It’s that time of year again: the D2L Excellence Awards! The Excellence Awards honor the innovation, progress and betterment of learning in the communities we serve. Each year, we recognize up to five inspiring award winners who demonstrate these values. If you or someone you know is using a D2L solution to deliver a transformative learning experience, we invite you to share your story for this year’s awards.
To help with your submission, we asked past Excellence Award judges to share what makes a story stand out from the crowd. In response, they revealed four tips you should consider as you get started. Don’t forget: nominations close January 27, 2023.
D2L Excellence Awards: Top 4 Tips
- Do your research: Show the results the nominee is seeing from their work. If possible, include data and outline the impact their solution has had on learning outcomes.
- Be clear: Explain how a D2L solution has helped the nominee solve their problems or reach their goals. Be specific so that anyone can read your story and understand it.
- Be unique: Share how the nominee’s solution has helped transform the learning experience. Explain why their solution stands out and how other organizations can learn from them.
- Get a review: Ask an impartial colleague to review your story. They can give you feedback with a fresh perspective and ask questions to help you make improvements.
Looking for Inspiration?
The 2022 winners have all delivered truly transformative learning experiences. Each of their stories is unique to a problem they faced and their results are remarkable. Check out their stories as you begin your own Excellence Award journey.
- Energy Safety Canada
- Prima Community College
- Sinclair Community College
- Purdue University
- Greater Essex County District School Board
How to Help Strengthen Your Nomination
Start by identifying the impact that an individual, a team or an organization has made in the past year (or nominate yourself—we won’t tell!). As part of this process, outline the unique projects they’ve completed and the objectives they’ve achieved.
Then, gather all the information you have on hand, such as the nominee’s goals, plans and processes. Don’t forget to highlight the results of the nominated project, along with data and evidence that support the nominee’s impact. And since success is a group effort, be sure to include any additional nominees so they can share in the excitement.
When writing your nomination, consider who will read your story. A strong submission will showcase the nominee’s success and leave readers inspired to follow in their footsteps. You should also include references from end users (i.e., learners, teachers, faculty, trainers customers, colleagues). Up to three people can serve as a reference, and their perspectives will help strengthen your nomination.
Be Ready to Share:
- who was involved in the project
- what the project was
- why the impact of the project is important
- what the result of the project was (using both data and testimonials)
- how the project has delivered a transformative learning experience
When we spoke with past Excellence Award judges, they also gave caution about what not to include in your nomination. The most common request: avoid incomplete projects. If the nominee is still considering or implementing a project, please don’t use it for your nomination. Instead, hold on to that story for next year. The judges would like to read about the impact that nominees have already made.
“When I read a submission, I want to be inspired by it. I want to be able to take the idea back to my organization and implement the same idea.”
Previous Excellence Awards Judge
Ready to get started? Once you’ve gathered all your information, think hard about how you want to frame your nomination. Every story is unique, so share what makes the nominee special. As you write your nomination, ask yourself, “why is this excellent?” If you answer that question throughout your submission, you’re on the right track.
Visualize
Your Excellence Award nomination is the judges’ front-row seat to your story. To inspire the judges, you need to share details that will wow them. Remember, this is the only information they can use to evaluate your submission. Be descriptive and share examples (e.g., video or testimonials) so the judges understand what the nominee has accomplished.
In short, you want your submission to be detailed, clear, impactful and results-driven.
Final Steps
Now that you’ve prepared, it’s time to submit your Excellence Awards nomination. Don’t forget to share your story by January 27, 2023.
A Message from the D2L Excellence Awards Committee
We can’t wait to learn about your innovative solutions and the impact you’ve made this year. We’re so proud to be a part of a community comprised of collaborative educators and learning professionals from around the world. Best of luck with your submission and congratulations on your success!
If you have any questions, please email us.
Written by:
Stay in the know
Educators and training pros get our insights, tips, and best practices delivered monthly