Citations and awards workshop

CRICOS QLD00244B NSW 02225M TEQSA:PRF12081

Citations and Awards Workshop 2017

http://bit.ly/aautReady

Overview

• Others’ journeys (benefits and experiences)• Characteristics of excellent teachers• How to start? • Taking advantage of previous national markers’ feedback

– Strength of argument

– Teaching philosophy

• Explain teaching context

– Structure

– Evidence

Research into Australian award winners • Prior (2010)

– Hidden side of a teaching award application• Benefits (Ballantyne et al. 2003)

– Recognition and reward for good teaching – Direct and indirect impacts on the quality of teaching– Promotion and marketing of education

• Motivation– More than half of 93 (from 119 national teaching awardees 2005-

10) respondents (Israel 2011): – To obtain promotion (54 respondents); – to develop links between teaching and research (58); – to obtain a leadership position within teaching and learning (52); – to encourage change in teaching practice (79); or – to mentor other staff (71)

Motivation:When I feel that I should give up and take the easy way out, I think of the award which tells me that I can do the right thing and do it the right way. Then the award works like a stick and drives me forward

Validation of “teaching identity” I think the regard in which these awards were administered meant a lot to us at the time because we felt we had been recognised for creating exemplary working conditions/ learning experiences for our students. For me personally, this meant a great deal and I have added it to my Bio in all that I have done since.

Recognition for a job well doneAllows the awardee to demonstrate that they have capacity to be creative, independent, responsible, culturally sensitive thinkers. BUT it is the work that you are asked to do because people put faith in you (due to your award) that matters the most. I have had a colleague in Arts Queensland say to me: “wow, you are fair dinkum! What your CV says about is actually what you can do!”

Acknowledgement of a powerful career and/or of huge contributions made over a life spanThe 2010 award allowed me to ‘cash my chips’ on a large-scale, extensive music syllabus covering some 12 courses which were subsequently cut by the university. There are times when it is right to seek recognition when courses have a relatively short shelf-life (mine had about 8-10 years which was pretty good).

USQ stories

Imparts skills and enthusiasm for teaching and learning to other staffThe award increased invitations to assist others in their promotional and award-writing initiatives. It may well have assisted in providing me with kudos/credence and evidence of my teaching ability when applying to sit on boards and doing my pro bono work in the arts community – not that I can equivocally state this, but I suspect it establishes esteem around my work in the sector.

Leads to management positions… in conjunction with the emergence of new governance structures that have Associate Deans … then I think you have got a real recipe for progression and agency and opportunity, and university-wide contribution

Leads to research projects and fellowships & furnishes research connections and networksThe Citation probability helped me get my first OLT Grant – it was in the same area. Once you get known in the community you pick up roles in other grant applications. Another outcome is that I am currently consulting with the wider industry – using the deliverables from my OLT project. Real impact!!

But at a teaching cost in the teaching/research nexus My current reputation as a researcher is usurping my reputation as a nationally recognised teacher because in order to accomplish research goals, I must find funding to buy out teaching. It is a sad but necessary paradox.

Boosts promotionThe ALTC citation that we won meant that I was able to apply for promotion earlier than I might otherwise. I was promoted to level B while I was in the first year of my PhD studies and I was promoted to senior lecturer within 2 years of completing my PhD, I don’t think this would have occurred without winning the ALTC citation in 2008It allowed me to demonstrate peer recognition of my teaching in a way that enhanced my promotion eligibility, first to Aspro then to Professor. The award raises your credibility.

Characteristics of Excellent Teachers

• Discipline/subject• Learning and Teaching• Expectations of students as learners• Support for students as learners• Trust in students• Reflection and evaluation• Institutional context

How to start: the big picture

First a citation, first at own institution…………………• Talk to a mentor/colleague about what it is that you do that is outstanding/

extraordinary?– This becomes your citation (AKA your thesis or elevated pitch…in other

words the stance for your narrative)

Activity – developing your citation

• Read through Nancy’s contribution• Note down your own contribution – dot

points will do• Answer the questions• Have a go at writing your citation

Getting started – the big picture (cont)

– Link pitch to a specific criterion and check criterion fine print• What is it that you do to achieve this?

– These become the main points (or claims) (first sentence of a paragraph)

– Link to students’ learning outcomes and/or your criterion’s fine print?

• How do you know it contributes to students’ learning?– This becomes your evidence (rest of paragraph or section)

• Link to claim/main point • Both qualitative and quantitative • Conduct evaluations• Think laterally (both quant and qual) and collect from:

– Peers, experts in the field, students and benchmarking

Additional points

Showing Iterative Improvement

• What needed improvement?

