Georgian Faculty Competency Framework
The Innovative Georgian College Faculty Competency Framework is a system meant to help educators consider and engage in conversation about the many roles we assume and hats we wear in our day-to-day professional lives.
We are designers, researchers, inclusive practitioners, changemakers, digital navigators, collaborators, reflectors and mentors. We weave associated competencies into our daily practices, and we grow from emerging, to performing to transforming overtime.
On this page:
- Goals of the Innovative GC Faculty Competency Framework
- Faculty competencies and roles
- Stages of growth in competence
- Earning badges while you grow your teaching practice
- How our badging system works
- Faculty competencies
- Apply for badges
- The Innovative Georgian College Faculty Certificate
- Teaching Excellence Awards
Faculty competencies and roles
Georgian faculty and peers have identified the following faculty roles:
Stages of growth in competence
In our Faculty Competency Framework, we have identified three stages of growth in competence:
Emerging
faculty at the emerging stage
are recognizing the importance
of this competency for teaching
Performing
faculty at the performing stage
are actively doing this
competency as they teach
Transforming
faculty at the transforming stage
are impacting the teaching
and learning ecosystem
We are working to tag our professional learning opportunities in order to help you make decisions related to your professional growth.
Earning badges while you grow your teaching practice
We hope to help you and those impacted by your work recognize your contributions to the teaching and learning ecosystem at Georgian (and other places).
Our badging system honours growth in skills and competence rather than tracking set hours or workshops. In other words, this system is meant to recognize your professional learning on an individual path at your own pace. We are all on our own teaching journey.
We are working to tag our professional learning opportunities in order to help you make decisions related to your educator growth.
We will also honour the amazing competency work you have done outside of Georgian. For example, if you have taken the eCampus Ontario Empowered Educator modules, you are clearly working towards your Performing badges in many of our competencies. We hope to curate with you the kinds of amazing professional learning opportunities for educators available outside of Georgian.
How our badging system works
Georgian’s badging system is faculty driven. It is meant to be used by you for you to demonstrate your growth in your teaching competence and toolkit.
Follow these steps to earn badges and the Georgian College Innovative Faculty Certificate:
- Explore the competencies and related criteria and competency statements.
- Consider how you align with a particular badge you are interested in receiving.
- Collect artefacts / exemplars (e.g. a syllabus, an assignment, a lesson plan, a scaffolded lesson sequence, a teaching and learning activity, a statement shared with students, an early communication video, an announcement, etc. – there are so many options) to show how you are demonstrating this competency.
- Write your story about how you are demonstrating the competency and attach your artefacts / examples [note: you can tell your story in any way that works for you – write it, say it, represent it].
- When you have created your story that shows how you align or extend the faculty competency criteria and have collected and curated your examples, click “submit” to earn your badge.
- Earn the Transformative Badges in all eight competencies and apply for the Georgian College Innovative Faculty Micro Certificate.
- Continue to grow your practice in the remaining competencies and earn annual stamp recognition.
Note, you can enter the competency framework at any stage. You do not have to backtrack to earn badges. If you are a Transformative Changemaker or Transformative Researcher, you can apply for the badge at that growth stage.
Faculty competencies
DESIGNER (DE) competency
Innovative faculty are DESIGNERS. They design courses, classes, teaching and learning activities, and assessments to facilitate student learning.
They recognize the importance of mapping courses for students and use evidence informed pedagogy / andragogy to inform their practice. They recognize the importance of universal design, creating spaces of belonging, and sharing with peers to positively impact the teaching ecosystem.
Design work is essential work in contemporary teaching and learning. Georgian peers helped identify the key criteria associated with the DESIGNER role and work of faculty.
Key criteria: | intentional | innovative | guide / way finder | cultivator |
Innovative Georgian College faculty are intentional in their design of teaching and learning opportunities. They innovate by maintaining currency in both their field and their teaching practice to best position their students.
They actively guide their students and help them find their way in each course and in the Georgian teaching and learning ecosystem through connections to student success services and opportunities like the library, Indigenous Centre, EDIB resources, Mental Health and Well-being MHWB) team, etc.
