Distinguished Teaching Scholar Award FAQs

AACP Resource

For any questions regarding the program or application process, please contact Michelle Assa-Eley, Senior Director of Education.

What is the purpose of the AACP Distinguished Teaching Scholar Award?

The AACP Distinguished Teaching Scholar Award is designed to recognize excellence of our academic pharmacy faculty engaged in and/or supporting scholarly teaching and the scholarship of teaching and learning.  In recognizing service and outstanding contributions to our academy, pharmacy education and schools, the AACP Distinguished Teaching Scholars will raise the bar for scholarly teaching and the scholarship of teaching and learning.  The AACP Distinguished Teaching Scholars will be models for advancing the profession of pharmacy through education by enhancing student learning and the knowledge base of teaching and learning in professional and/or graduate pharmacy education.  Collectively, this group will guide the Academy in furthering scholarly teaching and the scholarship of teaching and learning. 

How many awards will be given?

Due to the prestigious nature of this award, up to three (3) AACP Distinguished Teaching Scholars will be selected each year.

How will awardees be recognized?

The AACP Distinguished Teaching Scholars will receive an award that can be displayed, will be publically recognized during the AACP Annual Meeting the year of their recognition and will be invited to submit a Viewpoint article to the American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education (AJPE).  In addition, AACP will provide other forms of national recognition of the Scholars via various AACP communication modalities. 

How do I apply?

Individuals must self-nominate for this award.

The application for this award must be submitted online in a single PDF by the deadline.  The application consists of the following:

  1. An online application page to collect applicant contact information, award eligibility, and direct supervisor contact information, as well as an attestation that the applicant’s application is accurate.
  2. Table of Contents
  3. A required narrative (1,500 words or less) for each application area and up to twelve (12) artifacts (or pieces of evidence) that can be divide as the nominees sees fit amongst the four (4) application areas. Note: narratives should not be rephrasing of CV but should demonstrate contemplation of the nominee’s career as it relates to their contributions.
  4. A current curriculum vitae of the applicant (which will be uploaded to the application site as a PDF document).

Application areas include:

