Teaching Excellence Awards

University of Galway Teaching Awards 2024-25

1. University of Galway prides itself on being a student-centred and research-intensive University, and we seek to be recognised nationally and internationally for our excellence and leadership in selected and distinctive programmes of teaching and research. Teaching and research are both central to the role of staff, and excellence in teaching and in creative and scholarly work go hand in hand. Inspirational teaching has always been a key feature of the learning experience at University of Galway. The President’s Awards for Teaching Excellence recognise the outstanding efforts of teaching staff to ensure University of Galway students receive the highest quality learning experience. These awards represent an ideal opportunity to demonstrate our appreciation of the efforts and commitment of our colleagues.

2. "Teaching Excellence" is a fairly broad concept. For the purposes of this award scheme it may include, for example:

A reflective approach to teaching and learning;
Inspirational, stimulating and imaginative approaches to teaching;
The use of teaching and learning methods which encourage students to become independent, critical thinkers fully engaged with the subject matter;
A high level of awareness of contemporary issues in the teaching of a particular discipline and higher education in general;
Appropriate and effective links between research and teaching or support for learning;
Effective and innovative design and delivery of courses;
Experience of the use of diverse but appropriate assessment methods;
Enthusiasm for, and commitment to, collegiality by influencing, stimulating and encouraging best practice amongst colleagues;
Empathy and support for a diverse range of students.

3. All staff involved in teaching at University of Galway are eligible to be nominated and considered for a Teaching Excellence Award.

4. Nominations can be put forward by any two, or more, staff, students or alumni of the University, using a standard online nomination form. Such nominations require a short statement regarding the reasons for the nomination, and which of the criteria for ‘teaching excellence’ the candidate demonstrates.

5. Those nominees who have received President’s Teaching Awards are not eligible to be considered again until a period of five years has elapsed. Those nominees who have received College Teaching Awards are eligible to be considered again following a two year period.*

6. Those for whom valid nominations have been submitted, will be invited to submit a ‘Supporting Case Document’. This document (of no more than five sides of A4) should include:

A statement of Teaching Philosophy. This is a description of the nominee’s view as to the underlying principles upon which their approaches to teaching and learning are based; giving references to any appropriate conceptual frameworks or theoretical perspectives which they may use.
A description of the Teaching Context. This is a summary of the nominee’s teaching experience; types and extent of teaching undertaken; a description of students impacted by the nominee’s work (undergraduate, postgraduate, professional etc.); the nominee’s approaches to teaching and assessment; any particular challenges identified by the nominee and how these are addressed.
A Case for Excellence: Referring to the criteria listed above (item 2), outline examples of good practice and specific achievements from the last three to five years.
Evaluation and Development of Teaching: A description of methods used by the nominee to evaluate and develop their teaching, providing any relevant results from surveys and/or other methods used.
Contribution to the Profession: A brief description, giving examples, of how the nominee has contributed to the profession through internal or externally focused educational leadership.
Student Feedback: Nominees should include an additional page consisting of student feedback in support of their nomination*

7. Each College will establish a Teaching Awards Panel and applications received will be sent to the appropriate panel members for consideration. The panel will include:

Dean, as Chair
Vice-Dean for Teaching & Learning (or equivalent)
Two members of academic staff in the College (nominated by the Dean)
One, or more, student representatives
A senior member of academic staff from another College
Any additional members that may be required to reflect the nature of the College

Panel membership will exclude anyone nominated for an award, or who has nominated a colleague/staff member, or who has any other potential conflict of interest with regards any of the nominations under consideration.

8. Each College will award a maximum of three individual awards and a maximum of one team award. The successful candidates will also have their submissions forwarded on to the President’s Teaching Awards scheme (see below) for consideration.

