Gradaim an Uachtaráin

Gradaim an Uachtaráin do Shárchaighdeán Teagaisc

Gradaim an Uachtaráin do Shárchaighdeán Teagaisc

NUI Galway prides itself on being a student centred and research intensive University, and we seek to be recognised nationally and internationally for our excellence and leadership in selected and distinctive programmes of teaching and research.Teaching and research are both central to the role of staff, and excellence in teaching and in creative and scholarly work go hand in hand. Inspirational teaching has always been a key feature of the learning experience at NUI Galway. The President’s Awards for Teaching Excellence recognise the outstanding efforts of teaching staff to ensure NUI Galway students receive the highest quality learning experience. These awards represent an ideal opportunity to demonstrate our appreciation of the efforts and commitment of our colleagues.

Recipients of the President's Awards for Excellence in Teaching for 2017/18 are:

• Dr Kathryn Cormican, School of Engineering & Informatics
• Dr Brendan Flynn, School of Political Science & Sociology
• Dr John Morrissey, School of Geography & Archaeology
• Dr Patrick O'Leary, School of Chemistry
• Dr Ciara Smyth, School of Law

Nomination Procedure 2014/15

‌1. All staff involved in teaching at NUI Galway are eligible to be nominated and considered for a Teaching Excellence Award, either as individuals or teams of staff.

2. Nominations can be put forward by any two, or more, staff, students or alumni of the University, using a standard nomination form available from the CELT website.
    Nominations using the standard nomination form should include a short statement giving a critical assessment of the work for which the candidate is being nominated, against the relevant criteria described below (3). 

3. "Teaching Excellence" is a fairly broad concept. For the purposes of this award scheme it may include, for example:

• A reflective approach to teaching and learning;
• Inspirational, stimulating and imaginative approaches to teaching;
• The use of teaching and learning methods which encourage students to become independent, critical thinkers fully engaged with the subject matter;
• A high level of awareness of contemporary issues in the teaching of a particular discipline and higher education in general;
• Appropriate and effective links between research and teaching or support for learning;
• Effective and innovative design and delivery of courses;
• Experience of the use of diverse but appropriate assessment methods;
• Enthusiasm for, and commitment to, collegiality by influencing, stimulating and encouraging best practice amongst colleagues;
• Empathy and support for a diverse range of students.

4. For the purposes of this award scheme a team is made up of two to ten individuals who have worked together to achieve a common goal.  The team members should work collaboratively to achieve a common goal that supports student learning.

5. All nominations should be submitted before Friday, 13th February, 2015. All nominations will be reviewed by the Teaching Awards Panel (or official sub-group thereof) to identify those candidates who meet the requirements. 

All proposers and nominees will be informed of the decision made by the panel at this stage.

Second Stage

6. If the Teaching Awards Panel decides that a case exists, then the nominee will be invited to submit a Supporting Case Document. This is a concise statement which justifies the nomination and explains the supporting evidence which underpins the submission. Guidelines will be available for nominees.

The deadline for the submission of the Supporting Case Document will be communicated to nominees.

7. A standard student feedback questionnaire, solely for the purposes of the President’s Awards for Teaching Excellence, is required to support the assessment of nominations by the Teaching Awards Panel. CELT will administer the questionnaire. More information on this process will be communicated to nominees. This is simply to support comparability and ensure that the student voice is represented in the case.

8. CELT will offer support/advice for proposers/nominees at both the initial and second stages of the process.

The Teaching Awards Panel

9.The Teaching Awards Panel is comprised of:

• The President
• The Registrar and Deputy President
• The Director of CELT
• The Director of Quality
• A representative of the Students’ Union
• Two Deans or their representatives
• An external reviewer from another University
• An additional member of Teaching Staff

The Panel has the right to make autonomous decisions based on the information provided and their discussions, reserving also the right to seek further clarification if required for particular applications, as well as reserving the right to modify the process at any stage if required 

10. There will be five awards announced this year, each of value € 1,000. This will be in the form of a Teaching Development Grant and may be used for the purchase of equipment, to support conference participation, teaching development, or any other relevant purpose. For 2014-15, at least one of the five awards will be a team award (unless no team nominations are received).

