MEDICAL SCIENCES DIVISIONAL OFFICE
Level 3, John Radcliffe Hospital, Headley Way, Oxford, OX3 9DU
www.medsci.ox.ac.uk
Medical Sciences Division Teaching Excellence Awards 2013
The Teaching Excellence Awards scheme recognises and rewards excellence in teaching, the organisation and development of teaching, and support for teaching and learning, within a research-intensive environment. Awards have been made annually since 2006.
Enquiries should be directed to Mrs Shelley Mann (; 01865 [2]22 131).
Overview of Main Awards Scheme
The budget for these awards is approximately £20,000. The Division will retain some flexibility in how this is allocated.
This year, there will be two types of award under the main scheme:
I. Project awards, providing funding for proposals to support the development of education.
II. Individual and/or Team awards, consisting of three sub-categories:
a) Major Educator (funded): for making an outstanding contribution to the development of education and/or leadership in education and/or other educational initiatives, within the Medical Sciences Division or at institutional level.
b) Excellent Teacher (titular): for individuals providing excellent teaching.
c) Learning Support (funded): for non-teaching staff who have made a contribution to supporting teaching and learning activities significantly beyond that which would normally be expected in their role.
Divisional Accolades Scheme
This year, the Division will introduce a new titular accolade in recognition of Lifetime Achievement: for staff who have demonstrated high quality and sustained commitment to education throughout their career in the service of Oxford (normally a minimum of 15 years or equivalent).
The Selection Panel will also award titular Commendations at its discretion: (a) for continued excellent contributions made by previous recipients of Excellent Teacher awards who re-apply or who are re-nominated (b) to reward high quality contributions to teaching.
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The Selection Panel reserves the right to re-distribute applications / nominations to different categories within and between the Main Awards and Divisional Accolades schemes.
Detailed information follows, including eligibility criteria, how to make an application or nomination, and the selection process.
Deadline for Submission of Applications / Nominations
1. Completed application / nomination forms – including supporting materials – must be submitted in electronic format to by midnight on Monday 1st July 2013 at the latest. Applications / nominations received after this deadline will not be considered.
2. Following the deadline, applications / nominations will be sent as a single gathered field to the appropriate teaching / learning support organiser for comment (e.g. the Director of Study, Head of Department, Senior Administrator). Their comments will be made available to the Selection Panel.
Importance of Student Feedback in Submissions
Student feedback – qualitative and quantitative – accompanying applications / nominations, forms an essential part of the Division’s selection process. Those submitting applications / nominations are encouraged to highlight the reliability / validity of student feedback data, based on the sample size.
Selection Panel
The Selection Panel will comprise: the Head of Division and Associate Head of Division for Education (Chair) (or their nominees); the Chairs of the Undergraduate and Graduate Studies Committees; the Medical Sciences Board Conference of Colleges representative; and the Medical Sciences Board undergraduate and graduate student representatives.
Outcomes
Following the submission deadline the Selection Panel will meet to consider the applications / nominations and decide on the awardees. Applicants/nominees will be informed of the panel’s decisions as soon as possible after this meeting.
The names and details of those in receipt of awards under the Main Scheme will be communicated to the Oxford Learning Institute.
Ceremonies
The Division and the University will hold separate events during Michaelmas Term 2013, to celebrate the Teaching Excellence Awards. The former event will celebrate the achievements of recipients of Divisional Accolades, as well as those receiving awards under the Main Scheme.
Main Scheme: Project Awards (funded)
These awards provide funding for proposals to support the development of educational projects within the Division, and can be made to individuals or teams.
This financial award can be used by the proposers of projects in a variety of ways, such as for ‘buy-outs’, or for administrative or research support to underpin the project, or for materials or software. The award sum is yet to be agreed, but previous awards have been in the region of £1,500-£3,000. Funds associated with Project Awards are usually paid to a Department or College. In some cases, the award sum has been matched by the recipient’s Department or College.
Strategic Areas
The Division is seeking to encourage, in particular, project proposals under the following themes – which align with Divisional and University strategic objectives – but projects in other areas are also welcome:
· development or use of innovative methods to support the delivery of teaching / to enhance students’ learning experience (whether for undergraduate, graduate taught or graduate research provision).
