ANZMAC Advice to applicants from previous winners

GLENN PEARCE - 2005 WINNER

Winning the Pearson Marketing Educator of the Year Award for 2005 was a huge thrill and a career highlight for me. I encourage interested marketing educators to consider applying for this important award that recognises the core business of university marketing schools – education.

My advice to anyone seeking to apply for the Pearson Marketing Educator of the Year Award would be as follows:

A. Prior to writing the application

1. Before applying and in doing what you do, my advice to marketing educators would be to ‘find your own dance’. In other words, do something original in teaching and learning that is your own and not a pale imitation of anyone else’s educational work or approach. For instance, just because a previous winner was acknowledged for their work in a particular field, don’t suddenly make out that you are a guru in that field.
   
   Colin Hay, lead singer and founder of the successful Australian group - Men at Work - tells a beautiful story about what happened to him in regards to being true to himself and not copying other people. Colin Hay reveals that after Men at Work broke up in the eighties, he unsuccessfully tried to continue in the Men at Work vein. One day, after one of his concerts in the outback, an indigenous Australian pulled him aside and said – ‘Bro’, you really need to find your own dance’ (stop trying to be a Men at Work copy). Colin Hay attributes that pivotal moment and comment as the primary inspiration for him embarking on a solo career involving original, acoustic musical compositions and concerts involving side splittingly funny stories and impersonations about his life in the music industry.
   
   So whatever you do in your teaching - be original and be yourself. Don’t copy what other people do or you’ll be regarded as something of a ‘me-too’ product. For instance, if drama is not your ‘thing’ don’t just copy someone and pass their work off as your own. We all know that ‘me-toos’ might look OK but they are never worth as much as originals. By all means, observe what successful teachers do and say, but be true to yourself and ‘find your own dance’.


2. Ask yourself – Am I ready to be nominated for an award of this type? In other words, ask yourself the question: Have I paid my dues in the area of teaching and learning? Also, make sure you have the support of people such as your head of School or dean as they will need to write a reference for your application. If you have paid your dues and have the support of key decision makers, fine – good luck in applying for the award. If not, think about getting some more runs on the board and getting support that will strengthen a future case.

B. In writing the application:

1. Be prepared to invest a considerable amount of time preparing a detailed submission that addresses the selection criteria. A sound submission takes weeks to put together, so hold off unless you have time to do justice to your case.
2. Think about what is unique about your teaching and how you wish to ‘position’ your work in the mind of the judging panel (with respect to teaching and learning). For instance, are you positioning yourself as a new-age course designer, a distance educator, an innovative deliverer of educational services, someone with expertise in teaching technology, a designer of original assessment techniques, an advocate of problem-based learning, a champion of gaming and simulation or whatever?
3. Make use of a teaching portfolio – a collection of evidence relating to your teaching such as evaluations, testimonials, original teaching exhibits, teaching materials and so on. It is never too late to start putting together a teaching portfolio and you probably have a lot of material kicking around the office that could go into a folder or file called – ‘My Teaching Portfolio’.
4. In your application be careful to articulate a clear teaching philosophy – a statement that encompasses what you believe in and stand for as an educator. This philosophy should be consistent in your submission.
5. Provide evidence that backs up and supports assertions made about each selection criterion. In other words, don’t just say you address each criterion, provide evidence for your case in the form of quotes, facts or figures.
6. Be honest in what you say and claim – don’t pass other people’s work off as your own.

C. After the judging has taken place:

1. If you miss out on being selected, try not to be too disappointed – awards of this type are extremely competitive. Be prepared to regroup and have another go.
2. If unsuccessful, try to obtain some feedback about your application. You might be able to get a colleague with some educational qualifications to comment on your submission. In light of any feedback, reflect on it and consider making improvements/refinements to a future application. You may also consider ways of reinventing yourself and what you do in order to reposition yourself in a future application.

May I wish you all the best in applying for the Pearson Marketing Educator of the Year Award.

Kind regards
Dr Glenn Pearce
University of Western Sydney