Eligibility Criteria

The Wayne Weiten Excellence in Teaching Award recognizes outstanding instructors currently teaching at two-year colleges. Applicants must be members of STP and may join at any time.

Award Criteria

The Wayne Weiten Excellence in Teaching Award is based on the following three criteria: (1) effective teaching; (2) service; and (3) scholarship of teaching and learning. 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).

1. Effective teaching. This criterion involves the development of effective teaching methods, courses, and/or teaching materials that exemplify outstanding performance as a classroom educator. Documentation may include, but is not limited to:

a)    Innovative methods, materials, course syllabi, and evidence of successful utilization of each
b)    Summary of student evaluations (see the primary ETA landing page for more details on how to prepare this document)
c)     Providing evaluative observations by supervisors and colleagues
d)    Demonstrating innovation teaching and/or assessment methods
e) Presenting evidence of prior teaching awards or other forms of recognition

2. Service. This criterion pertains to local, regional, and/or national service, both curricular and co- curricular, intended to increase student interest and involvement in psychology, raise community awareness of psychology as an applied science, and/or use the principles of psychology to improve the human condition. Documentation may include, but is not limited to:

a)    Encouraging students to major in psychology at a 4-year college or university
b)    Mentoring faculty colleagues
c)     Sponsoring or advising a student or community organization
d) Participating in community outreach projects or civic activities that heighten community awareness of the discipline of psychology and/or apply psychological principles to problem resolution
e)    Engaging in collaborative service efforts with psychology teachers at the high school, 2-year college, and/or 4-year college/university level
f)     Serving on local, regional, and/or national committees and task forces

3. Scholarship of teaching and learning. This criterion concerns professional identity as a teacher of psychology, including professional activity on or away from campus. Documentation may include, but is not limited to:

a)     Publishing or co-publishing books, book chapters, journal articles, monographs, and/or newsletter articles on teaching or teaching-related topics
b)    Serving as editor or reviewer for a scholarly publication
c) Participating in and/or presenting at conferences, symposia, seminars, or workshops relevant to the teaching of psychology
d)    Organizing and coordinating teaching meetings, training sessions, workshops, or conferences supervising and stimulating student research, including work that leads to publication, conference presentations, and/or poster-session displays
e)     Participating actively in organizations that indicate professional identification as a psychology teacher
f)     Securing research or curriculum development grants
g)    Pursuing additional graduate-level training that enhances instructional effectiveness

Submission Information

Apply for the Wayne Weiten Excellence in Teaching Award here.