Award recipients will be required to submit a one page report on how the Teaching Development Grant is used, to CELT.

11. The awards will be presented at an appropriate Conferring ceremony.  

12. The University will wish to publicise the awards and award holders through various media and, therefore, award holders should be prepared to appear in such publicity materials. It would also be expected that award winners would participate in an informal discussion forum on teaching coordinated by CELT. 

13. Successful individual candidates will not be eligible to be considered for another individual Teaching Excellence Award for a period of 5 years.

Successful team candidates will not be eligible to be considered for another team Teaching Excellence Award for a period of 5 years.

Student Choice Award

14. For 2014-15, a student choice award will be given, based on the submissions at the second stage, and chosen solely by a student panel. The student choice award will be administered by the Student Union.

Gradaim an Uachtaráin don Fheabhas Teagaisc 2014-2015

1. Tá gach comhalta foirne in OÉ Gaillimh i dteideal a bheith ainmnithe don Ghradam don Fheabhas Teagaisc, mar dhaoine aonair nó mar fhoirne.

2. Féadfaidh beirt (nó níos mó) chomhaltaí foirne, mhac léinn nó alumni de chuid na hOllscoile, ainmniúchán a dhéanamh trí úsáid a bhaint as an bhfoirm chaighdeánach ainmniúcháin atá ar fáil ar láithreán gréasáin CELT.

Ba cheart go mbeadh ráiteas gairid leis na hainmniúcháin ar an bhfoirm chaighdeánach ainmniúcháin, ina ndéanfaí measúnú criticiúil ar an obair a bhfuil an t-iarrthóir á (h)ainmniú ina leith, i gcomparáid leis na critéir chuí atá leagtha amach thíos (3).

3. Coincheap sách leathan é “Feabhas Teagaisc”. Don ghradam seo, áirítear ann an méid seo a leanas, mar shampla:

• Cur chuige machnamhach don teagasc agus don fhoghlaim;
• Cur chuige inspioráideach, spreagúil agus samhlaíoch don teagasc;
• Modhanna teagaisc agus foghlama a spreagann mic léinn le bheith ina smaointeoirí neamhspleácha, criticiúla a bhfuil tuiscint iomlán acu ar an ábhar;
• An-eolas ar cheisteanna comhaimseartha i dteagasc disciplín áirithe agus ar an ardoideachas i gcoitinne;
• Naisc chuí, éifeachtacha idir taighde agus teagasc nó tacaíocht don fhoghlaim;
• Dearadh agus seachadadh éifeachtach agus nuálach cúrsaí;
• Taithí ar úsáid modhanna measúnaithe éagsúla ach oiriúnacha;
• Díograis agus tiomantas do choláistíocht trí dhea-chleachtas a spreagadh i measc comhghleacaithe;
• Tuiscint agus tacaíocht do réimse ilghnéitheach mac léinn.

4. Chun críche an ghradaim seo bíonn idir beirt agus deichniúr ar fhoireann a d’oibrigh le chéile chun sprioc choiteann a bhaint amach.  Ba chóir go mbeadh comhaltaí na foirne ag obair i gcomhar lena chéile chun sprioc choiteann a bhaint amach a thacaíonn le foghlaim na mac léinn.

5. Ba cheart gach ainmniúchán a sheoladh isteach roimh Dé hAoine, an 13 Feabhra 2015. Déanfaidh Painéal na nGradam Teagaisc (nó foghrúpa oifigiúil) na hainmniúcháin ar fad a athbhreithniú chun na hiarrthóirí a chomhlíonann na riachtanais a roghnú.

Cuirfear cinneadh an phainéil in iúl do na moltóirí agus dóibh siúd atá ainmnithe ag an tráth seo.

