News and Announcements | December 6, 2023

Apply for the Faculty Innovations in Teaching FIT-STEM Awards

By ACERT
Topics : Opportunities, Pedagogy

Faculty Innovations in Teaching Award – Anthropology, Biological Sciences, Geography & Environmental Science, Chemistry, Mathematics, Medical Laboratory Sciences, and Physics & Astronomy (FIT-STEM) Award

This program is designed to allow faculty members in the Anthropology, Biological Sciences, Geography & Environmental Science, Chemistry, Mathematics, Medical Laboratory Sciences, and Physics & Astronomy Departments to build on their educational technology skills while viewing them through a diversity, equity, and inclusion lens, with the ultimate goal of integrating them into STEM courses and programs in innovative and lasting ways. The program’s broad focus on Faculty Innovations in Teaching recognizes that educational technology is an integral part of both hybrid/HyFlex/online and in-person teaching, and rewards and supports innovative course design directed at all learning modalities.

FIT-STEM awardees will focus on integrating diversity, equity and inclusion in the classroom through a variety of evidence-based practices such as – using backwards course design methodologies like universal design, adopting alternative modes of learning assessment, using flexible teaching and learning modalities, creating a classroom environment that supports growth mindset and belongingness, etc.

Awardees may also consider how simulation and extended reality and/or OER might be used to make their courses more accessible to students.

Program structure, expectations, and deliverables:

Before the Summer 2024: Attend the kick-off meeting (10am-2pm)
Discuss project goals, learning outcomes, assessment plans
Learn about resources and support
Develop your summer work plan

June, July, and August 2024: Do the work
Check in with mentors / educational technologists / librarians individually (at least once/month)
Attend collective check-ins and report on progress (four 2-hour sessions)
Complete all significant design and planning for the proposed project
Finalize plan to assess impact
Explore venues to present and publish on your work

September 2024: Participate in the FIT showcase (2-5pm)
Present your project to your colleagues
Provide feedback to your colleagues

Fall 2024 and Spring 2025: Implement, assess, share
Implement your innovation in one of your courses
Share your work and insights at an ACERT event or via a website post
Assess your project
Share updates on any external presentations and publications with ACERT

Application Process:

Applicants are asked to describe how their projects will:

address existing learning challenges in their courses/discipline (up to 300 words);
connect with course/program/institutional learning outcomes (up to 300 words); and
serve as a model for others (up to 300 words).

Applications can be accessed at the following link: Hunter College FIT-STEM Application.

Eligibility:

This program is open to all full-time teaching members of the instructional staff and part-time members of the instructional staff in the Departments of Anthropology, Biological Sciences, Geography & Environmental Science, Chemistry, Mathematics, Medical Laboratory Science, and Physics & Astronomy who have worked at Hunter College for at least five continuous academic years.

Deadline:

Applications are due by March 1, 2024.

Award:

Up to five faculty members from the Departments of Anthropology, Biological Sciences, Geology & Environmental Sciences, Chemistry, Mathematics, Medical Laboratory Sciences, and Physics & Astronomy will receive $1475 after participating in the program for the Spring semester kick-off and then throughout the Summer of 2024.