2026

Learning Design Community Awards 2026

The LDC Awards recognize the most impactful and innovative contributions in the learning design community, shining a light on creators who are shaping the future of education.

After a successful first edition in 2025, we're excited to bring the awards back for 2026. Continuing our mission to celebrate the educators driving meaningful change in how students learn.

Register to watch live
timeline

Submission period

4 Jun - 15 Aug

Regional jury deliberation

Open / Closed
20 Aug - 2 Sep

Regional winners announced

Open / Closed
10 Sep

Voting
period

Open / Closed
10 Sep - 9 Oct

Global winners confirmed

Open / Closed
3 Dec
REGIONAL winners

Meet the regional winners

Nine learning designs, three per region, one per category. Your vote decides
the three global winners.

APAC

Category 1: Active Learning Excellence

Sebastian
Pahs

Hong Kong Baptist University

Discussion and peer feedback on project concepts

Category 2: Feedback & Assessment Innovation

Tanya
Evans

University of Auckland

Explain & Assess: peer review of mathematical reasoning videos

Category 3: Leveraging AI in Learning Design

Isaac Ka
Chun Wan

Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

Enhancing AI Literacy: handling AI bias, hallucinations, and cognitive offloading

Europe

Category 1: Active Learning Excellence

Vasileios Karamanis

American College
of Greece

Exploring technology enhanced learning through interactive document

Category 2: Feedback & Assessment Innovation

Stuart
Scott

University of Bath

Group member evaluation of teamwork and communication skills

Category 3: Leveraging AI in Learning Design

Michelle
Sisto

EDHEC Business School

Peer review of student-created AI assistants

The Americas, Africa & Middle East

Category 1: Active Learning Excellence

Michael-Benjamin Minotti

Boston University

Exploring red flag legal issues through podcast and peer discussion

Category 2: Feedback & Assessment Innovation

Max
Chao

UC Irvine

Team-based asynchronous critique of live presentations

Category 3: Leveraging AI in Learning Design

Fanny
Tsai

UC Irvine

Beyond the first AI answer: compare, verify, and explain

AWARDS CEREMONY

Watch the global winners revealed

The 2026 LDC Awards ceremony takes place live at inspireD 2026 in Brisbane, Australia. Join us online as we celebrate all nine regional winners and announce the three global winners in front of the learning design community.

DATE
3rd December
2026
TIME
11:30AM
AEST
WHERE
inspireD 2026,
Brisbane Livestream
Register to watch live
Free recording sent to all registrants
ABOUT

Celebrating our best creators

The Learning Design Community is a hub for inspiration and best practices in teaching and learning from institutions worldwide. The Learning Design Awards highlight the best learning designers in 2026.

This year, we are excited to introduce regional rounds to the awards, giving you the opportunity to submit your learning activity for recognition within your region: APAC, Europe, including UK&I, or America's, Africa and the Middle East. Regional winners will then go on to compete for the title of global winner in their category.

Submission Categories

Active Learning Excellence

Learning designs that drive active participation, deeper dialogue, and meaningful
student collaboration
(e.g. group work, peer discussion, interaction etc).

Feedback & Assessment Innovation

Learning designs that use feedback and assessment as a driver of genuine student growth.

Structured, authentic approaches that go beyond conventional grading
(e.g. peer review, self-assessment etc).

Leveraging AI in Learning Design

Designs using AI purposefully: learning experiences that build students' AI literacy, or incorporating AI into your own teaching and assessment workflows.
jury

Meet the jury

EUROPE, UK, IRELAND

Gilly
Salmon

Education Alchemists

EUROPE, UK, IRELAND

Neil
Greenly

University of Hertfordshire Business School

APAC

Tina
Acuña

University of Tasmania

APAC

June
Chan

The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

AMERICA's, AFRICA, MIDDLE EAST

Kathryn Schulte Grahame

Northeastern University

AMERICA's, AFRICA, MIDDLE EAST

Rose Tirotta-Esposito

Stony Brook University

Shortlisted templates

Meet the shortlisted templates

Vote

Active Learning Excellence

Michael-Benjamin Minotti

Boston University

Exploring red flag legal issues through podcast and peer discussion

Sebastian
Pahs

Hong Kong Baptist University

Discussion and peer feedback 
on project concepts

Vasileios Karamanis

American College
of Greece

Exploring technology enhanced learning through interactive document

Leveraging AI in Learning Design

Fanny
Tsai

UC Irvine

Beyond the first AI answer: compare, verify, and explain

Isaac Ka Chun WAN

Hong Kong University of Science
and Technology

Enhancing AI Literacy: handling AI bias, hallucinations, and cognitive offloading

Michelle
Sisto

EDHEC Business School

Peer review of student-created AI assistants

jury

Meet the jury

Gilly
Salmon

Professor, board member, advisor, speaker

Education Alchemists

Neil
Greenly

MBA Director and Principal Lecturer

University of Hertfordshire Business School

Tina Acuña

Professor, Director, Curriculum Design and Innovation

University of Tasmania

June
Chan

Assistant Director, Center for Education Innovation

The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST)

Kathryn Schulte Grahame

Associate Director of First-Year Engineering  

Northeastern University

Rose Tirotta-Esposito

Assistant Provost of Educational Transformation & Director, CELT

Stony Brook University

timeline

Submission period

4 Jun - 15 Aug

Regional jury deliberation

Open / Closed
20 Aug - 2 Sep

Regional winners announced

Open / Closed
10 Sep

Voting
period

Open / Closed
10 Sep - 9 Oct

Global winners confirmed

Open / Closed
3 Dec
4 Jun - 15 Aug

Submission period

01

Upload your learning activity directly through your FeedbackFruits environment by clicking "Submit to Community." Your entry will be added to the LDC Awards and considered for a regional award.
    20 AUG - 2 SEP

    Regional jury deliberation

    02

      A jury in each region (APAC, Europe, and North America) will select three winners: one per category.
      10 SEP

      Regional winners announced

      03

        The three winners per region will be announced: 9 in total.
        10 SEP - 9 OCT

        Public voting

        04

        The regional winners will go through to a public vote, where the vote will decide the three global winners.
          FAQ

          Frequently
asked questions

          Who can submit a template activity?

          Any learning designer, higher education educator, or expert using FeedbackFruits can upload a learning activity directly through their FeedbackFruits environment by clicking “Submit to Community.” The submission will be included in the LDC and be eligible for shortlisting For step-by-step guidance, visit our Help Centre.

          How many templates can I submit?

          You can submit as many activity templates as you'd like.

          What happens with my activity templates?

          Your activity template will be published in the LDC for the global educator community to explore and download.

          What can I win?

          Both regional and global winners will receive a personal gift and a monetary reward.

          What happens if I am selected as a regional winner?

          You'll receive an email notification, and we'll confirm whether you're happy to move forward to the global round.

          Are there any costs involved?

          No. Submitting and participating in the awards is completely free.

          Who is behind the LDC Awards?

          The LDC Awards are hosted by FeedbackFruits as part of our commitment to supporting educators and fostering innovation in learning design. Together, we’re building a global community that shares, learns, and leads.

          How will the regional winners be selected?

          All submitted templates will first be categorized based on their type and purpose. From there, the regional jury will evaluate them using a detailed scoring rubric, considering factors such as innovation, usability, impact, and overall design quality. The highest-scoring templates will be selected as regional winners.

          Rewatch the 2025 ceremony

          Get the recording
          LDC Awards

          Get to know the winners in our LDC Awards event ceremony

          Join online for free and learn about the winners and their learning activity.

          Winners

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