9. The President will establish a review panel for university-level Teaching Excellence Awards which will include:

The Deputy President and Registrar (Chair)
The Director of CELT
The Director of Quality
The President and Education Officer of the Students’ Union
Two past winners of Teaching Excellence Awards (nominated by the Deputy President and Registrar)
An external member, nominated by the President

Any potential conflicts of interest will be taken into consideration in the composition of this panel and appropriate substitutions made when necessary.

10. The panel will award up to three individual and one team award.

11. Additionally, the Student members will select a Students’ Award winner from the submissions under consideration by the Presidents’ Teaching Awards panel.

12. Where possible, the awards will be conferred by the President at a University ceremony.

Panel Working Methods

The core criteria listed above will be addressed by each Panel in considering an application, and all applications will be considered “in the round”.

The College, University and Student Panels have the right to make autonomous decisions based on the information provided and their discussions, reserving also the right to seek further clarification if required for particular applications. All Panels, following consultation with the Deputy President and Registrar, will have the right to disqualify any nomination received that is found to have been in breach of the guidelines above.

Having had a full discussion “in the round”, Panels will determine their three individual nominees by the following method: Each Panel member shall rank the applications, starting with 1. These shall be collated and awards shall be made to the three candidates with the highest aggregate score (i.e. the lowest total number). In the event of a tie, a fourth award may be made. The same method shall be used for a single team award. The Student Award will be determined by the Students’ Union Panel.

Awards

Awards will consist of Teaching Development Grants that may be used for the purchase of equipment, to support conference participation, teaching development, or any other relevant purpose. College Awards will be to the value of €750, University-level Awards to the value of €750 in addition to the College Award.

Award recipients will be required to submit to the Office of the DPR a one-page report on how the Teaching Development Grant is used.

The University will wish to publicise the awards and award holders through various media and, therefore, award holders should be prepared to appear in such publicity materials. It would also be expected that award winners would participate in a teaching focused seminar or event organised by CELT and/or the Office of the DPR.

*denotes amend to scheme made in 2022-23

Timeline 2024 - 25

Call for Nominations: Tuesday, 3 December 2024

Closing Date for Nominations: Thursday, 19 December 2024

Invitation issued to nominees to complete supporting documentation: Thursday, 16 January 2025

Closing Date for Submission of Supporting Case: Friday 14 February, 2025

College Panels Meet: early March 2025

University Panel Meets: Late March 2025

Awards are administered by the Office of the Deputy President and Registrar and CELT.

Prof. Becky Whay

Interim Deputy President and Registrar,

November 2024.

FAQ's 2024

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Gradaim 2024-25 Ollscoil na Gaillimh don Fheabhas Teagaisc

1. Tá Ollscoil na Gaillimhe bródúil as a seasamh mar Ollscoil atá dírithe ar mhic léinn agus ar thaighde, agus táimid ag iarraidh aitheantas náisiúnta agus idirnáisiúnta a bhaint amach as ár bhfeabhas agus as ár gceannaireacht i gcláir theagaisc agus thaighde áirithe den chéad scoth. Gnéithe bunúsacha de ról na gcomhaltaí foirne iad an teagasc agus an taighde, agus is as lámha a chéile a oibríonn teagasc den chéad scoth agus saothar cruthaitheach agus léannta den chéad scoth. Gné bhunúsach den taithí foghlama in Ollscoil na Gaillimhe riamh anall ba ea scoth an teagaisc. Tugann Gradaim an Uachtaráin don Fheabhas Teagaisc aitheantas don obair iontach atá ar bun ag an bhfoireann teagaisc chun a chinntiú go bhfaigheann mic léinn Ollscoil na Gaillimhe taithí foghlama den chéad scoth. Is deis iontach na gradaim seo leis an meas atá againn ar iarrachtaí agus ar dhílseacht ár gcomhghleacaithe a léiriú.

