Engaged Teaching Fellows

Program Intent
The Engaged Teaching Fellows Program is part of our ongoing commitment to cultivating the best of both teaching and research. The Engaged Teaching Fellows Program includes both faculty and staff participants, in recognition that learning occurs throughout campus and encouraging deep learning requires a holistic approach to student learning. Engaged learning is defined as a process in which students are active participants in learning rather than passive recipients of information. It often includes service-learning, community-based research, interdisciplinary and integrative student-involved pedagogies that create opportunities for learning beyond lectures and seminars. This Program focuses on important teaching and learning theories and research, while helping participants to apply these ideas and findings to their own teaching, Our aim is to transform the way faculty and staff understand human learning and the ways they can work together to create learning opportunities for students and encourages collaboration across campus and within the community. It recognizes and supports the significant and long-term contributions that faculty and staff members will make to Montclair State University.

How to Apply: Selection Procedures for Engaged Teaching Fellows
Faculty and Staff interested in becoming an Engaged Teaching Fellow should submit a letter of interest addressed to the Vice Provost for Instruction, and sent to the Research Academy for University Learning, no later than March 30, 2012. Supporting documentation should include:

• A current vitae;
  
• The candidate's statement on engaged teaching;
  
• Written recommendations from the department chair and dean or department supervisor ; and,
  
• An example of an engaged learning project that the applicant has participated and what role was played.
  
• A list of any faculty or staff involved in engaged learning with whom the candidate would like to work.

The Research Academy for University Learning, under the guidance of the Director and a selection committee, will review and select up to twelve Engaged Teaching Fellow candidates and their selected mentors who best meet all the criteria set forth above, ensuring that at least one candidate is selected from each College/School to the extent that all criteria are otherwise met.

Mentors
Mentors will be identified by one of two routes: they may be identified by the individual Engaged Teaching Fellow candidate as part of the application process, or, faculty and staff may apply to become a Mentor. The Selction Committee, or their designee shall approve all individuals who serve as Mentors and shall maintain a list of University approved Mentors.

Selection Criteria for Mentors

1. Interest in pursuing existing research on engaged teaching and learning
2. Willingness to serve as a Mentor and to participate in each of the activities of the Engaged Teaching Fellows Program
3. Commitment to excellent teaching, including service-learning or community-based learning experience

Selection Criteria for Engaged Teaching Fellows

1. Demonstrating a balanced approach to student learning and research
2. Displaying a commitment to the Learning University as a community that explores the learning of both faculty and staff (research) and students (teaching), and the ways in which they can support one another
3. Actively publishing and/or presenting in one's own discipline
4. Interest and/or experience in engaged learning as defined above.

Selected candidates for the Engaged Teaching Fellow and Mentor positions will be notified in writing of their acceptance into the program by May 7th.

Expectations for Participants
During the academic year, the Engaged Teaching Fellows Program will sponsor a series of dinner seminars in which Fellows and Mentors will be expected to participate. These seminars will generally be held once or twice per semester.
At an early juncture in the program, the Fellows and Mentors will participate in a two-to -three day retreat (day-long, no overnight stay), possibly held off campus. We are considering adding a day-long mid-year working colloquium as well.

At the end of the spring semester, participants in the program will share their work in the Annual Showcase on University Learning and Teaching.

Each Fellow is expected to develop a syllabus for an existing course or a new course that represents the cumulative learning that has occurred as a result of his/her participation in the Engaged Teaching Fellows Program.

Participation in the Engaged Teaching Fellows Program is voluntary and no formal written evaluation of the individual's participation in the Program will be required.

Honoraria
Faculty and Staff participating as Engaged Teaching Fellows and Mentors will receive an honorarium of $1000.