CLAHS Curriculum Innovation Program

Call for proposals

Deadline: January 24, 2025

Awards announced: February 7, 2025

Required activity: during Spring 2025 semester

Final report due: June 30, 2025

PROPOSALS AND SUPPORT LETTERS SHOULD BE EMAILED AS A SINGLE PDF TO shailamehra@vt.edu

Call for Proposals PDF

Purpose

The CLAHS Curriculum Innovation Program is a faculty development and curriculum development program that aims to ensure CLAHS courses contain diverse scholarly perspectives and utilize inclusive teaching methods that support the learning of all students and provide a learning environment that supports and promotes civil debate and mutual respect across differences. Applicants are invited to submit proposals to update an existing course to incorporate inclusive pedagogies and updated course content, embracing student-centered learning and integrating the study of multiple perspectives, histories, and knowledges within the discipline or field of study. Proposals should address how the updates will address one or more of the following focus areas:

  • Equity and social disparity in the human condition
  • Broadening disciplinary knowledge through incorporation of historically excluded intellectual traditions and content
  • Diversifying global perspectives

Required activity

  1. Updating content of a course to incorporate exploration of diverse perspectives, knowledges, and histories aligned with one or more of the focus areas listed above;
  2. Development and implementation of strategies to incorporate relevant inclusive pedagogies to enhance student learning and to promote civil debate and mutual respect across differences;
  3. A final report of no more than 300 words describing the changes made to the course and the implementation process that has been or will be used to teach the updated course.

Application process

A) Please submit a statement of no more than 500 words that includes the following:

  1. A description of the course you propose to update and its place in the major (eg. introductory, survey, capstone, elective, etc.);
  2. A detailed description of the revisions to content and pedagogical methods you plan to make and the learning goals associated with these changes;
  3. A discussion of how the updated course will contribute to inclusive excellence goals of your department or school or to student learning outcomes related to those goals;
  4. An explanation of how your revisions can be sustained across future iterations of the course and can be utilized by other faculty teaching the course;
  5. A brief timeline for the completion of revisions and teaching of the updated course;

B) A brief (1 paragraph) letter of support from your department chair or head or school director is required and should be attached to the statement. The letter should indicate that they approve of your submission and have discussed with you a plan to share the final outcome of your project with the unit (eg. presentation or workshop). If you have been approved to teach the revised course, this should also be noted in the letter. Proposals without this letter will not be considered.

Evaluation criteria

Applications will be evaluated for:

  • how clearly the proposed revision aligns with the broad focus areas and required activities of this program;
  • how effectively the revised course will increase knowledge related to diverse perspectives in a given discipline or field of study;
  • the likelihood that the revision can be sustained across future iterations of the course and potentially taught by multiple faculty.

Additional information

  • Eligibility is restricted to full-time faculty in continuing appointments and graduate students who are instructors of record in the current academic year.
  • Awardees will receive $750 in professional development funds to be used in accordance with university policies. Funds must be spent by the end of the fiscal year. Five awards are anticipated to be made in the 2024-2025 academic year.
  • Revisions should not exceed the level of change that would require formal review and approval by the department or college curriculum committee.
  • Applicants can only have one Curriculum Innovation Program proposal approved per academic year.
  • Preference may be given to applicants who have participated in professional development related to inclusive pedagogies. Applicants who meet this criteria should describe the relevant professional development activities and the sponsoring entities (whether internal or external to VT) in the application statement. Please email shailamehra@vt.edu if you have questions about whether an activity qualifies.
  • Awardees will be asked to evaluate the program and suggest future improvements. Awardees will also be asked to present their work to the college community in AY26.

PROPOSALS AND SUPPORT LETTERS SHOULD BE EMAILED AS A SINGLE PDF TO shailamehra@vt.edu.

Deadline: January 24, 2025

Awards announced: February 7, 2025

Required activity: during Spring 2025 semester

Final report due: June 30, 2025

Please send questions to Shaila Mehra at shailamehra@vt.edu.