Course Innovation Training Program

The Course Innovation Training Grant program provides guidance, background, and experiences that will enable science faculty members to write strong Course Innovation Grants. The program is designed to be flexible and responsive to the needs of the applicant, but could include participation in a relevant workshop or conference and/or supported observation and interaction with colleagues using evidence-based inclusive pedagogies in their classrooms.  

Many excellent teaching-focused workshops and conferences take place each year and, if you are interested in gaining exposure to a variety of evidenced-based teaching approaches from experts and practitioners, such conferences can be transformative. Many of these conferences also host workshops on the implementation of such approaches. If you know the approach you would like to try but need more guidance, many specialized workshops are available.

Often the best way to learn about a pedagogical approach is to observe it in action and to engage with colleagues who employ that approach. Many faculty in the Natural Science Division have been using evidenced-based teaching strategies in their courses and are happy to have faculty observe their teaching and engage with peers who are thinking about potential innovations in their own teaching. Likewise, faculty employing evidenced-based pedagogies at other institutions are often excited to host visitors to observe and learn from their work. These experiences and interactions can be inspirational and facilitate the crafting of course innovation projects.

Participate in a conference, workshop or training program

To apply for support from the Course Innovation Training Program to participate in a conference, workshop or training program:

1. Write a brief description of the course you are planning to innovate and barriers/challenges for students you perceive in that course.
2. Describe the program, workshop, or conference you would like to attend with a rationale for your selection.
3. Provide a timeline including deadlines relevant to signing up for the program, the dates of the training program itself and an estimate of when you anticipate writing a Course Innovation Grant to support your application of what you learn.
4. Provide an itemized budget (cost of the program, approximate travel expenses, material costs if applicable).

Observe a colleague

To apply for support to observe a colleague:

1. Write a brief description of the course you are planning to innovate and barriers/challenges for students you perceive in that course.
2. Identify a colleague who is employing an evidenced-based teaching approach and reach out to them to see if they are able to have you observe. A list of Kenyon faculty interested in hosting colleagues in their classrooms and the pedagogical approach(es) they employ has been complied to facilitate this process.  If both are Kenyon faculty, the host and the observer will be supported by a stipend ($250 each) after completion of the plan and submission of the brief report (see below). Support of faculty involved in off-campus observations will be handled in an ad hoc manner and depend on the nature of the project.  An itemized (travel, honorarium for host, stipend for observer) budget should be submitted for off-campus projects.
3. Write a plan and timeline for the interaction in consultation with the host colleague. A typical interaction might include: a pre-observation meeting at which the host describes the motivation for and the nature of the approach that they employ, a plan for which class sessions the observations will take place, and post-observation meeting to discuss the observations and how such an approach could (or could not) work for the observer.

Faculty who are supported by the Course Innovation Development Program will submit a brief report of their experience with the program that highlights what they took away from their experience and how the experience influenced their ability and motivation to write a Course Innovation Grant to support the implementation of inclusive practices. Reports will be due within one month following the experience.

Host a Colleague

To offer to host a colleague in your classroom complete this Google Form.

Submit applications to Inclusive Excellence Program Director John Hofferberth at hofferberthj@kenyon.edu for review by the CORE team on a rolling basis. Be sure to allow at least two weeks for review before any application deadline for a conference or workshop.