2. Is coincheap sách leathan é “Feabhas Teagaisc”. Chun críche na scéime gradam seo, d’fhéadfadh na nithe seo a leanas a bheith i gceist:

Cur chuige machnamhach i leith an teagaisc agus na foghlama;
Cuir chuige spreagúla agus shamhlaíocha i leith an teagaisc;
Úsáid a bhaint as modhanna teagaisc agus foghlama chun mic léinn a spreagadh chun bheith ina smaointeoirí neamhspleácha, criticiúla agus iad ag dul i ngleic leis an ábhar go hiomlán;
Leibhéal ard feasachta ar shaincheisteanna comhaimseartha a bhaineann le disciplín áirithe a theagasc agus le hardoideachas i gcoitinne;
Naisc fheiliúnacha agus éifeachtacha idir taighde agus teagasc nó tacaíocht don fhoghlaim;
Dearadh agus seachadadh éifeachtach agus nuálach cúrsaí;
Taithí ar úsáid a bhaint as modhanna éagsúla ach oiriúnacha measúnaithe;
Díograis agus dílseacht a léiriú don choláisteacht trí shárchleachtas a spreagadh agus a chothú i measc comhghleacaithe;
Comhbhá agus tacaíocht do réimse leathan mac léinn.

3. Féadfar gach comhalta foirne atá ag teagasc in Ollscoil na Gaillimhe a ainmniú agus a mheas chun Gradam don Fheabhas Teagaisc a fháil.

4. Féadfaidh beirt nó níos mó comhaltaí foirne, mac léinn nó alumni de chuid na hOllscoile ainmniúchán a dhéanamh trí úsáid a bhaint as an bhfoirm chaighdeánach ainmniúcháin ar líne. Éilíonn ainmniúcháin dá leithéid ráiteas gearr maidir leis na cúiseanna leis an ainmniúchán, agus cé acu de na critéir le haghaidh 'feabhas teagaisc' a léiríonn an t-iarrthóir.

5. Níl an té a bhaineann amach Gradam Teagaisc an Uachtaráin i dteideal a bheith san iomaíocht arís go ceann cúig bliana i ndiaidh gradam a fháil. Tá an té a bhaineann amach Gradam Teagaisc an Choláiste i dteideal a bheith san iomaíocht arís tar éis tréimhse dhá bhliain. *

6. Tabharfar cuireadh dóibh siúd a bhfuil ainmniúcháin bhailí curtha isteach ina leith ‘Cáipéis Tacaíochta’ a chur isteach. Ba chóir go n-áireofaí sa cháipéis seo an méid seo a leanas (ach gan dul thar chúig thaobh A4):

Ráiteas faoi Fhealsúnacht Teagaisc: Cur síos atá anseo ar thuairimí an ainmní ar na bunphrionsabail ar a bhfuil a c(h)ur chuige teagaisc agus foghlama bunaithe; déantar tagairtí do chreata coincheapúla nó do pheirspictíochtaí teoirice a d’fhéadfadh a bheith aige/aici.
Cur Síos ar an gComhthéacs Teagaisc: Achoimre ar thaithí theagaisc an ainmní atá anseo; na cineálacha teagaisc agus an méid teagaisc; cur síos ar na mic léinn a ndeachaigh obair an ainmní i gcion orthu (leibhéal bunchéime, iarchéime, gairmiúil etc.); cur chuige an ainmní i leith teagaisc agus measúnaithe; dúshláin ar leith atá aitheanta ag an ainmní agus an chaoi a dtugann sé/sí aghaidh orthu sin.
Cás ar son an Fheabhais: Agus tagairt á déanamh do na critéir liostaithe thuas (mír 2), tabhair samplaí de dhea-chleachtas agus de mhórghníomhaíochtaí faoi leith atá curtha i gcrích ag an ainmní le trí, ceithre agus cúig bliana anuas.
Meastóireacht ar an Teagasc agus Forbairt an Teagaisc: Cur síos ar na modhanna a úsáideann an t-ainmní chun a c(h)uid teagaisc a mheas agus a fhorbairt, ag soláthar aon torthaí ábhartha ó shuirbhéanna agus/nó modhanna eile a úsáideadh.
Cion an Ainmní ar son na Gairme: Cur síos achomair, mar aon le samplaí, ar an méid atá déanta ag an ainmní ar son na gairme trí cheannaireacht oideachais a bhí dírithe ar an Ollscoil féin nó lasmuigh di.
Aiseolais ó Mhic Léinn: Ba chóir d’ainmnithe leathanach breise a chur isteach le haiseolas ó mhic léinn chun tacú lena n-ainmniúchán*

