POD Innovation Award

Guidelines for Submissions
Submit Your Entry via Email by Tuesday, September 8, 2009

History and Purpose

It was at the 1986 annual POD conference in Hidden Valley, Pennsylvania, that Marilla Svinicki and Marilyn Leach launched the Bright Idea Award (BIA). Their purpose was to recognize innovative ideas that have improved learning and teaching, as well as enhanced the general effectiveness of higher education faculty members. The basic intent was to share innovative ideas with the POD membership and encourage others to adapt the ideas for their own use, as well as to develop useful innovations themselves.

Continuing this tradition at each annual conference of the POD Network, the Bright Idea Awards were presented to participants who implemented creative ideas for the enhancement of teaching and learning and/or faculty development. In 2004 the name of the award was changed to the POD Innovation Award. Recipients are recognized at the Saturday evening banquet with either a Recognition Candle Award or an engraved plaque. The winner of this award has the option to receive the Innovation Award (formally called Bright Idea) Lamp, a traveling trophy to be displayed at the host institution of the first author listed on the award.

POD Innovation Award SEEKERS

Eligibility

We encourage both new and experienced participants at the annual POD conference in Houston, TX (October 28-Nov 1, 2009), to submit an entry. We will notify finalists of the POD Innovation Award on or before Wednesday, September 16, 2009; to win the POD Innovation Award, at least one author listed on the innovation poster submission is required to (a) present a poster session at the POD conference and distribute a handout describing their Innovation Award, and (b) attend the Saturday evening banquet and awards ceremony. The POD Innovation Award recipient will be announced at the Saturday evening banquet.

Selection Process

A committee of POD Network members representing various programs and institutions will select up to seven (7) entries that are judged to be strongest using the criteria of (a) originality, (b) scope and results, (c) transferability, and (d) effectiveness. For example:

For examples of previous awards, please see the POD Innovation Award Web site at http://www.wku.edu/teaching/db/podbi/.

Application Instructions
Due Tuesday, September 8, 2009

Submit the application electronically either in the body of an e-mail or as a Microsoft Word attachment to: toddzak@unc.edu   Please write POD Innovation Award in the subject line of the e-mail.  If you are using an attachment, name the file:  Last name - POD Innovation Award.

Please Include the following in your Innovation Award application:

• Contact Information

• Your Name and Position or Title

• Name of Center/Department/Program

• Name of Institution and Address

• E-mail and Phone Number

• Center/Department/Program Web address (optional) Innovation Award Description

• Title of the Innovation Award

• Category of Innovation Award (choose the one most applicable)

  • Teaching and Learning

  • Consulting with Faculty

  • Workshops, Seminars, Conferences

  • Organizational Development

  • Teaching Assistant Development

  • Faculty Development Using Technology

  • Other ________________________

• Abstract of your Innovation Award - 75 words or less.

• Description of 500 words or less. Please note that this Innovation must be a practice you have already implemented and evaluated, at least informally. Use the following five (5) headings to organize your description (please avoid acronyms and send no additional materials):

  • Description and Goal(s) of the Innovation

  • Originality

  • Scope and Results

  • Transferability

  • Effectiveness (time and cost)

• Web address to support your entry (optional) Campus Contact Information

• Please include the names, titles, and addresses of up to three (3) individuals on your campus whom you want notified if you are an award recipient, including your Public Affairs office.

All Innovation Award recipients are required to present a poster session at the POD conference, Saturday evening, October 31, 2009, 5:00 pm – 6:30 pm in Houston, TX.

Questions?

Check the web at: http://www.wku.edu/teaching/db/podbi/submission.html 

or contact Todd Zakrajsek
POD Innovation Award Chair
Phone: (919) 966-4838
Email: toddzak@unc.edu

2008 POD Innovation Award RECIPIENT

Michele, DiPietro, and several of his colleagues at the Eberly Center for Teaching Excellence at Carnegie Mellon University received the 2008 POD Innovation award for the development of “An Online Tool for Teaching Consultations.”  This online tool addresses common instructor laments, educates them about the possible reasons at the root of those problems, and suggests strategies tailored to each reason. The tool takes users through 3 steps. After selecting a teaching problem, they get presented with a set of possible underlying reasons. Clicking on a reason gives a bit of background about the research in that area, and a list of solutions tailored to the reasons. The tool, available for free at http://www.cmu.edu/teaching/solveproblem/, is useful to both instructors and educational developers.