QSITE Member Recognition programs

QSITE supports its members with unique opportunities for teachers to share accomplishments with other education professionals by offering:

• Prestigious peer recognition of individual achievements in the QSITE Annual Teacher and Leadership Awards.
• Invitations to publicly showcase ICT integration innovations applied or developed within your school through hosting ‘QSITE Tinkering with Technology’ sessions for professionals in your local area.
• Online profiling of leading educators and schools on the QSITE website and in QSITE publications.

Types of Awards

QSITE presents three types of awards:

• Professional Signatures
• QSITE Annual Awards (Educator of the Year, Emerging Leader of the Year and Outstanding Leader of the Year)
• Lifetime Membership.

QSITE Educator of the Year, Emerging Leader of the Year and Outstanding Leader of the Year are annual awards made to Queensland educators who have made a significant contribution to the use and promotion of Information and Communications Technology in any curriculum area. Nominees require either personal membership in QSITE or work in an institution that has QSITE membership.

Criteria for Educator of the Year Award

The selection committee will consist of a panel of teachers and QSITE representatives. A successful applicant may not necessarily fulfil all criteria. Nominees must be based in a school and considered a member of the teaching staff of that school. Nominees must also have either personal or institutional membership with QSITE.

1. Recognition within own institution.

Is the applicant respected as leader and innovator in their own institution?

· Work with students

· Work with colleagues

· Work with parents

2. Recognition outside own institution.

Is the applicant perceived as a leader and innovator by outside individuals, groups or organizations?

· Work with teachers in other institutions

· Participation in the work and events of member associations of ACCE Publications

· Contributions to conferences and other professional development activities.

Additional Considerations for Emerging Leader of the Year Award

The QSITE Emerging Leaders Award is designed to recognise the contribution of teachers beginning to take ICT leadership and to encourage them to pursue their professional goals through their participation in QSITE.

The QSITE Emerging Leaders Award recognises outstanding QSITE members who have:

· Demonstrated leadership in their school

· Outstanding classroom practice using ICT in curriculum

· Contributed to the professional learning of peers· Show potential to contribute to QSITE in the future

Outstanding Leader of the Year Award

The QSITE Outstanding Leader Award is an award designed to recognise the contributions of those in leadership roles, managing the growth and direction of ICT within an educational setting. It recognizes significant advocacy, support and promotion of the use of ICT in Education. Candidates will have had a distinguished career and proven inspirational achievement in leading the ICT in education community.

The Award recognizes leaders who:

• Achieve excellence in ICT in education innovation and development and work tirelessly to improve the quality of education;
• Assist in the building of partnerships to advance the use of ICT in education (e.g school and community partnerships, school and industry partnerships);
• Plan, develop and implement programs to advance ICT in Education;
• Provide advocacy for ICT in Education to the extent that their work is used as a model for others; Serve as a catalyst for policy change and development in ICT in Education;
• Contribute to QSITE and/or ACCE work and actively participated in the professional communities of these organizations;
• Nurture and mentor individuals, groups and/or associations to enhance the use of ICT in Education;
• Conduct research and/or write about ICT in Education;
• Inspire others to strive for excellence.

Candidates should submit an application which contains a brief biography and organizes evidence under three headings:

· Advocacy, support and promotion of the use of ICT in Education;

· Mentoring and leadership of groups and individuals;

· Setting directions and exhibiting leadership.

Life Membership

Life membership is a special honour bestowed in exceptional circumstances to long-serving QSITE members in recognition of the person's active participation in the QSITE community, and, as such, the person has made significant contributions to ICT education and leadership in schools in Queensland. This honour can only be granted by the serving QSITE Board.

Current Life Members: Lyn Allsop (2007), Michelle Williams (2003), Herb Coleman (2001), Donald Shingles (1998), Doug Carey, Paul Shield, Tony Hoepper and Laurie Vogler.

Visit the Award Nominations Page for more information and to download nomination materials.