Purpose

As part of IUPUI’s Commitment to Excellence¹, funds have been designated for faculty to participate in the Faculty Fellow in Service-Learning Program. The Faculty Fellow program is for faculty with experience in teaching service learning classes and is designed to

• deepen faculty practice on service learning and civic engagement by structuring discussion, planning, feedback, and dissemination of assessment on best practices in service learning, particularly with respect to civic engagement outcomes for students and strengthening campus-community partnerships;
• cultivate faculty leadership for the civic engagement aspect of campus mission by increasing understanding of current service-learning literature, particularly as it relates to best practices in service learning as a pedagogy and as a strategy for civic engagement;
• support faculty development by advancing the scholarship of teaching and learning and documenting teaching and civic engagement in dossiers; and
• increase departmental and campus support for service learning and civic engagement by developing a cadre of master teachers in service learning.

Influenced by the success of the CSL Boyer Scholars program, the Faculty Fellow in Service-Learning Program supports faculty with experience in teaching service-learning classes to improve, document, and disseminate their mastery of service learning and civic engagement to others. The expectation of each Faculty Fellow is to update at least one service-learning course by focusing on improved placements, reflection, assessment, or other aspects of best practices and to make formal presentations to peers and to community partners. Faculty Fellows will work collaboratively with each other and staff of the Center for Service and Learning to design service-learning courses that have a) clear goals and adequate preparation, b) implement best practices, c) articulate outcomes and demonstrate significant student learning and community engagement results, and d) and create models for faculty peers and community stakeholders.

Faculty Fellows will meet for a required one-day Orientation Retreat on Thursday, May 22, 2008 (9:00 am- 4:30 pm; location to be announced) and participate in a Faculty Learning Community during the 2008-09 academic year.  Modeled after the Faculty Learning Community program, Faculty Fellows will meet for six three-hour sessions during the academic year (meeting times to be determined).  The Faculty Learning Community will a) increase understanding of a wide range of topics (e.g., civic learning outcomes, reflection, community partnerships, classroom assessment, and theoretical frameworks for service learning), b) facilitate conversation and structured feedback by peers on course improvement, c) sustain faculty commitment to best practices in service learning, and d) develop professional networks to advance service learning and civic engagement.

Faculty Stipend and Additional Support

Faculty Fellows will receive a $5,000 stipend (paid as a supplement to salary in a lump sum) to be funded with Commitment to Excellence funds in July, 2008.  Faculty Fellows will also be able to apply for a Service Learning Assistant ($750-$1,500 per semester) to assist with service learning course implementation.  Five faculty fellowships will be awarded this academic year.

Who May Apply

Full-time faculty members (including full-time lecturers) from all academic units at IUPUI who have taught a service learning class more than two semesters are eligible to apply for the Faculty Fellows program. 

Selection Criteria

1. Understanding of and commitment to service learning
1. Experience to date in teaching service learning class
2. Assessment and/or evaluation of service learning class to date
   
   
2. Alignment with professional goals
1. Alignment of the Faculty Fellows program to the applicant’s professional goals
2. Alignment with department/school/campus goals
3. Contribution to field/discipline.
   
   
3. Clarity of proposed curricular changes
1. Plans for improvement of service learning class
2. Key issues to be addressed
3. Outcomes to be achieved
4. Development of pedagogical skills and expertise
   
   
4. Dissemination
1. Plans for disseminating information to faculty peers and community partners
2. Realistic timeline for revision and implementation of service-learning course

Application Narrative and Letter of Support
All applications are to be 12-point font, single spaced; maximum of 3 pages.  Also append to the application a) a short Curriculum Vita, b) a syllabus from the service learning class to be revised, and c) a letter of support from the Dean or Chair of your academic unit that addresses how your participation as a Faculty Fellow is consistent with school mission and departmental goals for civic engagement and your professional development.  The following is provided as a framework for your application narrative.

1. Understanding of and commitment to service learning:
1. List the service learning classes that you have taught, document student enrollment and community partners.  Provide syllabus from at least one class, preferably the one you are seeking to improve.  Summarize two key lessons you have learned from teaching service learning courses. 
2. Briefly describe any assessment, evaluation, or research you have completed on service learning courses to date.
   
   
2. Alignment with professional goals:
1. Describe how your participation as a Faculty Fellow is congruent with your professional development at this point in your career.
2. Describe how your participation will advance the mission of your department/school and contribute to the campus goals for undergraduate learning and civic engagement.
3. Describe how your proposed curricular revisions will advance understanding of service learning and civic engagement. 
   
   
3. Clarity of proposed curricular changes:
1. Describe one aspect of the service learning class that you would like to improve upon during your time as a Faculty Fellow (e.g., linking service learning to PULs; improved reflection products; improved community partnerships; assessing the impact of service-learning on student outcomes).
2. What is the area of service learning that you would most like to improve upon?
3. Describe the changes you intend to make in your course and what you would like to learn through participating in the Faculty Fellows program.
4. What specific outcomes do you expect to see as a result of your curricular revisions? How will you assess those outcomes?
   
   
4. Dissemination
1. Describe your plan for sharing the results of your changes in ways appropriate to a variety of local and national audiences, including potential peer-reviewed journals.
2. Provide a brief/draft timeline of your plan for curricular revisions for the coming year.