Exemplar performance descriptors
Emerging Designer
Faculty who are DESIGNING at an EMERGING level (DE-E) might demonstrate the following:
- Identify characteristics of students that may impact their learning.
- Define what innovative teaching practice looks like, feels like, sounds like.
- Recognize the importance of mapping a course to support student learning.
- Identify components of integrated course design.
Performing Designer
Faculty who are DESIGNING at a PERFORMING level (DE-P) may do the following:
- Intentionally create universally designed teaching and learning activities.
- Integrate innovative teaching practices into the learning environment.
- Facilitate student learning with scaffolded, mapped and woven experiences.
- Cultivate student learning by using evidence-informed, authentic opportunities for practice.
Transforming Designer
Faculty who are DESIGNING at a TRANSFORMING level (DE-T) may do the following:
- Participate openly in dialogue with peers about inclusive course design.
- Demonstrate commitment to improving practice through risk taking in course design
- Mentor others in transformative course design.
- Curate and share high impact practices to engage students.
Please note that these descriptors are not exhaustive. Faculty demonstrate this competency in numerous ways, all of which are key to innovative teaching. Please share your exemplars as you describe how you are emerging, performing, or transforming the teaching and learning ecosystem.
RESEARCHER (RE) competency
Innovative faculty are RESEARCHERS. They inspire curiosity and motivate students to ask questions. They offer opportunities to practice critical analysis and problem solving.
They explore evidence and best practices in their disciplines and in the profession of teaching. Faculty use research to stay connected and to keep current and transform the experiences of students and peers by sharing their experiences. Faculty who are developing competence in their role as researchers may do the following kinds of things.
Doing research is essential work in contemporary teaching and learning.
Georgian peers helped identify the key criteria associated with the RESEARCHER role and work of faculty.
Key criteria: | questioner | knowledge seeker| appraiser | action taker |
Innovative Georgian College faculty are question-askers. They innovate by maintaining currency in both their field and their teaching practice to best position their students. They think critically about their profession and their teaching and approach research with a critical lens that they bring to their classroom and students. These faculty take action on the research they find in order to offer the best learning opportunities to students.
Exemplar performance descriptors
Emerging Researcher
Faculty who are RESEARCHING at an EMERGING level (RE-E) might demonstrate the following:
- Recognize the importance of curiosity for learning.
- Note the importance of connecting current research to practice.
- Identify ways to critique information.
- Identify approaches for incorporating new information and practices.
Performing Researcher
Faculty who are RESEARCHING at a PERFORMING level (RE-P) may do the following:
- Integrate opportunities for students to engage in critical inquiry and problem solving.
- Seek credible, relevant information to authentically appeal to students.
- Guide students in critical appraisal.
- Embed new learning into existing teaching practice.
Transforming Researcher
Faculty who are RESEARCHING at a TRANSFORMING level (RE-T) may do the following:
- Share innovative solutions for integrating research in teaching practice.
- Share the impact of knowledge seeking and research on the faculty role.
- Contribute to a culture of critical curiosity to grow research practices.
- Share specific research-related stories with relevant communities.
Please note that these descriptors are not exhaustive. Faculty demonstrate this competency in numerous ways, all of which are key to innovative teaching. Please share your exemplars as you describe how you are emerging, performing, or transforming the teaching and learning ecosystem.
INCLUSIVE PRACTITIONER (IP) competency
Innovative faculty are INCLUSIVE PRACTITIONERS. They are emotionally attuned to the needs of learners and use empathy as a lens for their practice. They plan teaching and learning experiences with integrity and work to identify and reduce inequities and injustices that may impact student success. They inhabit a space of growth mindset and are open to knowledge outside of their disciplines to empower students. They understand the importance of equity, diversity, inclusion and belonging work and see indigenization as a key priority to transform post-secondary education. Faculty developing competence in their role as inclusive practitioners may do the following things.
Being inclusive is essential work in contemporary teaching and learning. Georgian peers helped identify the key criteria associated with the INCLUSIVE PRACTITIONER role and work of faculty.
