About the Award
This award celebrates the outstanding efforts of NC staff and the innovative spirit of the NC community while also sharing effective practices across our organization.
Innovation involves experimentation and exploration, and through this award we want to honour those who push the boundaries to improve student learning and success at Niagara College. Three awards will be distributed annually to individuals or teams who have implemented an innovation that addresses or anticipates an important student learning or success need.
Innovations might include:
- New ways of engaging students in learning or self-reflection.
- The development and/or refinement of programs, courses, or resources.
- The application of new technologies.
- Novel approaches to instruction, assessment, and student support.
- Initiatives that promote student engagement outside the classroom and build a sense of belonging in the college community.
- Creative opportunities to connect students with employers and communities.
- Other valuable initiatives that we may not yet even be able to imagine.
Innovations should address one or more of the following college priorities:
- Engaging students in applied learning opportunities that help them to build transferable skills, improve their employability, and expand their professional networks.
- Promoting inclusivity, cultural awareness, and/or addressing equity gaps for individuals and groups.
- Improving the accessibility of learning experiences or success supports.
- Promoting sustainability and social responsibility.
- Supporting respectful and meaningful engagement with communities at local, regional, national, or international scales resulting in mutual benefit to the students and community members.
- Promoting a holistic approach to student learning, wellness, and success.
Award Recipients
- To enable one or more contributors to attend a conference or another professional development opportunity where they can discuss their innovation or;
- To advance their innovation in a meaningful way.
Winning individuals or groups will be asked to provide a detailed plan for the use of up to $2500 in funding. Awards will be centrally approved before funds are released. Funds will only be released for approved purposes.
A Commitment to Sharing the Innovation
One of the central aims of the President’s Award for Innovation in Student Learning and Success is to promote the sharing of effective practices across Niagara College. For that reason, the college will feature and catalogue winning innovations in InsideNC. Awardees will also be expected to present their innovation to the Niagara College community at a college-wide event such as sessions/events offered by the Centre for Academic Excellence (CAE).
Eligibility
- All employees (full- and part-time) engaged in the delivery and support of teaching or student success at Niagara College are eligible to apply or be nominated for this award. The lead applicant must be a Niagara College employee.
- Individuals or teams may apply or be nominated for this award. Teams may be comprised of two or more collaborators within or across units at the college who have contributed meaningfully to the innovation. Teams can also include non-staff partners, such as students, employers, and community members.
- Individuals/teams who have previously received a President’s Award for Innovation in Student Learning and Success are ineligible to receive a second award for the same innovation. However, specific individuals or teams are eligible to receive the award more than once over the course of their career at Niagara College.
- Unsuccessful applicants may re-submit innovations for consideration in a subsequent award cycle.
- Nominations require that the nominator communicate the intent to and have support from the nominee(s) direct supervisor(s).