551 Oak Street, Chattanooga, TN 37403 Campus Mail Code 5555 423-425-5825

Faculty/Staff Application to Offer Beyond the Classroom (BTC) Course/Experience University of Tennessee at Chattanooga

551 Oak Street, Chattanooga, TN 37403 Campus Mail Code 5555 423-425-5825www.utc.edu/think/beyond

Modified source: MTSU QEP Document-2006

For the things we have to learn before we can do them, we learn by doing them. –Aristotle

Experiential learning is learning by doing. Critical thinking occurs during experiential learning .

Faculty/Staff Name: Linda Frost Department:Honors College

Email Address: Campus Box: 1101

First Semester the Course/Experience will be Offered:Spring 2015; continuously then each fall and spring semester.

How often do you plan to offer this course as an BTC course/experience?

☐One time

☐Every semester

☐ other(please describe)Each fall and spring semester; Innovation Lab 1 and Innovation Lab 2 would be required to take as a sequence; students will receive an IP after IL1 and not receive a final grade for the sequence until completely IL2.

Please check one type of Course or Experience to be evaluated (please see Definitions and Additional Criteria Section below or contact with questions) :

☐Co-op/internship ☐Study abroad ☐Applied learning ☐Creative activity ☐Independent Study ☐Teacher education

☐Lab course ☐Undergraduate Research ☐Service Learning ☐Capstone

Course Number: Innovation Lab I UHON 2850 and Innovation Lab II UHON 2860 Course Title: See Course Number.

This application will be evaluated by a committee using the Guidelines found at http://www.utc.edu/think- achieve/experiential-learning.php Examples of Applications for currently designated courses are also available at that site.

Required Elements of all Applications:

1. Please submit a current syllabus for the course you wish to be designated,

2. The experiential element of the course must count for a significant portion of the grade.

Explain how your course meets the criteria listed on the back of this form by answering the following four questions: (please feel free to submit a separate document)

1. Describe the project that will be required to fulfill the BTC component and how this project will count for a significant portion of the student grade.

Innovations in Honors is our new 13-hour honors program; each student completing the IIH Program must complete the following courses: Innovation Lab 1 (3 hours); Innovation Lab 2 (3 hours); either a Brock Seminar of their choosing or another approved credit-bearing experience for an additional 3 hours of credit (study abroad experience, undergraduate research experience, etc.); and either a DHON or Honors College Thesis (an honors thesis that does not reside in the student’s major department but meets all other criteria for an honors thesis). Each Innovation Lab will use applied and problem-based learning techniques in order to address a problem or issue raised by a community partner (the Benwood Foundation, Howard High School, a particular unit of UTC, etc.), researching and clarifying the question, and offering a possible solution at the conclusion of the second Innovation Lab. All Innovation Labs will emphasize: problem-based learning techniques, collaborative learning approaches, and creative problem solving techniques. Students will be expected to present the results of their work at various points in the course of

the two Labs, including a final formal presentation in front of all relevant parties. The Honors College plans to use some of its founding gift monies to facilitate necessary out-of-the-classroom experiences including field trips, focus group coordinations, and whatever other travel or out of the classroom activity is necessary to address that Lab’s question. While assignments throughout the class will certainly check students’ progress at multiple points in both semesters, the final presentation and project presenting the culmination of the students’ research and innovation regarding their Lab’s question will be a significant component of their grade.

2. How will you incorporate reflection before, during and after the experience? Journals, self- evaluations, blogs, written peer feedback, or other written or recorded media can document student reflection.

While each Lab leader/faculty member will approach the specific format for the reflection required throughout the course of the Labs, all students in the Honors College will be required to maintain an e-portfolio to help facilitate the collection of their completed assignments and reflections. Current students in the Brock Scholars Program offer a yearly summative reflection of their experience in the program overall; our plan is to build on this existing model for ALL courses offered in the Honors College including all Brock Seminars. All Innovation Labs will include the following: an initial, pre-project Reflection 1 regarding what the student knows at that point about the issue and primary question at hand; initial biases and general beliefs will also be noted there. At the end of the first Lab and semester, each student will generate Reflection 2, one that explores what the student knows now about the question or issue at hand, including how the statement of that itself has changed. Students will begin their second Innovation Lab with Reflection 3, this one building on the revised perspective regarding the Lab’s central issue/question that was documented in Reflection 2 and noting in particular what work should be undertaken that semester to realize a potential solution or culmination of the issue/question. Reflection 4 will take place at the very end of Innovation Lab 2 and will be written AFTER the student has reread Reflections 1-3; Reflection 4 then will be a direct response and gloss on what the student has noted s/he has written, felt, and learned along the way. All reflections will be stored in the student’s e-portfolio.

