Excellence in Teaching Award

Each year at the annual conference CAP recognizes outstanding instructors from our member institutions. Many times part-time and full-time instructors in accelerated programs are overlooked for institutional awards, because of the way the criteria is written. I encourage you to take the time to nominate one of your outstanding instructors. These people love to teach, are passionate about the topics, their students, and their institutions. It is so encouraging and heart-warming to all CAP members to see the quality of programs and instructors at our sister institutions.

Nature and Recognition of the Award:
Each year up to three faculty from CAP member institutions will be recognized for excellence in the facilitation of learning in an accelerated program. The award recipients will receive a complimentary pass* to the 2010 CAP conference July 22-23 in Denver, and will be honored and given their awards during the CAP Business Meeting. Award recipients will also be encouraged to attend the annual conference in order to participate as a panelists and/or roundtable facilitator. The recipients will be asked to supply CAP with a color picture, preferably in electronic format. (*Please note that CAP cannot reimburse award recipients’ travel expenses, but will waive the conference registration fee for each recipient.)

Criteria for Selection:
CAP institutions may nominate one faculty member each year. If more than one nomination is received from an institution, the institutional members submitting the nominations will be contacted. CAP will request that the institution narrow their nominations to one. Nominees should demonstrate outstanding teaching in accelerated programs. Full-time or adjunct faculty members are eligible for nomination, but they must teach in an accelerated program. A variety of measures should be used to select the nominee, including:

• The quantitative and qualitative information provided by student evaluations;
• Evidence demonstrating how the faculty member relates to students as persons, encourages students as learners, challenges students to reach their maximum performance, makes the learning relevant and meaningful to the students, and gives constructive and timely feedback on assignments;
• Peer observations and reviews, anecdotal documentation of contributions to faculty meetings, curriculum development, facilitation of faculty development workshops, and community service;
• Evidence of outstanding and effective classroom facilitation, learning techniques, and accomplishments and contributions to the institution;
• Evidence of demonstrating academic excellence and contributions to the wider academic community.

Submission Guidelines:
Each CAP institution may nominate one faculty member. Therefore, CAP members from the same institution should collaborate on their nominations. A completed application will include:

1. The CAP ‘Excellence in Teaching’ Nomination Form completed in full (attached, and also available on the CAP Network Website at www.capnetwork.org).
2. A typed overview of the nominee’s accomplishments and contributions to the program.
3. A copy of the nominee’s resume or curriculum vitae.
4. Additional documentation could include, but is not limited to:
• Copies of end-of-course surveys;
• Peer review reports;
• Video tape of classroom teaching (no longer than 30 minutes);
• Evaluations (quantitative and qualitative) of faculty development workshops conducted;
• Institutional reports of excellence in curriculum development;
• Comments from students, other faculty members, program staff, or the institutional administration about the instructor’s teaching style and contributions to the institution;
• Scholarly articles published or other contributions to the wider academic community.

Awards Committee:
All submissions will be reviewed by the Awards Committee, which includes one member of the CAP Board and two other members who serve on one of the standing subcommittees. If a nomination is received from an institution represented on the Awards Committee, the Awards Committee member will recuse him/herself from the selection process.

Selection Procedure:
All nominations and supporting documentation must be received by Monday, April 12^th (Instructions and mailing information are noted on the Nomination Form). Because of the change of date of our annual conference from November to July this year, we will be asking for an unusually fast turn-around time once the information arrives at your institution. We want to allow enough time for winners to make their travel arrangements. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation in helping one of your faculty to be 'appreciated' for this honor if so chosen.

Nomination materials will be forwarded to the Awards Committee who shall review the nominations and recommend to the CAP Board their selections. The final decision to present these awards rests with the CAP Board.

Notification of Selection:
Awardees will be notified by Friday, April 30^th by a member of the CAP Board.

We hope you take this opportunity to nominate an outstanding educator in your accelerated program. Our faculty deserve to be recognized for their dedication to adult and nontraditional learners.