Key criteria: | emotionally attuned | just | courageous | empowering | questioner | knowledge seeker | appraiser | action taker |
Innovative Georgian College faculty include all learners in their learning spaces by creating a culture of belonging. They are just and courageous and will take a stand to support others. They are intentional in empowering students to contribute to student success.
Exemplar performance descriptors
Emerging Inclusive Practitioner
Faculty who are PRACTISING INCLUSION at an EMERGING level (IP-E) might demonstrate the following:
- Recognize the diversity of learners when developing effective learning environments.
- Respect all learners.
- Recognize the importance of vulnerability and uncertainty in the faculty role.
- Recognize the power and possibility they hold.
Performing Inclusive Practitioner
Faculty who are PRACTISING INCLUSION at a PERFORMING level (IP-P) might do the following:
- Use a growing array of skills to respond to a multi-faceted learning environment that ensures space for safety, challenge and growth.
- Foster a commitment to community standards and values while maintaining empathy and fairness.
- Cultivate opportunities and model risk taking in their teaching practice.
- Foster a learning environment where all are empowered to have their own agency and voice.
Transforming Inclusive Practitioner
Faculty who are PRACTISING INCLUSION at a TRANSFORMING level (IP-T) might do the following:
- Inspire and mentor others to invest in their own inclusive practice and commitment towards change.
- Seize opportunities to model values in decision making in their work.
- Be transparent and humble in reflecting the uncertainties and course corrections of their professional journey.
- Empower peers to be allies and agents of inclusive practice.
Please note that these descriptors are not exhaustive. Faculty demonstrate this competency in numerous ways, all of which are key to innovative teaching. Please share your exemplars as you describe how you are emerging, performing, or transforming the teaching and learning ecosystem.
CHANGEMAKER (CH) competency
Innovative faculty are CHANGEMAKERS. Innovative faculty are CHANGEMAKERS. They approach their interactions with students using an empathetic lens. In their courses, they support students in using this lens to identify inequities and other “wicked” problems in our communities.
From this perspective, faculty offer opportunities for collaboration and leadership as students practice changemaking to support the growth of graduates who are not only amazing practitioners but also amazing community members. Faculty who are developing competence in their role as changemakers may do the following kinds of things.
Being a changemaker is essential work in contemporary teaching and learning. Georgian peers helped identify the key criteria associated with the CHANGEMAKER role and work of faculty.
Key criteria: | empathetic | collaborative | leader | practicing changemaker |
Innovative Georgian College faculty are changemakers. By providing authentic, experiential learning experiences where students can help identify problems, empathize with people, creatively collaborate and lead to find solutions, they are allowing students to practice changemaking skills and mindsets so they might graduate not just great practitioners in their fields but also great members of their communities.
Exemplar performance descriptors
Emerging Changemaker
Faculty who are CHANGEMAKING at an EMERGING level (CH-E) might do the following:
- Define empathy and consider its role in teaching and learning.
- Connect relationship building to their field and teaching practice.
- Explore the various competencies associated with leadership.
- Identify ways to be a changemaker.
Performing Changemaker
Faculty who are CHANGEMAKING at a PERFORMING level (CH-P) might do the following:
- Use empathy when creating course-related materials, course schedule, and teaching and learning activities.
- Cultivate student ability to collaborate by intentionally focusing on relationships.
- Scaffold opportunities for your students to practice sharing leadership.
- Embed experiential learning opportunities for students to practice changemaking.
Transforming Changemaker
Faculty who are CHANGEMAKING at a TRANSFORMING level (CH-T) might do the following:
- Model the use of an empathetic lens in the community.
- Collaborate with peers to solve a problem and affect positive change.
- Demonstrate sharing leadership in their teaching profession and/or field.
- Share ideas about how to incorporate changemaking into teaching.
Please note that these descriptors are not exhaustive. Faculty demonstrate this competency in numerous ways, all of which are key to innovative teaching. Please share your exemplars as you describe how you are emerging, performing, or transforming the teaching and learning ecosystem.