· developing opportunities to increase undergraduate and/or graduate taught students’ understanding of marking criteria.
· developing teaching opportunities for graduate research students.
· developing Graduate School-wide science / skills training initiatives.
Eligibility
1. These awards are open to Collegiate University staff, whether or not they are, or have previously been, a recipient of an award(s) in another category or categories.
2. Staff are advised to discuss their ideas for projects with Shelley Mann (; 01865 [2]22131) prior to submitting a formal proposal.
How to Apply
· Individuals and teams can apply using the Project Award application form.
· Please note that if undertaking a project requires departmental or college support, such as materials or other resources, or agreement to some buy-out from duties, the proposal must include written agreement from the relevant person(s).
· The form is available from Shelley Mann (; 01865 [2]22131) and via: http://www.learning.ox.ac.uk/support/teaching/resources/awards/
Previous Recipients
These include:
· Dr Robert Wilkins and Dr Mark Wormald (2012, Physiology, Anatomy & Genetics and Biochemistry), to develop a bank of multiple-choice questions for use by examiners in setting the Biomedical Sciences Preliminary Examination, involving post-doctoral researchers and senior post-graduate students.
· Dr Imogen Davies, Dr Claire Colebourn, Dr Elize Richards, and Dr Elaine Hill (2009, Nuffield Department of Anaesthetics), for the design and implementation of an innovative Critical Care/Anaesthesia Simulation, delivered within the wider ‘Preparing to Practise as a Doctor’ course for final year medical students.
Main Scheme: Major Educator Awards (funded)
These awards are made to individuals or teams who have made an outstanding contribution to the development of education and/or leadership in education and/or other educational initiatives, within the Medical Sciences Division or at institutional level. These Awards recognise achievement at the highest level for a discrete development or innovation (which will normally have taken a number of years to realise overall), that should be drawn to the attention of the Division and the University.
Major Educator Awardees receive an associated financial reward: a single lump sum. This is for personal use without constraints: this may be used to augment salary (subject to tax and NI contributions); to fund the development of a course or some aspect of teaching such as learning materials; or to pay for the substitution of some aspect of the recipient’s duties, to permit a period of special leave for travel or other reasons. The sum may be split between personal and professional / departmental use. This year’s sum is yet to be agreed, but previous awards have been in the region of £3,500.
Eligibility
1. Applicants / nominees must hold a contract of employment with the Collegiate University.
2. Previous recipients of an award in this category (or a funded award prior to the introduction of this category in 2008) would not normally be eligible to re-apply or be re-nominated for another Major Educator award. It is highly unlikely that Major Educator awardees would be considered subsequently for an Excellent Teacher award.
3. Recipients of an Excellent Teacher or a Project award/s, or a Divisional Commendation/s, may apply or be nominated for a Major Educator award.
4. Staff are strongly advised to check with Shelley Mann (; 01865 [2]22131) regarding an individual’s eligibility for an award.
How to Apply / Nominate
· Individuals and teams can apply using the Major Educator application form.
· Staff, including departmental / course education committees, may nominate colleagues for an award using the Major Educator nomination form.
· Please note: the nominee(s) must consent to being put forward for an award.
· Forms are available from Shelley Mann (; 01865 [2]22131) and via: http://www.learning.ox.ac.uk/support/teaching/resources/awards/
Previous Recipients
These include:
· Oxford University Clinical Academic Graduate School (2012, OUCAGS), for developing an infrastructure to support and strengthen clinical academic training for all Oxford’s medically qualified graduates, which explicitly values and protects the development of academic excellence.
· Professor Nick Rawlins (2011, Experimental Psychology), for the significant impact he made on postgraduate education in the Division.
· Dr Richard Boyd (2010, Physiology, Anatomy & Genetics), for his outstanding leadership of educational activity within the Division, during his time as Chair of the Educational Policy and Standards Committee and as Deputy Head of the Division, between 2003 and 2008.
Main Scheme: Excellent Teacher Awards (titular)
These awards formally recognise the excellent contributions to teaching and/or supervision made by individual members of Collegiate University and NHS staff within the Division.
This category of award is titular (unfunded).
