UTSA faculty complete intensive program to enrich courses

Each fellow received a pin and certificate during the ceremony.

SEPTEMBER 24, 2021 — More than two dozen graduates from the first cohort of UTSA and the Association of College and University Educators (ACUE) Teaching Fellows were recognized during a ceremony at the John Peace Library for their efforts to enrich their course design through research-based techniques. 

“Your tremendous work is about more than personal development, cultivating new skills or giving your courses an upgrade,” said Kimberly Andrews Espy, UTSA provost and senior vice president for academic affairs. “You completed this strenuous program, amid an already stressful year, because you care deeply about providing students with a high-quality and engaging education that prepares them to build bold futures.”

Although the ACUE partnership began in January 2020, the pandemic delayed the start of the program. Additionally, the original class of 32 members was expanded to include a second cohort due to overwhelming interest from faculty.

“Many faculty members who participated ... expressed how surprised they were at how much they gained from participating.”

Fellows pose for a group photo at the conclusion of a ceremony recognizing their completion of an intensive 36-week Association of College and University Educators program.

In total, faculty spent 36 weeks in 25 online learning modules focused on Effective Teaching Practices. Each faculty member who completed the course received a Certificate in Effective College Instruction endorsed by the American Council on Education (ACE) along with a $1,000 stipend. The program was provided at no cost to faculty and was funded by UTSA Academic Affairs and the University of Texas System.

ACUE’s collaborative, impactful, and inclusive courses help faculty integrate research-based best practices into their course design. ACUE’s program delivers lessons and tools that promote deeper engagement between faculty and students, helps faculty support students persist in their academic studies and prepare for careers, and helps universities close racial and income-based achievement gaps.

UTSA faculty who completed the program, on average, learned about 85 new best practices, had implemented 10 new practices based on what they had learned, and planned to implement another 70 in their future course design.

“Many faculty members who participated in the ACUE Fellows program expressed how surprised they were at how much they gained from participating," said Shelley Howell, an AI teaching and learning consultant, ACUE Teaching Fellow and coordinator, and professor of practice in the UTSA Honors College. “The ACUE courses are designed by instructors in higher education specifically for their peers about how to implement strategies that increase student engagement, retention and learning.”

Academic Innovation, a division of Academic Affairs, has announced it is accepting applications for several new ACUE Teaching Fellow cohorts.

Fall 2021 & Spring 2022 ACUE Opportunities 

Course: Effective Online Teaching Practices

• Begins October 11, 2021, and concludes in early June 2022.
• Stipend upon completion: $1,000 
• The courses consist of 25 online modules 
• Course-takers will complete two online modules each week with breaks built-in during the academic year
• Participants from UTSA will gather monthly to share insights, ask questions and support each other’s learning

Course: Effective Teaching Practices

• Begins October 11, 2021, and concludes in early June 2022
• Stipend upon completion: $1,000 
• The courses consist of 25 online modules
• Course-takers will complete two online modules each week with breaks built-in during the academic year
• Participants from UTSA will gather monthly to share insights, ask questions and support each other’s learning

Course: Inclusive Teaching for Equitable Learning

• Begins on October 11, 2021, and runs for eight weeks
• Stipend upon completion: $500
• The course consists of five modules

For faculty who wish to apply, click here and follow the instructions. Visit the Instructor Incentives webpage to learn more about the ACUE program and other opportunities for faculty development.

— Brett W. Copeland