Communities Initiative

The Center for the Advancement of Teaching's Communities Initiative is funded by a grant from The Bush and William & Flora Hewlett foundations.

About the Initiative

All Xavier faculty are invited to submit proposals for projects that will begin in Summer or Fall 2003. The Communities Initiative supports two types of communities:

• Teaching communities. Discipline-based or interdisciplinary groups of faculty and students will investigate specific teaching and learning problems and opportunities. Projects could address, for example, curriculum changes, improving student skills in critical thinking, or writing in the discipline, or could target specific learning objectives and assessment strategies.
• Research communities. Again, discipline-based or interdisciplinary groups of faculty and students will pursue traditional scholarship or the scholarship of teaching.

Ideally, a community comprises at least two faculty members and at least two students. If your community does not match the "ideal community" described above, please contact Todd Stanislav at ext. 7692 or send an e-mail.

This year-long (or summer and one semester) period will allow the communities to proceed through two phases:

• Phase I: Development
• Phase II: Implementation and assessment

Note that funding for Phase II is contingent upon successful completion of Phase I and subject to review by members of the University Faculty Development Committee. Funded faculty will submit progress and final reports that will be posted on the Center's website.

Funded faculty are required to attend a monthly luncheon to share their progress and discuss emerging issues. During the summer, the luncheons will be more frequent because of the compressed schedule.

Support

Support for faculty includes two semesters of $600 stipends, or a summer stipend of $2,000 and a semester stipend of $600. In a few cases, 25% release time for Fall 2003 or Spring 2004 may be granted.

Support for students includes two semesters of $250 stipends, or a summer stipend of $1,000 and a semester stipend of $250.

Proposal Guidelines

Each proposal should include the following components. Because of the possible differences between a teaching and research communities, specific information requested below may have more relevance to one or the other community.

Abstract

• This should not exceed one page. The abstract (or a portion of it) will be used to announce awardees and to describe their projects.
• Who are the members of the community? Is it a teaching or research community?
• Give an overview of the project, indicating, in brief, what you intend to do, and why.

Design and Development

• Describe, in detail, the project. Include a timeline or schedule of specific activities for both development and student use of the project. Describe the role of each member of the community.
• What are your goals, as they relate to teaching and learning, or research? What learning or research outcomes are anticipated?
• If a course is involved, how is the course presently taught and what changes does the community wish to make? How will these changes contribute to the overall learning objectives of the course?

Project Evaluation

• Include an assessment scheme to indicate the anticipated impact of the project on student learning. What criteria will you use to measure progress toward the goal(s) of the project? What data will you collect? What classroom research strategies will be used? How will student learning outcomes be assessed? Do you have any previous assessment data which could be used as a baseline? If so, please include details.
• A detailed plan for evaluating the project and its outcomes according to the standards articulated in the project description and goals.

Dissemination Plan

• A detailed plan for making the work of the community public. Include a narrative, schedule, and budget, if appropriate.

Support Requested

• Indicate the type of support (i.e., stipend, release time) that you wish to have in order to accomplish the goals of the project.
• Does your project require the purchase of software, hardware, or other supplies or resources? Limited funds are available. Please include a budget detailing the necessary expenses for the success of your project.
• If release time is requested, you must include a written statement of support from your department chair.

Please submit 5 copies of the project proposal to the Center (P.O. Box 73A). Please send a copy of the proposal to your department chair. Also, please send a digital version of the proposal to the Center at cat@xula.edu.

Members of the University Faculty Development Committee will review applications on a competitive basis. The review is not a blind review.

If you have any questions, contact Todd Stanislav at ext. 7692 or send an e-mail.

Deadline: January 17, 2003
Applicants will receive notification of the results in mid-February 2003.
A part of the October 2002 RFP Multipack.