The SoTL Center accomplishes its mission in the following ways:

Activities

Brown Bag Series

Brown Bags are held on Thursdays from 12:00-12:50. Speakers are often recipients of the Summer reseach grants, but others are welcome to speak about SoTL articles they have read, SoTL projects they are planning or doing, and teaching related iniatives across campus. Contact anyone on the advisory board to talk about giving a Brown Bag or to get the current schedule.

Learning Communities

SoTL Happy Hour (Learning Community on Teaching Excellence)

Small group discussions of contemporary issues in teaching and learning. Everyone welcome! Meetings are on alternate Fridays at 4:00.

Junior Faculty Learning Community

This learning community is open to all untenured faculty, and provides a place where new faculty can discuss teaching issues and share teaching tips.

Grants Group

This group provides feedback and support for writing and submitting grant proposals.

Pedagogy Workshop

The SoTL Center hosts occasional workshops to improve the practice of teaching and learning.

Summer Research Grants

The main purpose of the summer research grant is to facilitate the development of SoTL projects that will have the potential to be presented off-campus in some peer-reviewed form (either through presentation at a conference, or publication). However, we fund SoTL projects at all stages of development. An early phase proposal might include a literature review and the design of course materials to assess specific student outcomes, so that you are prepared to begin data collection when the semester starts. A late phase proposal might include a written analysis and interpretation of your data, using the methods and evidence appropriate to your discipline.

Stipends are normally $1500 for a proposal with one investigator, $2000 for a collaborative proposal involving two investigators, and $800 per investigator for larger teams. Applicants may request additional funds to cover purchases necessary for the SoTL project; these funds must be justified in the proposal.

 

Grant Narrative Instructions

 

The grant narrative should include these components:

· An explicit statement of the specific SoTL question that you are attempting to answer.
· An explicit statement of the goals that you hope to accomplish by the end of the summer.
· A review of relevant SoTL research that demonstrates that your project has been informed by peer-reviewed research on your chosen topic. If you are beginning a new SoTL project, this literature review can be brief as long as you intend to complete a more detailed review during the grant period.
All awardees will be required to submit a summary of their summer grant activities and present their progress at a SoTL Brown Bag session during the following academic year. Half of the stipend is awarded at the beginning of the summer, and the other half is awarded upon completion of the presentation.

Please submit your proposal to the Director for review. Applications will be evaluated on a rolling basis beginning on April 1st.


Pedagogy Improvements Mini-grants

Funds are available to promote small, positive changes to courses or the learning environment within the academic year. Awards are made on a rolling basis and are typically less than $500. Please contact the Director to apply.

Travel Support

The SoTL Center supports travel to pedagogic conferences and workshops. Please note that pedagogy must be the primary purpose of the conference or workshop. Faculty who wish to attend a professional conference that includes both academic and pedagogic sessions should instead apply for funding from the Professional Development Committee. Awards are made on a rolling basis. Please contact the Director to apply.