Eligibility Criteria

The Robert S. Daniel Excellence in Teaching Award recognizes outstanding instructors currently teaching at four-year colleges or universities. Applicants must be members of STP and may join at any time.

Award Criteria

The Robert S. Daniel Excellence in Teaching Award is based on the following five criteria: (1) effective teaching; (2) mentoring student professional development; (3) advancing teaching and learning through scholarship; (4) advancing teaching and learning through service; and (5) training high school, community college, or college/university teachers. Competitive applicants generally submit dossiers that address all of the criteria, but need not be equally accomplished in each one.

See below for a non-exhaustive, non-prescriptive list of suggestions for supporting evidence for each criterion and note that pieces of evidence may be submitted in different forms. For example, a syllabus can be included in a dossier exactly as-is, while publications can be noted in a CV or in a summary document that lists the citation and abstract for each one (rather than including the full-text publications themselves).

a)    Summary of student evaluations (see the primary ETA landing page for more details on how to prepare this document)
b)    Peer and/or administrative evaluations
c)     Innovative syllabi and assignments
d)    Innovative assessment practices
e)    Innovative demonstrations and activities, including innovative use of technology
f)     Previous awards for teaching

a)    Students have received academic honors such as membership in Phi Beta Kappa, Phi Kappa Phi, and Psi Chi; and/or scholarships
b)    Students have held leadership positions
c)     Students have made professional presentations and/or published their work
d)    Students have attended state, regional, and national conferences and conventions
e)    Served as chair or member of senior (and honors) thesis committees 
f)     Served as chair or member of master's thesis committees 
g)    Served as chair or member of doctoral dissertation committees 

In your dossier's front matter documentation, please briefly indicate the role you played in the student accomplishments you cite. Please also note whether (and where) any student research you advised was presented or published. 

a)    Refereed research articles
b)    Chapters (invited or refereed)
c)     Books
d)    Invited addresses or other conference presentations
e)    Textbooks (emphasis on those that are current or have multiple editions)
f)     Successfully funded grants advancing teaching and learning

a)    Leader or member of college/university committees that advance teaching and learning 
b)    Leader or member of professional committees that advance teaching and learning 
c)     Advising student organization that advances teaching and learning
d)    Editor/reviewer of journal devoted to teaching
e)    Organizer of teaching and learning workshop or conference

a)    Summary of student evaluations of teachers you have trained 
b)    Accomplishments of teachers you have trained

In your dossier's front matter documentation, please briefly indicate the role you played in each teacher's development and/or accomplishments.  

Submission Information

Apply for the Robert S. Daniel Excellence in Teaching Award here.