Two teams of researchers received the 2020 POD Innovation Award for projects involved with designing and sustaining inclusive learning environments and surveying students about memorable assignments.

Teaching and Learning in the Diverse Classroom: An Online Professional Development Course for Instructors

Mathew Ouellett—Cornell University*
Melina Ivanchikova—Cornell University
Ana Ruival—Cornell University

This online course support instructors in designing and sustaining inclusive learning environments. It’s available to Cornell instructors in Canvas and for a global audience on edX.org as a Massive Open Online Course. The course has run six times, with 7,291 participants. It’s companion facilitator’s guide enables adoption of the course at colleges and universities worldwide.

What’s an assignment that really helped you learn? The survey says…

Carolyn Samuel—McGill University*
Eva Dobler—McGill University

Mariela Tovar—McGill University
Bruktawit Maru—McGill University

Dr. Samuel and her colleagues surveyed McGill students about memorable assignments that helped them learn, and then created an online repository of assignment descriptions and interviews with the instructors nominated by students. The project raises both instructors’ and students’ awareness of assessment for learning. The project also helps instructors understand how students learn and recognize the importance of varied and equitable assessment practices.

The POD Innovation Award was established by the POD Network in 1986 as the “Bright Idea Award” to recognize innovative ideas that improve learning and teaching, as well as enhance the general effectiveness of higher education faculty members. The purpose of the award is twofold:

  • To encourage participants to share their ideas with colleagues in the POD Network.
  • To recognize those working in any area of educational development: faculty, graduate student, instructional, or organizational development.

*Principle Investigator