The GEP Innovation Award recognizes faculty and instructional teams implementing creative and effective strategies to enhance teaching and learning in UCF’s General Education Program (GEP). This award highlights innovative approaches that improve student engagement, learning outcomes, and curriculum design.
The application deadline is Friday, March 6.
Each year, the award will be given in two categories:
- Individual Award – Recognizing a faculty member (full-time or adjunct) for an innovative teaching strategy, assignment, or curriculum redesign.
- Group Award – Recognizing a team for collaborative innovations that improve student learning across multiple sections, courses, or disciplines.
Defining “Innovation”
Innovation in GEP teaching and curriculum design can take many forms, including but not limited to:
- Creative Instruction– Implementing new or reimagined teaching methods that enhance student engagement, such as flipped classrooms, experiential learning, or AI-assisted instruction.
- Technology Integration – Using technology in novel ways to improve student learning, such as interactive simulations, gamification, or digital collaboration tools.
- Interdisciplinary Approaches – Designing assignments or modules that connect GEP coursework across disciplines to enhance student understanding.
- High-Impact Practices (HIPs) – Embedding service-learning, undergraduate research, global learning, or integrative-learning experiences in a meaningful and scalable way.
- Assessment & Feedback Innovations – Developing new ways to assess student learning or provide feedback that enhances critical thinking and self-reflection.
- Career Readiness – Integrating professional skills, industry connections, and real-world applications into GEP courses to enhance students’ preparedness for the workforce through assignments, experiential learning, and communication development.
This is not an exhaustive list, and faculty are encouraged to submit any teaching innovation that has meaningfully enhanced student learning. You can nominate yourself or colleagues.
Eligibility Requirements
To be eligible for the GEP Innovation Award, applicants must meet the following criteria:
- The innovation must be tied to a course currently taught in the GEP at UCF.
- The innovation must have been implemented within the past two academic years and demonstrated an impact on student learning.
- Individual nominees must be UCF faculty members (full-time or adjunct).
- Group nominations may include faculty, graduate students, and instructional staff who actively participated in course or curriculum design.
- Previous winners may apply again, but only with a different innovation than the one previously recognized.
Submission Materials
Applicants must submit the following materials for consideration:
- Qualtrics Nomination Form – A brief application including the nominee’s name(s), course title, and term(s) in which the innovation was implemented.
- Narrative (500 words max) – A description of the innovation, its purpose, and how it has impacted student learning. This should address:
- The specific teaching or curriculum challenge it addresses.
- How it differs from traditional approaches.
- Evidence of its effectiveness (student outcomes, engagement, feedback, etc.).
- Potential for broader application across GEP courses.
- Supporting Materials (Optional, but Encouraged) – These may include:
- Sample assignments, lesson plans, or assessments.
- Screenshots or brief video demonstrations (if applicable).
- Student testimonials or survey results (no personally identifiable information).
- Letter of Support (Optional) – A short letter from a colleague, department chair, or student affirming the impact of the innovation.
The application will be available in Spring 2026.