7. Bunóidh gach Coláiste Painéal na nGradam Teagaisc agus seolfar na hiarratais a fhaightear chuig na comhaltaí painéil iomchuí lena mbreithniú. Ar an bpainéal beidh:

An Déan, mar Chathaoirleach
Leas-Déan Teagaisc & Foghlama (nó a c(h)omhionann)
Beirt chomhaltaí foirne acadúla sa Choláiste (ainmnithe ag an Déan)
Ionadaí mac léinn amháin nó níos mó
Comhalta sinsearach den fhoireann acadúil i gColáiste eile
Aon chomhaltaí breise a d'fhéadfadh a bheith ag teastáil chun nádúr an Choláiste a léiriú

Ní bheidh aon duine ar an bpainéal atá ainmnithe do ghradam, nó a d'ainmnigh comhghleacaí/comhalta foirne, nó a bhféadfadh aon choimhlint leasa eile a bheith aige/aici maidir le haon cheann de na hainmniúcháin atá faoi bhreithniú.

8. Bronnfaidh gach Coláiste trí ghradam aonair ar a mhéad agus gradam amháin do bhuíon oibre ar a mhéad. Cuirfear iarratais na n-iarrthóirí a n-éireoidh leo ar aghaidh chuig scéim Ghradaim Teagaisc an Uachtaráin (féach thíos) lena mbreithniú.

9. Bunóidh an tUachtarán painéal athbhreithnithe le haghaidh Gradaim Feabhais Teagaisc ag leibhéal ollscoile, agus beidh siad seo a leanas ar an bpainéal sin:

An tUachtarán Ionaid agus Meabhránaí (Cathaoirleach)
Stiúrthóir CELT
An Stiúrthóir Feabhais
Uachtarán agus Oifigeach Oideachais Chomhaltas na Mac Léinn
Beirt a bhuaigh Gradam don Fheabhas Teagaisc roimhe seo (ainmnithe ag an Uachtarán Ionaid agus Meabhránaí)
Comhalta seachtrach, ainmnithe ag an Uachtarán

Cuirfear aon choimhlint leasa a d’fhéadfadh a bheith ann san áireamh agus an painéal seo á chur le chéile agus déanfar ionadú cuí nuair is gá.

10. Bronnfaidh an painéal suas le trí ghradam aonair agus gradam amháin ar bhuíon oibre.

11. Ina theannta sin, roghnóidh na Mic Léinn ar an bpainéal buaiteoir Ghradam na Mac Léinn as na hiarratais atá á mbreithniú ag painéal Ghradaim Teagaisc an Uachtaráin.

12. Bronnfaidh an tUachtarán na gradaim ag searmanas Ollscoile, más féidir.

Modhanna Oibre an Phainéil

Tabharfaidh gach Painéal aghaidh ar na croí-chritéir atá liostaithe thuas agus iarratas á bhreithniú acu, agus breithneofar na hiarratais ina n-iomláine.

Tá sé de cheart ag Painéil na gColáistí, na hOllscoile agus na Mac Léinn cinntí a dhéanamh as a stuaim féin bunaithe ar an eolas a chuirtear ar fáil agus ar a gcomhráite, agus tá sé de cheart acu freisin soiléiriú breise a lorg más gá le haghaidh iarratais áirithe. Beidh sé de cheart ag gach Painéal, tar éis dul i gcomhairle leis an Uachtarán Ionaid agus Meabhránaí, aon ainmniúchán a fhaightear a dhícháiliú más rud é go raibh sé ag sárú na dtreoirlínte thuas.

