The ACTFL/Faculty Development Programs of Cengage Learning Awards are presented annually to recognize excellence in the integration and use of technology in foreign language instruction at the post-secondary level. These awards are the outgrowth of collaboration between ACTFL and the Faculty Development Programs of Cengage Learning, with the International Association for Language Learning Technology (IALLT).

These awards are supported by the generosity of the Cengage Learning. The recipients each receive a $500 cash award provided by Cengage Learning.

Criteria for Selection

1. Two awards may be made annually:
   1. one to a foreign language educator at the two-year/community college level, and
   2. one to a foreign language educator at the four-year/university level.
2. Both classroom teachers and administrators are eligible for the award.
3. The recipient must be a current ACTFL member and have been a member for at least the last three years.
4. The recipients must have a minimum of five years’ teaching experience.
5. The recipients must submit evidence of how they have integrated the use of technology into their foreign language courses. Evidence should include objectives and specific strategies using technology that contribute to the attainment of the course goals within the framework of the National Standards for Foreign Languages. Supporting documentation may include letters from students, colleagues, school or institutional officers, and student course evaluations. This documentation may be submitted via a multimedia presentation, i.e., Power Point, a short video, a website, etc.

If a multimedia presentation is chosen as the medium of presentation, five (5) copies, whose length does not exceed five (5) minutes, must be provided.

Procedures for Nominations

1. Self-nominations are permitted and must be accompanied by a letter of support from the instructor’s school or institutional officer.
2. The COVER SHEET MUST be the first page in the nomination dossier.
3. Include the following items in the nominating dossier (in order):
   1. Nominating cover letter from the school or institution, or in the case of self-nominations by instructors, a nominating letter from an officer of the school or institution.
   2. Curriculum vitae of the candidate (length must not exceed 10 pages).
   3. Evidence of the use of technology in the course, including a rationale for the use of technology and how its use helped students attain the goals of the course.
   4. Three (3) letters of support clearly explaining the rationale for the choice of this candidate.
   5. Other documentation, e.g., student course evaluations, copies of newspaper articles or other materials, as appropriate.  
4. Nominations must be submitted electronically by the deadline.
5. No member of the ACTFL Board of Directors or Officer may write a letter of support for any award nominee or actively shepherd the nomination of an award candidate.  If a dossier packet is resubmitted that contains a support letter written prior to the establishment of these guidelines, that letter will be removed from the packet by the Committee Chair.
6. No member of the ACTFL Board of Directors, Officer, or contracted employee is eligible for nomination for any award while holding these positions.

IMPORTANT: Nominations in excess of fifteen (15) pages (excluding the curriculum vitae) will not be accepted.  This includes nominations submitted on CD or through other electronic means. If a multimedia presentation is the medium chosen for submission of evidence, five (5) copies must be provided whose length does not exceed five (5) minutes.

Procedures for the Selection Committee

1. As soon as possible after the deadline for submissions, the Committee Chairperson will circulate copies of the nomination dossiers to members of the committee.
2. Committee members review and rank nominations according to the criteria below and return their evaluations to the Committee Chairperson by the date specified.
3. At the discretion of the Committee, the award may or may not be presented during a given year.

Candidates will be judged (50 total points) on:

• Innovative/original approach that integrates technology into course or program. (10 points)
• Rationale for use of technology to attain learning outcomes. (5 points)
• Demonstrated improvement of student learning through use of technology. (5 points)
• Impact on course or program within the candidate’s institution. (5 points)
• Varied strategies to affirm use of technology. (5 points)
• Relationship to the framework of National Standards. (10 points)
• Attainment of projected outcomes. (5 points)
• Potential for widespread replication. (5 points)

Deadlines

• Nominations submitted online on or before: May 28.
• Copies of all documentation pertaining to the winner sent to the ACTFL Executive Director: September 1.
• Copies of all documentation pertaining to finalist(s) returned to individual(s) who submitted them: September 1.
• Award Chairperson submits a 200-word statement on why the recipients were chosen: September 30.
• Winner submits 150-word acceptance remarks to be printed in Awards Ceremony Brochure: September 30.

Previous Recipients:

2012: Fernando Rubio, University of Utah; 2011: Michael Shaughnessy, Washington & Jefferson College; 2010: Kevin M. Gaugler, Marist College; 2009: Margarete Lamb-Faffelberger, Lafayette College; 2008: Lara Lomicka Anderson, University of South Carolina; 2007: Gilberte Furstenberg, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Boston, MA and Laura Franklin, Northern Virginia Community College, Alexandria, VA ;  2006: Sue Barry, Auburn University, Auburn, AL;  2005: Donna Van Handle, Mount Holyoke College, MA; 2004: Tony Erben, University of South Florida; 2003: James Pusack & Sue Otto, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA; 2002: Teresa Kennedy, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID; 2001: Anne Green, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh PA;  2000:  Jean LeLoup, SUNY-Cortland, Cortland, NY; 1999: Michael Bush, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT.

Nominations should be submitted electronically. SUBMIT NOW.