Sub sections:
OLT Awards for Programs that Enhance Learning
OLT Program Awards recognise learning and teaching support programs and services that make an outstanding contribution to the quality of student learning and the quality of the student experience of higher education. The programs and services that receive Program Awards must have demonstrated their effectiveness through rigorous evaluation and will set benchmarks for similar activities in other institutions.
In 2013 the OLT offers up to 12 awards, across eight categories, valued at $25,000 each.
Categories
There are seven Program Award categories, as follows:
1. Widening participation, encompassing approaches to learning and teaching which enhance student access, widen participation, and support progression.
2. Educational partnerships and collaborations with other organisations, encompassing partnerships between universities, and universities and other organisations—such as schools, private higher education providers, registered training organisations, professional bodies businesses and industries – in collaborative approaches to learning and teaching.
3. The first-year experience, encompassing the academic and social transition to higher education, learning and teaching within large student groups, and the quality of the first-year student experience.
4. Flexible learning and teaching, encompassing approaches to learning and teaching that afford flexibility in time, place and/or mode of learning.
5. Innovation in curricula, learning and teaching, encompassing innovations that encourage novel approaches to learning and teaching, innovations that align assessment with curriculum design, innovations that encourage or support multidisciplinary, research-based learning and teaching approaches, innovations that utilise the potential of new and/or emerging technologies.
6. Postgraduate education, encompassing programs that focus on postgraduate students, postgraduate coursework learning and teaching, postgraduate research supervision and research higher degree candidature, and postgraduate learning support.
7. Services supporting student learning, encompassing services directly related to student learning such as services for specific groups of students, information access, course advising, language and learning support, counselling and disability support.
8. Global citizenship and internationalisation, including curriculum, student exchange, student experience, international recruitment, international recruitments and transition programs for international students.
Eligibility for nomination
Nomination is open to all programs and services that enhance student learning. Eligible programs should be broader than one or two subjects or a limited service that involves only a few students. For example, programs may involve a service or program provided at the institutional, faculty or school level, a program of study across a year or number of years, or a service or program directed at particular groups of students.
UNE may submit only one nomination under each category. Previous recipient programs (Carrick Award, ALTC Award or Australian Award for University Teaching) are ineligible for renomination.
Teams may be of any size. If a team is larger than five members, a team name should be given.
Selection criteria
All nominations for Program Awards will be assessed on the evidence they provide in relation to the following four criteria. Each will be given equal consideration:
1. Distinctiveness, coherence and clarity of purpose – the extent to which the program has clear objectives and systematic approaches to coordination, implementation and evaluation
2. Influence on student learning and student engagement – the extent to which the program targets identified needs and directly or indirectly enhances student learning, student engagement and/or the overall student experience of higher education
3. Breadth of impact – the extent to which the program has led to widespread benefits for students, staff, the institution, and/or other institutions, consistent with the purpose of the program
4. Concern for equity and diversity – the extent to which the program promotes and supports equity and inclusiveness by improving access, participation and outcomes for diverse student groups.
In assessing nominations against the four selection criteria the following will be taken into account:
1. evidence of the effectiveness of the program in formal and informal evaluation
2. the degree of creativity, imagination or innovation
3. evidence of the sustained effectiveness of the program for no less than 3 years
UNE Processes, support and times lines
1. Potential applicants must submit an Expression of Interest to olt-admin@une.edu.au by 5pm on 11 February, 2013.
2. EOI's will be evaluated by UNE OLT Grants and Awards Committee before 18 February, 2013. The Committee will determine which applicants will receive institutional support to develop their applications for submission. All applicants will be provided with written feedback from the Committee. Please note: success at the OI stage does not imply that an application will receive institutional endorsement for submission to the OLT. The decision to provide institutional endorsement for a nomination is the sole discretion of the Vice-Chancellor, or his delegate, based on advice from the Committee. This advice is based on the extent to which the written application presented addresses the selection criteria.
3. Successful applicants will be able to develop the EOI into a full application with support from the Institutional Contact Officer (ICO). Individual consultations and support will be provided for Program Awards applicants.
4. Complete applications must be submitted to olt-admin@une.edu.au by 5pm on 24 May, 2013.
5. The Committee will assess completed applications and determine which applications may receive endorsement. Successful applicants will be provided with feedback for further development of their application. Unsuccessful applicants will also be provided with feedback, but will not have the opportunity to submit another version in 2013.
6. Final applications must be submitted to olt-admin@une.edu.au by 5pm 14 June, 2013.
7. The Committee will assess the Final applications and make a recommendation regarding institutional endorsement to the Vice-Chancellor's delegate (PVC Educational Innovation and International). The PVC EII will determine which applications will be endorsed for submission to the OLT based on the recommendation of the Committee. This decision is final.
8. UNE's Institutional Contact Officer will complete the submission of endorsed nominations to the Office for Learning and Teaching by the closing date of 5pm 4 July, 2013.