• How did you intervene?• What evidence is there

of your intervention working?

• What do you plan to do next?

Integrating national feedback or “how to make your application convincing by giving the markers

what they expect1. Work on strength of argument

2. Incoherent teaching philosophy

a) Explain teaching context

3. Develop a better structure

4. Lack of evidence beyond student voices

5. Consistency of evidence across nomination (between letters and

nomination)

6. Inappropriate criterion selection should show sustainability of

contribution instead of sustainability of career

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2XIQkDldpmI






1. Strength of argument 1. Your argument is introduced in the citation2. This citation needs to explain why your teaching is

extraordinary in terms of students’ learning3. Needs to meet marking criteria: that the assessment will be based on the extent to which nominees show evidence that their contribution has: • influenced student learning, student engagement or the

overall student experience• gained recognition from fellow staff, the institution, and/or

the broader community• been sustained for a period of no less than three years (two

years for early career), not including time taken for development or trial of any activity.



1. Strength of argument is not: a) Work that is normally expected of a good

teacher/your professional responsibilityb) Based on excellent evaluations / this is

evidence used to support the strength of the argument

2. Strength is what is that you do that is gob-smackingly excellent/makes a difference to students’ learning/ out of the ordinary

Activity: strength of argument

• In pairs seek feedback from each other about the strength of your citation/ narrative

• Has your application:• influenced student learning, student engagement or

the overall student experience• gained recognition from fellow staff, the institution,

and/or the broader community• been sustained for a period of no less than three years

(two years for early career), not including time taken for development or trial of any activity.

• Do you have the evidence to support this?



2. Teaching philosophy• Your teaching philosophy statement reflects:

– Your personal beliefs about teaching and learning, – Your disciplinary culture & institutional structures and cultures – stakeholder expectations (a synergy among self, discipline, and

institutional context) – the purpose of teaching and learning; – the role of the teacher; – the role of the student; – the methods used; – evaluation and assessment of teaching and learning

• Includes references to theorists that have informed your philosophy (you need to include a Reference List as part of the 2017 directions)

Use a framing device for your philosophy: • A metaphor or a critical incident• A device for acknowledging the impact that

contextual (learning and teaching environment) factors have on your teacher decision making– How have you catered for diversity of abilities,

experiences, learning styles and cultural backgrounds?

– How do you support students to become confident, self-directed, and independent learners?


Activity: teaching philosophy

• In pairs / or by yourself write a paragraph explaining your teaching philosophy

• In other words, what matters to you in your teaching?

• Link it/explain in relation to your teaching context?

• Link it to theorists



3. Argument structure 1. Citation introduces argument 2. Developed through sections linked to citation

a. Overview of the contribution and its contextb. Philosophy

3. Statement addressing the assessment criterion which is structured into paragraphs:a. Each paragraph includes a main point linked to citation b. Evidence of the contribution including explanation of

impact on student learning c. A range of evidence (only 1 or 2 pieces of evidence

linked/explaining main point4. Does not include:

1. Long lists of evidence not linked to main points



Activity: argument structure:

Citation: For sustained contribution to curriculum development in music education and for enhancing access to music education for a diverse groups of students.Citation: for enlivening social theory to inspire students to become agents of change for a just, democratic and sustainable society Choose one of these citations and decide how this

argument was structured?Using your citation or award narrative develop a

mind map/list of your argument’s structure?

Convincing evidenceWhy?• Provides depth to your application• Verifies your claims• Demonstrates how your contribution has

• influenced student learning, student engagement or the overall student experience;

• been sustained over time; and

• gained recognition from fellow staff, the institution, and/or the broader community.

Using evidence responsibly• Solicited vs unsolicited

– Both appropriate and meaningful• Awareness of power relationships• Inherently biased and selective• Quoting accurately• Maintaining records and/or a teaching portfolio• Confidentiality protected• Must be specifically identified

– (s1, 2016 SETS feedback)– Unsolicited student feedback, email, 2017

Effective selection of evidence• As broad a time period as possible• As many and varied sources as possible• Give voice to those who matter to you

– Eg. a WIL application should include industry evidence• As many types as possible (numbers, words, scores etc)

– Eg. pass rates, login counts, SFT scores (with commentary), emails

• A mix of gathered and arm’s length – Eg. Feedback collected from students in class and student

feedback results• Do not include evidence like

– “s/he is the best teacher ever” (quote needs to be linked to main point and explain why/how

