Texas Tech University

Teaching Academy Membership Application Guide

This application is now closed. Please check back in Spring 2025 for information and the online application link.

This year's nomination and recommendation letters are due by Friday, March 22nd at 5:00pm.

The Teaching Academy application is a separate and independent process from applications for other purposes (e.g., teaching awards). Carefully review this guide to be sure your application specifically addresses the criteria and conforms to format/page limit requirements. The recommendation letter and each section in the supporting documents weighted in the selection process. Applications that do not conform to requirements will not be considered by the Selection Committee. Applications will only be accepted online; again, the following information is meant to be a guide.

Application Materials

Online Application Form

You will be asked to provide general information as well as the names of and contact information for 2 recommenders. Please note that these individuals must be members of the Teaching Academy.

Nomination/Recommendation Letters (10%)

Applicants must have letters of recommendation from the nominator and one other current member of the Teaching Academy. Guidelines for nomination/recommendation letters are linked at the bottom of this page. Your nominator and recommender will be able to submit their letters after you have completed the application. (Note: Teaching Academy members may support only one candidate per year).

Supporting Documents

The combined supporting documents must be limited to 20 pages. Each section in the supporting documents are equally weighted (15%). Please upload the two PDF documents containing the items below with clearly labeled sections in the specified order:

Supporting Document One:

A. Teaching Philosophy Statement (15%) (not to exceed 2 pages): Provide your teaching philosophy along with specific, current classroom examples of how this philosophy informs your teaching.

B. Evidence the applicant advocates for teaching excellence (15%) (not to exceed 2 pages): Discuss the things you have done to speak for or represent a positive message about teaching, such as:

  • Participation in university teaching projects (Open Teaching Concept)
  • Participation in multi-institutional teaching projects (Transparency Project)
  • Membership in teacher-focused organization
  • Participation in teaching related forums (on and off campus)
  • Applying for/received teaching award
  • Attending TLPDC presentations
  • Attending conferences related to teaching (Burns Conference, Advancing Teaching and Learning Conference)
  • Others

C. Evidence the applicant promotes service related to the teaching mission (15%) (not to exceed 4 pages):

May include activities such as:

  • Peer reviews for faculty
  • Service to teaching related communities
  • Reviewer for teaching related conference/journal
  • Judges/evaluates participants of teaching programs (TEACH Program presentations)
  • Others 

Supporting Document Two:

D. Evidence the applicant shares knowledge about teaching strategies and their implementation (15%) (not to exceed 4 pages): 

  • Presented a workshop about teaching
  • Published an article about teaching
  • Written an opinion article
  • Mentored a novice faculty in teaching
  • TeMPO participant
  • Presented a TLPDC workshop
  • Mentored graduate students
  • Led graduate student development presentations
  • Others

E. Evidence of Teaching Excellence(15%) (not to exceed 4 pages): Items that might be included are:

  • Peer observations
  • Creative assignments
  • Sample syllabus or an excerpt from a sample syllabus
  • Descriptions of innovative techniques
  • Course/curriculum development
  • Experiential learning (Service Learning)
  • Recognition received for teaching excellence/awards received
  • Others

F. Evidence of Teaching Excellence from Students (15%) (not to exceed 4 pages):

Include a one-page summary of student evaluations from the past three years for each course taught that lists:

  • Course/section number and name
  • Designation as undergraduate or graduate level enrollment
  • Responses from student evaluations for each course/section
  • Evaluation response rate (including the number of students responding, total number of students in the class, and response percentage)
  • Departmental and college comparisons
  • Others
    • (Please do not include raw data. You may also include up to three letters from former students.)

Membership in the Academy Information

New Member Criteria
Nomination/Recommendation Guidelines

2023-2024 Committee Members
Joel Velasco (Chair)
Stephanie Lockwood
Matt Heart
Jon McNaughtan
Michael Giesselman
Sarai Brinker
Julie Chang
Robert Peaslee
BIll Gelber
Karen Spears
Lisa Low

If you have any questions about this process, please contact the committee chair, Joel Velasco. For questions about the online application, please contact Kerri Pike.

 

 

Teaching Academy

  • Address

    University Library Building, Room 136, Mail Stop 2044, Lubbock, TX 79409-2004
  • Phone

    806.742.0133
  • Email

    tlpdc@ttu.edu