Bright Idea Award

 

In an attempt to encourage more faculty and especially newer faculty to present their effective teaching ideas at the annual Teaching and Leaning Poster Day and to submit an abstract the Center’s annual edition of Document of Innovations, the Teaching and Learning Center is awarding another award.

 

Description of the award:

 

• This award is for bright ideas about how to teach better. This year we are considering both traditional class innovations and online innovations.
• Unlike the Leahy Award, this award can be for a small innovation such as a different type of peer evaluation or a new assignment

 

Eligibility:

 

• All full-time, adjunct and part-time faculty are eligible through submitting an abstract and presenting a poster.
• The same project cannot be considered for both the Leahy award and the Bright Idea award in the same year.  It is hoped that bright idea winner will go on to submit for the Leahy award once they collected assessment data or implemented their innovation another time
• Anyone who submits a poster and abstract will be considered
• Individuals may submit for both a Leahy and a Bright Idea for different ideas

 

Selection Criteria:

 

• An original idea or an adaptation of an idea tried elsewhere that seems to work with our students
• An insightful reflection on why this innovation works with our students
• An idea that can be sustained in future classes, adapted to other classed by this instructor or other instructors
• A clear description of the innovation
• Assessment data is not necessary to be considered

 

Possibilities for Judges for the award:

 

• The Teaching and Learning Advisory Committee and Department Chairs are the judges provided they did not submit a poster to be considered for the award

 

Announcement of the award:

 

• We strive to give 2-3 Bright Idea Awards per year
• Winners will be announced at the annual Faculty Council Luncheon in June
• The prize would be a book on teaching in higher education and something to display in the winners’ offices (not a certificate)
• Please complete the form, electronically that may be found at http://www.usp.edu/teaching/innovations/Innovation Form/Default.aspx.
• You must answer all questions. If you do not receive a thank you it did not go through. You can always confirm with Mary Rafferty that she received it.

2007 Winners for Bright Idea Award

Christine Flanagan, Alison Mostrom, Dave Pauley

2008 Winners for Bright Idea Award

Bernard Brunner, Christine Flanagan, Jason, Porter, Alison Mostrom, Catherine Purzycki, Kevin Wolbach, Eva Agbada and Leslie Bowman

2009 Winners for Bright Idea Award

Cristina Hanganu-Bresch, Laura McCluggage, Karen J. Tietze, Gregory Thielman, Susan Wainwright