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SSU Distinguished Teaching Award Committee’s mission is to empower and recognize faculty members who advance excellence in teaching and learning through new and creative instructional technologies, innovative pedagogies, and inclusive and supportive learning environments.

Innovation and Creativity in Teaching Award During the Pandemic

The Distinguished Teaching Award Committee would like to acknowledge and applaud how Salem State faced the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.  The committee would like to commend and recognize faculty members who have made exceptional efforts in remote instruction during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Innovation and Creativity in Teaching Award has been created to recognize faculty innovation and creativity in the transition to online-only education during the COVID-19 pandemic.  The award recognizes faculty members who have transformed traditional face-to-face courses into remote teaching environments, but also adapted pedagogy and practice in new and novel ways to help their students learn and retain knowledge via an online format. 

We look forward to recognizing faculty who created innovative, creative, engaging, well-organized learning environments where students built valuable relationships with their instructors and peers while experiencing compassionate flexibility during this unprecedented time. 

Award

Three faculty members will be recognized, one award from each category:

• Creative overall adaptation to online teaching 
• Effective translation to laboratory/studio practice: Effective translation to hands-on requires that instructors demonstrated outstanding success on the transformation from traditional face-to-face to online delivery of hand-on/laboratory practices and associated challenges with their assessment. Practices may include, but not limited to, virtual learning environments (labs incorporating simulation tools and virtual reality), interactive dynamic webpages, computer-based experiments, and digitally mediated art practices. Please tell us how you incorporate new and innovative learning environments while maintaining a high-quality learning experience for students.

• Compassionate pedagogy to online teaching - Compassionate pedagogy requires that instructors approach teaching with empathy and understanding and considers not only the knowledge that students acquire but also how they experience a course with instructor and peers (Center for Teaching & Learning, University of Colorado Boulder).  Compassionate pedagogy also considers how a course is structured in support of the emotional well-being of students. Teaching practices may include, but are not limited to, modeling vulnerability, sharing resources, cultivating warmth, allowing students to share their personal experiences with each other, and flexibility with assignments and due dates (Bager-Fraley, May 8, 2020).

  • Bager-Farley, B. (2020).   

  • Compassion & Self Compassion (n.d.).                                          

Each award will provide $1,500 to the recipients. Recipients will be announced at the Spring 2022 Commencements and honored at the Fall 2022 Convocation. 

Process

Nomination Form

To nominate a candidate, or self-nominate, complete the Nomination Form by April 30, 2021.  Faculty at any rank and classification are eligible.  Nominations should include a 300-word summary statement describing candidate’s transition from face-to-face to a remote innovative and creative learning environment.

Consent Form

Nominees who choose to participate in the award process would be asked to complete the Consent Form by May 31, 2021.

Submission Form

• Nominees who choose to participate in the award process would be asked to complete a Submission Form and include necessary documentation by October 01, 2021. 
• Complete submission form and respond to questions that address 1) Remote Teaching Strategies and 2) Supporting Students During the Pandemic
• Letters of Support (Minimum of one, maximum of three) List name, role, email of references.  The references will be directed to a Google Form to complete an open ended response about the nominee’s transition to online teaching during the pandemic.
• Examples of student work (maximum of 2)

Links

Nomination Form

Consent Form

Materials Review Rubric

Submission Form

Selection Committee, 2021-2022

            Julie Batten ( assistant professor, healthcare studies)

            Xu Hartling (assistant professor, marketing and decision sciences)

            Laura Laranjo (assistant professor, biology)

            Jason Soohoo, committee chair (librarian, library)

            Shelley Steenrod (professor, School of Social Work)

            Erkan Toraman (assistant professor, geological sciences)

 

Timeline

• Call for nominations in April 2021
• Nominees notified by beginning of May 2021
• Nominees return consent form be end of May 2021
• Submission of materials due October 1, 2021
• Award winners notified by first week of April 2022
• Recognition at 2022 commencement
• Award given at 2022 convocation