CFP for Projects

The Teaching, Learning, and Technology Roundtable (TLTR) invites proposals for the Technology for Innovative Learning & Teaching Pilot Project Grants (aka TLTR Pilot Project Grants) for projects anytime in the three semesters (including summer) following the application deadline. The TLTR especially encourages projects that support the development of digital skills, including the use of Generative AI, by students, faculty, and staff.  We also encourage projects that align with our strategic plan or the areas of focus of the innovation fellowship:

• Experiential and/or Austin-based pedagogy
• Inclusive and Antiracist Teaching (includes Open Educational Resources and Universal Design for Learning/Accessibility)
• Technology-enhanced teaching and learning

The Office of Information Technology (OIT) sets aside $20,000 on an annual basis to fund innovative teaching projects that incorporate new technologies and can be used as a model for other faculty, and the TLTR uses this fund to award grants up to $5,000. See previously funded projects for examples.

Jump to: Submission Deadlines | Software Funding | Eligibility | Application Process | Application Forms | Selection Process | Grant Reporting

Spring and Fall Submission Deadlines

The TLTR awards grants twice a year, with deadlines in the Fall and Spring.  Note that no final applications will be reviewed if a Statement of Interest was not received and reviewed in advance. (Scroll down for the forms.)

• Fall:
  • September 17: Statement of Interest Due
  • October 1: Final Application Due
• Spring:
  • March 18: Statement of Interest Due
  • April 1: Final Application Due (2024, due April 2, due to Monday class holiday)

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Funding for Monthly or Annual Academic Software Licenses

TLTR will fund one time or recurring (for up to a year) academic software licenses, like ChatGPT Plus. Faculty must provide a brief report on their usage. Sign up on this smartsheet form: TLTR Academic Software Request Form. First come, first-served until the allotted funds are spent. Note that funds are capped at $500 per applicant in a given 12 month period to ensure that as many faculty as possible can benefit from this program. Requests will be vetted by Instructional Technology staff. These requests are intended for lower cost applications.  For more expensive projects, please follow the process outlined below.

Who can apply to the TLTR?

Tenure-track and non-tenure-track (including adjunct) faculty are encouraged to apply.  Part of the application process is to communicate your intent to apply to your chairs/program directors and deans who will be asked to confirm their approval of your application.

What projects are eligible for funding?

TLTR grants are available for a wide range of activities for faculty establishing new approaches to innovation and technology in the classroom. Projects should be related to a specific pedagogical project and not to a faculty member’s professional development. In addition, projects need to have the potential to be adopted for students in other courses or learning contexts. Note that projects do not need to focus exclusively on technology use; innovative teaching methods that are supported by technology (such as flipping the classroom) are also eligible.

Potential project categories can include

1. Equipment purchases. Grants could be used to purchase an annual software license, software, apps, peripherals, and devices such as tablets, digital cameras, or smartboards, including equipment for learning spaces, such as moveable whiteboards or wireless projection.
2. Faculty training. Faculty could attend a conference, seminar, or workshop that will train them in technology integration for the classroom that directly supports a pedagogical project.  Proposals should include plans to disseminate to the campus community, e.g., by leading a workshop.
3. Staff time from an instructional designer, developer, technology staff, or student ambassador. Faculty could partner with a staff member to develop a new course component such as an interactive website-based unit. This type of award will be subject to consideration of the staff member’s expertise and workload as related to the timeline and scope of the proposed project.
4. Hosting an event for faculty development. Grants could be used to organize an event exploring a particular pedagogical style, such as hosting an “unconference” or a THATCamp or organizing a community or practice or reading group to explore a new pedagogy.

**Please note that funds cannot be used for course releases, faculty stipend, or other purposes that would be classified as faculty pay by HR and the business office.**

Potential projects should be implemented in the three semesters (including summer) following the application deadline, e.g., for applications submitted in Spring 2023, projects should be slated for summer 2023, fall 2023, or spring 2024.

Can I apply for more than one project at a time?

Yes. Faculty are eligible to submit two proposals at a time. Funding priority will go to supporting as many faculty as possible but there is a chance that both proposals will be accepted.

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Statements of Interest and Final Applications

Statement of Interest

Statements of Interest consist of 150 words describing the proposed project, as well as a list of expected purchases. Instructional Technology staff will review Statements of Interest to make sure the proposed pilot is feasible or necessary.  Instructional Technology may recommend alternate technologies, confirm that the university already possesses proposed technologies, and give advice on the project budget. (Statements of Interest will not be reviewed by the selection committee.)

All Statements of Interest should be submitted electronically by completing the TLTR Pilot Statement of Interest Form.

Final Applications

Final applications should be submitted using the TLTR Pilot Application Form.

To prepare your application, review the Application Process & Form Preview below.

