CSU Chico Academy e-Learning Cohort Five
Overview and Application
Due March 15, 2013
Invitation:
The Provost’s office, in collaboration with the Council of Academic Deans, the Technology and Learning
Program, and the Meriam Library invites faculty to participate in an institutional program that will explore
ways of increasing course quality, effectiveness, and student engagement. Faculty teams are invited to apply
for this summer’s Academy e-Learning Cohort Five. While individual faculty applications will be considered,
we encourage team applications. Teams can include faculty from within the same department, across
departments, or even across colleges. Past AeL team course (re)designs have typically focused on a single
course, but teams are welcome to include more than one course in their (re)design activities.
Focus and discussion will center on (re)designing courses to include significant writing and/or quantitative
reasoning components, enhancing student learning using new teaching methods, learning spaces and/or
technology, and other innovations shared by the Cohort. Stipends or professional development funds will be
provided by the Provost’s office and your Dean’s office. Participants in Academy e-Learning will also receive
an iPad or iPad mini for their personal and required use during Academy e-Learning.
Purpose: The purpose of Academy e-Learning is to provide an intensive learning experience with fellow
faculty and support staff to explore effective course transformation models and to transform selected courses
in ways that will improve student learning and engagement for today’s learner; provide faculty with the
resources they need to teach engaging and intellectually challenging courses; and to do so in a way that may
reduce the cost of instruction. There is a growing body of research demonstrating course transformation
indicates an increase in student learning, higher quality learning experiences, improved use of learning spaces,
and reduced cost of instruction. Chico’s Academy e-Learning is modeled on the successful work of the
National Center for Academic Transformation (NCAT: http://www.thencat.org). Their website includes case
studies and examples to study in preparation for Chico’s Academy e-Learning institute.
Project Teams: Teams of two or three faculty will work together with a support team that includes previous
AeL faculty, instructional technology consultants (ITCs), department librarians, and an assessment facilitator.
Adjunct and tenure track faculty and cross-discipline teams are encouraged to apply. Teams will work on their
newly designed or redesigned course(s) for the entire academic year. Department chairs and college deans
will play active roles in team activity.
1) Mission: Academy e-Learning is committed to academic transformation (i.e., effective uses of interactive
pedagogies, learning spaces and effective uses of instructional and information technology) across
disciplines through a process of development and assessment. AeL benefits students by ensuring that
quality of learning and engagement are priorities in design and implementation considerations. Ongoing
conversations and sharing amongst the AeL faculty teams, AeL mentors from previous cohorts, and
academic staff builds a university community that is continually redefining excellence in teaching and
learning through innovative approaches to student-engaged learning. See our website for more Academy
e-Learning information, resource materials, and video interviews with previous cohorts,
http://www.csuchico.edu/academy.
2) Application & Selection Process: ALL APPLICATIONS MUST BE SUBMITTED
ELECTRONICALLY to the college dean by March 15, 2013. Deans will forward proposals they
recommend for participation in the summer 2013 Academy e-Learning Cohort Five. Selection of faculty
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teams and notification will be made early April, 2013. A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) will
follow acceptance along with a technology needs assessment survey.
3) Preparation: By late April 2013, a meeting of the individual teams with their department chair, college
dean, and Academy e-Learning project leaders will be held to prepare a project plan with committed
objectives and to hold a discussion of assessment goals and strategies.
4) Timeline & Implementation:
 Academy e-Learning sessions will meet face-to-face June 3-4; June 10-11; and June 17-18, 2013. There
will be workshops for in-depth activity and discussion on Wed/Thurs of those three weeks.
 Half of the $6,000 team stipend will paid in July 2013. The other half will be paid when the transformed
course is launched in January 2014.
 Summer 2013 is designated for team learning, sharing, planning, and course development.
 August 2013 will include a lunch meeting with the Deans and Provost for teams to outline course
transformation strategies chosen and plans for assessment.
 Fall 2013 is for teams to pilot new elements and/or pedagogy, further refine new course delivery
methods and perform assessment.
 The course transformation will be assessed using tools such as the Rubric for Online Instruction and the
California Quality Online Learning and Teaching evaluation process combined with student outcomes
and the assessment facilitator’s suggestions.
 January 2014 teams will present their transformed course to the Provost, deans, chairs, and Academy eLearning community.
 Spring 2014 or before, the new or redesigned course is launched.
 Teams will present at the October 2014 CELT Conference to share insights from Academy e-Learning.
5) Assessment & Follow-up: Teams will submit a short written summary report, assessment out-comes, and
a copy of their course syllabus at the end of May 2014. There will be a summary meeting with the deans
and provost in May 2014.
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Application for Academy e-Learning Cohort Five, Summer 2013
Submit electronic application by March 15, 2013 to your chair and dean.
Visit the Academy e-Learning website, http://www.csuchico.edu/academy.
Name & Dept of Instructor 1 ___________________________________________________________________
Name & Dept of Instructor 2 __________________________________________________________________
Name & Dept of Instructor 3 (optional) __________________________________________________________
Phone 1_____________________________________
Phone 2 _____________________________________
Name of Dean ________________________________ Name of Chair _________________________________
Course (Number & Title) _____________________________________________________________________
How often is this course offered? (Circle all that apply)
Annually - Each Semester - Fall - Spring - Summer - Intersession
Number of students served each year by this course _____.
Number of sections offered each semester/term_____.
Students Target Level (Circle all that apply)
1st year
2nd year
3rd year
4th year
GE
Major/Minor
Graduate level
Certificate
Credential Candidates
Please write up a one or two page summary of your thoughts on the following topics (If you plan to focus on more
than one course please discuss each in your answers below):
1. Why are you interested in redesigning this particular course?
2. List your college, department, or course goals in relation to AeL. What are the tentative goals for your new or
redesigned course? (They could be program-related, faculty development, or some other reason.)
3. What are your concerns or curiosities related to the teaching of writing and/or qualitative reasoning? What would
you hope to learn or do during your time in AeL?
4. How do you think you will design/transform this course?
Signatures
Instructor 1 (print) ______________________________ (sign) ______________________________________
Instructor 2 (print) ______________________________ (sign) ______________________________________
Instructor 3 (print) ______________________________ (sign) ______________________________________
Chair (print) ___________________________________ (sign) ______________________________________
For more information, contact Laura Sederberg, x4326 or lsederberg@csuchico.edu.
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