20th Annual AEJMC Best Practices in Teaching Competition
Submission Deadline: February 15, 2025
For the 20th year, the AEJMC Standing Committee on Teaching (SCT) will honor innovative teaching ideas from our colleagues. Each year, the committee selects winners in a themed competition highlighting different areas across the journalism and mass communication curriculum. The 2025 Best Practices Competition invites submissions centered on teaching and the ethical applications of artificial intelligence (AI) and emerging media technologies (e.g., AR/VR) in media disciplines. This year's theme, “Leading in Times of Momentous Change: Individual and Collective Opportunities,” emphasizes the importance of preparing students to navigate and influence an evolving media landscape.
We are looking for teaching strategies that actively involve students in ethical AI practices in journalism and communication. Submissions might include projects or assignments that employ AI tools to create promotional materials, campaigns, social media engagement, strategy development, or digital content with creative storytelling voices. Additionally, we encourage examples of how AI literacy—including reading, writing, and research skills—is being cultivated in and beyond the classroom.
We are particularly interested in examples of teaching that showcase ethical AI/emerging media use in student assignments through one or more of the following ways:
● Innovative student assignments, including but not limited to activities focused on AI-generated assignments/projects
● Writing and media production activities
● Interdisciplinary or collaborative methods for teaching journalism, public relations, advertising, mass communication, and media production projects
● Experiential, practical, or service learning (e.g., student publication, media work, or student agencies) as a form of strategic use of AI in the strategy and execution of service-related programs or activities associated with learning outcomes.
● Distinguishing and preparing students to examine ethical /unethical practices in the industry.
The submission deadline is February 15, 2025. Submissions accepted for presentation as part of the SCT Best Practices in Teaching Competition cannot be simultaneously under review for other presentations or publication. Acceptance notifications will be emailed by March 15 to enable submission to another AEJMC division/interest group/commission competition for those whose submissions were not accepted for presentation as part of the Standing Committee on Teaching competition. In addition, entries that have already been presented or published elsewhere cannot be submitted to the SCT Best Practices in Teaching competition.
The AEJMC Standing Committee on Teaching will select winning entries for publication in our 20th annual Best Practices in Teaching competition, which will be published in an e-booklet. Winners will also receive certificates and a cash prize: $300 for first place, $200 for second place, and $100 for third place. The top three winners will present their research on a panel. Honorable mentions may also be awarded, but no cash will be provided for those entries.
The Standing Committee on Teaching will also invite many highly scored entries to participate in our Great Ideas for Teaching Poster Session at the AEJMC annual conference in August 2025. We plan to showcase teaching approaches related to this year’s conference theme through the GIFT poster session. At least one author is required to attend the AEJMC conference to present the work.
Submission Requirements:
Entries must be submitted as two separate Word documents: (1) a cover page and (2) an anonymized Best Practices in Teaching entry. Please do not submit PDFs, as text files are required to publish the e-booklet of winning entries.
1. Cover Page This first document should contain the following:
- Entry title
- Your name, affiliation, and email address
- A 125-word biography (written in the third person)
2. Best Practices in Teaching Entry The second document should describe your teaching practice. To maintain anonymity, ensure the entry does not include your name or any identifying details in the file’s metadata (clear identifying information under File > Properties > Summary).
The Best Practices entry should follow this format:
- Title
- 100-word abstract
- Explanation of the teaching practice or activity
- Rationale
- Learning Outcomes, including supporting evidence
- Explain how the assignment aligns with at least one of ACEJMC’s Professional Values and Competencies.
3. In the Learning Outcomes section, provide evidence of effectiveness, which may include:
- Qualitative student feedback
- Pre- and post-assignment assessments of learning objectives
- Improvements in assignment scores
- Other relevant qualitative or quantitative data
4. You may include tables or figures following APA (7th edition) formatting. Formatting and Length
- The main entry must be no longer than two single-spaced pages.
- Use a 12-point font with one-inch margins.
5. Supporting Materials (Optional) You may add up to two additional pages with examples of anonymized student work or other supporting documents.
Submission Confirmation: You will receive a confirmation email when your form and attached documents have been successfully submitted. Please save a copy of this form for your records.
Entries should be submitted electronically by February 15, 2025, at the following link:
https://forms.gle/MC9PuP8cNaARzbkM9
Please note that the Google Form will add your name to the file name in the submission; however, your name will be removed before anonymized review by the Standing Committee on Teaching.
Questions?
If you have any questions, please email Gabriel B. Tait, vice chair of the Standing Committee on Teaching, at gbtait@bsu.edu.
The committee looks forward to reviewing your entry.