Teaching Innovation Grants (2024)

Description The Faculty Development Center (FDC) invites applications for the teaching innovation grant. The aim of these grants is to encourage the development and sharing of new instructional strategies among faculty. Faculty are expected to pilot their projects the following summer session or fall/spring academic semester. Each grant carries a stipend of $550. Proposals may be submitted for projects that focus on any type of course enhancement in an applicant's area of specialization. An important component of all funded projects will be the dissemination of results to faculty colleagues, so that they can consider incorporating the same or similar methods into their own courses. Grant activities, therefore, will be carried out in two phases. During Phase I, the grant recipient will be expected to pilot the proposed change in one or more courses for a minimum of one semester during either the summer session or the fall/spring academic semester and obtain student feedback. In Phase II, the grant recipient will provide a written report on the project to the Faculty Development Committee and disseminate the results of the study to the faculty by making a presentation at a Sandwich Seminar or other public forum. Annually, academic year application materials are due March 29th. Eligibility Eligibility is open to any part-time or full-time faculty member with at least one semester of service at SUNY Cortland who is scheduled to teach during the Summer of the application year, or in at least one of the two following semesters. Criteria for Selection Proposals will be evaluated based on creativity, effective use of existing institutional resources, and the potential to improve educational efforts at SUNY Cortland. Additional consideration may be given to evidence that the award may serve as seed money for external funding and to the potential for publication/presentation beyond campus. Documentation Required of Candidates The following information in this order is requested through the online Adobe application: Completed online Teaching Innovation Grant Application (Adobe) signed (online) by the applicant, department chair, and dean or division head. Attachment to Adobe Application: Project Narrative (maximum 3 pages) that answers the following questions: What is the problem to be addressed and why is it significant? What is the current instructional method and how will this proposal change it? What effects are expected from this change? How will the change be implemented? How can the effects of implementing this change be evaluated? Description of any previous experience in course innovation. Attachment to Adobe Application: Letter of Support from applicant's department chair and/or from chairs of other department's as appropriate to the proposal. Post-Award Documentation Required Within six months of completion of the teaching innovation, awardee must submit a report (no more than 1000 words) describing the effectiveness of the teaching innovation and how the innovation contributed to student learning. Within one year of completion of the teaching innovation, awardee must disseminate the results of the study to the faculty by making a presentation at a Sandwich Seminar or other public forum.