  • Excellence in Teaching and Learning (ETL): 
    • Common characteristics of good teachers include: positive student-faculty contact, effective active learning, achievable yet high expectations, respects diverse talents and ways of learning, effective communication skills, commitment to teaching well (Hammer, Piascik, Medina, et al., 2010).
    • The ETL narrative must describe evidence related to excellence in two or more of the following areas:
      • positive student-faculty contact
      • effective active learning
      • achievable, yet high expectations
      • respecting diverse talents and ways of learning
      • effective communication skills
      • commitment to teaching well
    • Potential evidence that can be included as ETL artifacts (appendices) include:
      • Awards for teaching excellence (copy of each certificate) – this includes awards and related forms of formal recognition bestowed for teaching excellence in classroom, laboratory, or experiential learning environments.  A brief description of the selection process and criteria for the teaching award(s) must be included with the application packet.
      • Letters of support from current and/or former students and trainees.  No more than three (3) letters of support may be submitted.
      • Peer evaluations – this includes formal peer evaluations conducted as part of the annual or promotion review process at the applicant’s academic institution.  The formal evaluation must (at a minimum) include an assessment of the applicant’s ability to plan and execute a learning event or experience as well as assess learning outcomes.  In other words, the assessment must go beyond simply evaluating the applicant’s presentation skills.  No more than three (3) peer evaluations conducted over the five (5) years preceding the application may be submitted.
      • Norm-referenced summary data from learner evaluations (e.g., end-of-course or rotation evaluations)
      • Norm-referenced summary data from alumni evaluations
  • Scholarly Teaching (ST):;
    • Scholarly Teaching promotes student engagement and learning using the educational literature and systematically assesses learning outcomes. 
      • Scholarly Teaching involves: Observing a teaching-learning problem or opportunity, consulting literature, selecting and applying an educational intervention, conducting systematic observation, documenting observations, analyzing results and obtaining peer evaluation (Richlin, 2001). 
      • The purpose of ST is to affect the activity of teaching and the resulting learning (Richlin and Cox, 2001). 
    • The ST narrative must be a self-reflective statement regarding the applicant’s growth as an educator and how the scholarly works of others have influenced his/her teaching.  In addition, the narrative must comment on ST themes and initiatives over the years including one or more examples of ST with description/evidence of:
      • Observing a teaching-learning problem or opportunity
      • Consulting literature
      • Selecting and applying an educational intervention
      • Conducting systematic observation
      • Documenting observations
      • Analyzing results
      • Obtaining peer evaluation
      • Your role and roles of others involved
    • Potential evidence that can be included as ST artifacts (appendices) include:
      • The applicant’s current teaching philosophy statement (1500 words or less).
      • A list and brief description of self-development/continuing professional development (CPD) activities completed by the applicant that have enhanced the applicant’s ability / competencies as an educator.  This may include degrees in education (or closely related fields), formal coursework, certificate training programs, and continuing education programs.  Faculty development programs offered by the applicant’s department, school, or university should not be included on this list.
      • Example(s) of designing a course or lesson plan taking a scholarly approach (e.g. including literature foundation and peer review)
      • Analysis of teaching related artifacts (e.g. , assignment) with description of scholarly approach to development, implementation and evaluation (e.g. baseline measures, pre-post results).  A self-assessment and reflection on teaching, including: 1) a description of development over time, including failures, 2) with evidence of student and/or faculty discussion and input.
  • Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SOTL): 
    • The Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SOTL) builds on the end product of Scholarly Teaching (ST).  It involves identifying key issues from the scholarly teaching, analyzing results and putting them into the context of the existing knowledge base.  Once a venue for dissemination is chosen (i.e., presentation and/or publication), peer review is conducted on the manuscript or proposal (Richlin, 2001). 
      • Therefore, SOTL results in formal, peer-reviewed products, which then become part of the knowledge base of teaching and learning (Richlin and Cox, 2001).   In short, the scholarship of teaching communicates the goals, preparation, methods, results, presentation and reflection of teaching in the literature (Medina, Hammer, Rose, et al, 2011).
    • The SOTL narrative must comment on the applicant’s SOTL themes and initiatives over the  years, including one or more examples of SOTL with description/evidence of:
      • Identifying key issue from ST
      • Analyzing results
      • Placing into context of existing knowledge
      • Preparing a manuscript or proposal for presentation
      • Submitting for peer review
      • Disseminating and adding to existing knowledge base
      • Your role and roles of others involved
    • Potential evidence that can be included as SOTL artifacts (appendices) include:
      • A complete list of the applicant’s publicly disseminated scholarly works including publications, books, book chapters, blog essays, webpages/sites, instructional tools or videos, poster presentations, and podium presentations related to the teaching or learning.  If the applicant is the primary author or creator of the work, the item should be designated with an insertion character. ^   Items that were peer-review should be designated with an asterisk.*
      • A sample of published scholarly works:  These works are selected by the applicant as a representative sample of the applicant’s best scholarly work related to teaching and learning.
      • A list of the educational journals or books that the applicant has served as a reviewer or editor, including the number of papers or chapters the applicant has reviewed or edited during each of the past 3 years.
      • Recognition by peers for contributions to SOTL as evidenced by awards documented in the CV (e.g., Rufus A. Lyman Award)
  • Institutional Advancement of ETL/ST/SOTL: 
    • The Institutional Advancement of ETL/ST/SOTL narrative must describe (1) The advancement of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SOTL) through departmental or institutional efforts related to (a) creating a culture for ST/SOTL, (b) emphasis on learning outcomes and relevant teaching practices, and (c) development of discipline and pedagogical knowledge and innovation AND (2) A record of sustained service to the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP), pharmacy education and/or one or more schools/colleges of pharmacy related to the Scholarly Teaching (ST) and the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SOTL).
      • The narrative describing the advancement of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SOTL) through departmental or institutional efforts related to (a) creating a culture for ST/SOTL, (b) emphasis on learning outcomes and relevant teaching practices, and (c) development of discipline and pedagogical knowledge and innovation should describe at least one program/initiative including:
        • Rationale and goals for program/initiative;
        • Your role and roles of others involved;
        • During of the project;
        • Data demonstrating achievement of goals;
        • Connection to literature and/or best practices; and
        • Resources garnered to support the initiative (grants, internal funds allocated).
    • The narrative describing a record of sustained service to the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP), pharmacy education and/or one or more schools/colleges of pharmacy related to the Scholarly Teaching (ST) and the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SOTL) should provide information on any service contributions, including ST/SOTL work on/as:
      • AACP committees
      • Local/national task forces
      • College or university committees (e.g., curriculum, assessment, faculty development)
      • Officer roles
      • Abstract reviewer
      • AJPE reviewer (and other ST/SOTL related journals)
      • Grant or awards reviewer
      • ST/SOTL trainer or mentor
    • Potential evidence that can be included as Institutional Advancement of  ETL/ST/SOTL artifacts (appendices) include:
      • Letters of support providing descriptions and verification of roles in ST/SOTL support. It may also be helpful to have letters provide information on impact (see impact/influence criterion below).
      • Strategic plan supporting ST/SOTL initiatives and description of results
      • Documents describing/reporting on development of ST or SOTL related faculty learning communities,  faculty development programs and/or mentoring programs and results
      • Development of policies for teaching portfolios, funding for ST/SOTL development and/or annual reporting, peer review or evaluation of ST or SOTL initiatives.
      • Demonstration of recognition/award for non-traditional approaches to teaching and/or teaching related scholarship (e.g. promotion and tenure policies)

