Scholarship of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education:
Small Grant Program
Call for Proposals - 2007-2008 FY08
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Overview
The Cross Endowed Chair in the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning
requests proposals for the "Scholarship of Teaching and Learning in Higher
Education Small Grant Program." The program provides funding
for small grants, at Illinois State University, in the area of scholarship
on teaching and learning (SoTL) as it relates to teaching and learning
at the college level.
At Illinois State University, through our work with the Carnegie Academy
for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (CASTL) Campus Program,
we have developed the following definition of SoTL, “systematic
study/reflection on teaching and learning made public.” This
definition allows for work in any discipline and the use of various methodologies
and epistemologies.
All SoTL work must be made public and peer reviewed in some way via
presentation, performance, juried show, and/or publication. The work
may be quantitative or qualitative in nature. For FY08, projects
must focus on the topic of promoting learner autonomy and helping students
become scholars of teaching and learning in their discipline. Autonomous
learners are students who take responsibility for their learning, are
willing to collaborate, partnering with faculty and peers in their learning,
are reflective about their learning, and are involved in shared governance.
Awards up to $5,000 are available. Funds may be used
for any budget category (e.g., printing, commodities, contractual, travel,
student help, and salary) of which a maximum of $3,500 may be faculty/staff
salary. We expect to award about 4 grants. All awards, however, are
subject to the availability of funds. If the University sustains budget
cuts in FY08, all programs, including URG Awards, will be reviewed which
may result in their reduction or elimination.
Eligibility
All tenured and tenure-line faculty, non-tenure line faculty, faculty
associates, graduate teaching assistants, and AP staff with teaching
or teaching support responsibilities at Illinois State University are
eligible to apply. EACH proposal, however, MUST be from a team
of at least one faculty/staff member and at least one student (graduate
or undergraduate).
Requirements
All award recipients (as teams) must meet five requirements over a span
of 18 months:
- Submission of an IRB protocol form and receipt of
IRB approval before starting the project (as this research will be
made public);
- Participation by at least one team member in a research/writing
group, meeting regularly (about three times per semester)
in FY08 to discuss the SoTL projects;
- Presentation of their SoTL research project (in
progress or completed) in any format (poster, paper, panel…)
at the CTLT Teaching-Learning Symposium held in
January 2008 or January 2009;
- Creation of a web snapshot (brief, on-line “poster” of
your project) using the Carnegie KEEP Toolkit to be added to our repository
of ISU SoTL project snapshots at http://www.sotl.ilstu.edu/examples/KEEPShots.shtml by September
2008.
- As appropriate to the discipline and the project, submission of an
article to a teaching newsletter, website, or journal or
an application for a show or performance by December
2008 with a copy to the Cross Chair.
Selection Criteria
Three volunteers with expertise in SoTL will review the proposals using
these criteria.
- Project clearly fits SoTL related to college teaching and learning
as defined above.
- Project focuses on promoting learner autonomy.
- Project clearly involves at least one student as an active member
of the research team.
- Proposal clearly states the teaching-learning issue or problem to
be considered.
- Proposal includes a relevant literature review: theory, past research.
(Journals on college teaching and higher education practices are available
at both Milner Library and CTLT.)
- Project uses appropriate methodology for reflecting on/studying the
teaching-learning issue or problem posed.
- Project is ethically appropriate in terms of the use of human subjects.
- Proposal lists specific, possible presentation, performance, or publication
outlets.
- Proposal contains an appropriate and detailed budget with budget
justifications.
Application Materials and Procedure
Please send four copies of the following materials
to Kathleen McKinney, Cross Chair in SoTL, Campus Box 6370 by April
6, 2007.
- A cover page with name, department and email address
of applicants, project title, and signature of department chair;
- A narrative addressing the first 8 bullet points
above under criteria (maximum of 5 double-spaced pages);
- A reference page/bibliography;
- A budget as described above including a budget
justification; and
- Optional appendices (e.g., draft of questionnaire or focus questions
or course portfolio outline).
Time Frame
- Proposals due to Cross Chair before 4:00 p.m. on Friday, April 6,
2007.
- Notification of awards in mid-May 2007.
- Funds available (budget permitting) July 1, 2007 (or as soon as FY08
budget is approved).
- Funds MUST BE SPENT by June 15, 2008.