Distinguished Teaching & Learning Award

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In Recognition of Exemplary Teaching Practices

Purpose:

The purpose of the Distinguished Teaching and Learning Award (DTLA) is to recognize full-time or adjunct faculty who are implementing an exemplary, creative, and effective teaching technique, practice or activity at South Texas College. The award honors excellence in the following areas:

  • Innovation
  • Impact
  • Transferability
  • Critical Thinking
  • Skills Development beyond Academic Content

Recognition and Benefits:

  • Recipients will be recognized and receive a DTLA medallion during the Academic Affairs and Economic Development (AAED) Assembly.
  • Recipients and their exemplary teaching practice will be highlighted in the South Texas College Faculty Spotlight and the AAED Awards webpage. 
  • Recipients will have opportunities to share best practices with fellow faculty.

Eligibility:

  • Current South Texas College full-time faculty, lecturers, and adjuncts who teach online, hybrid, or face-to-face courses are eligible.
  • Nominee must have completed at least three years of employment at South Texas College. A minimum of six full-term semesters (fall and spring) or six eight-week semesters.
  • Faculty who have received the DTLA award within the last five years are ineligible.
  • Self-nominations will not be accepted. 
  • Administrators are ineligible for nominations. 

Selection Criteria:

Innovation - Evidence supporting teaching practices that are original or are used in creative ways for effective student learning, clearly demonstrating:

  • Novel techniques to promote active learning such as use of flipped classrooms, gamification, or problem-based learning in novel ways;
  • Creative uses of educational technologies and tools in instruction;
  • Examples of creative activities that increase engagement (e.g., interactive simulations, collaborative digital platforms).

Impact - Evidence supporting teaching practices that significantly improve student learning outcomes, as demonstrated by:

  • Student work samples showing mastery of complex skills and conceptual understanding over time;
  • Examples of students applying concepts in new or real-world contexts (e.g. cross-curricular projects, case studies, community service assignments, and capstone projects);
  • Use of structured, research-based strategies (e.g., inquiry-based learning) to strengthen critical thinking, problem-solving, and evidence-based reasoning;
  • Multiple pathways for student engagement and expression through varied modalities (e.g., scaffolded supports, flexible assessments) that support equitable access and personalized learning.

Transferability - Teaching practices that can be effectively applied across courses, disciplines, or instructional contexts, such as:

  • Learning strategies that are discipline agnostic (e.g., problem-based learning framework, metacognitive strategies, rubric or assessment models, or team-based learning protocols);
  • Reusable resources such as templates, guides, instructional videos, or toolkits that can support broader adoption.

Critical Thinking - Evidence supporting teaching practices that foster academic challenge, deeper learning, and connections beyond course content, such as:

  • Learning experiences that require students to evaluate evidence, analyze perspectives, or engage in reasoning aligned to disciplinary standards;
  • Assignments or assessments that require application in new contexts, supported by questioning or discussion that encourages explanation and justification of thinking;
  • Integration of real-world problems, case studies, or research activities that extend learning beyond the classroom.

Skills Development beyond Academic Content - Evidence supporting teaching practices that develop lifelong skills in addition to disciplinary knowledge, including:

  • Strategies that build metacognitive skills (e.g., self‑assessment, goal-setting, or reflective journaling);
  • Structures for collaborative learning (e.g., group roles, peer feedback protocols, or cooperative project frameworks);
  • Experiences that deepen civic engagement, community awareness, or understanding of societal issues;
  • Opportunities for service learning, internships, or project-based partnerships with community organizations;
  • Explicit emphasis on professional skills (e.g., communication, ethical decision-making, teamwork, and resilience).

Award Committee:

  • Committee Formation: The Teaching and Learning Center (TLC) will invite each division to nominate one faculty representative to serve on the DTLA Committee.
  • Committee Chair: A member of the TLC will lead the recognition efforts as a non-voting member.
  • Committee Membership: The DTLA committee membership may include faculty and students.
  • Committee Responsibilities: The DTLA Committee will review and evaluate the nominations. After reviewing all nominations, the committee will submit their final recommendation in writing to the AAED Vice President and Provost. Members of the DTLA Committee may not nominate or support candidates for any award. If a committee member is nominated for the award, he or she must recuse him or herself from the committee.

Nomination Process:

  1. The Teaching and Learning Center (TLC) will open the nomination period from the beginning of the spring semester until early March.
  2. The TLC will invite deans, program chairs, and all faculty to submit a nomination for DTLA. Any member of the South Texas College community, including students, staff, faculty and administrators may nominate faculty for this award.
  3. After nominations are received, TLC will submit the nominee’s name(s) to the Human Resources Department or to the AAED Vice President and Provost and the nominee’s immediate supervisor to ensure the nominee(s) is in good standing.
  4. Once approved, the TLC may request that each nominee submit one or both of the following supporting documentation:
    • Two testimonials of current or former students. The TLC will send testimonial forms and instructions to the finalists.
    • Assessment data on student learning connected to the teaching technique.
  5. Nominated faculty will submit their materials electronically to the TLC by mid-March.
  6. The candidates whose teaching practices most closely align with DTLA criteria will be invited to proceed to the second phase to present their teaching practice to the Committee.
  7. The committee members may gather more information to inform their recommendation(s) by:
    • Observing the finalist’s teaching technique/ practice/ activity and reporting back to the full committee. In addition, the committee may review student evaluations from prior semesters.
    • Meeting with finalists to view a demonstration and discuss their practice/ technique/activity and answer committee questions.
  8. After reviewing and evaluating each finalist’s teaching technique and supporting documentation, each committee member will submit their recommendation(s) to the TLC by the end of March.
  9. Based on the input from the Committee, TLC will complete the one-page nomination form and submit it to the AAED Vice President and Provost at the beginning of April.
  10. The Office of the AAED Vice President and Provost will email award winners to notify them of their recognition by late April.
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