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U N I V E R S I T Y O F P I T T S B U R G H |
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Volume VIII, Number 2 |
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U N I V E R S I T Y O F P I T T S B U R G H |
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Volume VIII, Number 2 |
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Faculty maintain interest in ACIE
grants
The Provost’s Advisory Council on Instructional Excellence (ACIE) awarded 16 Innovation in Education project grants in 2001-2002, the third year of the program. These projects are described in this issue of the Teaching Times. “The program was established to support innovative approaches to teaching. We continue to solicit proposals that are unique, sustainable within the academic unit following the period of funding, and replicable in other courses offered elsewhere at the University,” notes Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs Andrew Blair, who chairs the Council as the representative of Provost James Maher. Blair continues, “As I’ve stated in the past, this program demonstrates that we assign a very high value to teaching at this comprehensive research university, and a number of our award winners are among the University’s most productive researchers as well as being excellent teachers. “Faculty response to the program continues to be very positive from across the University,” Blair points out. “Three years into the program, the number of proposals remains quite high. It is clear that faculty view selection for funding as a prestigious career event and exhibit a continuing awareness of the high selection standards and rigorous evaluation process.” A total of 51 projects were submitted for funding by faculty from throughout the University this past year, and the 16 successful projects received a combined $210,000 in awards. Last year, 53 projects were submitted and 15 were funded at a total of approximately $215,000.
Blair notes that faculty enthusiasm for the program is attributable to the Provost’s sponsorship and to the membership of the Council, who serve as active reviewers of the proposals and closely monitor the award process. “Last year I noted that this is a blue ribbon group of faculty who are fine teachers and researchers in their own right, and this certainly continues to be the case. Their commitment and objectivity in reviewing an outstanding set of highly competitive project applications is a key factor in the program’s success.” The awards program is among a number of programs that ACIE undertakes in its efforts to promote the highest possible quality of teaching at the University. On November 15, 2002, in cooperation with the Center for Instructional Development & Distance Education (CIDDE), the Council will sponsor the second annual Teaching Excellence Fair.
The Fair will feature the Innovation in Education projects supported during 2001-2002, as well as discussions led by best practice faculty on teaching learning topics and demonstrations of a variety of teaching support services and technologies available at the University. (See page 12 for more information on the fair.) Information on applying for this year’s ACIE awards will be distributed to all University faculty in early November.
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