Tar éis plé iomlán a dhéanamh ar na hainmniúcháin ina n-iomláine, cinnfidh Painéil triúr ainmnithe aonair ar an mbealach seo a leanas: Déanfaidh gach comhalta den phainéal na hiarratais a rangú, ag tosú le 1. Cuirfear iad seo i dtoll a chéile agus bronnfar gradam ar an triúr leis an scór comhiomlán is airde (i.e. an uimhir is lú). I gcás comhscór, is féidir an ceathrú gradam a bhronnadh. Úsáidfear an modh céanna do ghradam do bhuíon oibre aonair. Is é Painéal Chomhaltas na Mac Léinn a chinnfidh Gradam na Mac Léinn.

Gradaim

Is mar Dheontas Forbartha Teagaisc a thabharfar an gradam agus féadfar é a úsáid chun trealamh a cheannach, chun cuidiú le rannpháirtíocht i gcomhdhálacha, chun an teagasc a fhorbairt, nó chun críche aon chuspóra ábhartha eile. Beidh luach €750 i gceist le Gradaim an Choláiste, agus luach €750 anuas ar Ghradam an Choláiste a bheidh i gceist leis an nGradam Ollscoile.

Caithfidh an té a bhaineann amach gradam tuairisc aon leathanaigh a chur faoi bhráid Oifig an Uachtaráin Ionaid agus Meabhránaí ag léiriú an chaoi ar úsáideadh an Deontas Forbartha Teagaisc.

Teastóidh ón Ollscoil poiblíocht a dhéanamh ar na gradaim agus ar bhuaiteoirí na ngradam trí mheáin éagsúla agus, dá bhrí sin, ba cheart go mbeadh buaiteoirí gradaim toilteanach a bheith páirteach in ábhair phoiblíochta den chineál sin. Bheifí ag súil freisin go nglacfadh buaiteoirí gradaim páirt i seimineár nó in ócáid teagaisc a bheadh comhordaithe ag CELT agus/nó Oifig an Uachtaráin Ionaid agus Meabhránaí.

Tugann * leasú ar scéim 2022-23 le fios

Amlíne

Gairm ar Ainmniúcháin: Dé Máirt, 3 Nollaig 2024

Dáta deiridh a nglacfar le hAinmniúcháin: Déardaoin, 19 Nollaig 2024

Cuireadh seolta chuig ainmnithe chun an cháipéisíocht tacaíochta a chomhlánú: Déardaoin, 16 Eanáir 2025

Dáta deiridh chun Cáipéis Tacaíochta a chur isteach: Dé hAoine, 14 Feabhra 2025

Casann Painéil na gColáistí le chéile: Tús mhí an Mhárta 2025

Casann Painéal na hOllscoile le chéile: Deireadh mhí an Mhárta 2025

Déanfaidh Oifig an Uachtaráin Ionaid agus Meabhránaí na gradaim a riaradh trí láithreán gréasáin CELT.

An tOllamh Becky Whay,

Uachtarán Ionaid agus Meabhránaí, Eatramhach

Samhain 2024.

FAQ's Gaeilge 2024

Previous Winners

College Awards for Teaching Excellence 2023/2024

College Awards for Teaching Excellence 2022/2023

College Awards for Teaching Excellence 2021/2022

College Awards for Teaching Excellence 2020/2021

College Awards for Teaching Excellence 2019/2020

Since the inaugural President's Excellence in Teaching Awards in 2005, more than 50 academic staff have been recognised through the scheme. Some of the award winners have gone on to win national awards, through the NAIRTL scheme, or the National Forum for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education. Many of the award winners have recorded interviews where they talk about their philosophy and approaches.