DIGITAL NAVIGATOR (DN) competency
Innovative faculty are DIGITAL NAVIGATORS. In their work, they create opportunities for learning that are innovative and supportive of learners’ needs. They seek out digital solutions that best fit each teaching context. Tools are chosen with purpose and with consideration for all aspects of learning. These faculty share their skills in the support of peers thereby impacting the teaching and learning digital ecosystem of Georgian. Faculty developing competence in their role as digital navigators may do the following things.
Being a digital navigator is essential to contemporary teaching and learning. Georgian peers helped identify the key criteria associated with the DIGITAL NAVITATOR role and work of faculty.
Key criteria: | learner-centered | innovative | ethical | connected |
Innovative Georgian College faculty are digital navigators. They explore learning technologies and navigate the use of these technologies though a learner-centered lens and an ethical approach. Navigation means not only using and knowing but guiding students as they also learn to navigate these technologies.
Exemplar performance descriptors
Emerging Digital Navigator
Faculty who are DIGITAL NAVIGATORS at an EMERGING level (DN-E) might do the following:
- Consider the impact of principles of equity on choice of educational technology.
- Explore digital teaching solutions using a course design lens.
- Recognize ethical considerations when using digital tools in teaching and learning.
- Identify digital tools that are available at Georgian College.
Performing Digital Navigator
Faculty who are DIGITAL NAVIGATORS at a PERFORMING level (DN-P) might do the following:
- Skillfully incorporate learning tech based on careful consideration of pros and cons from learners’ perspectives.
- Iterate digital solutions and try again when something doesn’t work.
- Make decisions about learning technologies based on ethical considerations.
- Leverage education technologies available to connect and/or engage students.
Transforming Digital Navigator
Faculty who are DIGITAL NAVIGATORS at a TRANSFORMING level (DN-T) might do the following:
- Share success and failure stories in implementing educational technologies.
- Support others in their digital journey.
- Share ethical vision and mentor peers in their learning tech choices.
- Actively engage in connection-making around the use of educational technology.
Please note that these descriptors are not exhaustive. Faculty demonstrate this competency in numerous ways, all of which are key to innovative teaching. Please share your exemplars as you describe how you are emerging, performing, or transforming the teaching and learning ecosystem.
COLLABORATOR (CO) competency
Innovative faculty are COLLABORATORS. In classrooms, faculty promote collaboration and teamwork to share knowledge and improve student learning. As professional educators, faculty connect with peers in professional learning opportunities and in institutional teams and utilize a growth mindset for professional growth and development that spans their entire career. They connect with partners within and outside of Georgian to create exciting opportunities for students. Faculty who are developing competence in their role as collaborators may do the following kinds of things.
Collaborating with peers is essential in contemporary teaching and learning. Teaching is a team sport. Georgian peers helped identify the key criteria associated with the COLLABORATOR role and work of faculty.
Key criteria: | team-focused | emotionally intelligent | open-minded | communicator |
Innovative Georgian College faculty are collaborators. They recognize that they are at their best when they learn with and from their peers. Interdisciplinary and cross-disciplinary knowledge informs teaching ability. Collaborators by their nature are tuned in to the emotions of others and are strong communicators so they are able to translate the benefits of collaboration to their students.
Exemplar performance descriptors
Emerging Collaborator
Faculty who are COLLABORATING at an EMERGING level (CO-E) might do the following:
- Recognize the value of connection and collaboration.
- Connect emotional intelligence to successful collaboration.
- Note the importance of a growth mindset to improving teaching practice and faculty-student relationships.
- Recognize the importance of active listening for collaboration.
Performing Collaborator
Faculty who are COLLABORATING at a PERFORMING level (CO-P) might do the following:
- Establish positive and trust-based relationships among students and colleagues.
- Weave emotional intelligence into course design and delivery.
- Engage in collaborations and gather feedback to grow teaching practice.
- Offer opportunities for students to practice respectful communication.
Transforming Collaborator
Faculty who are COLLABORATING at a TRANSFORMING level (CO-T) might do the following:
- Network with a variety of professional learning communities to enhance professional growth.
