Teaching Fellows
CETL offers two Teaching Fellows Programs each year. These programs bring together a multidisciplinary group of faculty who are interested in exploring the challenges of teaching and in finding ways to improve student learning in the classes they teach.
The Class of 1969 Teaching Fellows
The Class of 1969 Teaching Fellows Fall 2008 Applications
The Class of 1969 Teaching Fellows program is designed for untenured assistant professors who want to develop their full teaching potential. Established in 1990 through the generosity of the Lilly Endowment, this initiative became a permanent offering at Georgia Tech in 1994 when the Class of 1969 adopted the program as its 25th class reunion fundraising project.
There is one group of Class of 1969 Teaching Fellows per academic year. During the fall semester of their two-semester commitment, the Teaching Fellows explore various aspects of teaching and learning in weekly seminars; typically Teaching Fellows choose to discuss topics such as teaching for learning, getting students to be partners in the learning process, encouraging academic honesty, using technology to enhance student learning, and assessing student learning. In addition to participating in the seminars, each Teaching Fellow receives private assistance with teaching; this involves confidential discussion of (1) a classroom observation conducted by a CETL consultant, (2) a self-critique of a videotaped class, and (3) feedback from a Classroom Dialogue conducted with the Teaching Fellow’s students. During the spring semester, Teaching Fellows undertake a project to improve student learning in one of their courses; a $1000 grant is available to support the project. The Class of 1969 Teaching Fellows are invited to join the President and campus colleagues in March at Celebrating Teaching Day, where they display a poster and/or multimedia exhibit about their projects and innovations in teaching.
Participating in the Class of 1969 Teaching Fellows program provides new faculty at Georgia Tech with the foundation for a lifetime of professional growth in teaching. As a result of participating in the program, Teaching Fellows report that they feel more effective in the classroom, earn higher CIOS ratings, and balance their teaching and research responsibilities more efficiently.
The Hesburgh Award Teaching Fellows
The Hesburgh Award Teaching Fellows program is designed for tenured associate professors who want to join an experienced group of colleagues from various disciplines to discuss innovative ways to improve student learning and to strengthen teaching on the Georgia Tech campus. The program was piloted in 1998 and institutionalized in 1999 with proceeds from the Hesburgh Award, which is given by TIAA-CREF.
Each fall CETL invites college deans, school chairs, and former Hesburgh Award Teaching Fellows to nominate faculty for the honor of participating in the program. Nominees are faculty who are successful in their careers and who have the potential of providing leadership in teaching and learning to their colleagues as well. Names of nominees go into a pool that is augmented with new candidates each year. From this pool CETL invites a small group of Teaching Fellows who represent a multidisciplinary group who can meet together throughout spring semester to discuss teaching and learning issues and work on a related project.
Discussion topics selected by Hesburgh Award Teaching Fellows typically include creating the students we like to teach, promoting critical thinking, using technology to achieve instructional goals, engaging students in large classes, and mentoring graduate students and new faculty in teaching. Building on these discussions, Teaching Fellows design and implement a project to improve student learning in courses they teach during the following summer or fall semester.
As part of participation in the Hesburgh Award Teaching Fellows Program, Teaching Fellows are also offered the opportunity to receive specific feedback about their teaching through CETL services such as Classroom Dialogue (a CETL staff member interviews students at midterm about what helps them learn and what changes would improve their learning) and/or Classroom Observation (a CETL staff member provides a videotape and consultation about a class). Teaching Fellows serve as experienced Resource Teachers for new faculty who participate in GTREET in January. In March the Teaching Fellows join the President and campus colleagues at Celebrating Teaching Day, where they display a poster and/or multimedia exhibit about their projects and innovations in teaching.