Innovative Pedagogy Grant

2022-2023 Academic Year

Application Deadline: November 10, 2022 by 11:59 pm

Purpose

The Center for Teaching Excellence (CTE), with support from the Office of the Provost, invites full-time faculty to submit proposals for the revision or development of exemplary courses. The goal of these grants is to invest in the continuous quality improvement of courses taught by faculty who provide students with exemplary, highly engaging courses, offered either in an online, blended, or traditional format. This goal will be accomplished by providing funding support, instructional design assistance, pedagogical resources, and technological support to faculty.

Acceptable proposals that integrate pedagogically sound and innovative strategies might include but are not limited to:

Converting a course from traditional delivery to blended or online
Incorporation of flipped learning into a face-to-face course
Integration of active learning pedagogy into a course offered through traditional lecture formats
Integration meaningful instructional content centered around diversity and inclusion
Incorporation of new technologies into an existing course to enhance student learning and engagement
Implementation of strategies to help first generation college students succeed

Proposers may consult one or more of the following resources of pedagogical best practice strategies.

This list is not inclusive of all possibilities and avoids prescriptive guidelines that limit proposers’ creativity and innovations.

Eligible Faculty

Any full-time faculty member at USC Columbia or the Schools of Medicine (Columbia and Greenville) is eligible to apply.
A faculty member who submits a proposal is expected to serve as the instructor of record the first time the course is offered after receiving funding.
Faculty may receive funding for only one course per grant cycle.
Prior recipients of a teaching pedagogy grant through CTE must have completed the prior project(s) and submitted final report(s) to be eligible to apply for this grant.

Up to eight proposals will be awarded based on the quality of applications received and approved. Proponents may request financial support up to $2,500.

CTE Instructional Designers will provide pedagogical and design support to faculty for the development of instructional content, supplementing the award. Funds are to be disbursed to awardees after the project kickoff session and should be expended by all parties before the end of Fiscal Year 2024 (by June 30, 2024).

When completing the Online Application, you will be required to enter information pertaining to your unit budget manager and PeopleSoft A-fund budget number. The proponent should speak with his/her unit’s budget manager and request the appropriate PeopleSoft A-fund budget number. If the course development proposal is accepted, the proponent(s) should communicate with the respective unit’s budget manager and make him/her aware of the financial award. This action will help to transfer awards in a timely manner.

To apply, complete the Online Application and submit Department Support Form [pdf], and a Current Resume/CV.

Department Support Form

Please include confirmation from your department chair, program director, or dean supporting efforts to offer your funded course within the next 2 years, either through online or face-to-face delivery. Submit a signed Department Support Form [pdf]. (Digital signatures are accepted.) If the proposed learning content is for a unit outside of your academic department, you must obtain endorsement from that unit’s program director.

Project Narrative

The proposal Project Narrative should include the following information and be concise (maximum 1,250 words).

The Course: Describe the course that you wish to revise or develop. Describe what it is you are currently doing and what you wish to revise or develop. Describe your student population.
Goals: Describe the goal(s) for developing or revising the course. What is the purpose? What new assessment styles, pedagogical theories/models, active learning strategies, instructional technologies, or innovative techniques will be incorporated to enhance student learning? What new instructional content will be integrated into your curriculum? What types of student learning will be achieved with the content or delivery changes? Why do you want to convert the course to an online/blended or hybrid format (if applicable)?
Pedagogical Methods: Discuss briefly what you are currently doing in your course and what proposed pedagogies you will incorporate into course development or revision.
Student Learning Experience: Describe how this project will enrich the student learning experience, resulting in increased/improved student learning outcomes.
Impact and Sustainability: How will this project improve student learning outcomes? How will the proposed deliverable be developed to ensure usage and continuity past the initial implementation? How often is the class taught and how many students complete, on average?

Applications that are complete and responsive to this announcement will be evaluated for merit. Proposals should be written to be understood by committee members who are not necessarily experts in the proponent’s discipline. Applicants should limit or avoid the use of jargon and acronyms whenever possible.

Proposals will be evaluated by the following criteria:

Completeness of application
Quality of course proposal components: clarity, pedagogically sound, innovative approaches
Likely impact and sustainability of the proposed course or materials
Proposal integrates or exceeds the course proposal requirement adopted by the UofSC Faculty Senate
Approval and support from cross-listed units (if applicable)
If applicable, evidence that proposer completed the prior project(s) and submitted final report(s)

Fall 2022: October- November 2022: Develop course proposal
Completed Applications should be submitted by November 10, 2022.
Awards will be announced by November 21, 2022.
Academic Year 2023- 2024: begin teaching or implementing new course
Final report due September 30, 2024

This grant opportunity is sponsored by the Office of the Provost and the Center for Teaching Excellence. For more information, contact Nate Carnes at ncarnes@mailbox.sc.edu.

Center for Teaching Excellence