– Generalised evidence


Sources of Evidence

Peers Self

Student Reactions Student Learning

• Discussed in some detail as the “Evidence Grid” in Hill (2010)

Peers• classroom performance (face-to-face using• observations/video)• course materials• course content• assessment practices• scholarship of teaching• management of teaching• teaching and learning strategies• leadership roles• publications on teaching/scholarship• Levels of peers – senior, supervisor, reviewers, colleagues etc


Self• teaching journal• teaching philosophy• self reflections, analysis & evaluation• reflective course memo• responsiveness to student feedback• publications• leadership roles


Student Reactions

• student evaluation of teaching• student interviews (focus, nominal groups)• informal class student feedback• course experience questionnaire (CEQ) etc• unsolicited student feedback• student logs and journals• on-line feedback


Student Learning

• students’ self-reported knowledge/ skill gained• rates of attrition, failure, progression to

honours/postgraduate• course identification and evaluation of generic• skills/outcomes/attributes• student work - assessment, thesis, projects• employer/workplace feedback• approaches to study questionnaire etc



Another Framework

Practice Development

Publication Leadership

• From Leed’s University document on teaching positions.

http://web.archive.org/web/20060715172027/http://www.leeds.ac.uk/hr/policy/documents/teachingpromotion.doc

Practice

• Peer reviews of teaching by colleagues• Portfolio of teaching materials• References• Student Feedback on Teaching results and

commentary• Successful completion of Professional

Development and Training• Documentation and evaluation of one’s own

innovative teaching developments



Development

• Attendance/presentations at workshops/seminars/conference, particularly invitational

• Evidence that a curriculum innovation has been adopted elsewhere

• Complete or in-progress learning and teaching grants



Publication

• Commissioned reports and other contributions• Published papers addressing pedagogic matters• Text books for school and undergraduate use, with

evidence of uptake and external reviews• Web based teaching materials, with evidence of

uptake and external reviews



Leadership

• Academic leadership roles within USC, and/or elsewhere• Mentoring of new staff, with comments from mentees• References commenting on the contribution to L&T

regionally/nationally/internationally– from a senior academic external to the University– from community members/organisations

• Work for professional accrediting bodies • Service on relevant committees/groups• Awards received for learning and teaching achievements



Collecting and Using Evidence

• Keep copies of emails, cards, notes• Ask people to provide evidence• Seek out opportunities for feedback and reflection• Be purposeful in gathering what you need• Include source and date in application• For Citations, use references to communicate

additional evidence

Activity - evidence

• Consider your citation and excellent teaching practices. On the worksheet provided, note down some forms of evidence you can use to support your claims.

1. Categorise your list according to: Already have this evidence Can collect this evidence myself Need assistance to collect this evidence

2. Discuss and compare lists with the person next to you

A few things about writing style• First person• Active voice• Accessible formatting• Approachable Language• Your voice• Write abundantly, edit thoroughly (the 1/3 rule)• Read aloud• Benchmark and compare• Triangulate• Keep students and student learning upfront

Think about nonverbal communication• Use space for marker accessibility• Use headings, for example:

– Recognition beyond• Institutionally • Nationally• Internationally

• Use bold (etc.) with caution• No pictures (uses up space)• Separate quotes (italics, colour?) and be

consistent with these in setting out

So…to summarise?

• An application is a lot of work (including collecting and organising evidence, seeking mentoring, gathering feedback, etc.)

• Awards provide validation, credibility, increased career satisfaction and social capital to stimulate change in learning and teaching

• Opportunities that the awards bring may not be well structured nor well timed, and it may be hard to cope with the quantity and nature of the subsequent workload. Few institutions helped awardees plan their future strategically (Israel, 2011)

• Regardless of the outcome, there is the advantage of personal and professional growth that can empower you to make a difference

Very best wishes

References

Ballantyne, R, Packer, J, Smeal, G & Bain, J 2003, Review of the Australian Awards for University Teaching: Report to the Australian Universities Teaching Committee. Available from

http://web.archive.org/web/20060821192118/http://autc.gov.au/pubs/reviews/review_aaut.pdf

Israel, M 2011, The Key to the Door? Teaching Awards in Australian Higher Education. Available from https://www.flinders.edu.au/Teaching_and_Learning_Files/awards/College/

Israel_executive%20summary%20and%20advice.pdf

Prior, R. (2010). The hidden side of a teaching award application. In Muldoon (Ed.) Rethinking learning in youyr discipline. Proceedings of the University Learning and Teaching Colloquium 2010. Armidale, Australia

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