The USDLA Awards Committee is please to announce the five award categories for the 2023 USDLA annual awards. These award categories have been designed to provide an opportunity for a wide range of activities and individuals to participate in this years’ nominations. Each award category is listed below with a brief description of the award and a link to the criterion rubric.
The cost to submit a nomination will be $100.00 for USDLA members and $200.00 for non-members. The award submission fee for non-members includes a single USDLA membership for one year. Award submission fees cover the cost of the award plaque and shipping.
The USDLA 2023 Awards will be presented to the award winners at the 2023 Annual conference, the week of July 17-21, 2023.
Award Categories:
USDLA Trendsetter in Distance Learning Award
The Trendsetter in Distance Learning award is given to an agency, institution, company, project, individual or unique pedagogy that has shown innovation in the field of distance learning. The award recognizes pioneering initiatives in the field that have profoundly changed distance learning, existing practice, or developed new and effective solutions. View/Download Criteria PDF
USDLA Rising Star Award
The Rising Star Award is presented to an individual demonstrating exceptional promise in the field of distance education. The individual will have spent less than 5 years in the field of Distance Education. View/Download Criteria PDF
USDLA Excellence in Distance Learning Teaching/Training Award
The Excellence in Distance Learning Teaching/Training award is given to an outstanding individual or team of individuals whose teaching at a distance demonstrates extraordinary impact to student growth and engagement. The teaching or training must demonstrate effective learning facilitated through technology with measurable outcomes. View/Download Criteria PDF
USDLA Outstanding Leadership Award
This award is granted to an Individual leader demonstrating outstanding leadership in the field of Distance Education in their respective constituency (Pre-K-12; Higher Education; Government; Corporate; Health) through advocacy, professional affiliation, influence, and/or scholarship in the field of Distance Education. View/Download Criteria PDF
USDLA Excellence in Distance Learning Research Award
The Excellence in Distance Learning Research Award is given to a person(s) or organization(s) that currently conducts research in the field of distance education. The award recognizes high quality research that serves to advance the field of distance learning. View/Download Criteria PDF
2022 International Distance Learning Award Winners
Category
Winner
Innovation Award – Corporate
GOLD
Center for Interactive Learning and Collaboration
Janet Zanetis
Innovation Award – Corporate
SILVER
FlexPoint Education Cloud
Florida Virtual School
Innovation Award – Corporate
BRONZE
STEM Education Department
Liberty Science Center
Innovation Award – K-12/Higher Education
GOLD
Implementing Personalized Adaptive Learning University of Central Florida
Personalized Adaptive Learning Team:
Baiyun Chen
Joseph Lloyd
Rebecca McNulty
James Paradiso
Jessica Tojo Raible
Innovation Award – K-12
SILVER
White Plains City School District and the Liberty Science Center/White Plains City Schools – Jody Kennedy, Cecelia DaSilva and Lauren Berrios
Liberty Science Center – Mary McDonald , Rosa Catal and Alejandro Melendez
Innovation Award – Higher Education
GOLD
Stevens Institute of Technology
Robert Zotti
Boosted Learning
Innovation Award – Higher Education
SILVER
Expanding Experiential Learning with Mixed-Reality Online Simulations
Walden University
Tika Rai, Sr. Project Manager
Elizabeth Taylor, Simulation Specialist Coordinator
Kathy Strang, Sr. Director, Product Development and Classroom Design
Sue Subocz, Chief Academic Officer and Provost
Innovation Award – Higher Education
BRONZE
Creating a Collaborative Online Scholarly Community: The Student Progress Insights and Innovation (SPII) Hub
Walden University
Quality Research Award
GOLD
Creating Relevant Extended Reality Field Clinical Experiences for Teacher Candidates in the COVID Era: Best Practices for Educator Preparation Program
Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University College of Education
Rebecca J. Blankenship, Ph.D., Director of TESOL Programs
Temecia Shelton, M.Ed., Director of Field Clinical Placements
Shannon A. Davis, MS.Ed., Assistant Principal, Sabal Palm Elementary
Quality Research Award
SILVER
Remote Education Tutors in Australian Distance Education: The Capricornia Project
University of Southern Queensland
Professor Patrick Danaher
Dr. Brad McLennan
Dr. Karen Peel
Mrs Elizabeth Burnett.
Australian Geographically Isolated Learner Association (AGILE)
Quality Research Award
BRONZE
University of North Carolina Charlotte
Florence Martin
Ting Sun
Carl Westine
Albert Ritzhaupt
Excellence in Distance Teaching Award
GOLD
University of Texas, Arlington
Jeremy Aaron Glass
Excellence in Distance Teaching Award
SILVER
Savannah College of Art and Design
Heather Vaccaro
Excellence in Distance Teaching Award
BRONZE
University of San Diego
Learning Design Center
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Is there a space limitation for submissions in terms of number of pages or word count?
NO page limits…just make sure to hit/answer the criteria and provide evidence, etc.
Is there a specific format in which the nominator’s content should be arranged? For example, is it up to the submitter to organize the material in the best way that reflects the judging attributes?
Submit a nomination overview. Write a narrative that summarizes the project, program, person, etc. Include a paragraph for each rubric criteria explaining how this nomination meets that criteria and referencing each evidence document that supports the criteria.
You can upload unlimited evidence files. The file name for each evidence document should represent which criteria the evidence accompanies.
All files must be uploaded into the reviewer site. No website submissions are accepted.
Any evidence not already in an electronic format may be scanned and submitted as a PDF.
When will award winners be notified?
By week of April 5th, 2022, USDLA will notify winners and non-winners by phone and/ or e-mail with follow-up letters.
How secure will my material be?
All entries and related courses, material and content are kept confidential for judging purposes only.
Can I submit an award on behalf of my client?
Yes, you can submit a nomination on behalf of your client. Please note that for US government entries, you may have to consult your legal team regarding legal gift restrictions.
Is there a limit to the number of submissions an organization can submit?
NO
Can I load screen shots of my website, module?
Yes, you can load them in the award system as an example or insert them in your narrative to demonstrate or showcase certain features you want the judges to view.
What is the absolute latest time I can submit my award?
You should submit all award submission midnight (ET) by Friday March 25th, 2022.
What is the cost and is it per award?
There are no costs to submit an award this year
Can I mail additional material or copies of my submission(s) to USDLA for consideration?
NO submission(s) will be accepted via mail. All entries and related material must be submitted online via the awards website.