Teaching Center Course Development Fellowship
The Teaching Center Course Development Fellowship brings together small groups of instructors to collaborate in developing, planning, and implementing their courses. Fellows enjoy intensive support from the Teaching Center staff and are each awarded a $1,000 non-salary stipend to cover expenses related to their research and teaching.
The fellowship lasts two consecutive semesters, and each fellow focuses on a course that the instructor is scheduled to teach during the second semester of the fellowship. This program is especially well-suited for instructors interested in making changes or additions to their existing courses, and for instructors preparing for courses they have not taught before.
First Semester
During the first semester, fellows engage in both collaborative and individual activities as they redesign their courses. In the first three sessions, fellows define what they want students to learn and structure their courses through individual work and group interactions. They engage in reciprocal peer feedback to provide each other with encouragement and suggestions, as well as benefit from dedicated Teaching Center support. These sessions help instructors:
- Identify big questions for the course
- Write student learning outcomes
- Map the course and align it to student learning outcomes
- Design a transparent assignment
In the next three sessions, fellows select and develop one aspect of their course of their choice. They engage in reciprocal peer feedback, including a dedicated 45-minute session in which the group focuses solely on the aspect of the course that they selected. Fellows commit to supporting each other with focused attention, feedback, and ideas, and past fellows have expressed that these sessions’ interdisciplinary and focused peer attention have been particularly impactful.
During the first semester, fellows can expect to spend about the same amount of time on program activities as they would in preparing for a new course (approximately 1.5–2.5 hours per session). This includes completing individual work and reading and providing feedback on peer work prior to each session, as well as active engagement during the sessions. In this reciprocal structure, fellows benefit from support and feedback from other fellows and Teaching Center staff.
Second Semester
During the second semester, the fellows support one another in the deployment and assessment of their newly developed teaching resources. Teaching Center staff assist throughout by facilitating the fellows’ collaborative work, and providing individual consultation as needed. Fellows are required to attend two sessions during this semester. These sessions help instructors to:
- Design and implement an active learning experience
- Reflect on their course redesign for iterative improvement
- Provide and receive feedback from their peers
During the second semester, fellows can expect to spend about the same amount of time on program activities as they would in preparing a new lesson (approximately 3–4 hours). This includes designing an active learning experience, collecting data about the implementation of the experience, and preparing a short summary of the experience for the group, as well as active engagement during the sessions. In this reciprocal structure, fellows benefit from support and feedback from other fellows and Teaching Center staff.
Applications
Teaching Center awards fellowships to two cohorts of instructors each year. The first begins work in the summer in preparation for courses they are teaching in the fall semester. The second begins work during the fall semester in preparation for courses they are teaching in the spring semester.
To apply for the fellowship, please complete the online application form. You will be asked:
- the name of the course you would like to work on as part of the fellowship
- when you will next teach the course
- what aspects of this course you are interested in developing (no more that 250 words)
- your goals for your time as a fellow
While we recommend that applicants interested in joining the summer cohort apply by April 18 and those interested in the fall cohort apply by August 22, fellowships are awarded on a rolling basis.
The summer 2025 cohort planning fall 2025 courses is now open. You can register using this online form. The application for the fall 2025 cohort planning spring 2026 courses will be released about two months prior to the August 22 deadline.