Funding to encourage creative practices
Since the development of the Teaching and Learning Framework (TLF) more than four years ago, Memorial University has been steadily growing its teaching and learning community. Through inventive projects and initiatives that benefit students and educators at all levels, the TLF is helping to further the universitywide commitment to excellence in teaching and learning.
This spring, faculty, staff and students on the St. John’s campus will have the opportunity to apply for funding to take their ideas on teaching and learning to the next level. The new St. John’s Campus TLF Funding Competition will give the Memorial community on the St. John’s campus the resources needed to take their ideas and apply them in short-term (1-2 year maximum duration) projects and proof of concept initiatives.
“There is no shortage of original ideas for teaching and learning activities at Memorial University,” said Dr. Noreen Golfman, provost and vice-president (academic), pro tempore. “I encourage all eligible participants to think about how they might apply teaching and learning concepts at the unit level to enhance the teaching and learning experience.”
In 2014 the Vice-Presidents Council approved an annual allocation of $1.2 million to the TLF Fund. The purpose of the fund is to support university activities which foster the development of the desired qualities in Memorial’s graduates; contribute to the enhancement of the teaching and learning community; and/or address one or more of the specific recommendations of the TLF.
In accordance with the recommendations of the TLF Strategic Plan 2014-17, allocations from the TLF Fund were made for Grenfell Campus, the Marine Institute and the School of Graduate Studies to support teaching and learning initiatives, a cross-campus Chairs in Teaching and Learning Program was established and the annual funding competition on the St. John’s campus was developed.
The objectives of the funding competition are to identify teaching and learning programs and approaches that are evidence-based and have demonstrated capacity to contribute to the development of the desired qualities in Memorial’s graduates; enhance the teaching and learning experience for learners and educators; contribute to student success, including the achievement of identified learning outcomes; enhance the flexibility of the teaching and learning environment with respect to program design, mode of delivery and scheduling; and facilitate critical thinking and interaction among learners, educators, researchers, staff and the community.
All full-time employees (educators and staff) and students on the St. John’s campus are eligible to apply for funding as principal applicants. The term of employment for employees must cover the period of the proposed project. Students must be enrolled full-time for the period of the proposed project.
For the 2015-16 competition, a total of $1.1 million will be available (combining the annual allocations for fiscal years 2014-15 and 2015-16). Application details, guidelines and a proposal format will be finalized and circulated by March 30, 2015, and an online application form will be available by April 15, 2015. Applications must be received by 5 p.m. on Monday, June 1, 2015. For more information, visit blog.delts. mun.ca/teachingandlearning/tlf-fund/.