Outstanding Teaching Assistant Awards
Nominations for Outstanding Teaching Assistant Awards (OTAA) are now being accepted for 2009-2010 (requires Blackboard authentication). If you feel that a teaching assistant (TA) has made a significant contribution to the quality of teaching and learning at Florida State University, then please nominate this student for this award.
Nomination Deadline: Friday, January 29, 2010
Who Can Nominate
Department Chairs, FSU faculty, FSU staff (who have worked closely with TAs), and FSU undergraduate students can nominate.
Purpose
This award program is sponsored annually by Academic and Professional Program Services (APPS), and is designed to recognize graduate student teaching assistants (TAs) for their distinguished contributions to student learning through excellence in instruction. Ten Outstanding Teaching Assistants Awards (OTAA) of $500 are given. Recipients of the OTAA Awards, along with other graduate student awards, are recognized at the Celebration of Graduate Student Excellence Ceremony, on Wednesday, April 7, 2010, at 3:30. Awardees will also be eligible for technology packages provided by the Sony Corporation in conjunction with the FSU Computer Store; these packages include a Sony VAIO Notebook, Sony MP3 Player and Sony Webbie HD Camera.
Process
For the evaluation process in this award, we are asking nominees to provide documentation of their teaching skills by completing an "Outstanding Teaching Assistant Award Portfolio Binder." Teaching assistant duties vary across the campus and that is recognized when we review materials. We anticipate that the materials requested will help provide a window into your teaching style. However, we also recognize that preparation of a professional portfolio is a learning activity. Because the process of creating or revising a teaching portfolio has many benefits for TAs, all nominees are encouraged to submit one. Workshops to help with the process will be available during the first two weeks of February.
Outstanding Teaching Assistant Portfolio Binders are due at the University Center "C" Building, Room 3500, before 5:00 P.M. on Friday, March 5, 2010.
For more information about the process, download the Teaching Portfolio Binder Guideline Form (PDF). Blackboard log-in required.
Eligibility
Eligible nominees should:
- exhibit outstanding teaching in the classroom, laboratory, or online
- have been involved in undergraduate or graduate instruction at FSU for at
least two semesters, one of which must be during Spring 2009 - Spring 2010
- have NOT previously received an OTAA award, and are NOT currently a PIE Associate
- be a FSU degree-seeking graduate student hired as a TA
Criteria
To be eligible for an award you must first be nominated. All nominees are then required to submit an Outstanding Teaching Assistant Portfolio Binder to the award committee. The portfolio documents that they:
- have a broad knowledge of the field and the ability to help students actively learn new knowledge, skills and perspectives, evidenced by: intro page, nomination forms, letters, teaching philosophy, SUSSAI, other supporting documents.
- work in a collegial manner with students, faculty supervisors and graduate teaching assistant colleagues evidenced by: nomination forms, intro page, letters, SUSSAI.
- incorporate new teaching skills learned through workshops, seminars and/or self-directed learning evidenced by: CV, teaching philosophy statement, "Seven Principles of Best Practice" reflective statements, other supporting documents.
- are a role model, demonstrating high standards, good listening skills and ethics evidenced by: nomination forms, letters, SUSSAI, other supporting documents.
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How to submit your nomination:
- Nominate a TA for Excellence in Instruction (online form requires authentication)
- Print (
204 kb)
Mail completed forms to:
FSU Outstanding Teaching Assistant Awards Committee
Suite C-3500 University Center
Tallahassee, Florida 32306-2550
Campus Mail Code: 2550Or fax to: 850-644-5803
printable flyer.
Award Presentation
- Previous Graduate Student Awards
At the 2009 Celebration of Graduate Student Excellence held at Dodd Hall Auditorium on April 8th, the university honored graduate students for excellence in teaching, research and creativity, leadership, contributions to the university and community, and service to fellow graduate students. Each of the seventeen award winners received a framed certificate and $500. The program also honored twenty-five Program for Instructional Excellence (PIE) Teaching Associates, seventeen candidates for the Graduate Student Leadership Award, three Interdisciplinary Dialogues recipients, and sixty-four students nominated for the Outstanding Teaching Assistant Awards (OTAA). All of the graduate student awards are generously supported by Academic & Professional Program Services (APPS), The Graduate School, The Office of Research, and The Congress of Graduate Students (COGS).
2009 Awards
