Teaching Innovations Evaluation Grants

Goal: To support evaluation of innovations in teaching at Illinois State University and sharing of results with the campus community.

Grant Application Cover Page (Word DOC - 43 KB)

Printable Version of Guidelines (PDF - 53 KB)

Overview

These grants support faculty in evaluating the effectiveness of innovations in teaching strategies. These grants are designed to encourage and support teachers to engage in substantial, methodologically sound evaluations of teaching improvement projects. Grants are up to $500 for individuals. Application deadlines occur three times a year:

•	Fall Term:	4th Friday in September
•	Spring Term:	4th Friday in February
•	Summer Term:	4th Friday in May

Eligibility

All tenured and tenure-line faculty, non-tenure track instructors, and AP staff with teaching responsibilities at Illinois State University are eligible. Recipients of prior CTLT (or CAT or FTSS) grants who have failed to meet those grant obligations are ineligible.

Amount of Grants

Grants will be up to $500. Number of grants and amounts of individual grants are subject to availability of funds. Funds are available upon grant acceptance.

Application Materials and Procedures

Applications should include the following:

Cover Page (link at top of page)
Cover page should include title of the grant program, project title, date, name, rank, department/school/unit, campus address, email address, signature of applicant and signature of the department chairperson/school director/unit director.
Abstract
A brief (75-100 words) description of your project’s rationale, procedures, and goals. This will be used to share information on grant projects with the campus on the CTLT website and other publicity outlets.
Narrative (recommended length: 500-600 words)
Describe the project in language understandable by someone outside your discipline.
- Detail the teaching practice at issue and expectations for how it would improve student learning.
- Explain the specifics of the evaluation project and describe instruments and data analysis methods (qualitative and/or quantitative). Provide a brief rationale for the selection of the method and its appropriateness for the goals of the inquiry. NOTE: CTLT may be able to coordinate or provide guidance identifying appropriate methods, developing instruments, and conducting data analyses. Interested applicants should contact CTLT when preparing application materials.
- Explain how the applicant(s) and others could use the project outcomes to improve their teaching practices.
- Explain why the project is not a major part of your normal and regularly expected duties.
Budget Request
Indicate amounts for various expense categories: salary, contractual, and/or commodities expenses. Requests for equipment will be given lowest priority and approved only when the rationale is compelling and the equipment essential. Travel may be included if it is completed on or before June 1 of the current Fiscal Year (June 1 of the following Fiscal Year for Summer Term applications).

Application Deadline

•	Fall Term:	4th Friday in September
•	Spring Term:	4th Friday in February
•	Summer Term:	4th Friday in May

Delivery Options

Send document (in Word or Rich Text Format) as an email attachment to eawelch@ilstu.edu. Please put “Teaching Innovation Evaluation Grant Application” in the subject line.

Mail or drop off one printed set of application materials to:

Beth Welch
Center for Teaching, Learning & Technology
Campus Box 6370
Re: Teaching Innovations Evaluation Grant Application

Evaluation Criteria

A committee comprised of former grant winners and CTLT staff will evaluate applications based on the degree to which each:

Clearly addresses all of the application narrative elements specified above.
Presents a compelling project of sufficient scope and ambition to merit a grant. Specifically, evaluators will examine applications for evidence that a project:
- involves a substantial investment of time and effort;
- proposes an appropriate evaluation method of an instructional innovation that promises to yield valuable outcomes for students, applicants, and the ISU teaching community.
Presents an itemized budget and strong rationale for the budget.
Is well written and complete.

Condition of the Grant

Acceptance indicates agreement to fulfill one of the following options, which are designed to maximize the benefits of recipients’ experiences by sharing them with the ISU community. Completion of this condition is required to remain eligible for future CTLT grants.

Option 1:
A presentation or poster describing the project and outcomes at the annual ISU Teaching and Learning Symposium (held each January). Recipients must submit proposals in response to the Call For Proposals issued each fall. Presentations for grants received in spring or summer are expected for the next Symposium following grant receipt; presentations for grants received in fall are expected no later than the second Symposium following grant receipt.

Option 2:
A presentation describing the project and outcomes at a CTLT-sponsored workshop. Recipients interested in this option should contact Claire Lamonica, CTLT Assistant Director, to see if the project complements workshop themes identified for a particular semester. If there is not a thematic fit with planned programming, recipients must fulfill one of the other options. Presentations are expected within one year of grant receipt.

Option 3:
A final written summary and reflection (approx. 500-600 words) to share the project with the campus community on the CTLT website. The report should include description of insights gained that could be of value to colleagues in their teaching. Reports are expected within one year of grant receipt.

Important Dates

For recipients allocating some or all of the grant for salary, forms for additional academic payments must be completed and submitted by June 1 in the same fiscal year (except for summer term grants, which must be submitted by June 1 the following fiscal year).
Funds must be spent no later than June 1 of the relevant fiscal year.
All receipts for reimbursement and other required documentation must be received at CTLT no later than June 1 of the relevant fiscal year. Expenses not properly documented by that date cannot be reimbursed.

Questions?

Contact Dr. Patrick O’Sullivan, Director of CTLT, at (309) 438-2542.