Wisconsin Teaching Fellows and Scholars

Each year, UWM, the UW System Office of Academic and Student Affairs and the Office of Professional and Instructional Development (OPID) sponsors the Wisconsin Teaching Fellows and Scholars (WTFS) Program.

The WTFS program offers UW faculty and teaching academic staff a unique opportunity to collaborate with other exceptional teachers from across the UW System and from various disciplines. Many participants have found that the experience reenergized their work and even transformed their approach to teaching and learning. Collaboration with colleagues from diverse perspectives lies at the heart of the program. In addition to discussing illuminating works selected from the pedagogical literature, Fellows and Scholars are guided through the process of completing a Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) project with input from fellow participants and the program co-directors. OPID encourages applications from eligible faculty and staff that are open to new ideas and learning from others.

Each UW Institution may nominate two candidates for the WTFS Program. Each participant will receive financial support from their institution and a S&E grant from OPID.


Program Requirements

  • Attendance at four OPID-sponsored events throughout the year:
    • Faculty College (May)
    • Wisconsin Teaching Fellows & Scholars Summer Institute (June)
    • WTFS Winter Retreat (January)
    • Final WTFS Spring Meeting and Public Poster Session (April)
  • Completion of SoTL project with dissemination of results in a professional forum
  • Recording of SoTL project’s progress on electronic poster in the Program year

Wisconsin Teaching Fellows Selection Criteria

  • Outstanding early-career, untenured faculty with at least one year (preferably two) of teaching experience or academic instructional staff teaching in an academic program with at least 2 years of teaching experience at UWM (must be currently teaching)
  • Evidence of excellent teaching and dedication to continuous improvement
  • Knowledge of student learning assessment and interest in the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL)
  • Interest in sharing teaching and learning innovations
  • Interest in collaborating with faculty from various disciplines

Wisconsin Teaching Scholars Selection Criteria

  • Outstanding tenured faculty and/or experienced academic instructional staff teaching in an academic program with at least 5 years of experience at UWM
  • Evidence of excellent teaching and dedication to continuous improvement
  • Knowledge and experience in assessment of student learning
  • Interest and/or experience in the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL)
  • Experience in sharing teaching and learning innovations
  • Interest collaborating with faculty from various disciplines
  • Interest in informal and/or formal campus leadership on issues of teaching and learning
Application Process
This year we are seeking participants who would like to design, develop, and implement an equity-minded Scholarship of Teaching & Learning (SoTL) project 
  • Participants will conceptualize their equity-minded SoTL project during the program. 
  • Your teaching philosophy and why you are interested in engaging with equity-minded SoTL are requested at this time. You do not need to have an equity-minded SoTL question or project in mind at this point 
Each UW institution may have one Fellow (early in teaching career) and one Scholar (seasoned in teaching career).  Since we are limited to one in each category, we will have an internal application process at UWM to select one applicant in each category to forward.  
 
Please email the following application materials to Mike Cosgrove (mpcos@uwm.eduby Friday, November 12: 
  1. Letter stating your interest in and qualifications for the WTFS Program (two-page maximum) 
  2. Teaching & learning philosophy as it intersects with equity, diversity, and inclusion (three-page maximum) 
  3. Abbreviated curriculum vitae (two-page maximum) 
  4. Reference letter from your Department Chair or Dean 
 Accompanying document with further information:

Information

More information is available from the UW-System’s Office of Professional and Instructional Development (OPID)