The recently launched Schulich Teaching & Learning Innovation Fund (TLIF) is intended to provide financial support to full-time and part-time Schulich instructors who are interested in developing and implementing innovative approaches to teaching and learning. The TLIF focuses on supporting projects that enhance the quality of student learning, while contributing to program improvement in three main areas:
Experiential Learning
eLearning
High Impact Student Learning
TLIF Details and Application Process
Fundable projects could include:
- the development of new teaching methodologies for use in a current course or subject area, such as online lectures, webinars, podcasts, multi-media learning tools, supplementary learning tools and/or other emerging technology-based processes;
- the development and deployment of innovative teaching practices that promote student-centered learning experiences in the classroom, such as interactive games and other experiential learning modalities; and
- the design and construction of a new course, which augments the learning outcomes of an existing or forthcoming academic program in a compelling and timely manner.
Funding will be provided for truly innovative projects designed to significantly enhance teaching and learning experiences in the classroom at Schulich. These initiatives must go beyond normal course, instructor or curricular development in updating lecture content, course outlines, guest speaker line-ups and the like. Please see “Expense Eligibility” for further clarification.
Funding Maximums: Determined on an application-by-application basis, up to a maximum amount of $5,000 per project.
Funding Duration: Project funds will be made available on a short-term, start-up basis only (i.e., to develop, launch and implement a given project). Once the initial project implementation has been concluded, no additional funding will be made available for that project on an ongoing basis.
Call for Applications: Participation in Teaching & Learning Innovation Fund initiatives is strongly encouraged, and interested applicants are welcome to contact the SCTE with any questions or concerns they may have about the nature and/or scope of a potential project that is under consideration.
All full-time and part-time instructors at Schulich are eligible to apply for grants/funds made available through the Teaching & Learning Innovation Fund.
- Projects should incorporate innovative experiential learning, high impact teaching practices and/or online/blended learning and must be focused on course- or program-level improvements, or a skill that would benefit the course or program in question.
- Proposals should provide an estimate of the project impact, as measured by the number of students involved per year, improvements in student experiences and/or learning outcomes, and other relevant measures.
- Proposals should specify:
- (i) how the related project supports the stated learning objectives of the relevant academic program;
- (ii) who will be involved in executing the project; and
- (iii) approximately how long the project will take to complete.
- Teaching & learning materials developed with the support of the funds must be made available for re-use within the Schulich School of Business.
- All projects must be completed within 12 months of being commenced.
Eligible Expenses
The funds are to be used for:
- development materials (i.e., videos, CDs, software or other tangible goods) which are needed to conduct the project and can be used by other members of an area after the original purchase;
- support of student research assistants (undergraduate and graduate);
- development of data collection instruments;
- support for data collection and analysis;
- development of websites, technology-based processes and/or multi-media / supplementary learning tools; and/or
- computer hardware and related supplies (all devices purchased will be owned by the Schulich School of Business)
Eligible receipts cannot exceed the amount awarded and can only be used for expenses itemized on the fund budget submission.
Ineligible Expenses
None of the funds can be used for:
- course releases, unless granted by Schulich’s Dean in compelling circumstances, upon recommendation by Schulich’s Associate Dean, Academic;
- instructional tasks expected to fall within normal teaching responsibilities of a course (e.g., updating course content, preparing reading lists, developing and assessing course-related learning outcomes, and the like);
- salary for applicants;
- food or classroom incentives for students;
- expenses incurred in inviting guest lecturers or any kind of hospitality or speaker gifts;
- external experts and/or technology, when similar expertise and/or resources are available on campus;
- survey, focus group or interview incentives for student participation;
- office supplies; or
- phone/internet/data charges.
Small Projects Involving Less Than $1,000 in Funding
Project leaders who have received funding of less than $1,000 for a given project will be required to provide a “Small Project Report” to the SCTE within 30 days of the conclusion of that project. Small Project Reports may be published on the SCTE website, and should include the following information about the project in question:
- a summary of the work accomplished, including relevant products and achievements;
- a list of the courses impacted by the project (with course sections, as applicable, and related enrolment data); and
- a summary of financial expenditures incurred in relation to the project.
