Provost Award for Excellence in Colonnade Program Instruction

---

On behalf of the Provost’s Office, the WKU Office of Academic Affairs invites nominations for the Provost’s Award for Excellence in Colonnade General Education Program Instruction. This award recognizes individual faculty for their commitment to the Colonnade Learning Outcomes and well as engaged and inclusive pedagogies that support student success and skill development in these courses.

 

Criteria

The award committee will look for persuasive evidence of excellence in five categories: 

1. Assignment/Assessment Alignment with the Colonnade General Education Category’s Learning Outcomes
2. Student Engagement (inside and/or outside of the classroom)
3. Inclusive and Accessible Pedagogies 
4. Student Success and Skill Development
5. Continued Professional Development 

 In their packets, nominees must demonstrate:  

• Well-designed course syllabi that map course student learning outcomes with the Colonnade General Education Program Category’s Learning Outcomes.  
• Student achievement in relation to the Colonnade General Education Program Learning Outcomes. 
• Examples of student engagement and learning. 
• Practices related to inclusive and accessible pedagogy.
• Evidence of a commitment to developing one or more of the following skills:

1. 1. Communicate effectively.
   2. Think critically in order to solve problems and create new ideas and solutions.
   3. Apply quantitative reasoning skills to analyze and solve numerical problems.
   4. Interact effectively with people from diverse backgrounds.
   5. Adapt to changing circumstances while leading and supporting others. 
   6. Perform professionally within their chosen field of study or occupation.
   7. Engage in civic life to improve society.
   8. Collaborate and work in teams.
   9. Demonstrate evidence of applied and integrated learning.
   10. Use information for decision making.

 

Eligibility

Any current full-time or part-time members of the teaching faculty and teaching academic staff who have: 

• taught a minimum of 12 credit hours in the Colonnade General Education Program at WKU over the course of two calendar years. 
• taught Colonnade General Education Program courses for four or more years.

 

Submission Guidelines and Documentation:

Each portfolio submission must include the following components: 

• Syllabi for all courses taught in the Colonnade General Education Program. This includes all required materials, assignments, and evaluations.  
• A nomination letter from the department chair, program coordinator/director, or dean describing the nominee’s teaching in the Colonnade General Education Program and why they are especially effective in advancing student learning in these courses.
• A listing that includes a brief description of each Colonnade General Education Program the nominee has taught at WKU in the past three years, including the semesters taught and number of sections.  
• A four- to five-page discussion of 2-3 innovative teaching artifacts or practices used to promote student success and engagement as well as evidence of elevated learning gains as a result of these efforts. To this end, be sure to include empirical evidence of student learning in your course. For example, if you implemented a change in your course, what were the measurable results on student learning? Did assignment scores on papers and/or evaluations improve? Can you share examples of student work that shows increased understanding or proficiency? Please take special care to present the evidence for student learning in relation to the Colonnade General Education Program Learning Outcomes You may use embedded links to relevant evidence where necessary.  

Please submit Colonnade General Education Program Award Packets by COB, February 15 to provost@wku.edu