Are you or do you know someone (or a team) who is outstanding in using technology to support learning? If so why not enter (or encourage them to enter) for the Learning Technologist of the Year Award 2014?

The Award’s overall purpose is to celebrate and reward excellent practice and outstanding achievement in the learning technology field and to promote intelligent use of Learning Technology on a national scale.  The award is open to individuals and teams based anywhere in the world. It is sponosred by the University of London Computer Centre (ULCC) and supported by Nesta.

This year, we are also looking to award one Special Award to an individual or a group of learners who have made an outstanding contribution to using technology to support learning.

First, second and third prizes will be available in each of two categories: individual, and team, as follows: 1st prize £1000; 2nd prize £500; 3rd prize £250. The Special Award for Learners will include free attendance at ALT’s annual conference for up to 2 individuals.

The awards will be presented at ALT’s annual conference on the evening of 2 September 2014, University of Warwick.

The closing date for entries is Friday, 23 May 2014. Face-to-face, telephone or virtual interviews of short-listed entrants will take place on 13 June 2014 (in London if face-to-face). Applicants will be informed, if invited for interview, by email, on 4 June 2014.

For details of the 2013 winners go to http://go.alt.ac.uk/1n0Fdte where you will find summaries of the winning and highly commended entries.

The award will be judged by a panel chaired by Claire Donlan, President of ALT and Customer Services Manager, Heriot-Watt University. The panel is:

• Sheila McNeil – Senior Lecturer at Glasgow Caledonian University and last year’s winner in the individual category;
• Valerie Maybury – Teaching and e-Leaning Improvement Manager for the Hull College Group and last year’s winner in the team category;
• Ellie Russell – Projects Office, the Student Engagement Partnership
• Richard Havinga – Senior e-Learning Specialist  at ULCC;
• Oliver Quinlan – Programme Manager at Nesta.

Selection process and criteria

Entries will be judged (from the completed entry form, and, if short-listed, at interview) on the basis of evidence summarised in the following 4 areas:

A. A clear description of the actions taken to develop and support the achievement.

B. Clear, credible, statement of individual or team approach to the technological, and/or methodological, and/or managerial, and/or teaching and learning choices made by the applicant (individual or team), during the period covered by the application.

C. Major and beneficial impact on practices within the applicant’s or team’s organisation, community, or sphere of influence.

D. Outstanding overall contribution in managing, researching, supporting or enabling learning with the use of learning technology.

Entrants will have 200 words in which to summarise why they should win the award, and a maximum of 400 words per area in which to provide evidence against the 4 areas listed above. Kindly note: Short-listed entrants will be asked to submit a short video about their entry to help showcase the award more widely. Videos will be hosted where possible on the ALT YouTube channel.

Special Award for Learners

Entries for the Special Award for Learners will be judged (from the completed entry-form only) on the basis of how they have contributed to the 4 areas outlined above.  You will have 500 words to summarise why the learner(s) should win the award.

How to enter

We have provided a template to help you write your entry, which you can find at http://www.alt.ac.uk/get-involved/awards.

Once you have completed the template you will need to copy and paste each section of your entry into the fields provided on the online form at http://go.alt.ac.uk/1hFJBWC. Please keep a record of your entry in case of technical difficulties.

The closing date for entries is Friday, 23 May 2014. All entries will be acknowledged via email within 2 working days.

Answers to some frequently asked questions about the award can be found at http://go.alt.ac.uk/1oSBP5v.

In case of difficulty, email ltaward@alt.ac.uk and we will do our best to help.

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