Excellence In Online Teaching Award
Overview
The University of North Florida recognizes faculty who perform meritoriously in online teaching. To that end, the Excellence in Online Teaching Award shall be given annually in recognition of excellence in online teaching.
The award winner will receive an honorarium of $2,500 and a commemorative plaque. The award is funded by Digital Learning, which reserves the right not to provide the monetary award to any winner who is not a UNF employee at the time of UNF’s Annual Convocation.
Additionally, per the Florida Board of Governor’s Online Education 2025 Strategic Plan, each institution within the State University System (SUS) will identify one outstanding faculty member each year to receive the SUS President’s Award. UNF’s Excellence in Online Teaching Award recipient will receive recognition as UNF’s President’s Award winner and be featured on the SUS website.
Award Recipients
2025
Dr. Suzanne Ehrlich
Associate Professor
Leadership, School Counseling, & Sport Management | Silverfield College of Education & Human Services
Faculty Bio
Award Submission Packet
Showcase Video [coming soon
Dr. Suzanne Ehrlich, associate professor in Leadership, School Counseling, & Sport Management is a leader in the field of instructional technology and online learning. With over 20 years of experience, she has shaped UNF’s digital learning landscape through scholarship, program development, and inclusive course design. As director of the Instructional Technology, Training and Development program, she has led the creation of multiple Quality Matters-certified courses and helped launch the new Bachelor’s in Learning Design & Technology. Her research on inclusive online course design, funded through multiple institutional grants, demonstrates how thoughtful design impacts student pass rates. Dr. Ehrlich integrates innovative tools such as lightboard technology and AI-focused coursework to deepen student engagement. Recognized through fellowships and leadership roles—including co-chairing the UNF AI Council and selection as a 2024 EdSafeAI Women in AI Fellow—she combines academic rigor with a student-centered ethos. Through her impactful teaching, pioneering research, and dedication to inclusivity, Dr. Ehrlich continues to transform the online learning experience at UNF and beyond.
2024
Dr. Maria Angeles Fernández Cifuentes
Associate Professor
Languages, Literatures and Cultures | College of Arts & Sciences
Faculty Bio
Award Submission Packet
Showcase Video
Dr. Maria A Fernandez Cifuentes, associate professor in languages, literatures, and cultures, is a pioneer in online education. Her transformative journey began with the CIRT Teaching Online Foundation Course in 2017, igniting a deep appreciation for the pedagogical potential of online learning. Championing student-created digital Open Educational Resources (OER), Maria fosters equity and innovation with projects showcased internationally. High student ratings and certifications like Quality Matters highlight her commitment to excellence. Maria’s scholarly publications and leadership in educational initiatives further demonstrate her dedication to evidence-based practices and advancing teaching methodologies. Through innovation and empowerment, Maria enriches online education, setting new learning experiences and academic excellence standards.
2023
Dr. Nilufer Ozdemir
Associate Professor
Economics | Coggin College of Business
Faculty Bio
Award Submission Packet
Showcase Video
Dr. Nilufer Ozdemir, associate professor of economics, teaches various online courses, including Monetary Economics and Principles of Macroeconomics. Dr. Ozdemir enhances online learning through a two-pronged "Engagement" and "Support" approach. "Engagement" includes continuous touchpoints like current events reports, quizzes, and Q&A sessions, promoting active participation. "Support" encompasses an Assistance Program, pre-exam meetings, software videos, study guides, and reminder videos for effective learning and connectivity. Discussions facilitate interaction and peer learning in her courses. Additionally, she engages students in analyzing real-world data through community programs, creating a comprehensive, engaging, and supportive online learning environment for student success.
Award Eligibility
Any regular, full-time member or permanent part-time member of the UNF faculty, who holds an in-rank faculty appointment at UNF and meets the following requirements:
- Delivery of distance learning course(s) at UNF for two or more years.
- Completed UNF’s Teaching Online Foundation Course (TOL) or other online teaching certifications/training related to quality online course development and delivery.
- Completed at least one Online Course Design Quality Review.
Note: No awardee shall be eligible for another Excellence in Online Teaching Award until the fifth year after receiving the last award.
Criteria
In addition to the eligibility requirements listed above, awardees must have contributed to excellence in online teaching at UNF in some or all of the following areas. Innovative online teaching strategies and demonstrable impact on students are of the highest importance.
- Successful implementation of innovative online teaching strategies and tools to promote active learning, high levels of instructor-student or student-student interaction, and community engagement.
- Use of data (e.g., Canvas analytics, ISQs, student feedback) or student-created artifacts (e.g., research proposals, websites, class presentations) as a demonstrable indicator of student success.
- Exemplary contributions and mentoring on the practice of online course design and delivery, such as participation or leadership roles in department/college committees related to distance learning at UNF.
