Brittain Fellows are eligible for an annual award for pedagogical excellence related to teaching English 1101 and 1102 and/or LMC 3403. This award recognizes overall excellence in pedagogy, which might include any or all of the following areas: excellent classroom performance, creative curriculum development, high levels of student engagement, productive use of Georgia Tech and metro-Altanta resources, excellence in formative assessment and summative evaluation, scholarly and/or research projects related to pedagogy, and pedagogical presentations and/or publications.
Eligibility
All Marion L. Brittain Postdoctoral Fellows are eligible.
Previous awardees for pedagogical excellence include the following faculty (and their cohort at the time of the award):
- 2018-2019: Rebekah Fitzsimmons (3rd year BF)
- 2017-2018: Halycon Lawrence (3rd year BF)
- 2016-2017: Michael Griffin (3rd year BF)
- 2015-2016: Patti Taylor (3rd year BF)
- 2014-2015: Caitlin Kelly (2nd year BF)
- 2013-2014: Rachel Dean-Ruzicka (3rd year BF)
- 2012-2013: Doris Bremm (3rd year BF) and Leah Haught (1st year BF)
Nomination
Brittain Fellows can be nominated in several ways: by self-nomination (strongly encouraged) or by a student, administrator, or colleague. Applications must include these components:
- A completed nomination form.
- A letter from the nominator addressing the award criteria.
- The nominee`s teaching portfolio (which might include a philosophy of teaching, syllabi, sample assignments, assessment criteria, representative student work, reflections about teaching, and student evaluations)
- Recommended (but not required): a letter of support from a colleague who has observed the Brittain Fellow's teaching and/or has worked with the Brittain Fellow on a project with major pedagogical aspects.
Selection
Committee
The Selection Committee will include the Director of Writing and Communication, the Associate Director of Writing and Communication, and the Assistant Director of Writing and Communication. The Selection Committee reserves the right not to make the Brittain Fellow Excellence in Pedagogy Award during any given year.
Criteria
This award recognizes overall excellence in pedagogy involved with the teaching of English 1101, English 1102, and/or LMC 3403. The award winner will meet several, though not necessarily all, of these criteria:
- Rhetorically sound and creative assignment and course design.
- Research-based teaching (research-based reasons for decisions and actions rather than lore).
- Classroom presence and performance.
- Context-based pedagogy, drawing on Georgia Tech and metro-Altanta resources.
- Accessibility to, engagement with, and positive reactions from students.
- Formative assessment and summative evaluation that are rigorous and usable.
- Professional presentations/publications about communication-related pedagogy.
- Passion about teaching and learning communication.
Award
$500
Details
Dates
This award is given once a year for work from any semester during that year. The award will be presented at the LMC James Dean Young Memorial Awards Dinner in April.
Archive
All nominations and winning projects are eligible to be archived with SMARTech and on the Writing and Communication Program website at Georgia Tech.
Submission
Submit completed applications by 5 PM on May 11th to the Associate Director of the Writing and Communication Program, Dr. Andy Frazee.