Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) Fellowships

Fellowships:

Up to six (6) fellowships will be awarded annually by the end of the spring semester to support faculty members in the development, execution, and dissemination of a research project that is pedagogically focused and advances the understanding of teaching and learning. Minimally, one fellow from each academic School at Springfield College will be selected. Additional fellowships are available in recognition of outstanding proposals. 

The faculty selected, who will be known as Center for Excellence Fellows, are provided a stipend ($1,500) and funding for travel and materials ($1,000) to defray costs associated with their research project.  Each award will not exceed $2,500 for the fellowship year. Center for Excellence Fellows are also awarded one course release during their fellowship year. The procedures for the course release, including the semester in which the course release is taken, is to be determined in consultation with the Department Chair and Dean and must be consistent with Academic Affairs policies and procedures.

Eligibility:

Faculty interested in participating in the program should be program track, tenure track or tenured. Approval of the Department Chair and Dean of the School are required upon application.

Process and Program Expectations:

Faculty who meet the eligibility criteria will submit an application for a Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Fellowship by March 15 of the year prior to the project. The project should impact the teaching and learning process, broadly defined, and be feasibly completed in one academic year.

Proposals must include: 1) Name, position, and department; 2) Statement of the problem under investigation; 3) Proposed methodology; 4) Possible benefits for student learning and success

Evaluation of Proposals:

Proposals will be evaluated by a committee formed through the Center’s Advisory Board and participants will be selected. Heavy emphasis will be placed on:

1. Feasibility of the study
2. Potential impact on
   1. a large number of students
   2. a “gateway” course or courses
   3. courses that have a relatively high DFW rate
   4. the use of innovative pedagogies
   5. courses that integrate co-curricular initiatives to course-based learning the mission of the institution and the strategic initiatives outlined over the last several years
3. Whether or not faculty member has received a fellowship previously

Responsibilities of Center of Excellence Fellows:

1. Work with the Center Director and staff to ensure the feasibility of the proposal
2. Adhere to the appropriate IRB standards and abide by IRB protocols
3. Coordinate with department chairs
4. Attend a variety of meetings with other Fellows and the Center Staff throughout the year to monitor progress
5. Work closely with the Center staff to analyze data
6. Present the data and implications to the College community at a newly created Fellows Colloquium and provide strategies for integration into various classroom scenarios
7. Submit work to either a conference or a peer-reviewed journal for greater dissemination of the results

The Center of Excellence Fellows benefit from having the available funds to complete a high-quality SoTL project. They also benefit from consulting both with Center staff and with fellow SoTL participants for support and guidance throughout the year. In addition, the SoTL work would be beneficial for the faculty members as a means of demonstrating scholarship within the Boyer model for purposes of promotion and tenure and for advancing excellent teaching at Springfield College.

Questions:

Contact Chris Hakala at chakala@springfield.edu.