Excellence in Online Teaching Award
The Excellence in Online Teaching Award (EOTA) encourages and honors outstanding online and hybrid teaching at NIU. It recognizes NIU faculty and instructors whose performance exemplifies a commitment to excellence in online teaching, course development and student engagement.
Nominations are submitted to the Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning (CITL) for consideration by a review panel comprised of a subcommittee of members of the Innovative Teaching and Learning Advisory Committee (ITLAC), Online Learning Advisory Council (OLAC) and past award winners, chaired by the associate vice provost for teaching, learning and digital education. This review committee will select the award recipient(s).
The recipient(s) of this award shall receive a plaque and a $2,000 one-time stipend. All recipients shall be required to present a campus-wide seminar describing their approach to online teaching, with emphasis on teaching philosophy and innovative pedagogical approaches.
If you have any questions about the award or nomination process, contact Jason Rhode, associate vice provost for teaching, learning and digital education, at jrhode@niu.edu.
2023 Award Winners
Kate Cady
Department of Communications
Lynn Dykstra
School of Nursing
Donna Werderich
Department of Curriculum and Instruction
Criteria and Eligibility
Nominees for the Excellence in Online Teaching Award (EOTA) should demonstrate:
- Exceptional effort to ensure the quality of the students' online learning environment.
- High standards for the rigor and currency of course content and the level of student performance.
- Innovation in online course development and delivery of for-credit courses.
- Direct and significant impact upon the involvement with online students.
- Demonstrated dedication to enhancing online teaching skills, improving online curriculum and/or advancing research opportunities in the area of online education.
- Evidence that the candidate's contributions have enhanced effectiveness in the online learning environment.
Examples of online teaching excellence include following NIU online course design essentials in online course development and online teaching principles for success in online course delivery.
All those who teach online or hybrid courses (tenured and tenure-track faculty members, instructors, and teaching staff) are eligible. There is no limit as to the number of nominees from any department/program or college. Self-nominations are allowed and encouraged.
An individual can only receive the EOTA once. Members of CITL are not eligible.
Timetable/Deadlines
| Date | Activity |
|---|---|
| January 31, 2024 | Nominations due to CITL |
| March 8, 2024 | Applicants and chairs notified of the results |
| April 2024 | Awards presented at the Faculty Awards Ceremony |
Nomination Form and Process
Following the instructions completely will ensure consideration of the nomination.
The nominator shall submit the cover sheet (DOCX), nomination form (DOCX), and complete the submission packet by email to citl@niu.edu. The submission packet will include evidence that the nominee meets the criteria, as well as:
- A one-page summary of the online courses taught that includes the semester, modality and enrollment. Note any courses that have been externally reviewed for quality and which program, such as NIU Online Course Quality Essentials Review, Blackboard Exemplary Course Program or Quality Matters.
- Evidence of teaching effectiveness, including a clear summary of teaching evaluations and/or observations for online courses only.
- Three letters of support*
- Nominee's vita.
*One letter shall be written by a current or former online student. The second letter shall be from a current or emeritus faculty member (tenure-track faculty or instructor), preferably from within the nominee's college. The third letter must be from a peer evaluator who can comment on online course delivery and development. This could be a faculty colleague, chair, or perhaps CITL staff member whom the nominee has worked with. The letters of support each shall not exceed two single-sided pages.
The award criteria can be addressed on separate pages for each criterion or within the letters of support. Please be certain that the nomination materials, particularly the three letters, address the criteria.
Past Recipients
|
2022
|
Dana Bardolph, Department of Anthropology |
|
2021
|
Stephanie Baker, Department of Special and Early Education |
Contact Us
Academic Affairs
Undergraduate
Richard Mazzolini
rmazzolini1@niu.edu
815-753-8381
Graduate
The Graduate School
gradsch@niu.edu
815-753-0395
International Affairs
Sarah Lindell
slindell@niu.edu
815-753-9526
