Distinguished Teacher Award nominations now open

Dear colleagues and students

The Distinguished Teacher Award is the highest accolade awarded to teaching staff at all levels within the University of Cape Town (UCT). Through the award, the university recognises excellent teaching and acknowledges the primary place of teaching and learning in the institution’s work.

Students and members of the academic staff are hereby invited to submit nominations for the Distinguished Teacher Award for 2019. All members of academic staff who have taught at UCT for a minimum period of five years are eligible for the award.

Nominations process

The Distinguished Teachers Award Committee considers nominations made by students and staff on behalf of a number of excellent teachers. The committee examines each submission in detail in accordance with a carefully devised rubric, terms of reference and set of criteria. Nominations must consist of a detailed statement making the case for the award in line with the criteria developed by the committee.

If a candidate accepts, he or she will submit a portfolio of no more than 20 pages (excluding student evaluation data) that needs to convey their distinct contribution to teaching and learning at UCT.

Criteria

The nominee should address the following in their portfolio:

• their teaching philosophy and pedagogical approach in the context of the teaching and learning challenges in South African higher education
• their contribution to curriculum renewal and transformation in teaching and learning
• their innovation in teaching and learning
• their impact on their students, beyond formal teaching time
• their impact on the teaching and learning approaches of their colleagues
• their notion and practice of inclusivity in their teaching
• their reflective teaching practices.

In addition, they can also submit:

• a reflection on their scholarship of teaching and learning, including any relevant publications, conference attendance and research projects
• a reflection on how they design their learning materials to be accessible to differently abled students.

The Distinguished Teachers Award Committee examines each nominee’s portfolio for evidence of their distinct contribution to teaching and learning at UCT.

The committee may recommend up to a maximum of four recipients per year, and the awards are formally announced at an appropriate graduation ceremony. A citation recognising the recipient is set out in the programme for the ceremony and a purse is attached to the award.

Nominations

Nomination letters should consist of a statement making the case for the award in line with the above-mentioned criteria. Please email nominations to distinguishedteacher@uct.ac.za before 10 November 2019.

Nominees are required to submit their portfolios by 31 January 2020.

View past awardees.

Sincerely

Associate Professor Lis Lange
Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Teaching and Learning

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