Teaching Innovation Faculty Fellowship (TIFF) Guidelines
Description
This is a competitive grant program developed to help faculty develop a new course (including laboratory) or substantially revise or redesign an existing course. The TIFF program will allow faculty members to promote and foster student learning through improving instructional methods and practices and providing an opportunity to develop innovative techniques in teaching. Funds can be used to pay a summer stipend for faculty, purchase technology or teaching materials and travel to professional conferences related to teaching and learning. Any questions should be directed to Ricky Cox (3773, ricky.cox@murraystate.edu)
Eligibility
All regular full-time faculty members at Murray State University are eligible for this award.
Application
- Complete the on-line TIFF application by November 9, 2007. Please note word limits and budgetary restrictions.
- The total amount of each award is $4,000 and up to three awards may be awarded in this grant cycle. The time period for this award will be January 16, 2008—August 14, 2008. Please note that any faculty summer stipend funds will be paid during the time period between May 16, 2008—August 14, 2008. The summer stipends will follow university policy on extra compensation.
- Faculty members can submit a joint proposal, but only one award will be made per application. Separate faculty applications that address a broad, related area may be considered for funding.
Review Process
The University Faculty Development Committee will consider the merit of each proposal and determine which proposals will be funded.
Reporting Process and Grant Requirements
A grant report form will be due on October 1, 2008, that outlines the major outcomes of the project. Faculty members that receive an award will also be asked to contribute to the annual Teaching and Technology Forum or a forum designed to showcase specific work of TIFF recipients.
Guidelines:
Proposals for innovative teaching strategies will be accepted from all regular full-time faculty members who wish to develop a new course or redesign an existing course. All awards must be utilized to perform developmental activities focusing on teaching and learning and may involve a scholarly approach to these activities (scholarship of teaching and learning, SoTL). SoTL is a scholarly inquiry into the relationship between teaching and learning. In the words of Lee Shulman, President of the Carnegie Foundation, SoTL is defined as seeking to “render teaching public, subject to critical evaluation, and usable to others in the field.” As with research in one’s own discipline, SoTL involves a serious and rigorous approach to investigation and uses accepted practices for design and assessment. A broad dissemination of the methodology and results of the project will be expected.
In general, a successful application will propose development activities that promote and foster student learning through improving instructional methods and developing innovative techniques in teaching. Such activities may include integrating technology into the classroom or distance education, developing strategies to incorporate active- or problem-based learning in a course or laboratory, improving the classroom environment and information delivery mechanisms and incorporating international and global issues into a course or curriculum. The activities and goals of the TIFF are similar to the instructional development grants; however, a TIFF will allow a faculty member to receive a summer stipend and travel money, in addition to being able to purchase technology items or supplies. The total amount of the award is $4,000 and will begin on January 16, 2008 and end August 14, 2008. Please note that any research on human subjects will require prior approval from the MSU Institutional Review Board. Any questions should be directed to Ricky Cox (3773, ricky.cox@murraystate.edu)