Current Award Opportunities

Our Award Categories:

Awards of Excellence

• Excellence and Innovation in the Integration of Technology
• Excellence and Innovation in Instructional Design
• Excellence and Innovation in the Integration of Technology in a partnership or collaboration.

Editor’s Awards

• Canadian Journal of Learning and Technology
• International Journal of E-Learning & Distance Education

Leadership Award

Barry Nicolle Award

The Barry Nicolle Award for Research in E-Learning Effectiveness is a one-time grant of up to $2,400 (or two grants of up $1,200 depending on the submissions) to support the efforts of an individual or group who are current members (2024-25) of the Canadian Network for Innovation in Education (CNIE) or were members of CeLEA at the time of the joining of resources with CNIE (2021) and engaged in research related to the effectiveness of e-Learning through one of the following types of activities:

• Research project, an initiative undertaken to develop new knowledge about e-learning, distance education, technology in learning, instructional design, or curriculum design. The applicant must provide proof that all applicable local ethics approvals have been met.
• Proof-of-concept project, an initiative undertaken that applies new technologies and approaches to a proposed educational program or project.

The award is sponsored by the Canadian Network for Innovation in Education and is named in honor of Barry Nicolle, the late past-president of the Canadian e-Learning Enterprise Alliance (CeLEA), an organization that advocated for Canada’s e-learning industry and that merged with CNIE in 2021. Awards are available to CNIE members.

Applications for this award are reviewed by the CNIE Awards Committee along with representatives of CeLEA.

Recipients of the grant will be announced on the CNIE website and in the newsletter. Presentation of awards takes place at the annual CNIE conference. Successful applicants may be invited to present their projects at the 2025 CNIE conference (conference registration fee will be waived) or Awards Showcase.

Please submit your application for the Barry Nicolle Award to awards-prix@cnie-rcie.ca

2025 Awards Program

Deadline to submit an application : 3 February 2025
Call for Award Adjudicators deadline: 3 February 2025

• The same project cannot be submitted for multiple categories.
• Award recipients will be encouraged to present at the CNIE conference and/or at an online CNIE show case event.

Awards of Excellence

There are three distinct categories of awards

• Excellence and Innovation in the Integration of Technology
• Excellence and Innovation in Instructional Design
• Excellence and Innovation in the Integration of Technology in a partnership or collaboration.

You may only make one submission per project.

• You are expected to review the criterion for each award and choose the category that best fits your project.

Excellence and Innovation in the Integration of Technology

Excellence and Innovation in the Integration of Technology acknowledges the innovative work around the effective integration of existing or new technology in the learning environment. Successful applicants for this award will need to demonstrate how the technology used addresses a specific instructional problem. The technology can be used in a new or novel way and integrates seamlessly into the learning environment.

The Award for Excellence and Innovation in the Integration of Technology will be awarded by user group.
Four (4) awards to be given in this category.

• Higher education (credit course – Undergraduate or Graduate Level)
• Non-formal learning environments (continuing education, professional development/training)
• K-12
• Learner Services (services areas that support student learning)

Your application must acknowledge the relevant user group.

Submission will be reviewed based on the Excellence and Innovation in the Integration of Technology Rubric

Excellence and Innovation in the Integration of Technology in a Partnership or Collaboration

Excellence and Innovation in the Integration of Technology in a Partnership or Collaborative Educational Opportunity, like the integration of Technology award, acknowledges the innovative work around the effective integration of existing or new technology in the learning environment; however focus will be paid to the active contributions made by the partners and/or collaborators on the project. Partners or collaborators can be defined as community-based (large scale), with another institution, or inter-departmental (smaller scale). Applicants will also be expected to demonstrate how each partner contributed to the integration of the technology for its intended purpose.

This category is open for all members to apply.

Submission will be reviewed based on the Excellence and Innovation in the Integration of Technology in a Partnership or Collaboration Rubric.

Excellence and Innovation in Instructional Design

Excellence and Innovation in Instructional Design acknowledges the innovative work around the effective application of instructional design principles to ensure meaningful learning experience. Instructional Design is defined as “a systematic process that is employed to develop education and training programs in a consistent and reliable fashion” (Reiser, Dempsey, 2007).

Successful applicants for this award will need to clearly identify the instructional design model used in the development of a successful learning experience (i.e. module, learning object, course, etc.). Through the application process the applicant will need to explain the rationale for the choice and demonstrate the instructional design choice contribute to the success of the learning experience.

This category is open for all members to apply.

Submission will be reviewed based on the Excellence and Innovation in Instructional Design Rubric.

Deadlines (Awards of Excellence):

• Submissions for Awards Opens: Now
• Submissions for Awards Closes: 3 February 2025
  
• Call for Jurors Deadline: 3 February 2025

All applicants will be advised by email in February 2025 about the status of their submission.

Award Application Form
Online Entry Form (English)
Formulaire de candidature (français)

The submitter will receive confirmation of entry when processed.

Award Adjudication (Jurors) Form
Online Entry Form (EN/FR)

The submitter will receive confirmation of entry when processed and contacted shortly with adjudication information.