Increasing globalization to enhance student effectiveness as world citizens can extend to teaching and learning in online courses. For this category award, the instructor team intentionally weaves in content knowledge from various global perspectives through:

• Providing diverse course materials that accurately represent various cultures, locations, and backgrounds. Course materials are relevant to instruction.
• Including carefully crafted assignments and assessments such as virtual exchange, global scholar portfolios, and/or capstone collaborative projects to increase global perspective.

Focus:

Bold, research-informed course design that fosters creativity, curiosity, and student-centered learning.

Description

This award honors courses that exemplify both imaginative and evidence-based instructional design. These courses feature creative teaching approaches while maintaining clear goals, active learning, and effective assessment. Instructors foster curiosity, collaboration, and real-world relevance, creating online learning environments that are both engaging and pedagogically rigorous.

Jurors will consider the originality and pedagogical grounding of the course design, including how well it integrates research-informed strategies with imaginative approaches. They will evaluate the clarity of learning goals, the use of active and collaborative learning, and the authenticity of assessments. Special attention will be given to how the course fosters curiosity, creativity, and student-centered engagement in a rigorous and relevant learning environment.

Score Rationale

9-10 – Exemplary: Course design is highly original and grounded in best practices. Students engage in meaningful collaboration, explore ideas boldly, and benefit from clear goals, active learning, and authentic assessment.

7-8 – Excellent: Creative and research-based strategies are well-integrated. Students are engaged through collaborative and relevant learning experiences.

5-6 – Proficient: Some creative or research-informed elements are present. Instruction is generally effective, though not consistently innovative or rigorous.

3-4 – Developing: Instructional design shows limited creativity or pedagogical grounding. Student engagement and learning outcomes are inconsistent.

1-2 – Limited: Course lacks innovation and instructional clarity. Minimal evidence of student-centered or research-based practices.

This award recognizes online courses that prioritize building strong, supportive relationships between students and instructors, peers, and mentors. Inspired by the principles of the book Relationship-Rich Education, these courses create “inescapable opportunities” for connection, care, and community. Instructors design learning environments where students feel seen, valued, and inspired to grow—academically and personally—through authentic engagement and trust.

Jurors will consider the intentionality and consistency of relationship-building strategies embedded in the course design. They will evaluate how the course fosters meaningful connections between students and instructors, peers, and mentors, and how these relationships contribute to a sense of belonging and purpose. Particular attention will be given to the authenticity of interactions, the presence of care and encouragement, and the extent to which students feel seen, supported, and inspired to grow.

In large enrollment courses, it is imperative that the instructor team develops unique strategies that help students engage with the content and each other. The following characteristics are present in a course nominated for Large Enrollment Strategies when the instructor team develops and implements creative strategies to help a large class feel like a small learning community.

• The instructor team builds a sense of community and shared purpose and increases the perception and value of students’ individual contributions.
• The instructor team establishes a virtual presence and interacts with students throughout the course. They are present and active members of the learning community.
• The instructor team employs tried-and-true and unique strategies and techniques to encourage student engagement in the course.

Relevant, organized, and quality instructional materials are vital to any online course. In a course nominated for this category, materials are used effectively to help students achieve course, module, and unit goals.

• The course has an organized structure and uses items like modules and pages to incorporate learning materials into a consistent flow of course information.
• The course includes a logical filing system for documents and resources.
• Course materials are current, relevant to course topics, and the instructor provides context for how & why each course material is applicable to learning.
• The difference between required and optional materials is clearly designated.
• Production value for instructor-generated materials meets minimum standards of quality for grammar, visual design, and functionality.
• All course components are as accessible as possible, and the Ally Report score is higher than 85%.
• Course materials that are not instructor-generated are properly furnished, follow copyright and licensing guidelines, and are appropriately cited.
• All hyperlinks work.

The instructor cultivates a sense of community among course participants and demonstrates compassion. Students feel their instructor cares about them and their learning. Students feel motivated to learn and actively engage with the instructor and their peers.

• The instructor provides guided options that give students choice in how they would like to learn the material.
• The instructor allows students to choose how to demonstrate what they learned.
• The instructor inspires students to think critically about the course content.
• The instructor team creates an environment that allows exploration and multiple “right” answer choices.
• The course includes peer mentoring or peer feedback opportunities.
• The instructor team intentionally creates an inclusive course setting.