New $5,000 awards support innovative teaching

The University of Calgary’s Student Academic Assembly has created a $50,000 award pool to reward innovative teaching.

To be managed in partnership with the university’s Teaching and Learning Centre, individual awards up to $5,000 will support effective teaching on campus.

Students’ Union Vice-President Academic Shannon O’Connor says “the grant is intended to further support Faculty Teaching Certificate (FTC) graduates as they apply the knowledge, skills and attitudes they acquired during the program to their teaching.”

The grant makes possible the development and implementation of new and innovative teaching ideas.

“Applicants will be asked to evaluate the success of their innovation and share the idea and its impact with fellow faculty members at the U of C,” says O’Connor.

The funds have been made available from the 2005/2006 quality program, which represents a unique partnership between undergraduate students and the university, which bankrolled the funds as an outcome of a previous tuition consultation process.

Funds from the quality program are allocated to a wide variety of measures designed to improve the quality of education at the university.

Innovative Teaching Awards are available to applicants who have completed the FTC program, and who instruct students as part of their university role. Applications must be completed by Nov. 20, 2006 and are available at the Teaching and Learning Centre.