Wisconsin Teaching Fellows

Program Description and Purpose. The Wisconsin Teaching Fellows Program is designed for outstanding early career untenured faculty and teaching academic staff who show exceptional promise as college teachers.  Nominees must be interested in studying teaching and learning issues in depth, in examining career and classroom-related issues of particular concern to teachers new to the profession, and using the principles of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning to structure their work.

Program Sponsor.  UW-System’s Office of Professional & Instructional Development (OPID) sponsors the Wisconsin Teaching Fellows Program.

Participants. Each UW institution may select one faculty or instructional academic staff member per year.  UW-Green Bay's Teaching Fellow for 2006-07 is David Voelker, Humanistic Studies.

Selection Process. The Provost (or her designee), in consultation with the Instructional Development Council, will select one Fellow and designate one alternate.  If you are interested in being selected, please complete the application form (linked here) along with (1) a brief statement (two-page maximum) explaining why you are interested in participating in the program during 2007-08and (2) a statement of support from your budgetary unit chair (two-page maximum) to:  Timothy Sewall, Associate Provost, CL 835 by October 30, 2006.  Please use the attached form (linked here) and guidelines to help structure your statement of interest and the statement of support from your chair.

Eligibility.  Nominees for the Wisconsin Teaching Fellows Program must be full-time, untenured faculty or teaching academic staff who have between two and six years of full-time teaching experience at the college level, with at least one year of teaching at their current institution.

Selection Criteria. In addition to the eligibility requirements above, nominees should also show:

• Promise of exceptional teaching;

• Evidence of interest in programs related to teaching and learning; and

• Evidence of curricular or pedagogical innovation.

Structure. Wisconsin Teaching Fellows are expected to attend four OPID-sponsored events throughout the year, beginning with Faculty College, followed by a one-week Summer Institute, a fall meeting, and culminating with OPID’s annual Spring Conference.  Faculty College 2007 will be held at UW-Richland, from May 29 - June 1, 2007.  The Teaching Scholars’ Summer Institute (to be held June 25-29, 2007, in Madison) coincides with that of the Wisconsin Teaching Scholars Program (a similar professional development program targeted for tenured faculty).  This one-week overlap of the two programs will allow for inter-generational exchange, some informal mentoring, and opportunities to connect junior faculty with senior faculty.  Each Fellow nominee must be interested in studying teaching and learning issues in depth, in examining career and classroom-related issues of particular concern to teachers new to the profession, and using the principles of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning to structure their work.

Each Fellow in the program undertakes a scholarly teaching project aimed at understanding “best practices” that enhance student learning.  At the end of their fellowship year, Teaching Fellows are expected to disseminate the results of their project in a publication, conference presentation, campus workshop, or via other appropriate forums.

As a Fellow, you will have a choice of receiving either a salary stipend of $4,000 or a course reassignment during 2007-08.  If you choose the latter, the $4,000 will be transferred to your budgetary unit to pay for an ad hoc replacement. It will be the budgetary unit's responsibility to make up the difference if the ad hoc replacement costs more than $4,000. The Office of the Provost or UW System will pay your travel, lodging, and meal costs for fellowship events. OPID will provide each Fellow with an additional $500 S & E grant.

For more information about the UW System Office of Professional and Instructional Development (OPID) or the Teaching Scholars Program visit the OPID web site at: http://www.uwsa.edu/opid/ 

Questions? Contact Timothy Sewall, at 465-2033 or mailto:sewallt@uwgb.edu