Teaching Ideas Competition

The Teaching Ideas Competition recognizes innovation and excellence in teaching in mass communication. This award builds upon the idea of Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL), which treats teaching as part of research agendas, using the same formal methodological techniques and standards of peer review. To fit within the concept of SoTL, this award honors projects that posed hypotheses or research questions to probe questions such as what it means to teach, how learning happens, and how teachers and students can work together to enrich learning. This award is open to a wide range of qualitative and quantitative approaches, but the methods used (and their theoretical grounding) should be made explicit. Winners are selected by the MCS Division’s Vice Head and Teaching Committee.

Full-time faculty, adjunct professors, and graduate student instructors who have taught at least one course in the field of mass communication are eligible to apply for this award. All entrants must be members of the MCS Division. Winners of this award are asked to present their teaching idea at MCSD’s annual teaching ideas webinar, which is held annually every September. 

Submission Details:

Submit the following information electronically as ONE PDF (no more than 10 pages) and include the applicant’s name in the title of the file. Include the following information in your submission packet in the order listed below:

• Current curriculum vita (no more than five pages).
• General information about your course. Please clearly specify what type of courses and the target level (undergraduate, graduate or professional) the idea is intended for.
• Your teaching idea (no more than five pages). This section should contain the following components:
  • A statement of the teaching question or problem addressed and discuss why it is important.
  • Details of the data collection methods employed.
  • Details of how the data was analyzed.
  • A section that discusses the project's results. 

Submission Deadline: April 30th at 11:59 p.m. (EDT). The nomination PDF should be emailed to the MCSD Awards Chair.

Award: $300 for first place, $200 for second place, and $100 for third place.

The award winners will be recognized at the MCSD Awards Luncheon at the national conference with a plaque/certificate. Winners will also be listed on the Division’s website and are required to present their ideas in the Division’s teaching webinar in September.