Important Note Regarding ALL Narratives:  In addition to the individual narrative elements described, each narrative should address evidence of Impact, Influence and Innovation as these criteria will be evaluated.

  • In compiling each narrative, please include information on the following:
    • How others have benefited from your work (e.g., colleagues, graduate students)
    • How others have incorporated your work (e.g., other college courses, other universities) and/or how others have built upon your work
    • Your involvement with the educational community
    • How your ideas were transformed into new policies, structures, methods, processes, products or opportunities to advance education
  • Additional considerations for evidence of Impact, Influence and Innovation in all appendices include:
    • Evidence of student learning (e.g., pre-post performance data, test statistics [difficulty, discrimination, reliability], assessments of student work from panels of faculty experts)
    • Evidence of dissemination of educational products (e.g., instructional video, learner assessment instrument), programs or scholarship through established venues (e.g., local curriculum committee, presentations to other educators, posting to Pharmacy Education Assessment and Accreditation System [PEAAS})
    • Descriptions/evidence of educational transformations, sustainability of changes and/or transferability
    • Evidence of positive faculty/administrative response
    • Products of the innovation (e.g., new instruments, policies)
    • Evidence related to the successfulness of the innovation (e.g., publications, excerpts from curriculum, collegiate or accreditation reports)
When are applications reviewed?

Applications will be reviewed December - February.  Determination of award finalists and the awardees will be made no later than March.  All applicants will be notified of the status of their application in April.  The awardees will be announced in April.

Applications will be reviewed by the Distinguished Teaching Scholars Award Committee, which will be appointed each spring by the AACP President-Elect.  This committee is comprised of 7–9 members and one AACP staff member (ex-officio). 

Members of this committee are not eligible to apply for the Distinguished Teaching Scholar Award during their committee tenure.   

What is the review process?

All completed applications will be reviewed the award committee utilizing a standardized evaluation form.  All the conclusion of the evaluation process, the award committee will select up to three (3) AACP Distinguished Teaching Scholars.