The four award winners this year are Associate Prof Ben Schonthal, Dr David McMorran, Nicola Beatson, and Dr Anne-Marie Jackson, who teach religious studies, chemistry, accounting and Maori physical education respectively.
The awards, which come with $10,000 to support the lecturers' work, were presented this week.
Associate Prof Schonthal, who has taught at the university for seven years, said being one of the recipients was "just really exciting" and overwhelming.
He taught all levels of students, from 100-level to postgraduate, and said his main fields were religion and law, and religions of Asia, particularly Buddhism.
"We are always trying to keep students on the hook and learning."
His classes involved class debates, as well as bringing in guest speakers such as religious leaders and lawyers.
"We just really try to encourage participation."
An area students got particularly involved with was religion and identity, which covered topics from tattooing and piercing to yoga and meditation.
He taught about 100 students in 100-level classes every year, and up to 50 postgraduate students.
Dr Jackson, who received the Kaupapa Maori award, taught Maori physical education and health, and said she also taught all levels of students. In her classes the theoretical was blended with the "applied".
"I get to know my students really well, so I build a good relationship," she said.
"It's about understanding who they are."
Dr Jackson led noho marae, enabling students to stay at traditional Maori meeting homes. She was also involved getting her students out sailing double-hulled canoes. With the $10,000 she hoped to set up a master's degree in indigenous science, and she was also looking at leading new Maori language and physical education programmes.
Ms Beatson and Dr McMorran could not be reached for comment yesterday afternoon.
Ms Beatson last year won the supreme teacher award from the Otago University Students' Association, and a statement ahead of this year's awards praised her for inspiring her students to enjoy a "traditionally boring subject area".
The five criteria the university recognised in the awards were planning and design for learning, ability to facilitate learning, assessing student learning, and evaluating learning and teaching.
