Vice-Chancellor's Citations for Excellence in Enhancing Learning

Focus

These awards are designed to encourage recognition of the many and diverse contributions that combine to create effective learning environments and will link directly to the Carrick Citations for Outstanding Contributions to Student Learning. The ALTC Citations invite each university to submit up to 10 nominees in priority order and the VC's Citations are designed to provide this list.

Award

Up to 10 staff members will be awarded a $1000 grant and a citation which describes the distinctive contribution of the recipient. These individual citations will be unique and will reflect the diverse ways in which university staff and associates contribute to excellent learning and teaching in higher education. These recipients will be ranked and will form the 10 nominees submitted by Murdoch for the Carrick Citations for Outstanding Contributions to Student Learning.

Eligibility

The range of eligibility is broader than is the case for the Excellence in Teaching Awards and is open to any current general or academic staff member at Murdoch including teaching staff, teaching support staff, student learning and student equity staff, career counselling, educational design staff and library staff employed or contracted by Murdoch. Postgraduate education, either postgraduate coursework or postgraduate research supervision, may also be recognised through the Citations. Staff may come from any academic faculty or administrative Division. The contributions to learning recognised by the Citations will be wide ranging and may include involvements in curriculum renewal and creation, innovation in assessment, the leadership of teaching programs or 'behind the scenes' contributions to learning resource development. Nominees may also have contributed through working directly with students or professional development programs for teaching staff or high quality research into learning and teaching. Specific activities relating to the effective teaching for international students, or student guidance and advice, or teaching students from equity groups may also be areas in which staff may be nominated for the Citations.

Selection Committee

The Committee will be the same as for the Vice-Chancellor's Excellence in Teaching Awards.

Nomination and Selection Process

Both individuals and teams may be nominated. Staff in any of the categories above may be formally nominated by a student, fellow staff member, or themselves. There is a formal Nomination Form which must be completed. In addition, the nominee's contribution must be described in up to 4 pages, which will contain a citation of up to 25 words summarising the distinctive contribution of the nominee. Two personal references of no more than one A4 page are also required, one of which must be from the head of staff member's organisational unit or school. The nomination form must be submitted to the Faculty Dean or DVC heading the Division employing the staff member, who will add a very brief reference confirming the contribution of the staff member. The nominations will be considered by the Selection Committee and a final list of 10, in priority order, will be submitted to the Vice-Chancellor for endorsement. This list will then be forwarded to the ALTC as Murdoch's nominations for the national Citations for Outstanding Contribution to Student Learning. Recipients of national citations are awarded $10,000 and receive their citations at a state-level ceremony in August.

Criteria

Given the breadth of activity and achievement to be recognised it is important that the selection criteria not be constraining. Outstanding contributions will be recognised by their influence upon student learning, engagement or overall student experience, and also by their degree of recognition within their institution or beyond. The selection of winners of Citations 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;
• been sustained over time; and
• gained recognition from fellow staff, the institution, and/or the broader community.

The following five selection criteria for the V-C's Citations for Excellence in Enhancing Learning are the same as for the Carrick Citations for Outstanding Contribution to Student Learning:

1. Approaches to teaching that influence, motivate and inspire students to learn
2. Development of curricula and resources that reflect a command of the field
3. Approaches to assessment and feedback that foster independent learning
4. Respect and support for the development of students as individuals
5. Scholarly activities that have influenced and enhanced learning and teaching

The criteria are described in more detail in the Guidelines for Nominations. They describe and capture the diversity of specific contributions that might merit nomination for Citations. Nominees for Citations will be asked to identify one or more of the five criteria against which they wish their nomination to be judged. The principal reason for this requirement is to encourage nominees to locate their contribution (and hence their argument) within the broader arena of learning and teaching.

Timeline for Nominations and Selection

Nomination Form
Guidelines for Nominations

For further information contact:
Dr Rick Cummings
Teaching and Learning Centre
9360 2354
R.Cummings@murdoch.edu.au