Eligibility

All faculty who are defined as Employees in Mount Royal's faculty collective agreement are eligible for this award.

All candidates for this award must be nominated.

Criteria

Nominees are assessed on the demonstration of excellence in one or more of the following:

• Innovative curriculum design
• Experiential learning and work integration
• Pedagogical innovation
• Advancement of liberal education
• Transformational educational practices
  

Innovative curriculum design

• Play a pivotal role in designing or revamping curriculum that is both challenging and relevant, integrating contemporary issues and interdisciplinary perspectives.
• Skillfully balances theoretical knowledge with practical application, ensuring that the curriculum remains dynamic and responsive to the evolving needs of the industry and society.
  
  

Experiential learning and work integration

• Excels in embedding experiential learning opportunities within one's teaching practices.
• Provides students with invaluable real-world experiences that complement and enhance their classroom learning through internships, community projects or hands-on research.
  
  

Pedagogical innovation

• Utilizes a range of pedagogical tools and techniques — from technology-enhanced learning environments to collaborative learning spaces — to create a more inclusive, engaging and effective learning experience for students.
  
  

Advancement of liberal education

• Champions the development of well-rounded, critical thinkers, in alignment with Mount Royal's commitment to liberal education.
• Encourages cross-disciplinary learning and cultivates an environment where diverse viewpoints and ideas are explored and respected.
  
  

Transformational educational practices

• Embraces and integrates transformative educational practices beyond traditional teaching methods.
• Challenges students to think critically, engage deeply with their subjects and emerge as empowered, knowledgeable individuals who are ready to contribute to their communities and professions.
  

Nomination

Eligibility to nominate

Requirements

• All nominations must be seconded by a full-time or contract faculty member who is not a member of a Faculty Excellence Awards adjudication committee.
• Nominations should be accompanied by a statement that includes the reasons for the nomination (maximum 500 words). Specific reference should be made, where possible, to the nominee's qualifications relative to the criteria.
• Nominations should be submitted to the Office of the Provost and must be completed using the nomination form provided on this webpage during the nomination period.
• An mtroyal.ca email address is required to complete a nomination form. Anonymous emails or testimonials will not be accepted.

Application

Application process

1. All candidates for this award must be nominated.
2. The selection committee receives and reviews all nominations to confirm eligibility.
3. Eligible nominees are invited to apply for the award. They are supplied with detailed application instructions.
4. Applicants have approximately three to four weeks to submit their applications.
5. The selection committee reviews the applications and selects the award recipients.
6. All applicants receive a decision letter from the selection committee.
7. Award recipients are expected to be announced by mid-April.
   
   

Application package

Detailed instructions, an application form (in Google Forms) and a dossier template (in Google Docs) will be provided to nominees who are invited to apply. All application materials are to be submitted in PDF format.

The application package includes:

Dossier document (maximum seven pages):

• Cover letter that articulates how the applicant meets the chosen award criteria, including their most relevant significant achievements
• Teaching philosophy statement
• Summary of three (3) SPoT evaluations from the past three years

Additional documents:

• Current Curriculum Vitae (any CV format is accepted – an MRU CV is not required)
• Up to two (2) signed letters of support
• Up to three (3) other supporting documents, if necessary (e.g., course outlines, chair and peer evaluations etc.)

Dr. Giuliana Harvey

Associate Professor
School of Nursing and Midwifery
Faculty of Health, Community and Education

Dr. Giuliana Harvey is an associate professor in the School of Nursing and Midwifery. As a leader and innovator in the program, Giuliana looks for ways to improve student outcomes by developing various pedagogical tools and techniques, such as technology-enhanced learning environments, to create inclusive and effective learning experiences.

In addition, she has played a pivotal role in revamping the curriculum in the Nursing program by integrating a focus on contemporary challenges and opportunities, such as diversity and inclusion, consistency in lab courses, enhancing clinical learning contracts, and student E-Portfolios.

Guiliana also made a significant positive impact on her students during the COVID-19 pandemic. One student remarked “Dr. Harvey’s organization and adaptability to the online learning environment was remarkable. She facilitated online classroom opportunities that continued to engage me with my peers and stimulated thought-provoking discussions despite the lack of personal connectivity. “

Giuliana’s program of research is focused on undergraduate nursing student stress and well-being. Her overarching goal is to empower students through the development of personalized stress management tools and coping mechanisms.

Her commitment to student success and ability to integrate cutting-edge scholarly work into nursing education makes Guiliana a deserving recipient of this award.

Lavinia Moldovan

Associate Professor
Department of Economics, Justice, and Policy Studies
Faculty of Arts

Lavinia Moldovan is an associate professor in the Department of Economics, Justice and Policy Studies. Her work in the field of economics connects her to experiential learning, pedagogical innovation, advancement of liberal education and transformational educational practices. How she creates these connections is truly innovative.

Teaching economics relies heavily on mathematical models, and Lavinia believes that students need to be exposed to complementary methods of instruction to grasp certain concepts. Combining traditional and non-traditional methods in teaching economic concepts, Lavinia encourages students to make connections between their own world or lived experiences and economic theory. They are also challenged to find imaginative ways to convey economic concepts in practice, to ensure they understand how economic concepts are presented in daily life and in the economic decisions that we make.

One academic, who saw Lavinia present her ideas on the use of photography assignments in economics at an international conference says, “(this approach)…is now a fundamental part of my toolkit. Her pedagogy has shaped the way I teach, and more importantly, the way students learn.”

Lavinia’s innovative ideas go beyond traditional teaching methods and allow her to develop new ideas for her practice and new opportunities for experiential learning.