[VPAAEtal] Signature Course Proposals Due Today

[Academic Affairs]

DEADLINE IS TODAY!
You may view a sample proposal and syllabus by visiting: http://www.tamuc.edu/TRAC/signaturecourses.aspx


Call for Proposals:  Signature Courses 2019-2020

As part of the First-Year TRAC initiative, the University College seeks faculty (employed for at least one academic year) to teach engaging, dynamic courses on topics of the instructor's choice for first-year students. These "Signature Courses" should highlight the faculty member's passion for the topic and communicate knowledge on that topic for a general first-year student. Ideal Signature Courses are interdisciplinary, not already a part of an existing curriculum, and include interactive student pedagogy, including, for example, group projects, oral presentations, group discussion, proposals/ sales pitches, and other active, experiential learning strategies.

Signature Courses must meet the following Core Curriculum Student Learning Outcomes:

1.      In written, oral, and/or visual communication, students will communicate in a manner appropriate to audience and occasion, with an evident message and organizational structure.

2.      Students will be able to analyze, evaluate, or solve problems when given a set of circumstances, data, texts, or art.

3.      Students will demonstrate an understanding of societal and/or civic issues.

Signature Courses meet every M, W, and F at 10:00 AM. Signature Courses are capped at 100 students, and undergraduate supplemental instructors will be available to provide support as deemed appropriate by the instructor. Students enrolled in Signature Courses will participate in "The Lionizing," a culminating semester-end event where they will present a project from the course in the genre of the instructor's choice. As this course is part of the core curriculum, it will be assessed for institutional effectiveness purposes at the end of the semester.

In a letter of application, please address the following:

*         Name and describe the topic of the Signature Course you propose to teach.

*         Why are you interested in teaching a Signature Course for first-time freshmen?

*         Why would this course be of value & interest to first-time freshmen?

*         Describe assignments or activities you would utilize in this course & how would they tie-in to the student learning outcomes listed above?

*         Describe one aspect of the course that will clearly be interdisciplinary.

*         What are your tentative plans to take part in the Lionizing event at the end of the semester?

*         Do you prefer to teach a Signature Course in the Fall or Spring semester, and what informs this preference?

Include a one-paragraph description of your course. Pease note that if you course is selected, this paragraph will be used in marketing efforts.

In addition, include a short letter from your department head attesting to the quality of your teaching, especially regarding your ability to engage students. Your department head should acknowledge that a discussion of a course release, which accompanies the signature course, took place.

To learn about our current Signature Course offerings, refer to previous Signature Course offerings, a sample proposal and syllabus, by visiting: http://www.tamuc.edu/TRAC/signaturecourses.aspx.   Interested faculty are welcome to sit-in on a Signature Course in the month of November.  Contact Dr. Yvonne Villanueva-Russell for additional information.

Please submit these documents via e-mail to Yvonne.VRussell at tamuc.edu<mailto:Yvonne.VRussell at tamuc.edu> prior to November 19, 2018 for consideration for the 2019-2020 academic year.


Signature Course applications will be reviewed by a faculty committee using the following rubric.
Signature Course Proposal Rubric

Applicant name _________________________

Criteria

3

2

1

Topic description

Topic and objective of course clearly articulated.  Topic is timely, relevant and of interest to students

Topic is less clearly articulated.  Topic may lack relevance or interest to students.

Topic and objectives are not expressed completely.  Topic would not be a good fit for freshmen students.

Logic for teaching

Professor provides rational for teaching specific course, or working with freshmen

Professor provides general interest in teaching only but does not specify why SigCo teaching unique

Professor does not provide complete justification for teaching

Value-Added

Course is timely, relevant, of clear interest to first-time freshmen

Course's relevance is unclear and of questionable merit to first-time freshmen

Course is neither timely nor relevant.  No connection made between topic and first-time freshmen.

Assignments & SLOs

Clear connection between class and SLOS, complete with possible assignments on how outcomes will be achieved

Ambiguous description of how outcomes will be met

Description of how outcomes will be met missing from proposal

Interdisciplinarity

Course shows appeal and connection across multiple disciplines.  Specific departments, assignments or guest lectures are named concretely to broaden course matter.

Ambiguous description of how course will be interdisciplinary

Course clearly written within confines of only one discipline

Lionizing plans

Plan for lionizing are tentative, but concrete that demonstrate

Ambiguous plans for lionizing event

Lionizing event plans are absent from proposal

SCORE




Yvonne
Yvonne Villanueva-Russell, PhD
Dean, University College
Texas A&M University-Commerce | Yvonne.VRussell at tamuc.edu<mailto:Yvonne.VRussell at tamuc.edu>
P.O. Box 3011 | Commerce, TX 75429-3011
Tel. 903.886.5876 | Fax 903.468.6077 | www.tamuc.edu<http://www.tamuc.edu/>
Texas A&M University-Commerce<http://www.tamuc.edu/>

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