Commitment, enthusiasm and enjoyment the hallmark of the 2021 President’s Awards for Excellence in Teaching and Learning
Commitment, enthusiasm, dedication and the willingness to go the extra mile were the consistent themes in submissions to the 2021 President’s Awards for Excellence in Teaching and Learning with the overall winners announced earlier today in a virtual ceremony.
The long-running awards celebrate and acknowledge the role of staff in delivering teaching and learning in Dublin City University and in light of the impact of COVID-19, this year’s awards were of extra significance.
The President of DCU Professor Daire Keogh announced the recipients of seven awards, accounting for both individual and teams and also including an overall academic winner.
Speaking about this year’s awards and recipients Professor Keogh said,
“These awards recognise the exceptional work of DCU’s teachers and support staff during what has been a very challenging period. They have gone above and beyond, showing extraordinary resilience, agility and creativity in the way they have pivoted to online Teaching and Learning.”
What also emerges strongly from this year’s citations is the empathy and support our teachers have shown their students, going above and beyond to ensure that they continue to receive the transformative education they deserve.”
This year’s categories and recipients are,
The Teaching Support Award recognises those who make an outstanding contribution to the support of teaching without being “frontline” teaching staff
Teaching Support Award Recipient 2021
Dr Cameron Peers - Faculty of Science and Health
The outstanding manner in which Dr Peers supported academic staff in the design and delivery of programmes in a hybrid environment was highlighted in submissions to this category. His solution focussed approach and dedication to supporting colleagues to develop digital technologies to facilitate teaching and assessment was acknowledged as well as the design of INTRA alternative sub-modules to support schools in FSH to provide options to students.
The Team Award provides an opportunity to recognise core staff teams that provide an exceptional, innovative or transformational contribution to the student experience
Team Award Recipients 2021-Dr Audrey Doyle, Dr Enda Donlon, Marie Conroy Johnson, Dr PJ Sexton, Dr Elaine McDonald- The B.Rel.Ed. School Placement/TOP Online Programme Team, School of Policy and Practice
Submissions highlighted the professionalism, dedication and commitment of the team to students and the manner in which they organised and devised the school placement system, taking account of the issues posed by COVID-19. This year’s awards ceremony heard of how the group implemented a “rapidly executed, but thoroughly considered alternative to the type of school placement, rendered impossible by the pandemic” and the work undertaken to equip students, at speed, with the additional technological skills to adapt in the new environment created by COVID-19.
The new Lecturer Category recognises relatively new lecturers and tutors for achieving excellence in teaching and learning
New Lecturer Award Recipient 2021
Aishling Silke
School of Language Literacy and Early Childhood Education, Institute of Education
Submissions to this category highlighted Aishling Silke’s dedication to students and the contemporary and varied nature of her lectures. They emphasised her accessibility to students during COVID-19, with one describing how her “virtual door was always open”; her dedication to ensuring student placements took place despite the huge difficulties created by COVID-19 and also how she supported the mental health and well-being of her students during the pandemic. Aishling’s passion for her subject and how she makes “learning fun” was also highlighted.
The Academic Category recognises the nominees who have excelled in their teaching and learning practice at DCU
Distinctive Approaches to Teaching Recipient 2021
David Kennedy, School of Human Development
The enthusiasm and the clear and concise way in which David Kennedy taught his modules in an online setting was highlighted by nominators. The awards ceremony heard of how David helped his students to navigate to online learning and to facilitate students to learn and enjoy their course-work, despite the challenges posed by COVID-19.
Distinctive Approaches to Assessment and Feedback Recipient 2021
Dr Barbara Dignam, School of Theology, Philosophy and Music
The work undertaken by Dr Dignam to reimagine and revitalise the assessment elements of her modules in order to make them relatable for the contemporary student was a key thread among the submissions in this category. The powerful sense of continuous development felt among students and the motivation to keep achieving and striving in the course, was also attributable to Dr Dignam’s drive and passion for her subject.
Distinctive Approaches to Innovation in Teaching Recipient 2021
Dr Diarmuid Torney, School of Law & Government
Organisation and preparation were consistently mentioned in regards to Dr Torney, DCU’s School of Law & Government. Submissions described the structured nature of his course content and how this approach allied with his own insights helped to foster a sense of confidence in his students who find a lecturer that is fully engaged and thorough in his subject matter. Dr Torney’s expertise in climate change policy was described as “unrivalled” and that learning in his lectures was “effortless.”
Overall Academic Recipient 2021
Dr Monica Ward
School of Computing
Dr Ward’s leadership skills, commitment and dedication to staff and students, and her immense contribution to the School and Faculty as COVID-19 necessitated a switch to online learning and all of the other associated elements, was highlighted as exceptional. Furthermore, students have found her course content and teaching to be extremely enjoyable and the course content is consistently delivered with high levels of enthusiasm and commitment.
“Monica’s passion and her commitment to teaching is clear for everyone to see, I’m delighted that she has been recognised with this award,” commented Dr Mark Glynn, Head of Teaching Enhancement at Dublin City University.