- Share stories about the impact of emotions on collaboration.
- Set ambitious goals that challenge established practices that impede growth.
- Share communication strategies that promote successful collaborations.
Please note that these descriptors are not exhaustive. Faculty demonstrate this competency in numerous ways, all of which are key to innovative teaching. Please share your exemplars as you describe how you are emerging, performing, or transforming the teaching and learning ecosystem.
REFLECTOR (RF) competency
Innovative faculty are REFLECTORS. In their work they will invest time in thinking about their teaching practice. Faculty will explore aspects of their teaching and plan for productive and transformative change. In this work, they prioritize evaluating the changes they have enacted to continually develop and grow their practice. They will also share their successes and failures to help peers. Faculty who are developing competence in their role as reflectors may do the following kinds of things.
Reflection is essential for growth in contemporary teaching and learning. Georgian peers helped identify the key criteria associated with the REFLECTION role and work of faculty.
Key criteria: | feedback gatherer | analyzer | reviser | action taker |
Innovative Georgian College faculty are actively engaged in a reflective process. They recognize the importance of considering what they did, how it went, and how it might be improved upon in order to offer the best learning opportunities to their students.
Exemplar performance descriptors
Emerging Reflector
Faculty who are REFLECTORS at an EMERGING level (RF-E) might do the following:
- Recognize the importance of feedback for a growth mindset.
- Consider ways to practice reflection.
- Identify areas for growing teaching practice.
- Understand the value of iteration (trying again) in teaching practice.
Performing Reflector
Faculty who are REFLECTORS at a PERFORMING level (RF-P) might do the following:
- Collect feedback about teaching practice as part of an ongoing cycle of reflection.
- Analyze feedback to set intentions and make changes.
- Prioritize and make changes in teaching practice.
- Intentionally incorporate reflection into their teaching practice.
Transforming Reflector
Faculty who are REFLECTORS at a TRANSFORMING level (RF-T) might do the following:
- Help others see value in gathering feedback to transform teaching practice.
- Support peers in developing a system of reflective and analytical practice.
- Share stories of growth in teaching practice to support others in transforming their practice.
- Model the circular process of gathering feedback, analyzing it, revising and acting on it.
Please note that these descriptors are not exhaustive. Faculty demonstrate this competency in numerous ways, all of which are key to innovative teaching. Please share your exemplars as you describe how you are emerging, performing, or transforming the teaching and learning ecosystem.
MENTOR (ME) competency
Innovative faculty are MENTORS. They recognize the value of relationships and spend energy building relationships. Faculty who are mentors reach out to peers and across boundaries to engage with others in meaningful ways. Being a mentor means, at times, being a coach, a leader, and a sharer of knowledge.
Faculty who are developing competence in their role as mentors may do the following kinds of things. A mentoring mindset is essential in contemporary teaching and learning. Georgian peers helped identify the key criteria associated with the MENTOR role and work of faculty.
Key criteria: | relationship focused | coach | leader | knowledge sharer |
Innovative Georgian College faculty are question-askers. They innovate by maintaining currency in both their field and their teaching practice to best position their students. They think critically about their profession and their teaching and approach research with a critical lens that they bring to their classroom and students. These faculty take action on the research they find in order to offer the best learning opportunities to students.
Exemplar performance descriptors
Emerging Mentor
Faculty who are MENTORS at an EMERGING level (ME-E) might do the following:
- Identify the importance of relationships to mentoring.
- Consider the importance of coaching to growth.
- Consider how leadership looks in teaching and learning and professional work.
- Recognize that sharing knowledge impacts teaching and learning.
Performing Mentor
Faculty who are MENTORS at a PERFORMING level (ME-P) might do the following:
- Actively engage in partnerships to enhance teaching and learning.
- Establish trust and facilitate goal setting.
- Engage in leadership opportunities.
- Practice sharing ideas.
Transforming Mentor
Faculty who are MENTORS at a TRANSFORMING level (ME-T) might do the following:
- Share best practices to build relationships and break down barriers.
