Frequently Asked Questions
What is a teaching innovation? What kinds of teaching innovations are relevant for this grant?
This grant has a broad definition of teaching innovation. Some examples are provided below to spark your thinking, but you are welcome to propose any ideas. The grant is designed to encourage pedagogical innovation and experimentation but the key proviso to remember is that the proposed innovation needs to be grounded in the research about how students learn.
Teaching and Learning Innovations in a Course
- Redesigning your course (e.g., integrating lecture/lab; implementing project-based learning or team-based learning approaches; using a flipped classroom approach, facilitating collaborative or active learning activities during class time).
- Modifying or creating new course assignments (e.g., replacing a written assignment with a digital media project; implementing different assessment approaches, such as self- or peer-feedback; incorporating frequent quizzing rather than periodic testing)
- Incorporating a time- or resource-intensive intervention into your regular course routine.
Teaching and Learning Innovations in a Department
- Implementing a program or resource for students to support their learning or reduce opportunity/achievement gaps (e.g., basic competency modules, tutoring programs, online resources)
- Implementing a program to assist students with developing more effective learning strategies or skills (e.g. designated note takers)
- Developing a system for collecting and analyzing data to assess the impact of the major or a subset of courses on student learning
- Collecting and analyzing data to inform changes in the curriculum
Do I need IRB approval for my project?
Here is a response from Nancy Marshall, Chair of Wellesley's IRB:
The federal Office for Human Research Protections (OHRP) has ruled that research to improve practice is not subject to OHRP regulations. So, if faculty are doing assessments to help them improve their own practices, it would not come to IRB. If, however, faculty want to publish the results of their research as an evaluation study, then that could fall under IRB. However, IRB regulations state that "Research conducted in established or commonly accepted educational settings, involving normal educational practices, such as (i) research on regular and special education instructional strategies, or (ii) research on the effectiveness of or the comparison among instructional techniques, curricula, or classroom management methods" is exempt from IRB review (this is different from "not subject to IRB regulations"); this exemption can apply to educational research with adults or children. So, if faculty plan to publish the results of their evaluation of their teaching innovations, it would be officially exempt - which means they don't have to submit to the IRB. However, many journals are now requiring documentation of IRB reviews (preferably conducted prior to the research being conducted), even for exempt research, so the College IRB is happy to document that a particular study is exempt. Faculty who want this exemption memo should submit a regular IRB application, including the "Request for exemption" form, and we'll do the memo for them. This IRB exemption review does not have to be approved by OIR before coming to IRB, since it is about the faculty member's own data, and doesn't draw on institutional data (if they are using SEQs or other data provided by OIR, they would need OIR approval before IRB review).