Teaching Awards

The University of Calgary Teaching Award for Indigenous Ways of Knowing recognizes the outstanding contributions of any individual or group who has advanced Indigenous Ways of Knowing and supported truth and reconciliation, decolonization, Indigenous engagement and transformation in academic courses and programs. Building on the foundations of the University of Calgary’s Indigenous Strategy, ii’ taa’poh’to’p, this award recognizes that transformation is a progressive, evolutionary, and lifelong journey, for all educators and learners. Our journey towards transformation and renewal is just beginning and will be an ongoing process. It requires us to move forward in a good way through reciprocal and respectful relationships, with a clear purpose, and high levels of integrity, moral strength and communal spirit. 

Each year, this award recognizes any individual or group who has advanced Indigenous Ways of Knowing and supported truth and reconciliation, decolonization, Indigenous engagement and transformation in an academic course or program. Individuals and groups recognized may include full or part-time academic staff, adjunct/clinical appointees, professional practitioners, students, postdoctoral scholars, Indigenous Elders, Knowledge Keepers, and/or community partners who have had a sustained impact on student learning. 

No individual may receive the University of Calgary Teaching Award for Indigenous Ways of Knowing more than once. There will be two awards available annually, one for individuals and one for groups. The adjudication committee may recommend more recipients if multiple outstanding nominations are received. 

The University of Calgary Teaching Award recognizes an individual or group who has advanced Indigenous Ways of Knowing, and supported truth and reconciliation, decolonization, Indigenous engagement and transformation in an academic course or program. Nominations will be assessed based on evidence of the nominee’s (or nominees’) demonstrated ability related to one or more of the following criteria: 

• Motivate and inspire students’ interest and learning related to truth and reconciliation, Indigenous peoples, perspectives, knowledge systems, cultures, communities, histories, affairs and current realities. 
• Foster and model ongoing dialogue and active listening, acknowledging one’s own positionality and striving to create a shared, ethical space for teaching and learning.  
• Thoughtfully include Indigenous knowledges, stories, songs, creative expression, languages, methodologies, pedagogies, cultural protocols and/or traditions as a foundation for student learning and engagement. 
• Support and model authentic, respectful, culturally safe, inclusive and reciprocal relationship-building and collaboration with Indigenous peoples, Elders, Knowledge Keepers and communities. 
• Build capacity for intercultural understanding, empathy, and mutual respect. 
• Create a safe, brave, and trusting space for unsettling, addressing and transforming negative and/or racist attitudes, assumptions and conceptualizations about Indigenous peoples.  
• Facilitate and support learners to develop their critical engagement, decision-making and independent learning abilities to engage in decolonization, transformation, truths, reconciliation, healing and action. 
• Explore, reflect upon, gather feedback, and engage in ongoing learning to further advance Indigenous Ways of Knowing in postsecondary education, including the impact on learners, and model development over time. 
• Help to establish parallel processes through relative making and supporting oral cultures, protocols and engaging and using Indigenous Ways.

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 packages should include input from at least one member who is an Indigenous Elder, knowledge keeper or community member acknowledged by their Indigenous community, who has provided meaningful consultation to validate and protect the nominee and their supporters in the ways that support the practices of the Indigenous communities involved.  

Video and/or audio recorded submissions that recognize oral traditions and speak to the award criteria will be accepted.  The first 5-minutes of nomination statement recordings and recorded statement of support will be heard. The first 20-minutes of recordings for a nomination dossier will be heard.  

Recordings should present a first-person narrative to support the nomination (i.e., professionally produced videos will not be accepted). Video and audio recordings must be submitted in a format that is easily accessible to all members of the adjudication committee. Support and recommendations for creating and submitting recordings is available through the Taylor Institute for Teaching and Learning. 

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. 

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, guidance and validation from Indigenous Elders, knowledge keepers or community members acknowledged by their Indigenous community, and feedback from colleagues.  

The nomination dossier should be a maximum of 10 pages or 20 minutes maximum video or audio length: 

• Teaching and learning statement  
  The teaching and learning statement explains the rationale that guides your practice, and provides information about your context, approaches and contributions. It provides a narrative or story of why you do what you do to support student learning, growth and transformation. This statement should speak to Indigenous Ways of Knowing and the importance of supporting decolonization, Indigenous engagement and transformation in an academic course or program. 
• Descriptions of specific strategies 
  A description of specific strategies used to advance Indigenous Ways of Knowing, and to support decolonization and transformation in an academic course or program. This section should include some indication of the impact and influence of these strategies on student learning, growth, and transformation. 
• Summary of data, narratives, creative outputs and/or stories from students
  A summary of data, narratives, stories, testimonials, and/or creative outputs from students that demonstrates their learning, growth, and transformation.  
• Reflective summary statement
  A brief critical reflection and summary of the information included in the nomination dossier to put it into context and to demonstrate impact and learner transformation. This section should reflect a commitment to ongoing learning to further advance Indigenous Ways of Knowing in postsecondary education and model development over time. 

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 an Indigenous Elder or Knowledge Keeper, 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 committee will ensure representation of Indigenous peoples (beyond the Elder or Knowledge Keeper) and include members that are well-versed in Indigenous perspectives. The committee will be guided in its adjudication through consensus-based discussion with reference to the criteria for the award.

The University of Calgary encourages 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. 

Recipients for this award will also be Honoured through a parallel process that has been developed under the guidance of Elders. Each year, all nominees will be recognized for their contributions to the University of Calgary’s Indigenous Strategy ii’taa’poh’t’op through advancing Indigenous Ways of Knowing and supporting reconciliation, decolonization, Indigenous engagement and transformation in courses and programs.

Award recipients will be invited to join the University of Calgary Teaching Academy, to share their experience and expertise back to the academic community.