- Scholarship, publications, and conference presentations related to evidence-based practices for online teaching.
Nominations
Any person within the University community (students, alumni, faculty, staff, or administration) may nominate a faculty member, or a faculty member may self-nominate for the award.
To nominate an outstanding faculty member for this award, complete the Faculty Awards Online Nomination Form.
The Nomination period for the faculty award is December 16, 2024 - January 10, 2025 at 5:00pm
Note: Please review the award eligibility section (shown above) for specific requirements that must be met by your nominee.
Nominees
After the close of nominations, UNF Online confirms each nominee’s eligibility and sends a letter of confirmation to eligible nominees and their department chair, including instructions for the nominee to submit their nominee materials. Nominees who are not eligible will be notified.
To be considered for this award, eligible nominees must submit one copy of their materials in pdf format. Nominee materials shall not include more than nine pages with standard margins, double-spaced, and font sizes no smaller than 12-points. It must include the following artifacts in the order listed:
- Three-page (maximum) summary and discussion detailing the nominee’s contributions to excellence in online teaching at UNF based on the award criteria.
- Five-page (maximum) curriculum vitae, including educational background, current rank, and position at UNF.
- One-page signed statement by the faculty member attesting to the accuracy of the information included in the packet and a stipulation on the part of the Chair that the material is consistent with the Chair’s knowledge of the faculty member’s performance. Download and include the Statements of Accuracy document in your nominee packet.
Tips
- Follow formatting guidelines: Adhere to the document formatting guidelines provided by the award instructions, such as font size, spacing, and margins, to ensure the content fits within the allowed page limit.
- Be organized: Structure the content in a logical and organized manner. Use headings and subheadings to delineate each criterion and provide a smooth flow of information. Use bullet points or numbered lists to present information succinctly.
- Be selective: Due to the limited page limit, choose the most significant achievements and examples that align with the award criteria. Avoid excessive details or unrelated information that may distract from the main focus. Link to documents or webpage with supplementary information if needed.
- Focus on key points: Identify the most significant contributions and examples related to each of the four criteria. Prioritize and include those that best showcase your achievements in online teaching.
- Use concise language: Be clear and concise in presenting the information. Avoid lengthy explanations or unnecessary details. Summarize and use precise language to convey your accomplishments and impact.
- Prioritize recent and relevant achievements: Highlight your most recent and relevant contributions to online teaching. Focus on achievements directly related to the award criteria and demonstrate ongoing engagement and impact.
- Be Direct: When discussing innovative strategies, avoid simply listing the tools used in your courses. Instead, focus on how these innovations contributed to student success, and provide examples of interaction and engagement. This will help highlight your strategies’ effectiveness and demonstrate their impact on student learning.
- Edit: Review the content carefully to ensure it meets the three-page limit. Revise for clarity, coherence, and relevance. Seek feedback from colleagues or mentors to refine the content further.
Award Selection
The award recipient is selected by a committee of six college representatives elected by the UNF Faculty Association to serve on the Distance Learning Committee (current DLC members) and the three previous award winners. The award recipient and their Chair will be notified in early spring (March), and the award will be presented at UNF’s Annual Convocation in the Fall (September).
Award Schedule
The schedule for collecting nominations and selecting the award recipient is as follows:
| Award Activity | Completion Date |
|---|---|
| Nomination period starts | Monday, 12/16/2024 |
| Nomination period ends | Friday, 1/10/2025 |
| Eligible/Not eligible nominees are notified | Monday, 2/3/2025 |
| Deadline to submit nominee materials | Friday, 3/7/2025 |
| Award selection committee deliberates | 3/10/2025 - 3/28/2025 |
| Award recipient and department chair are notified | Monday, 4/7/2025 |
| Florida BOG notified of award recipient | April 2025 |
| Award presented at UNF’s Annual Convocation | September 2025 |
FAQs
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Which faculty members are eligible for this award?
To determine if a faculty member is eligible for this award, ensure they have taught a distance learning (DL) course for at least two years. Confirm that they are listed on the TOL-graduates page, then check the list of QM-reviewed courses page to confirm that the nominee has completed at least one online course design quality review. The faculty member is eligible for the Excellence in Online Teaching Award if all three criteria are met. -
Concerning the second award criterion, which emphasizes the 'Use of Data' such as Canvas analytics, ISQs, and student feedback, how can I effectively incorporate my data into the 3-page summary?
To effectively incorporate your data into the 3-page summary, focus on explaining the results rather than presenting raw data. Link to relevant documents or webpages for supplementary information if necessary. -
What should I do if I have no relevant information to provide for a particular criterion?
If you do not have any relevant information to share regarding a particular criterion, indicate that in your summary. It is important to avoid embellishing or including irrelevant information to fill the space, as this may detract from the overall quality of your nomination. Instead, prioritize the information that best showcases your achievements in online teaching.