History

The Innovative Pedagogy Award is designed to recognize new methods, perspective and techniques in the teaching of Cinema, Radio, Television and Emerging Media Studies. Because there are myriad forms of innovative processes, we would encourage all those doing work that extends and expands teaching within our field to apply for this award at all institutions and all career levels. These can include repeated student-centered practices within a particular class (i.e. developing videographic essays or performance, production and theory-based coursework in studies courses), or programs designed to interrogate how industrial and institutional practices impact issues including access, bias, representation or technological innovation.

Eligibility

We welcome self-nominations as well as nominations by colleagues and/or student members of SCMS. The initial process requires a letter of nomination/self-nomination introducing the nominee and explaining how their particular practice exemplifies innovation in the teaching of Cinema, Radio, Television and/or Emerging Media or in the training and/or the professional development of those who teach within the field (3-pages).

Procedures

At the next level, the nominated individual will be asked to produce a short dossier (7 pages) including:

• a short biography,
• a self-statement about the inspirations and objectives for this practice and/or programming (2-pages); evidence and illustrations of the practice including materials that guided the process, examples of the work produced and/or visual evidence of the product (video, webpage, pictures) (3 pages maximum) and
• two letters from a colleague and a student who have had firsthand experience with the practice/process or programming (1-page maximum for each letter/ 2-page total)
• Nominators or nominees must complete the submission form through the Awards portal by the annual deadline.
• The SCMS Office notifies nominees by Monday, August 11, 2025. In the case of persons nominated by others, nominees must accept or decline the nomination by Monday, August 25, 2025.
• If the nomination is accepted, the nominator and nominee are responsible for compiling and sending an electronic dossier to the Awards Coordinator at awards@scmsconference.comby Monday, November 3, 2025 with the subject line "Innovative Pedagogy Award Dossier”.

Past Winners of the SCMS Innovative Pedagogy Award

2025: "The Critical Media Project" — Alison Trope, DJ Johnson, Jessica Hatrick, and Samah Sadig,
2024: No award was given
2023: Vincent Longo and Matthew Solomon
2022: Miranda Banks and Jennifer Proctor
2021: Marina Hassapopoulou
2020: Christian Keathley and Jason Mittell