The Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) is the systematic study/reflection of teaching and learning processes made public, to give others the opportunity to apply and evaluate. As such, the SoTL grant seeks to fund initiatives that improve student learning in any discipline. Four to six awards of between $500 and $2000 will be made. Funding for the SoTL grants comes from the Teaching and Learning Center (TLC). This form will allow you to fill out the required information and submit your grant proposal online.

Program Objectives
The SoTL grant provides funds to engage in original SoTL research and application, and/or to conduct thorough literature reviews, integration and synthesis of existing SoTL work the application of that knowledge. For example, an instructor in a department heavily invested in the use of a new pedagogical strategy in several courses may propose a set of original SoTL studies on that strategy. An individual may propose to research, read, summarize, and apply the extant SoTL work on an issue critical to student learning in their field. A faculty member might apply disciplinary best practices in curriculum and pedagogy based on the literature and then conduct an original SoTL study to measure faculty and student perceptions to these changes or learning outcomes related to the changes.

Awardees will be expected to present the results of their research on campus at a poster session scheduled for September 21, from 1:30-3:30pm. Awardees will also submit an abstract of their completed project and budget to be published on the TLC website and other University publications.

We encourage group projects that represent collaboration among faculty members. Plans for dissemination of the project results, including potential publications and conference presentations, must be included in the submission.

Timeline for 2008-2009 SoTL proposals:

Events	Due dates
Deadline for submitting proposals	November 26, 2008
Notification sent to applicants about the outcome	December 10, 2008
Date 2008-2009 funds are available	January 5, 2009
Poster Session to celebrate 2008-2009 grants funded by the Teaching and Learning Center.	September 21, 2009 1:30-3:30pm Location: TBA
Deadline for spending the 2008-2009 funds	August 31, 2009

Projects may receive an extension if the research is taking more time than originally anticipated. This extension does not, however, merit additional funding.

Eligibility
All faculty, including non-tenure track and adjunct faculty, and graduate students with teaching responsibilities are eligible to apply for a SoTL grant.

Fill out the online form below to submit your grant proposal. Be concise but include as much information as necessary. At the end of the form you may submit your proposal or clear values and start again.

Personal Information Last Name:* First Name:* Department:* Email Address:* xxxx@xxxx.xxx Campus Phone:* xxx-xxx-xxxx Alternate Phone:* xxx-xxx-xxxx Address:* Status:* Select One... Undergraduate Student Graduate Student Non-Tenure Track Faculty Tenured/Tenure Track Faculty Administrator Staff Visitor Other Line 1*     Line 2     City*     State*     ZIP Code*     Grant Information The courses (number and title) to which your study is most closely related.* The question you propose to investigate and how it advances the scholarship of teaching and learning. Make sure you answer the question: How might this research improve student learning?* The method you plan to use in your study and an explanation of why you have chosen this approach. * Your proposed assessment methods and how you will determine the effectiveness and impact of the results of your study. Your assessments should relate to the stated student learning outcomes for the course. If you are unsure of appropriate assessment methods for your project, please consult with the TLC staff.* Clarify how the project is significant enough to deserve funding, and how the results of the project could be disseminated within and outside of the UTSA community.* Final product of the project (e.g., instructional materials, presentation, formal assessment data).* Your proposed budget with explanation for each expense and its relevance to the goals of the project, as well as a timeline. Funding must be spent by August 31 of the fiscal year in which the funding begins.* Optional elements: A summary of the relevant background literature and previous relevant work that has been done in that particular field. Brief, optional appendices (e.g. draft of questionnaire/focus questions or course portfolio outline). Any other documentation you think may be helpful for the evaluation of the proposal, such as survey instruments, interview questions, examples of class materials, and preliminary data. IRB application, if needed. Agreement to present your findings at a Poster Presentation scheduled for September 21, 2009. * Select One... I Agree I Do Not Agree * REMEMBER, YOUR PROPOSAL WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED UNLESS YOU AGREE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE POSTER PRESENTATION SoTL Proposals are evaluated on the following criteria: Be sure to include enough information in the above form for the committee to adequately evaluate your grant proposal. Merit Rating (1-3) Project uses appropriate methodology for reflecting on/studying the teaching-learning issue or problem posed and/or for finding and applying relevant SoTL work to the problem posed Project is ethically appropriate in terms of use of participants Proposal lists specific, appropriate possible presentation, performance, or publication outlets   Evaluation Rating (1-3) Learning outcomes are clearly defined and the assessment plan is clear and appropriate Usefulness of research Appropriateness (how well the research plan is likely to measure the stated outcomes)   Dissemination Rating (1-3) Topic would be interesting to most colleges at UTSA The proposed work is innovative enough that it has a strong chance of being accepted for publication in a scholarly teaching journal or accepted as a conference presentation.    Budget Rating (1-3) Clarity (how funds will be used and breakdown of expenditures) Appropriateness (funds will be used in accordance with project guidelines) Matching funds (presence and significance of matching funds) Reasonableness (likelihood the budget will support a successful project) Impact (number of students impacted over time)   *Rating Scale: 1 = Weak, 2 = Moderate, 3 = Strong SoTL Grants do not fund: Computer software or hardware, including personal response systems (clickers) Web page design Faculty salaries of any kind Consumable supplies, such as paper Photocopying expenses The proposals will be reviewed by, and funding decisions made by, the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Committee. This committee includes faculty members from most colleges and representatives from the Teaching and Learning Center. Send any additional document you deem necessary via email to: terri.kadala@utsa.edu Additional documents attached should address the evaluation criteria for the grant proposal.

Questions should be directed to Barbara Millis (barbara.millis@utsa.edu)
or (210) 458-7374) or Terri Kadala (terri.kadala@utsa.edu) or (210) 458-7504.

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