The office of Distance Learning and Instructional Technologies invites nominations for its 2016 awards for outstanding contributions to the field of online education and innovative use of technology in teaching and learning at UNT Dallas. There are two award categories:

1. Innovative Teaching with Technology Award

This award recognizes a current UNT Dallas faculty member for improving student learning or engagement through an approach that leverages technology. The award also provides individuals or teams an opportunity to showcase their use of a technology-based idea, tool, or process created for direct use in the classroom or online. Nominees should be able to provide descriptions and concrete examples of how he or she enhances student engagement and learning through innovative ways of integrating technology into their teaching practice and classroom environment. The submission must demonstrate a connection with student success in a traditional face-to-face, a hybrid or an online course at UNT Dallas.

The range of acceptable entries is broad-such as the incorporation of a new technology, or the use of an existing technology or teaching methodology in a unique way. Nominations for this award could be any technology-based teaching strategy, approach, technique, or tool that is used, or used in a new way, to produce quantifiable gain for student outcomes or the student experience, and can be implemented widely at UNT Dallas.

Some examples include, but are not limited to:

  • Use of clickers or apps to improve student participation and success rates.
  • Use of multimedia elements that help students more thoroughly grasp subjects.
  • Use of simulations or games who add a “real-world” perspective.
  • Use of social networking tools directly in the classroom.
  • Use of a specific technology-based pedagogy (i.e. Flipped classroom, Video assignments, Online discussions)
  • Impacting the classroom climate or environment through the use of edu-tools.
  • Organizing team or group work in a classroom through the innovative use of Blogs, Wikis or Journals.

2. Outstanding Online Course Award

Recognizes an outstanding faculty member who has creatively utilized appropriate Internet-based technologies to teach online and/or hybrid courses in UNT Dallas. The recipient must have designed and taught one or more online or blended courses with an imaginative approach, well-designed course materials, and instructional strategies, and a demonstrated rapport with the course participants. The recipient must also document effectiveness in achieving desired learning outcomes in the online and/or blended course(s).

The nomination must be associated with a specific electronically-delivered course (offered at least 50% online) during Fall 2015, Spring 2016 or Summer 2016. All hybrid or fully online courses that have effectively met the Online Quality Assurance standards established by the Office of Distance Learning and Instructional Technology can be nominated for this award.