Eligibility and Process
1. Collegiate University and NHS staff involved in teaching and/or supervision of Oxford students within the Division are eligible for this category of award.
2. Previous recipients of an award in this category may re-apply or be re-nominated, but they will automatically be considered for the award of a Divisional Commendation. This is because previous recipients of Excellent Teacher awards will not be eligible to receive a second Excellent Teacher award until they have accumulated 3 or more Commendations from the Division, over a period of 5 years.
Divisional Commendations will be awarded at the discretion of the Selection Panel, based on (a) whether / when a member of staff has previously received an Excellent Teacher award and (b) the field of applications / nominations for Teaching Excellence Awards in the current round.
3. Previous recipients of Excellent Teacher awards can be considered for a Major Educator Award.
4. Staff are advised to check with Shelley Mann (; 01865 [2]22131) if they have queries about the assessment process for Excellent Teacher awards and Divisional Commendations.
How to Apply / Nominate
· Individuals can apply using the Excellent Teacher application form.
· Staff, including departmental / course education committees, may nominate colleagues for an award using the Excellent Teacher nomination form.
· Please note: the nominee(s) must consent to being put forward for an award.
· Forms are available from Shelley Mann (; 01865 [2]22131) and via: http://www.learning.ox.ac.uk/support/teaching/resources/awards/
Previous Recipients
These include:
· Professor Nicole Zitzmann (2012, Biochemistry), for the consistently high quality supervision she provides to a significant number of D.Phil. students, and for her ability to recognise individual students' strengths and facilitate their development.
· Dr Karla Miller and Dr Mark Jenkinson (2012, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences), for their contributions to making the FMRIB graduate course a well-recognised and respected course in the necessary technical aspects related to undertaking a D.Phil., M.Sc. or M.D. in neuroimaging based neuroscience.
· Dr Pawel Swietach (2012, Physiology, Anatomy & Genetics), in recognition of his high quality teaching, resulting in consistently excellent student feedback, and for the dedicated support he provides to Physiological Sciences students.
· Mr John Salmon (2011, Oxford Eye Hospital, NHS), for his contribution to both undergraduate and graduate clinical education in Ophthalmology over a number of years.
Main Scheme: Learning Support Awards (funded)
Learning Support Awards are made to individuals or teams whose work involves the support of teaching and learning within the Collegiate University, but who do not have formal teaching responsibilities. Recipients of this award will have made a contribution to supporting these activities significantly beyond that which would normally be expected in their role.
Learning Support Awardees receive an associated financial reward: a single lump sum. This is for personal use without constraints: usually, this will augment the recipient’s salary (subject to tax and NI contributions); but alternatively, recipients may ask for the funds to be held by their Department, so that they may subsequently use the funds in association with their work or for personal professional development (provided this can be arranged). This year’s sum is yet to be agreed, but previous awards have been in the region of £1,500-£2,000.
Eligibility
1. Non-teaching staff within the Collegiate University who are ineligible under other similar schemes (such as those run by the Bodleian Libraries or IT Services) can be considered for a Learning Support Award from the Division. This includes administrators, technicians, and others whose work involves the support of teaching and learning.
2. Previous recipients of an award in this category are not eligible to apply or be nominated for another Learning Support award.
3. Staff are strongly advised to check with Shelley Mann (; 01865 [2]22131) regarding an individual’s eligibility for an award.
How to Apply / Nominate
· Individuals and teams can apply using the Learning Support application form.
· Staff, including departmental / course education committees, may nominate colleagues for an award using the Learning Support nomination form.
· Please note: the nominee(s) must consent to being put forward for an award.
· Forms are available from Shelley Mann (; 01865 [2]22131) and via: http://www.learning.ox.ac.uk/support/teaching/resources/awards/
Previous Recipients
These include:
· Mrs Sue King (2012, Experimental Psychology), for her sustained and admirable contributions to her Department’s undergraduate academic administration, including her diligence and attention to detail, as well her tact and good humour in ensuring that key academic and pastoral duties are dispensed.
· Mr Juan Escobar, Mrs Anoma Wagner, Ms Patricia Hook (2011, Biochemistry), for the excellent support they provide for undergraduate practical classes for biochemists, medics and physiologists, and for the significant improvements they have made to this provision in recent years.