School of Indigenous Studies

This award recognises, promotes and rewards excellence in Indigenous teaching, learning and student support.

Award winners are eligible for entry into the UWA Excellence in Teaching Awards, as well as the Australian Awards competition administered by the National Office for Learning and Teaching (OLT). 

All School of Indigenous Staff Studies (SIS) and UWA academic, general staff and associates (including Indigenous community members and groups) are eligible for nomination.

Nominations are currently closed. The next round of online nominations will open on 1 May 2018. You are encouraged to make a nomination.

Award categories

• Citations for Outstanding Contributions to Student Learning
• Awards for Programs that Enhance Learning
• Awards for Teaching Excellence

A certificate and monetary prize of $2,000 will be awarded to the successful recipient(s).

The judging panel will normally confer only one SIS award every two years, but has the flexibility to confer more in the awarded year. They may choose to make a "commendation" instead of a full award (which will not attract a monetary benefit) if the nominee does not fully meet the award critieria.

Eligibility

Eligible nominees are:

1. SIS academic staff or teams (including sessional staff and tutors);
2. SIS general staff or teams;
3. UWA teaching or general staff external to SIS;
4. Indigenous community members who are involved in SIS activities.

Other eligibility criteria:

• Self-nominations will not be considered.
• Teams of teaching staff are eligible to be nominated; however, one member of the team must be identified to address the criteria. 
• Nominees, whether as a team or individuals, may not apply concurrently for other UWA faculty teaching awards in the same category.
• Winners of the SIS Indigenous Education Award are eligible to re-nominate in later years, only if they can demonstrate significantly different achievements in later years.
• Unsuccessful nominees for the SIS Indigenous Education Award are eligible for re-nomination in later years.
• The Dean reserves the right to identify potential nominees outside the School nomination process.

Judging criteria

The award criteria match those used by the National Office for Learning and Teaching (OLT): 

1. Approaches to teaching or the support of learning and teaching that influence, motivate and inspire students to learn.
2. Development of curricula, resources and student support services that reflect a command of the field.
3. Approaches to assessment, feedback and learning that foster independent learning.
4. Respect and support for the development of students as individuals
5. Scholarly activities and support service innovations that have influenced and enhanced learning and teaching.

All nominations must include evidence that the nominee has:

• influenced Indigenous students' learning, student engagement or overall student experience, and/or the teaching of Indigenous studies across the curriculum;
• gained recognition from fellow staff, the institution and/or the broader community; and
• sustained their contribution over time.