2024 Winners

Presidents Awards for Excellence in Teaching

President's Awards for Excellence in Teaching

This year's award ceremony took place on May 2nd 2024, in the Helix where staff gathered to recognise and celebrate the outstanding contributions to DCU's teaching and learning environment of all those who were nominated for the 2024 awards. The citations on the day reflected innovation in and dedication to teaching, learning and assessment, demonstrations of care for all in the teaching space and the creation of learning environments which facilitate engagement and transformation.

Congratulations to all the Award Winners and Nominees.

 

Teaching Support 

Teaching Support

Teaching Support Award Winner Rob Lowney

The Teaching Support award, which recognises those who make an outstanding contribution to the support of teaching without being ‘frontline’ teaching staff, was awarded to Rob Lowney, Teaching Enhancement Unit.

"This award vouches for the influence and impact which Rob has had not only on professional practice but on that of many Faculty colleagues, both junior and senior. Rob’s attention to detail, his patience and encouragement, and his pedagogy first approach meant all of the staff who attend CPD sessions gain an enormous amount of knowledge, confidence and skills. Rob is a highly supportive and collaborative colleague, who is committed to supporting DCU staff to enhance their practice and so enhance the learning experience for all DCU students."


 

New Lecturer

 

New Lecturer Award

New Lecturer Award Winner Natalie O'Neill

The New Lecturer Category recognises relatively new lecturers and tutors for achieving excellence in teaching. This award was presented to Natalie O'Neill, School of Policy and Practice.

"Natalie is a passionate educator who designs and teaches inclusive student-centred workshops and lectures. Each session that Natalie teaches is carefully crafted to consider student needs, to challenge their conceptions of professional practice and scaffold their understanding of teaching pedagogy. Natalie’s workshops are model based sessions where students experience a wide range of approaches to teaching as learners (individual work, group work, debates, text analysis, inquiry-based learning laboratories just to mention a few) and then she develops their professional vision through critical analysis of the sessions. Students are encouraged to think deeply about education, to challenge their conceptions of good teaching, to bridge the link between theory and practice and to explore new approaches to teaching."

 


Team Teaching

School of Psychology Teaching Team

Team Teaching Award Winners, School of Psychology Teaching Team

In the Team Category, which provides an opportunity to recognise core staff teams that provide an exceptional, innovative, or transformational contribution to the student experience, the award went to the School of Psychology Teaching Team.

 

"This is a nomination by a large number of students across year groups in recognition of the excellent teaching done by the entire team. The school of psychology team creates a supportive learning environment by teaching a variety of topics, taught by experts in the school. They allow for a strong co-learning environment by facilitating student engagement in classes and group discussions. This discursive style used by the school encourages all students to engage with topics in their own way. This is only possible because of the non-judgmental and genuinely inquisitive environment promoted by staff, which from our perspective has encouraged us to engage more in topics and feel as though we can reach out for support."

 

Distinctive Approaches to Innovation in Teaching

 

Distinctive Approaches to Teaching

Distinctive Approaches to Teaching Award Winner Éadaoin Ní Mhuircheartaigh

Éadaoin Ní Mhuircheartaigh, Fiontar agus Scoil na Gaeilge received the ‘Distinctive Approaches to Innovation in Teaching’ award. 

"Éadaoin employs several methodologies to give the students a first -class experience. She has been using video and gamification in her language classroom for many years and her students have access to a well-designed library of interactive digital resources, including polls, quizzes and videos, and other tools. This resulted in Éadaoin’s students being able to take an active part in learning from the first week of COVID lockdown and these resources have been developed in the years since COVID. Cognisant of the fact that she is teaching trainee teachers Éadaoin teaches the students using interactive materials which the students can then use in teaching outside of college."

 

Distinctive Approaches to Assessment & Feedback

Distinctive Approaches to Assessment and Feedback Award Winners

 Distinctive Approaches to Assessment & Feedback Winners, Global Challegnes Programme Team

Global Challenges Programme Team, School of Electronic Engineering and School of Law and Government was awarded in the Distinctive Approaches to Assessment and Feedback category. 

"The team has developed robust innovative teaching practices, employing cutting-edge teaching strategies, which includes co-teaching and co-assessment practices that prioritize a student-centred pedagogy, supported with active learning, critical thinking, and transversal skills. The interdisciplinary approach to assessment merges social sciences with engineering, encouraging a multidimensional view of global issues and enhancing students' capacity to be innovative, ingenious and developing robust problem-solving skills. The implementation of CBL is central to engaging students with real-world problems to develop practical solutions, thus embedding deep, practical knowledge. This is evidenced in the several experiences of group work, co-designed rubrics, challenges from external partners, and project proposal writing that are used throughout assessments to help build a foundation for students to build on during their time as undergrads at DCU."

 

Overall Academic Award  

Overall Academic Award Winner, Julie Bertz

Overall Academic Award Winner, Julie Bertz

This category recognises all the nominees who have excelled in their teaching and practice at DCU and was presented to Julie Bertz, Business School.

"Julie’s teaching approach is focused on fostering high quality learning among students, so that they can achieve the learning outcomes of the module, thereby developing knowledge, skills, competencies and values that will prepare them to flourish in the evolving world of work. Julie is a passionate, enthusiastic and committed educator, who adapts her teaching approach to meet the particular needs of students in a module. Julie’s support for learners is distinguished by a comprehensive, empathetic, and proactive strategy aimed at fostering academic success and personal growth among students. Recognising the diverse backgrounds, learning styles, and challenges faced by students, she implements a multifaceted support system that addresses academic, emotional, and practical needs, ensuring a supportive learning environment for all."

 

Shortlisted Nominees

 

We also congratulate all those who were nominated and shortlisted.

 

Teaching Support Award Shortlisted Nominees

Rob Lowney Teaching Enhancement Unit
Sharath Manjunat School of Computing
Aisling Wilson School of Arts, Education and Movement

 

New Lecturer Award Shortlisted Nominees

Yalemisew Abga School of Computing
Hannah Goss School of Health & Human Performance
David Nolan School of Health & Human Performance
Natalie O’Neill School of Policy & Practice
Abbie Robinson School of Psychology
Laura Sheils School of Theology, Philosophy & Music
Liang (Charlie) Xu School of Computing

 

Team Teaching Award Shortlisted Nominees

Elite Sport Performance Team School of Health & Human Performance
Wellbeing Elective, module SI731 School of Inclusive & Special Education
Global Challenges Programme Team School of Electronic Engineering and School of Law and Government
School of Psychology Teaching Team School of Psychology

 

Overall Academic Award Shortlisted Nominees

Prince Anandarajah School of Electronic Engineering
Julie Bertz Business School
Martin Brown School of Policy & Practice
Karen Buckley School of Inclusive & Special Education
James Carton School of Mechanical & Manufacturing Engineering
Eric Clinton Business School
Konstantinos  Gkrintzalis School of Biotechnology
Paul Grimes School of STEM Education, Innovation & Global Studies
Jenna Harris School of Theology, Philosophy, and Music
Majella McSharry School of Human Development
Eadaoin Ni Mhuircheartaigh Fiontar & Scoil na Gaeilge
Neil O’Boyle  School of Communications