- Prioritize coaching to support peers.
- Model leadership for peers.
- Inspire peers by listening, collaborating and sharing wisdom.
Please note that these descriptors are not exhaustive. Faculty demonstrate this competency in numerous ways, all of which are key to innovative teaching. Please share your exemplars as you describe how you are emerging, performing, or transforming the teaching and learning ecosystem.
Apply for badges
The Innovative Georgian College Faculty Certificate
Innovative Georgian College faculty try new things (emerging), use best practices and iterate regularly (performing) and support the teaching and learning ecosystem of Georgian (transforming). They are engaged and, in turn, engage others in conversation and action related to excellent teaching and learning. They act as mentors to peers and connect to the strategic priorities of Georgian translating those to their classrooms. Students succeed and flourish in their classes and peers succeed and flourish in the college because of their commitment to Georgian’s teaching and learning community.
Faculty may apply for the final certificate (noted with the badge icon below) after demonstrating transforming competence in the faculty competencies. Faculty may continue to deepen and grow their practice by earning annual stamps to be added to their certificate.
Innovative Georgian College faculty do the following:
- Prioritize trying new things as essential to growth in teaching practice.
- Intentionally use an iterative (continuously improving) approach to teaching that supports student success and contributes to student flourishing.
- Positively impacts the teaching and learning ecosystem and the success and flourishing of faculty peers.
We are so thrilled to celebrate the roles you weave in your faculty journey. Interested in applying for the micro certificate? Please reach out to Iain Robertson or Tracy Mitchell-Ashley.
Teaching Excellence Awards
About the awards
The TEACHING EXCELLENCE AWARD (TEA) recognizes the innovative and creative teaching approaches of our inspirational educators at Georgian College. The award celebrates Georgian peers, or teams, who:
- Demonstrate a commitment to growing their teaching practice and supporting students, peers and teaching excellence; and
- Inspire the larger teaching and learning community at Georgian College through sharing of practice, mentoring, or otherwise providing support to colleagues.
How can we celebrate teaching excellence at Georgian College?
Georgian educators regularly exemplify excellence in teaching and embody the competencies associated with the Georgian Faculty Competency Framework.
The Teaching Excellence Award celebrates educators who strive to grow their practice in these competencies and, in so doing, offer students learning experiences that honour student diversity, respect student needs, support student success and contribute to a culture of belonging at Georgian.
We have amazing peers who should be celebrated. As you submit your nomination, please express how your nominee aligns with one or more of the roles of faculty as described in the Georgian Faculty Competency Framework.
Innovative faculty are DESIGNERS. They design courses, classes, teaching and learning activities, and assessments in order to facilitate student learning. They recognize the importance of mapping courses for students and use evidence-informed pedagogy/andragogy to inform their practice. They recognize the importance of universal design, creating spaces of belonging, and sharing with peers in order to positively impact the teaching ecosystem.
Faculty who are excellent designers do the following kinds of things:
- Intentionally create universally designed teaching and learning activities.
- Integrate innovative and active teaching practices to engage students.
- Guide students and facilitate student learning with scaffolded, mapped and woven teaching and learning activities.
- Cultivate student learning by using evidence-informed, authentic opportunities for practice.
Innovative faculty are RESEARCHERS. They inspire curiosity and motivate students to ask questions. They offer opportunities to practice critical analysis and problem solving. They explore evidence and best practices in their disciplines and in the profession of teaching. Faculty use research to stay connected and to keep current and transform the experiences of other faculty by sharing their experiences.
Faculty who are excellent researchers do the following kinds of things:
- Integrate opportunities for students to engage in critical inquiry and problem solving.
- Seek credible, relevant information to authentically appeal to students.
- Guide students in critical appraising processes.
- Embed new learning into existing teaching practice.
Innovative faculty are INCLUSIVE PRACTITIONERS. They are emotionally attuned to the needs of learners and use empathy as a lens for their practice. They plan teaching and learning with integrity and work to identify inequities and injustices that may impact student success. They inhabit a growth mindset space and are open to knowledge outside of their disciplines to empower their students. They understand the importance of equity, diversity, inclusion and belonging work and see indigenization as a key priority to transform post-secondary education.
