Fifteen projects have been awarded grants totaling nearly $209,000 in the first year of the Innovation in Education Awards.  The awards range from $3,304 to $27,647.  The winners were chosen by the Provost’s Advisory Council on Instructional Excellence (ACIE) from 68 proposals submitted by Pitt faculty.

      Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs Andrew Blair, who chairs ACIE on behalf of Provost James Maher, pointed out that ACIE primarily looked for programs that would develop innovative course materials, create significant improvements in the curriculum or foster collaboration among faculty from different departments or other academic units.  He added that, although innovative approaches to teaching often involve creative uses of technology, teaching goes considerably beyond simply using technology.

      Founded in 1998 by Maher, ACIE encourages a commitment to instructional excellence at Pitt.  The Council and the awards program represent an affirmation that, although Pitt is a comprehensive research university, it is also committed to instructional and teaching excellence, according to Blair.   The work of the Council is closely aligned with the mission of the Center for Instructional Development & Distance Education (CIDDE), which will assist with instructional design and technical components of several of the grants.

      Proposals from diverse curricular areas, submitted by faculty from all five of Pitt’s campuses, were selected for funding.  Detailed descriptions of each award as provided by project directors can be found on pages 2 through 8 of this special edition of the Teaching Times.

      Because of this year’s success, ACIE anticipates holding an annual competition for the innovation in education awards.  Blair said the Council plans to distribute information on next year’s proposals early in the fall semester and to announce winners early in 2001.

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ACIE consists of faculty from across the University who are respected for their serious commitment to teaching excellence in all academic units.   In addition to Blair, other ACIE members are

Susan Albrecht, Nursing 
David Bartholomae, English 
Rita Bean, Education 
Eric Beckman, Engineering 
Lisa Bell-Loncella, Chemistry, 
  UP - Johnstown 
David Beratan, Chemistry
Harry Flechtner, Law
Janelle Greenberg, History 
Beverly Harris-Schenz, Associate Dean,
   Faculty of Arts and Sciences
Alan Lesgold, Psychology
Vernell Lillie, Africana Studies
Juan Manfredi, Mathematics
Diane Marsh, Psychology,
  UP - Greensburg
Tom Metzger, Mathematics
Richard Scaglion, Anthropology 
Nina Schor, Medicine 
Kurt VanLehn, Computer Science 
Susan Whitney, School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences
David Wilkins, History of Art
   & Architecture