The Award for Educational Leadership and Innovation recognizes faculty and staff who make a distinctive impact through their educational leadership and innovation in teaching and learning.
Award Criteria
This award recognizes a sustained commitment over an extended period to the improvement of university teaching and learning. Educational leadership and innovation may involve collaborative efforts and submissions for this award can be for either individuals or teams. What constitutes educational leadership and innovation will vary and nominators are encouraged to make a compelling case for how their nomination fits all three of the criteria sections of this award. Given the superb quality of nominees, simply fulfilling the nomination criteria may not be sufficient to receive this award. The Senate Teaching Awards Subcommittee strongly encourages nominators to demonstrate not only how the nominees meet, but how they surpass, these criteria
- Educational Leadership and Innovation at the Course Level: There should be clear evidence of ongoing contributions and impact at the level of course design and delivery. Accomplishments in this area may include substantive course development or redesign and/or meaningful integration of Indigenous Knowledge, active learning, experiential education, educational technology, or the principles of Universal Design for Learning.
- Educational Leadership and Innovation at the Department/Program Level: There should be clear evidence of ongoing contributions to teaching and learning that extend beyond the course level. Accomplishments in this area may include significant curriculum and program design, (re)development, and/or evaluation, as well as noteworthy collaborations with other faculty, staff, and/or students that enhance the range and quality of educational opportunities for students.
- Educational Leadership and Innovation at the Institutional Level: There should be clear evidence of broad and significant impact that extends beyond the department/program level. Accomplishments in this area may include contributions to exemplary teaching and learning across the university, published pedagogical research, and/or work that extends teaching and learning beyond the institution, such as collaborations with other institutions, organizations, or communities.
Eligibility
Full-time or part-time faculty and staff who are employed as of the closing date of nominations. Self-nominations are not accepted. This award can only be received once. Previous recipients are ineligible for nomination. Please review the list of previous recipients listed below.
How to Nominate:
Nominations will be cumulatively collected during two nomination windows during the winter and fall terms.
Nomination Window 1: April 9-25, 2025
Nomination Window 2: December 18, 2025-January 12, 2026
» Award for Educational Leadership and Innovation nomination form
Complete the "Nominator Information" and the "Candidate Information" sections on the Nomination Form, open January 9th - 24th, 2025 at 4:00pm. Tell the story! Complete the "Candidate Qualifications" section by providing specific examples of how/why your candidate(s) should be considered for the Award.
For helpful information on writing strong nominations, including exemplars, please see the Trent Teaching Commons' "How to Write a Strong Nomination for a Teaching Award" page.
How is it Determined?
The recipient of this award is determined by the Senate Teaching Awards Subcommittee. The Senate Teaching Awards Subcommittee’s decisions are based solely on the information that nominators provide. This information is assessed in relationship to the award criteria.
The award has a monetary value of $750 and is accompanied by a framed certificate. This award is announced at Senate and is presented at the Celebration of Faculty Excellence in Teaching and Research in April each year.
Timeline
April-January: Nominations are cumulatively collected during two nomination windows open during the winter and fall terms (nomination windows are listed above).
Early January: Nominations close.
Mid-January: Trent Teaching Commons prepares nomination packages.
Late-January: Collated nomination packages are circulated to the Senate Teaching Award Subcommittee (STAS) for review and scoring.
Early February: Deadline for all STAS members to submit scores to Trent Teaching Commons.
Mid-Late February: Trent Teaching Commons sends finalized shortlist to committee members.
Late February: Meeting to deliberate and decide award.
March: Award recipient, finalists, and nominees are notified.
April: Recipient is awarded their certificate and prize at the annual Celebration of Faculty Excellence in Teaching and Research.
Previous Recipients
- 2024-2025 Dr. Joanna Freeland (Biology)
- 2023-2024 Dr. Dan Roronhiakewen Longboat (Chanie Wenjack School for Indigenous Studies)
- 2022-2023 Dr. Jennifer Newton (Anthropology) and Dr. Kirk Hillsley (Biology)
- 2021-2022 Joel Baetz (English Literature) and Susan Hillock (Social Work)
- 2020-2021 Aaron Slepkov and Rayf Shiell (Physics and Astronomy)
- 2018-2019 Sheldene Simola (School of Business)
- 2017-2018 Robyne Hanley-Dafoe (Education; Psychology; Centre for Teaching and Learning)
- 2016-2017 Jane Mackie (Nursing)
- 2015-2016 David Newhouse (Indigenous Studies & Business Administration)
- 2014-2015 Asaf Zohar (Business Administration)
- 2013-2014 Tom Whillans (Environmental & Resource Studies)
- 2012-2013 Craig Brunetti (Biology)
- 2011-2012 Jocelyn Williams (Anthropology)
- 2010-2011 Andrew Vreugdenhil (Chemistry)
- 2009-2010 James Struthers (Canadian Studies / History)
- 2008-2009 Zailig Pollock (English Literature)
- 2007-2008 Alan Slavin (Physics & Astronomy)
- 2006-2007 Margaret Hobbs (Women's Studies Program)
- 2006-2007 Mary-Jane Pilgrim (Information Technology)