Teaching Awards

The University of Calgary Teaching Award for Graduate Assistants (Teaching) recognizes the teaching excellence of individual graduate students who are employed as Graduate Assistants (Teaching). 

No individual may receive the University of Calgary Teaching Award for Graduate Assistants (Teaching) more than once. There will be up to three awards available annually. 

Teaching excellence at the University of Calgary is demonstrated by characteristics of scholarly teaching. Graduate Assistants (Teaching) often play a unique role in connecting with students to help them learn the concepts and processes of a field of study and gain confidence in their roles as independent learners. This award recognizes outstanding contributions to student learning by individual Graduate Assistants (Teaching). The assessment of nominations will be guided by the following criteria:

• Organization and Communication
  • Communicates effectively with the course instructor and students within the scope provided by their particular Graduate Assistant (Teaching) role.
  • Provides organization and structure to student learning activities.
• Student Engagement and Feedback
  • Actively engages students and challenges them to develop their critical thinking and independent learning abilities through meaningful interactions and feedback.
  • Motivate students’ interest and learning, and establish relevance of subject matter.
• Respect and Inclusion
  • Co-creates respectful and inclusive learning environments and communities that promote active engagement, participation and a sense of belonging.
  • Seeks to understand and adapt teaching practices based on diverse backgrounds, needs, prior knowledge and approaches to learning.
• Self-Reflection and Growth
  • Collect feedback, engage in professional learning activities and reflect on teaching in order to strengthen their teaching practices and improve student learning.
  • Adapts, innovates, and responds to change and scholarly 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 rationale that guides your practice, and provides information about your context, approaches and contributions. 
• Descriptions of specific teaching and learning strategies 
  Dossiers should provide descriptions of specific teaching and learning strategies used, with some indication 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 testimonials and statements can be included within the dossier.
• Self-reflection statement
  This self-reflection should provide committees with a clear overview of the nominee’s teaching practice and context, highlight how they connect to your teaching 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.