If you have any questions about TLTR Pilots or would like to discuss possible projects, please contact:

• Rebecca Frost Davis, Associate Vice President of Digital Learning, rebeccad@stedwards.edu
• Brenda Adrian, Associate Director of Instructional Technology, brendaa@stedwards.edu

Application Process & Form Preview

Part of the application process is to communicate your intent to apply to your chairs/program directors and deans who will be asked to confirm their approval of your application.  In addition to asking if they support your project, we will ask for:

• Confirmation that the course in question will be offered by the TLTR Pilot Grant candidate during the grant period.
• Confirmation that the applicant will be employed at St. Edward’s University during the grant period.

Google form

To apply, please fill out the TLTR Pilot Application Form (a google form).  Total application length is less than 1,000 words, not counting name, contact, course information, and purchase list. Please note that we specify word counts to limit the amount of time it takes to complete this application.  Word limits are maximums; feel free to write less.  Here is the information you should gather in advance.

Basic Information

• Contact information: First and Last Name (form automatically collects emails)
• School and Department
• Department Chair/Program Director
• Dean
• Confirmation that you have notified department chair/program director about application.
• Rank/Title (e.g., Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, Professor, Adjunct faculty, etc.)
• Project Title
• Course number and title
• Semester and year course will be offered

Project Design & Goals

Explain the project’s overall design as well as more detailed information about the assignments or activities it involves.  What problem, challenge, opportunity, or other issue causes you to believe that this project is necessary? For example, did some technology, emerging social situation, or rapidly changing environment provide a new context for which non-traditional learning methods could or should be considered? Faculty members who have also applied for an Innovation Fellowship for the same project should explain how this pilot will support their proposed fellowship project. (250 words or less)

Purchase list

What do you need us to buy? Any idea how much it costs? Give us a list. Instructional Technology staff can help here. Grants are capped at $5,000 but can be less.

Statement of Innovation

Describe what makes this project new, different, or substantially improved on existing practices. Innovations may be new to St. Edward’s or your school/department even if they are used somewhere else. Or they might be a new application of an existing tool/practice. After your pilot consider applying for the Delayne Hudspeth Award for Innovative Instruction.  (100 words or less)

Pedagogical Value and Impact on Students

How do you see your changes impacting student learning and/or the broader student experience? Is there any supporting scholarship or research available? (Where did you get this idea?) (250 words or less)

Potential for Adoption

Explain how your project may provide a model, strategies, or other valuable information that could guide other faculty in adopting similar approaches. Specify other departments, schools, or programs that might benefit. (100 words or less)

Abstract

Write an abstract for public dissemination: Describe the project, its significance, and its potential for application broadly. We use this text to share with the broader community about the pilots being conducted, so write for an audience of your colleagues at St. Edward’s. Feel free to copy and paste from above. (150 words or less)

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The Selection Process

Grant recipients will be decided upon by the TLTR Grants Selection sub-committee. This sub-committee will be comprised of at least 3 faculty members, 2 instructional technology staff members, and the CTE director. The Selection sub-committee follows an established review practice:

• Copies of the applications are circulated to all members of the sub-committee for review. Sub-committee members read each proposal and rank them, adhering closely to the application categories.
• The sub-committee then meets and holds an in-depth discussion of the top-ranked projects, leading to a final consensus decision based on both the scoring and the discussion.
• Particularly large or complex projects will be reviewed by the entire TLTR committee and may require a presentation from the applicant to the TLTR committee.

What criteria will I be evaluated by?

Each proposal will be evaluated on the strength of the following areas. Relevant sections of the application are listed after each criterion:

• innovative nature (innovative in your department or at St. Edward’s): Statement of Innovation
• pedagogical value (improving student learning): Pedagogical Value and Impact on Students
• potential for adoption: Potential for Adoption
• overall quality (your ability to explain your project in terms of the need it fills and your plans for the project’s execution and assessment): Project Design and Goals & Abstract, a well as overall application

These grants were created to enable faculty to pursue innovative teaching that improves student learning in the classroom and the larger St. Edward’s community. Therefore preference will be given to applicants that most clearly demonstrate the project’s innovative nature, pedagogical value, and potential for adoption. In addition, your ability to explain your project in terms of the need it fills and your plans for the project’s execution and assessment is crucial to the committee’s ability to evaluate your project. Thus, carefully written proposals stand a better chance of success.

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Grant Reporting

Once you have finished your project, you should report on your experience to the TLTR either in a regular meeting of the TLTR or in a recorded presentation.  Contact the TLTR Co-Chairs to schedule.  The TLTR also encourages you to consider how your project might contribute to the scholarly conversation around innovative teaching and learning by:

• Developing a publication in your discipline or in an outlet dedicated to teaching with technology
• Applying for the Delayne Hudspeth Award for Innovative Instruction
• Presenting at the Annual Teaching Symposium
• Leading or contributing to a session offered by the Center for Teaching Excellence and/or Instructional Technology

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