All faculty are encouraged to apply for Center grants, and all graduate teaching assistants for internships. Only one Center award or appointment will be granted for an academic year. Internships are reserved for graduate teaching assistants only.

Grants and internship applications will be reviewed by Center staff and then forwarded to the CRTE Advisory Committee for final approval of an award. We anticipate a 30 day review process before applicants will be notified of decisions. Please note below the application deadlines for specific awards.

• Mini-Grants: March 30 for Fall semester and October 1 for Spring semester.

• Instructional Interns: See details below.

• Assessment Certificate Program: See details below.

• FIPSE Guidebook Project: See details below.

• Previously Sponsored Projects

Mini-Grants

Priority will be given to proposals that evaluate evidence-based learning through performance outcomes. These include pre- and posttest, portfolio evaluation, and longitudinal tracking of student achievement. Proposals should describe in detail how the award will potentially improve instruction in a course or curriculum and how that improvement will be demonstrated. Successful proposals will also provide clear evidence of instructional practices that encourage active learning. We recommend that proposals be approximately two to three pages (about 500-750 words), with about two pages of narrative and one page for the budget. The best proposals will explain anticipated improvement in teaching, its efficacy in terms of current scholarship on learning, and appropriate plans for assessment. The budget should include specific information about proposed expenditures. Any citations should be in an established scholarly format.

Mini-grant awards will not exceed $5,000. Review of submissions will begin on March 30 for Fall semester awards and October 1 for Spring semester awards. Early submission will improve chances of funding.

For additional information or questions about the application process, please contact us at crte@ucmerced.edu.

• Mini-Grant Application Guidelines (PDF)

Instructional Internships

These internships will enable graduate teaching assistants to learn more about “best practices” of effective teaching through participating in various Center-sponsored workshops, activities, and opportunities. Graduate students who have a current or pending appointment as a teaching assistant are ideal candidates for these internships. There is no time limit on when the various certificate levels must be completed, but we would encourage Interns to complete the first level certificate (Certificate of Recognition) within the first two year of their teaching appointment. After completing a third workshop, prospective Interns should apply for an instructional internship by submitting an online Internship Application. Watching pre-recorded webinars/videos of these workshops could count toward the required five workshops, if a one-page reflection paper is submitted.  Please use the following worksheet to help you keep track of your progress: Instructional Internship Worksheet.  

Summary of Certificates 

For additional information or questions about the application process, please contact us at crte@ucmerced.edu.

• Internship Application Guidelines
• Internship Application

Congratulations to instructional interns who have earned various certificates!

• Click here for a list of current and past certificate awardees

Certificate in Undergraduate Learning Outcomes Assessment

Funded by the Council for Graduate Schools (CGS), this project is aimed at preparing future faculty to assess undergraduate learning - a skill that involves a research approach to the design and evaluation of classroom pedagogy, courses and degree programs. Through participation in a semester-based learning community that begins with pre-semester workshops and includes two monthly meetings throughout the semester, graduate student participants can earn a CRTE certificate in Undergraduate Learning Outcomes Assessment: Pedagogy and Program Planning. Key outcomes of the certificate include instructional materials and a final reflection piece that are intended to be of use on the job market. Participating academic programs will benefit from the development of course curriculum tied to key assignments in support of program assessment. Participating faculty and graduate students receive a stipend. Any questions about this project should be directed to project coordinator Angela Winek at awinek2@ucmerced.edu.

• Application for Fall 2013 Learning Community
• CGS Project Homepage
• Grant Proposal

FIPSE Guidebook Project

Thanks to a Fund for the Improvement of Post-Secondary Education (FIPSE) grant, we were able to fund graduate students and faculty to participate in learning communities from August 2010 through August 2012.  Graduate fellows conducted classroom and program research and published their findings. focused on the needs of first-generation college students. Any questions about this project should be directed to project coordinator Anne Zanzucchi at azanzucchi@ucmerced.edu.   

• Guidebook project paper series (eScholarship)
• Year 1 Final report (available soon) 
• Year 2 Final report (available soon) 
• Grant Proposal (abridged)