CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS

The 2025 Nancy Rutherford Teaching Innovation Award

Submit through the Oxford Abstracts by April 1:   https://app.oxfordabstracts.com/stages/77961/submitter

Online Submission Site Opens March 1:

The 2025 Theme: Innovative Use of Industry Technology in the Classroom

Artificial intelligence is expected to become transformative in future educational practices and learning. Generative AI (GenAI) is “an artificial intelligence (AI) technology that automatically generates content in response to prompts written in natural-language conversational interfaces” (Miao & Holmes, 2023, p. 8). For example, ChatGPT is one of the most recognized examples of GenAI. Using conversational prompts inputted by the user, GenAI produces new content in various formats including text, images, blog posts, program code, poetry, and artwork (Davenport, 2023). Generative AI (GenAI) tools use machine learning (ML), an algorithm based technology that automatically refines its performance from data on a continuing basis. GenAI is rapidly becoming an important subject of discussion as educators question how GenAI can support student learning and there are many unanswered questions related to its benefits and risks. 

The theme of the 2025 Nancy Rutherford Teaching Innovation Award is Innovative Use of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) in the Classroom. We welcome submissions related to the topics of successful practices using GenAI.

Applicants are invited to submit a paper that meets the following criteria:

• Thematic Fit: Appropriateness of the materials to the theme. 
• Audience: Appropriateness of teaching materials to the audience. 
• Innovativeness: Originality of the materials and approach. 
• Effectiveness: Learning objectives are clearly articulated and results are measured and reported. 
• Presentation Quality: Clarity, detail, and completeness of teaching materials and activities. 

ELIGIBILITY

Only ITAA active members are qualified to submit papers to the Nancy Rutherford Teaching Innovation Award Competition. Instructional materials for the teaching strategy must have been developed for, and delivered in, textile and apparel or related undergraduate courses at a post-secondary institution.

Submissions may not have been previously published elsewhere. Author(s) must be the original developer(s) of the submitted teaching strategy.

Submissions will be accepted from instructors working independently as well as from faculty members who have worked collaboratively to develop the teaching strategy. This award is also open to graduate students. All collaborators on the teaching strategy must be ITAA active members.

PREPARATION FOR SUBMISSION

Full papers must use American Psychological Association (APA) or Chicago style. The paper should be in English and use Times New Roman, font size 12 for all text, including titles. There should be no identifying information about authors, professional affiliations, or geographic location on any of the pages. Graphics and tables should be incorporated within the body of the article  in the appropriate place(s).

PAPER STRUCTURE

• Title
• Abstract (maximum 150 words)
• Project description, including:
• An introduction explaining:
• course(s) for which this activity is appropriate and where course(s) fits in the curriculum.
• instructor and students’ knowledge/skills required to complete activity.
• recommended format (in-class or homework activity, individual or group-based, online activity, etc.)
•  Detailed description of the activity including:
• clear explanation of integration of how the theme is integrated into the activity
• learning objectives, direct and indirect assessment tools
• directions and resources needed to complete the activity
•  evaluation process
• Conclusion explaining:
• number of times the activity has been delivered the course
• changes that have been made to the activity (if any) and rationale
• assessment of learning outcome(s) results (students’ quotes or reflections about the activity are recommended)
• recommendations/advantages/disadvantages of using this activity

Note: Authors are responsible for complying with their Institutional Review Board (IRB) requirements for human subjects.

ONLINE SUBMISSION

Please follow these procedures for online submission of Nancy Rutherford Teaching Innovation Award

• Begin the submission process by using the specific Oxford Abstract link: https://app.oxfordabstracts.com/stages/43830/review

• Start by entering the FULL TITLE of your submission, 30 words maximum, Title Case. You can copy and paste or enter directly. This is how it will appear in the final conference program and in the Conference Proceedings.

• Enter author information and affiliations. You must enter the names and affiliations of ALL authors in the order in which you wish them to appear in the printed version. Names omitted here will NOT be included in the final program. Check which author is the single corresponding author.

• Confirm that the lead author will register to attend and present the paper at the Conference. 

• Confirm that the submission has been approved by all authors.

• Upload your finished abstract. Prepare your full paper for review. Papers must use American Psychological Association (APA) or Chicago stye. The paper should be in English and use Times New Roman, font size 12 for all text, including titles. The narrative portion of the paper can be up to 20 double-spaces pages in length; the full paper, including the 150-word abstract, graphics, and references, can be up to 30 pages. The abstract page (single-space, maximum 150 words) should include the title, but no identifying information about authors, professional affiliations, or geographic location on any of the pages. Graphics and tables should be incorporated with the body of the article in the appropriate spaces(s).  Save the final version to be submitted as a pdf file using the following naming protocol: Nancy Rutherford Teaching Innovation Award (TIA)-Abbreviated Title-Teaching (TEA).pdf. For example, a teaching paper on problem-based learning by Jane Smith would be named as follows: TIA-Problem Based Learning-TEA.pdf. Do not include the last name of the author in the file name.

• Click SUBMIT to complete the Submission process. You will receive an email confirmation of submission being received.

NOTE: Only the entrant who submitted the work will receive the notification email

 REVIEW PROCESS AND AWARDS

Submissions will be double-blind reviewed under the supervision of the Chair of the Teaching Innovation and Resources Committee.

The papers will be evaluated using the following criteria:

• Thematic Fit: Appropriateness of the materials to the theme.
• Audience: Appropriateness of teaching materials to the audience.
• Innovativeness: Originality of the materials and approach.
• Effectiveness: Learning objectives are clearly articulated and results are measured and reported.
• Presentation Quality: Clarity, detail, and completeness of teaching materials and activities.

In addition to the international recognition, stipends will be awarded as follows: $500 for first place;

$300 for second place; and $200 for third place.

PRESENTATION REQUIREMENT

Winners must agree to attend the 2024 ITAA conference and orally present their paper in-person. A two-page general proceedings paper (see below) will be published in the ITAA Proceedings (if uploaded by the author). Winners must also submit their final paper to the online ITAA Teaching Collection.

 FOLLOW UP

Authors will be notified electronically of the outcome of the review at the email address supplied by the submitter, and, if the paper is the winner, will be notified of the pertinent information about registration for and presentation at the ITAA meeting.

SUBMISSION FOR THE CONFERENCE GENERAL CALL

You may also, simultaneously, submit a two-page abstract of the paper to the general call for papers for the conference. Your abstract and full paper should have the same title.

Full papers not selected as first, second, or third place winners will be reviewed under the general call but ONLY if the two-page abstract is submitted separately to the Concept, Research and Teaching Scholarship general call.

It is the responsibility of the authors to complete this separate submission process. Please see instructions for submitting to the Research, Teaching, Concept Abstract Call and note that the deadline for submitting an abstract to the general call is also April 1.

QUESTIONS?

Contact Sherry Schofield, Executive Director at itaasherry@gmail.com or the current VP of Education, Hye-Shin Kim at hskim@udel.edu