members must have designed and taught one or more online courses using well-designed course materials and instructional strategies.
4. Nominated faculty members must NOT have been a recipient of a University Excellence Award in the same category at UTRGV or one of the legacy institutions within the previous five academic years.
5. Nominated faculty members must NOT have been recipients of a University Excellence Award in any category at UTRGV within the previous three academic years.

Criteria

The selection criteria are the following.

• Quality of Online Course Design: The nominee has developed a well-design course that meets Quality Matters Standards. The reviewers will evaluate the course using the QM Rubric.
• Exceptional Instructional Strategies: The nominee has utilized commendable practices in instructional strategies. Instructional strategies include, but not limited to, incorporating student-centered and collaborative learning environments, meaningful, authentic experiences, and course assessments.
• Excellent Course Facilitation: The nominee demonstrates best practices in online course facilitation by creating both faculty and peer-to-peer presence. 
• Student Feedback on Course Effectiveness: The nominee has demonstrated rapport with course participants and provides evidence of learner's satisfaction and effectiveness. In this section, we will ask for a letter of recommendation from a former student.
• Effective Learning Outcomes: The nominee has demonstrated a strong partnership between instructional materials and strategies towards achieving the course learning outcomes. In this section, we ask for student sample work and explanation towards how the instructor met learning outcomes.
• Enable Accessibility: The instructor consciously developed the course to meet accessibility standards, inclusive design for all learners by incorporating Universal Design for Learning guidelines, and Accessibility standards.

Rubric

The following rubric will be used to evaluate submitted proposals: Excellence in Online Teaching Evaluation Rubric.

Note

1. Nominations and all submitted materials are confidential. Self-nominations are accepted.
2. To be considered, submit a completely filled-out application.
3. If you have any questions concerning awards for Excellence in Online Teaching, please contact us or call (956) 882-6792 [Brownsville] / (956) 665-5327 [Edinburg].
4. You will be required to submit, at minimum, two letters of recommendation (one from a student and one from an administrator/colleague)
5. The deadline to submit nominations for the Excellence in Online Teaching Award is Sunday, March 5, 2023 by 11:59 p.m.