Teaching Social Problems Division
GRADUATE STUDENT AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE
Deadline: 1/31/27
The Teaching Social Problems Division invites submissions for its Graduate Student Award for Excellence in Teaching Social Problems. This Award recognizes graduate student commitment to innovative and engaging pedagogical approaches in teaching social problems in the classroom. The winner will receive an electronic certificate of recognition, one-year membership to SSSP, a waived conference registration fee to attend the 2027 Annual Meeting in Chicago and an additional cash prize of $100. While presenting at the Annual Meeting is expected and encouraged, it is not required to receive the award or the cash prize.
To be eligible, a graduate student must have been involved in classroom teaching as an instructor of record for at least one course. Students wishing to be considered for the award must submit a portfolio of teaching effectiveness that includes the following:
- a teaching philosophy that details a commitment to teaching social problems through innovative and engaging pedagogical approaches and sufficiently explains the evidence of teaching innovation materials submitted with the application,
- a letter of nomination from a supervising faculty member, and
- evidence of teaching innovation, which could include, but is not limited to: syllabi, handouts and worksheets, facilitation notes and/or activities, assessment materials, etc.
Applicants must be students at the time of submission and all materials detailing teaching innovation must have been developed by the student alone. Submissions cannot include faculty co-authors or co-creators.
In addition, applicants are required to submit an abstract detailing their submission through the Annual Meeting Call for Papers. Submissions must be in Word or PDF format, accompanied by the letter of nomination from the faculty member. Please email submissions to Division Chair Janelle M. Pham at jpham@oglethorpe.edu by January 31, 2027.
Innovation in Teaching Social Problems Award
Deadline: 1/31/27
The Teaching Social Problems Division invites submissions for its Innovation in Teaching Social Problems Award. This Award recognizes innovative and engaging pedagogical approaches in social problems work in any context, to include but not limited to: K-12 and university classrooms, the non-profit sector, grassroots and community organizing, or working practitioner environments in fields such as medicine, the law or social work.
Submissions must clearly and thoroughly document an innovative and/or novel approach to the teaching or assessment process in a learning environment such as a course, class, community workshop, continuing education or professional development curriculum, etc. The list of supporting documentation could include, but is not limited to:
- syllabi
- handouts or worksheets
- facilitation notes and/or activities
- required reading(s), viewing(s), etc.
- Usage Notes (a step-by-step set of instructions detailing how to implement the resource)
- assessment materials
Submissions must be accompanied by a letter detailing the teaching resource or innovation, the context(s) in which the resource has been previously deployed, and the impact of the resource or innovation in addressing social problems.
Winners are expected to attend the Teaching Social Problems Division business meeting during the 2027 Annual Meeting. Please send all submissions as an email attachment (Word or PDF format only) to the Division Chair Janelle M. Pham at jpham@oglethorpe.edu by January 31, 2027.