Faculty who are excellent inclusive practitioners do the following kinds of things:
- Use a growing array of skills to respond to a multi-faceted learning environment that ensures space for safety, challenge and growth.
- Foster a commitment to community standards and values while maintaining empathy and fairness.
- Cultivate opportunities and model risk taking in your teaching practice.
- Foster a learning environment where all are empowered to see their own agency and voice.
Innovative faculty are CHANGEMAKERS. They approach their interactions with students using an empathetic lens. In their courses, they support students in using this lens to identify inequities in our communities. From this perspective, faculty offer opportunities for collaboration and leadership as student practice changemaking in order to graduate not only amazing practitioners but also amazing community members.
Faculty who are excellent changemakers do the following kinds of things:
- Use empathy when creating course-related materials, course schedule, and teaching and learning activities.
- Build student ability to collaborate by intentionally focusing on relationships.
- Scaffold opportunities for your students to practice sharing leadership.
- Embed experiential learning opportunities for students to practice changemaking.
Innovative faculty are COLLABORATORS. In classrooms, faculty promote collaboration and teamwork to share knowledge and improve student learning. As professional educators, faculty connect with peers in professional learning opportunities and in institutional teams and utilize a growth mindset for professional growth and development that spans their entire career. They connect with partners within and outside of Georgian to create exciting opportunities for students.
Faculty who are excellent collaborators do the following kinds of things:
- Establish positive and trust-based relationships among students and colleagues.
- Weave emotional intelligence into their course design and delivery.
- Engage in collaborations and gather feedback to grow teaching practice.
- Offer opportunities for students to practice respectful communication.
Innovative Georgian faculty are REFLECTORS. In their work they will invest time in thinking about their teaching practice. Faculty will explore aspects of their teaching and plan for productive and transformative change. In this work, they will also take the time to evaluate the changes they have enacted to continually develop and grow their practice. They will also share their successes and failures in order to help peers.
Faculty who are excellent reflectors do the following kinds of things:
- Collect feedback about teaching practice as part of an ongoing cycle of reflection.
- Analyze feedback to set intentions and make changes.
- Prioritize and enact changes to teaching practice.
- Intentionally incorporate reflection (process and product) into your teaching practice.
Innovative faculty are MENTORS. They recognize the value of relationships and spend energy building relationships. These faculty reach out and across and engage with others in meaningful ways. Being a mentor means, at times, being a coach, a leader, and a keeper of different types of knowledge.
Faculty who are excellent mentors do the following kinds of things:
- Actively engage in partnerships for the betterment of teaching and learning experience.
- Support mentees in goal setting and clarifying objectives.
- Participate in leadership opportunities.
- Incorporate various types of knowledge into their practices.
We grow excellence in teaching by recognizing and celebrating our peers. Please consider the information below to help you decide who should be honoured.
- All college professors, librarians, technologists and counsellors are worth celebrating and are eligible for these awards. Other members of the College community who have demonstrated extraordinary commitment to teaching and learning at Georgian are also eligible.
- Each nomination should be supported by two nominators. Additional supporting evidence is provided by other college members.
- The nominators must be members of the Georgian College community.
- Nomination submissions are completed using the online form and should include the following sections:
- Nominee information (who are they?);
- Description of the nominee’s teaching practices and impact on the larger teaching and learning community at Georgian College (what have you seen them doing that is so impactful?);
- Alignment of nominee’s practices to the competency framework and roles associated with being an educator (what is their connection to teaching?) – a broader alignment with more of our roles is beneficial; and
- Testimonials to support the nomination from at least three additional people (i.e., colleague, manager, community member, past student) describing and supporting the nominee’s commitments to students, peers, and teaching excellence with alignment to the competencies (what do others have to say?). A broader range of testimonials from different constituents will help the application.
- The number of these honorary awards given each year will depend on the nominations received.