An Dara Céim

6. Má mheasann Painéal na nGradam Teagaisc go bhfuil cás ann, tabharfar cuireadh don ainmní Cáipéis Tacaíochta Cáis a chur isteach. Is éard atá i gceist anseo ráiteas beacht a thacaíonn leis an ainmniúchán agus a mhíníonn an fhianaise tacaíochta atá mar bhonn leis an iarratas.  Cuirfear treoirlínte ar fáil dóibh siúd a ainmnítear.

Cuirfear an spriocdháta atá leis an gCáipéis Tacaíochta Cáis agus ábhar gaolmhar a sheoladh isteach in iúl dóibh siúd atá ainmnithe.

7. Teastaíonn ceistneoir aiseolais mac léinn do Ghradaim an Uachtaráin don Fheabhas Teagaisc, chun tacú le Painéal na nGradam Teagasc na hainmniúcháin a mheas. Riarfaidh CELT an ceistneoir. Cuirfear eolas breise faoin bpróiseas in iúl dóibh siúd atá ainmnithe. Is ar mhaithe le comparáid a dhéanamh é seo agus cinnteoidh sé go mbeidh guth ag na mic léinn sa chás.

8. Cuirfidh CELT tacaíocht/comhairle ar fáil do mholtóirí/dóibh siúd atá ainmnithe ag an gcéad agus ag an dara céim den phróiseas.

Painéal na nGradam Teagaisc

9. Ar Phainéal na nGradam Teagaisc tá siad seo a leanas:

• An tUachtarán
• An Meabhránaí agus Uachtarán Ionaid
• Stiúrthóir CELT
• An Stiúrthóir Feabhais
• Ionadaí ó Chomhaltas na Mac Léinn
• Beirt Déan nó a n-ionadaithe
• Athbhreithneoir seachtrach as Ollscoil eile
• Comhalta eile den Fhoireann Teagaisc

Tá sé de cheart ag an bPainéal cinntí uathrialacha a dhéanamh bunaithe ar an eolas a fhaigheann siad agus ar phlé, agus féadfaidh sé soiléiriú breise a lorg, más gá, d’iarratais áirithe, agus féadfaidh sé an próiseas a athrú tráth ar bith, más gá.

10. Fógrófar cúig ghradam i mbliana, ar luach €1,000 an ceann. Deontas Forbartha Teagaisc atá anseo agus féadfar é a úsáid chun trealamh a cheannach, chun páirt a ghlacadh i gcomhdháil, chun teagasc a fhorbairt, nó ar aon bhealach cuí eile. In 2014-15, gradam foirne a bheidh i gceann amháin ar a laghad de na cúig ghradam (ach amháin sa chás nach bhfaighfear aon ainmniúchán foirne).

Beidh ar na hiarrthóirí a n-éireoidh leo, tuairisc aon leathanaigh a scríobh do CELT ar conas a úsáidtear an Deontas Forbartha Teagaisc.

11. Bronnfar na gradaim ag searmanas bronnta cuí.

12. Beidh an Ollscoil ag iarraidh poiblíocht a thabhairt do na gradaim agus dóibh siúd a bhain na gradaim trí na meáin chumarsáide éagsúla agus ba chóir dóibh siúd a bhuann gradam, dá bhrí sin, a bheith ullmhaithe le bheith páirteach in ábhar poiblíochta. Bheifí ag súil le buaiteoirí na ngradam páirt a ghlacadh freisin i bhfóram plé neamhfhoirmiúil maidir le teagasc a chomhordóidh CELT.

13. Ní fhéadfaidh iarrthóirí aonair a n-éireoidh leo iarratas a dhéanamh ar Ghradam aonair eile don Fheabhas Teagaisc go ceann cúig bliana.

Ní fhéadfaidh iarrthóirí foirne a n-éireoidh leo iarratas a dhéanamh ar Ghradam foirne eile don Fheabhas Teagaisc go ceann cúig bliana.

Gradam Rogha na Mac Léinn

14. Don bhliain 2014-15, bronnfar gradam rogha na mac léinn, bunaithe ar na hiarratais ag an dara céim, agus a bheidh roghnaithe go hiomlán ag painéal mac léinn. Is é Comhaltas na Mac Léinn a dhéanfaidh gradam rogha na mac léinn a riar.