Excellence in teaching awards - A student perspective

The UWA Excellence in Teaching (www.guild.uwa.edu.au/info/eta) awards were initiated by the Student Guild in 1991. Since then, they have flourished as a critical component of the recognition of good teaching. Over the past 2 years, the University has taken over the administration of the awards. However, the emphasis on student initiation and involvement has not changed.

Teaching awards aren’t about conclusively finding the ‘best’ instructor; they’re not about quantifying the unquantifiable. The aim of Excellence in Teaching Awards is deceptively simple: it’s about recognising excellent teachers, a student-initiated thanks for a job well done.

UWA’s Teaching Awards are unique in the level of student participation in the process. All nominees must have a student nominator, ensuring that the instructor can’t simply rely on methods that look good ‘on paper’. Student-initiated nominations are an empowering concept for students, allowing them to indicate their appreciation for the efforts a teacher has made to make university study a genuine learning experience. In many ways, a nomination for the Excellence in Teaching Awards is the most meaningful recognition of excellence; the award itself is a bonus.

Criticisms of teaching awards usually relate to the difficulty a judging panel will face when presented with a raft of nominations for teachers that have different approaches and strengths in teaching. Much of this can be at least partially rectified by the use of a range of award categories and clear criteria, as featured in the UWA awards.

However, there is a point at which we must recognise that decisions leading to teaching awards are an inexact science, just like any other mark of appreciation. So long as they remain student-initiated, these awards will have continued relevance to the University community for years to come.

Contribution from Mr Mathew Chuk, 2006 President, UWA Student Guild