About the Award
The FCTL Teaching Excellence Award recognizes outstanding faculty who have demonstrated exemplary success in facilitating student learning and success at Missouri State University. The goal of the FCTL Teaching Excellence Award program is to signal the University's commitment to excellence in teaching, reward and highlight faculty excellence in teaching, and thereby promote excellence in teaching among other faculty.
Each academic year the FCTL will grant up to five Teaching Excellence Awards, and each award carries a $1,000 stipend (less payroll taxes). Faculty may be nominated by a peer, or they may self-nominate for this award. All applications will be peer reviewed by the FCTL Faculty Advisory Council, which is made up of faculty representatives from all MSU colleges. The FCTL Faculty Advisory Council will also select and award winners at the end of the review process.
Nominees and applicants for this award must have a minimum of one year of teaching experience at Missouri State, and must be currently teaching in the classroom or online.
Evidence of a nominee or applicant's excellence in teaching will be reviewed through the following criteria:
- Evidence of Teaching Effectiveness: Describe teaching efforts that have significantly impacted student learning and success. Include specific, measurable evidence such as assessment results or student feedback.
- Commitment to Student Success: Provide specific examples of how efforts led to improved student engagement and outcomes. Describe how this work aligns with or demonstrates your teaching philosophy.
- Learning Focused Approach: Describe how a learning-focused approach was used in the delivery of content, student practice, and how assessment strategies positively influenced student learning. Include how this approach aligns with your student philosophy and student needs.
- Reflective Practice and Continuous Improvement: Discuss how a sustained commitment to reflective practice has led to meaningful changes in teaching. Include examples of self-assessment and feedback that support these areas of improvement.
Note: The full scoring rubric can be found within the application portal.
Deadline, Peer-Nomination, and Application Guidelines
Peer-nominations can be submitted through the Peer-Nomination Form, and must be submitted by November 30. Faculty who have been nominated by a peer will be invited to submit a full application packet for this award.
The deadline for all application packets (peer and self-nominations) is February 1.
How to Submit your Application Packet
Application Packets for this award can be submitted through the application portal that is available within the FCTL Academic Community in Brightspace.
If you have not already joined the FCTL Academic Community, select the 'Discover' tab from your Homepage Navigation Bar to search for the community. Download instructions for enrolling in the Academic Community.