Teaching Innovation Awards

Our community celebrates and shares outstanding teaching practices. The LearnSci Teaching Innovation Awards support innovation that positively impacts on teaching quality and enhances student learning.

How it works

Applicants are asked to demonstrate how they have led innovation in teaching and learning in their institution. Winners will be chosen by an expert scientific educational panel.
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Possible ways you may have innovated teaching and learning:

Solving a problem by improving tools and methods
Improving teaching materials and practices
Developing new digital learning resources

See previous winners

New for 2021

The Teaching Innovation Awards 2021 are open to university and senior-secondary science educators

We are looking for an emphasis in one or more of the following areas:

Wider innovation in science education

Open to non partners

Innovative use of digital tools to aid science teaching at university or post-16 level. Not including LearnSci resources.

Progress

Open to 2020 awards applicants

Impressive development of a Teaching Innovation Awards 2020 applicant project.

Creative innovation

Open to current partners

Creative innovation using LabSims and/or Smart Worksheets in teaching.

Evidence of impact

Open to current partners

High quality analysis of the impact of an implemented teaching and learning practice using LabSims and/or Smart Worksheets.

Department-wide impact

Open to current partners

Innovation in teaching and learning across a whole department, using LabSims and/or Smart Worksheets.

Student involvement

Open to current partners

Focusing on use of feedback within digital assessments and how we can make this more effective, for both students and academics.

Hear from our previous applicants

What are the benefits of applying? Find out from some of our previous winners and finalists

Why apply?

Details of each innovation project made by applicants will be showcased on the LearnSci website to enable sharing of good practice within our community.
Winners will receive a £200 cash prize to be used for an educational purpose of their choice.
Winners also receive a hand-crafted trophy by the Bristol-based glass blowing experts, Bristol Blue Glass.

What is the Awards Trust Mark?

How to apply

Demonstrate how you have innovated teaching and learning in your institution in no more than 500 words via the online application form.

Applications for the Teaching Innovation Awards 2021 have now closed, winners will be announced early 2022.

The judging panel

Prof. Nicola King

Associate Dean for Education in the College for Engineering, Mathematics and Physical Sciences and Director of Studies for the Natural Sciences programme at the University of Exeter

Dr. Juliet Stoltenkamp

Director of the Centre For Innovative Education & Communication Technologies (CIECT), University of the Western Cape

Prof. Dudley Shallcross

Professor of Atmospheric Chemistry at the University of Bristol and President of the Education Division of the Royal Society of Chemistry

Dr. Dee Scadden

Director of Teaching and Digital Learning, Dept of Biochemistry, and Director of Technology-enabled Learning, School of Biological Sciences, University of Cambridge

Dr. Leanne Williams

Associate Professor at the University of Warwick School of Life Sciences

Dr. Andrew Allsebrook

Lead Demonstrator at the University of Queensland School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences

Frequently asked questions

Terms and conditions

Entries and eligibility:

Details provided must be a true and accurate representation of actions taken in real life.
The applicant(s) of the following award areas must currently work with LearnSci and be able to demonstrate how they have innovated teaching and learning using LearnSci resources: Student Involvement, Department-Wide Impact, Evidence of impact, and Creative Innovation.
The applicant(s) of the Progress award area must have applied for the Teaching Innovation Awards 2020, and be able to demonstrate how they have continued to innovate teaching and learning using LearnSci resources.
The applicant(s) of the Wider Innovation in Science Education award area must be associated with a university or post-16 educational institution that uses digital tools to innovate teaching and learning in the sciences.

Judging:

The decision of the judges is final. The judges reserve the right to re-classify or reject any entry that does not comply with the requirements.
Judges are requested to declare an interest and remove themselves from the process if they are asked to judge an entry that poses a conflict of interest.

Confidentiality:

LearnSci is committed to your privacy.
All entries will be stored securely and access to these by the judges will be strictly monitored.
Winner details (name, institution, project overview) will be announced on our website and social media pages.
LearnSci will not provide your personal information to any other organisation for the purpose of direct marketing and will take reasonable precautions to prevent the loss, misuse or alteration of your personal information.