Significant Projects Involving $1,000 in Funding or More
Project leaders who have received $1,000 or more in funding for a given project will be required to provide a “Significant Project Report” to the SCTE within 60 days of the conclusion of that project. Significant Project Reports may be published on the SCTE website and possibly in other Schulich-related media. Faculty members undertaking Significant Projects may also be asked to present their findings at an SCTE “Best Practices” Panel Discussion and/or a video interview for dissemination to the Schulich community.
Significant Project Reports should include the following information about the project in question:
- a summary of the work accomplished, including relevant products and achievements;
- a list of the courses impacted by the project (with course sections, as applicable, and related enrolment data);
- a description of the quantitative and qualitative impact of the project, as measured by the number of students affected each academic year and improvements in student learning experiences / outcomes, together with the evaluation strategies used to assess such impacts;
- a summary of the project benefits from a teaching perspective, together with the evaluation strategy used to assess such benefits; and
- a summary of financial expenditures incurred in relation to the project.
Project-funding applications must be submitted online at SCTE@schulich.yorku.ca (see application form attached below) and should address the following:
Introduction: Briefly, what do you plan to do, and why do you plan to do it?
Rationale and Project Goals: What are the reasons you chose this project, and what do you hope to accomplish?
Impact: How will student learning be impacted? How will this initiative be sustained? Is there specific support of any of the program learning outcomes through the initiative?
Budget and Use of Funds: Please attach a detailed budget for your proposed project, with explanations as to how you intend to use the funding.
What do I need to consider for the budget?
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- Detail all the tasks necessary for the project. Justify each one.
- Detail all the equipment required. Justify every item, including explanations of what and why specific equipment needs to be purchased, rather than using existing equipment or material.
- Provide a cost estimate for each task and requested piece of equipment.
- Use this as a basis for your budget.
Are there any additional signatures required in support of my project-funding application?
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- Your application must include the recommendation and signature of your Area Coordinator. It is the responsibility of the faculty member applicant to ensure that the application is completed prior to the application deadline.
When will I be notified whether my application was successful?
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- Applicants will be contacted by email from the SCTE Director/ADA about the outcome of the review process.
- by June 1 for projects beginning in the following Fall term;
- by October 1 for projects beginning in the following Winter term; and
- by February 1 for projects beginning in the following Summer term.
Project-funding applications must first be submitted for review, with specific project-budget details, to Schulich’s Financial Officer at czhuang@schulich.yorku.ca. The application under consideration will then be reviewed for approval by the Director of Schulich’s Centre for Teaching Excellence and Schulich’s Associate Dean Academic, based on its relative merits for enhancing the quality of Teaching & Learning at the Schulich School of Business.
If a funding proposal is approved, all project-related expenses set forth in the budget accompanying the funding application will be implicitly approved, unless the approval states that specified expenses require further review. If further review is required, such expenses must be further approved by the Director of Schulich’s Centre for Teaching Excellence or Schulich’s Associate Dean Academic prior to purchase.
All approved project-related expenses must be incurred directly by the funding recipient for reimbursement via York University’s Concur system within 30 days after submission of original receipts to the Program Assistant for Schulich’s Centre for Teaching Excellence. The Program Assistant will attach the originally approved project-budget details when processing a Concur claim. If a given expense claim is not stated in the originally approved project-budget, additional approval must be obtained from the Director of Schulich’s Centre for Teaching Excellence or Schulich’s Associate Dean Academic before that claim will be reimbursed.
Project funds are obtained through submission of original receipts to the SCTE Program Assistant, once project-related funds have been incurred. The SCTE Program Assistant will then process reimbursement of your incurred expenses through Concur. Only project-related expenses that have been approved in accordance with the “Selection Criteria / Evaluation of Applications” and “Administration of Funds” processes above will be reimbursed through Concur.