- We are eager to celebrate many educators so therefore we kindly request that past recipients are not nominated for a Teaching Excellence Award for a period of eight years. See below for a list of previously recognized educators.
- Members of the Teaching Excellence Committee (TEC) will independently review the submissions based on the value statements provided below. The award winners will be determined from these reviews.
We’d love your help celebrating awesomeness! Please consider nominating an inspiring colleague today. Winners of the TEACHING EXCELLENCE AWARDS will be recognized at the annual Focus on Teaching and Learning Conference on April 30, 2025.
If you wish to work on your nomination offline, use this downloadable version of the nomination form. When you are ready to submit your nomination, copy and paste your content into the appropriate sections of the online form for submission.
Nominations are due by 4 April 2025 at 4:00 pm
How will nominations be considered?
We recognize that many of Georgian community members are impacting Georgian’s teaching and learning ecosystem every day. Decisions for awarding the TEA rely on the information provided in the nomination package. To help you in the nomination process, and so that we are as transparent as we can be, please see the attached consideration package. Use this to help you support your nomination.
In terms of the Georgian Competency Framework, the terms emerging, performing and transforming are described as:
- Transforming (T) – faculty at the transforming stage are impacting the teaching and learning ecosystem
- Performing (P) – faculty at the performing stage are actively doing this
- Emerging (E) – faculty at the emerging stage are recognizing the importance of this
During the nomination review process, the following value statements will be tagged as transforming, performing or emerging.
- The candidate demonstrates competencies in alignment with the Georgian Competency Framework.
- The candidate shines (excels) in several areas of competence.
- The candidate goes beyond expectations of their role.
- The candidate inspires the larger teaching and learning community at Georgian College.
- The candidate demonstrates a strong commitment to excellence in their teaching practice and facilitating student learning.
- The candidate’s impact is acknowledged by a diverse audience (e.g. peer, student, administrator, etc.).
2025 Teaching Excellence Awards recipients
Details coming in May 2025.
Previously recognized educators
Sherry LeBars
Tracy Mitchell-Ashley
Stephen Waller
Arthemise Lalonde
Sue Lemmon
Amanda Quibell
Richard Rinaldo
Anthony Tilotta
Jennifer Varcoe
Jarrod Otterman
Hanna Shrolyk
Danica Vukmirovic
Clem Bamikole
Daphene Francis
Eleanor Gittens
Janette O’Neill-Scott
Jill Esmonde
Larry White
Marilyn Nigro
Marilyn Watson
Mary Dobson
Rob Davidson
Hairstyling team
No conference
Gail Hussey
Kelly Duggan
Lynn MacKinlay
Mary Spencer
Randi Dermott
Rich Freeman
Steve McDonald
Baking and Pastry Arts team
Terry Hrynyk
Rhonda Bell-Allen
Gisele Beausoleil
Cindy Korpatnicki
Nicole Barbato
Daniel Travers
Joachim Schimdt
Toni Cano
Sam Bilamjian
Michael Agema
Amy Goruk
Samantha Sullivan Sauer
Terry Heittola
Sarah Hunter
Alanda Theriault
Deb Witmer
Jaret Wright
Brandy Mullen and Thea Jones
Tamara Fisher-Cullen
Anne-Marie McAllister
Scott McCrindle
Avinash Thadani
Katherine Wallis
Jill Dunlop, Karen Bell, Suzie Addison-Toor, Josh Barath
Michele Baron
Ross Bigelow
Jill Esmonde
Martha MacEachern
Susan Stott-Hood
Kim Stubbs
Bonnie Lee Clarke
Joy Martin
Barry Weese
Lydia Crawford
Catherine Dewhurst
Kath Gradwell
Jack Lesage
Lianne Smith Stow
Catherine Wareham
Kathy Weatherall
Bryan Hunt
Debra Morrow
Susan MacNeal
Anthony Borgo
Steve Miller
Joan Morgan
Jeff Walther
Terry Bell
Karen Halliday
Nancy Noldy-Maclean
Ruthann Krant
Rob Theriault
Ruth Yole