The Student Nominated Inspirational Teaching Faculty Award Winners for 2013 have been announced, the names of all the faculty winners can be found at: https://blogs.shu.ac.uk/ita/?page_id=327

The next stage for the faculty winners is the University Student Nominated Inspirational Teaching Awards selection process.  Everyone in receipt of a Faculty award, in D&S, Aces, HWB and SBS will go forward to the University Awards selection process.

The selection panel is made up of:

• Dr Graham Holden – Head of Teaching, Learning and Assessment
• Professor Mike Bramhall – Assistant Dean in Faculty of ACES, National Teaching Fellow and Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy
• Professor Sue Thompson – (External), National Teaching Fellow
• Helen Francis – President of the Sheffield Hallam University Students’ Union
• Anna Bunyan – Student Researcher
• Dr Sally Bradley as Chair.

The panel will look at each nomination against the characteristics from last year’s University Award winners and make their selection of the top 20 across the university.

Congratulations to all our faculty winners on firstly being nominated by your students and secondly on being selected by your peers and student representative in the Faculty.

Initial analysis of the comments made by our students would indicate that both international and home students are looking for similar characteristics in their inspirational teachers – a good teaching style, supportive and staff who will challenge them to achieve.

The selection process is not a popularity contest!

Selection is based on the comments made by the students and based on the transformative or inspirational impact. The Faculty Heads of Learning, Teaching and Assessment have been given the following criteria as a guide to the selection based on the analysis of last year’s University Student Nominated Award recipients.  They demonstrated the following characteristics:

• Displays enthusiasm for teaching and subject
• Pushes students to achieve their best
• Approachable
• Makes complex concepts accessible
• Is creative, innovative and captivating
• Encouraging
• Conveys energy and a commitment to teaching
• Shows a positive attitude towards students
• Is understanding and supportive (but not the only characteristic)
• Friendly

Interestingly, from a grounded theory perspective, Hativa, Barak and Simhi (2001) identify similar characteristics in “Exemplary University Teachers: Knowledge and Beliefs Regarding Effective Teaching Dimensions and Strategies”.

More than 1050 Faculty based staff, academics and student support staff,  have been individually nominated for the 2013 Student Nominated Inspirational Teaching Awards. This is an increase of more than 50 individuals from last years figures.

Thank you to all the students who took the time to write up to 200 words in their individual nominations.