| Bush
Teaching Scholars Program
"No
research we do here is more important than research
into ways and means of improving learning."
- President Charles Kupchella, State of the
University Address, 9/18/02
The Bush Teaching
Scholars Program brings together an outstanding
group of UND faculty dedicated to investigating
significant issues related to teaching and learning
in their fields. The program is designed to
create a faculty learning community focused
on the scholarship of teaching, both at the
University of North Dakota and across the nation.
Program Description
and Application Guidelines
Program Description
Again this year, 10 Bush Teaching
Scholars will be selected to participate in
a faculty learning community dedicated to
investigating significant issues related to
teaching and learning in their fields. Serving
for one-year terms, they will participate
in a two-week summer seminar and meet together
on a monthly basis during the following academic
year.
In the seminar, the group
will raise and discuss questions about student
learning that grow out of their own teaching
and learning experiences. They will consider
what it means to engage students actively
in their own learning and will explore kinds
of activities that promote active engagement
(for instance, experiential learning, student
research, classroom assessment, cooperative
learning, service learning, etc.).
By the end of the seminar,
each faculty member will have identified a
significant question about student learning
in their field, explored a range of methods
for addressing and answering that question,
and designed a research project on teaching
to be carried out in the following year.
In the following year, the
group will meet once a month to continue their
discussions, sharing ideas, resources, and
progress reports on their projects. With the
support of grant funds, resources, and consultations
with Bush program staff, they will carry out
and document their classroom research project,
making it available to the larger university
community through a variety of forums, including
a specially designed Bush Teaching Scholars
website.
Stipend
To support their participation
in this project, each Bush Teaching Scholar
will receive a stipend of $3000--half to be
paid at the end of the two week workshop and
half when the final project report is filed,
at the end of the academic year.
Eligibility
All UND faculty with at least
three years of full-time college level teaching
experience are eligible to apply to this program.
The primary selection criterion is a capacity
to contribute to a developing scholarship
of teaching at the University of North Dakota
and across the nation. Thus, the program seeks
faculty who
- are thoughtful and reflective
about the goals and outcomes of teaching
and learning
- have identified a particular
aspect of their teaching, or their students'
learning, that they would like to investigate
further
- are interested in exploring
various ways of studying and documenting
student learning in their areas
- enjoy working with colleagues
across disciplines, in a community of scholars
dedicated to improving the quality of our
students' education
- are committed to sharing
their work with others in a variety of ways
Kinds of Projects Considered
Because this program focuses
on exploring faculty-identified questions
about student learning, a wide variety of
project proposals will be considered. Generally
speaking, projects should focus on a problem
or opportunity related to student learning
in a particular class or sequence of classes.
Examples might include:
- Why are students having
such difficulty with the concept of X? How
can I get it across more effectively?
- What kinds of active learning
exercises will help students grasp this
course material?
- How can I help my students
become more critical users of electronic
information within the context of this course?
- There is such a huge range
of differences in my students' backgrounds.
How do I design the course so that all of
them can learn?
- My students seem to do
well on objective tests but then can't apply
what they've learned. What's going on here?
- I like the way this course
works, but I'm not sure it prepares my students
for the courses they will take beyond this
one. What can I do about it?
- I'm interested in problem-based
learning. How could I get it to work in
my class?
The 2006 summer seminar will
run from Monday, June 19 through Friday, June
30. Meetings during the following year will
be arranged to accommodate the schedules of
the faculty. Those who cannot be available
on the specified dates in May should not apply.
Criteria and Selection
Process
A special committee appointed
by the Provost will review applications and
make selections based on the following factors:
- strength of the project
proposal
- an assessment of the candidate's
ability, in light of previous experience,
career interests, and campus involvement,
to contribute to a cross-campus conversation
about the scholarship of teaching.
Information related to both
of these factors is solicited in the application
guidelines.
Final selection will be aimed
not only at identifying individuals who meet
criteria for participation, but also at assembling
a group which can have an impact across campus.
How to Apply
Applications for the first
group of Bush Teaching Scholars are due Tuesday,
January 31, 2006, and should include the following:
- A curriculum vitae or resume.
- A 2-3 page letter/proposal
that addresses the following question:
a. Why do you wish to participate in
the Bush Teaching Scholars Program? How
would the experience fit into your professional
plans and priorities?
b. What do you see yourself contributing
to this group? For instance, do you have
experience, knowledge, or resources that
would be of use to others? (Feel free
to interpret this question broadly. This
is meant to be a faculty learning community,
not a gathering of experts.)
c. What project or question do you propose
to pursue if you are selected to be a
Bush Teaching Scholar? Why is your question
or concern an important one--not only
to you but to your students and colleagues?
Have you thought about what you might
do to investigate the question? What kinds
of things do you need to understand better
in order to pursue your project or answer
your question?
- A cover sheet listing your
name, academic rank, department, campus
box number, office phone, and e-mail address.
- A letter of support from
your chair, dean, or a colleague who can
speak to the potential impact of your project
on other courses or curricula at the university
Questions?
Faculty interested in applying
for this program, are encouraged to make initial
inquiries and talk over plans for their proposals
before submitting the application. Inquiries
may be addressed to:
Dr. Libby Rankin, Director
of Instructional Development (7-4233)
Dr. Brett Goodwin (Biology),
Faculty Program Coordinator (7-2757)
2003-2004 Bush Teaching Scholars
2002-03
Bush Teaching Scholars
2001-02
Bush Teaching Scholars
Bush
Teaching Scholars Resource Page
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