3. How will the learning goals for your students demonstrate experience based understanding of the discipline through at least three of the student learning outcomes in the table below? Examples of this completed table can be found at www.utc.edu/think-acheive/experiential-learning.php

Student Learning Outcome / Corresponding Course Learning Outcome (3 of 5)
Identifies, evaluates, and interprets information by raising pertinent questions and identifying uncertainties / Lab 1: design a substantial research problem and question; Lab 2: reframe the question as additional information is acquired
Solves problems by determining limitations, making connections, and prioritizing the potential solution / Lab 1: determine what information is needed to address the problem posed and locate necessary resources to find that information; Lab 2: determine what information is needed to address the problem posed and locate necessary resources to find that information
Creates innovative solutions to problems through creative thinking / Lab 1: utilize a range of creative exercises and processes to aid in the process of discovery; Lab 2: generate a concluding action plan based on the proposed question
Communicates ideas and information effectively / Lab 1: present the preliminary results of their project in groups for mid-point assessment by the community partner and Lab Leader; Lab 2: work in a professional manner with the designated community partner and successfully present the results of their project in the form of individual reports, group proposals, and a public presentation
Integrates knowledge and skill through reflection on thinking and learning processes / Lab 1: intentionally and productively collaborate with their peers; Lab 2: conduct a long-range research study with multiple points of assessment and revision along the way

4. How will you incorporate the additional criteria for the type of course selected above? Additional Criteria for each type of course are listed on the following page.

Students in all Innovation Labs will fully engage with their community partner and the local resources— many of which we imagine will be people with whom they must interact and from whom they must gather information directly—they determine necessary to address their questions. Innovation Labs are not community service or even strictly service-learning courses but rather interdisciplinary think-tanks for students who wish to have a true hands-on learning experience, one that will utilize their research ability and creativity to positively affect their community.

Primary Applicant Signature

Department Head Signature

Department Head Comments:

Definitions and Additional Criteria for Types of BTC Courses

These definitions and Criteria are provided for accurate categorization of courses when completing the

Faculty/Staff Application to Offer Beyond the Classroom (BTC) Course/Experience form.

1. Co-operative education/internship course – work experiences with businesses or nonprofit organizations that require discipline-based knowledge. Co-op and internship courses are approved through academic departments

1. Co-op and internship supervisors must evaluate the student’s work.

2. Students must complete a chronological log of activities using physical or electronic media such as a written log, series of photos with captions, text or video blog, series of podcasts, or website. Instructors may specify type of log or allow students to select any of the options listed.

2. Study abroad course – Formal study abroad courses developed and led by UTC faculty. Other types of study abroad courses approved by the UTC International Programs Office and Academic Departments

1. Students must complete a chronological log of activities using physical or electronic media such as a written log, series of photos with captions, text or video blog, series of podcasts, or website. Instructors may specify type of log or allow students to select any of the options listed.

3. Applied learning course – application of discipline related knowledge through projects with businesses, civic government and non-profit organizations, other non-university entities, or ongoing university applications

1. Courses/experiences must contain an engagement, rather than just observational, component.

Creative activity course - activity that is driven by the student’s imagination, curiosity, and/or inspiration that results in a

tangible outcome such as works rendered in oral, visual, physical, written word, electronic media, and/or other forms. Performance and exhibition of creative works may also be included.

1. The creative work must be captured in electronic form.

4. Teacher Education course – applied learning courses designed specifically for teacher education programs

1. Students must have a minimum of 20 hours of in-class experience for BTC credit.

2. Courses must contain engagement and reflection, rather than just observation.

5. Service Learning-a student centered teaching method that involves academic instruction in partnership with UTC and the larger community. The primary focus of service-learning is to enhance critical and reflective thinking and civic understanding. Service-learning programs involve students in organized community partnerships that address local needs while developing their academic skills.

1. Service Learning takes place with organized community reflection and includes reflection before, during and after the experience.

6. Lab course- an experience in the laboratory, classroom, or the field that provides students with opportunities to interact directly with natural phenomena or with data collected by others using tools, materials, data collection techniques, and models (NSTA-NRC 2006, p. 3)

1. Lab Courses must contain an engagement and reflection component, rather than just documentation of observations.

•Undergraduate Research-An inquiry or investigation conducted by an undergraduate student that makes an original intellectual or creative contribution to the discipline. (www.cur.org)

1. Must be heavily initiated by the student for a primarily independent research experience.

2. Students will keep a reflective journal that will include a log of activities and will connect research activities with application/experience. (This may include special activities outside scheduled laboratory or field work times.)

•Independent Study-Project, reading, paper or other work for credit under supervision of a faculty member and primarily focused on the student’s independent interest and work.

• Must be heavily initiated by the student for a primarily independent experience.

• Students will keep a reflective journal that will include a log of activities and will connect project activities with application/experience. (This may include special activities outside scheduled laboratory or field work times.)

•Capstone- A class that the department or campus unit values for its ability to integrate all the essential elements of the discipline

Note: For the purposes of student recognition, a list of students adequately demonstrating 3 of the 5 SLO’s, or corresponding Course Learning Outcomes from the table above must be submitted to by the last day of the semester. The below rubric can be used as a guide. There is no need to submit the rubric below, or a class roll; only the names of the adequately participating students are required.

Student Learning Outcome

Identifies, evaluates, and interprets information by raising pertinent questions and identifying uncertainties

Solves problems by determining limitations, making connections, and prioritizing the potential solution

Creates innovative solutions to problems through creative thinking

Communicates ideas and information effectively

Integrates knowledge and skill through reflection on thinking and learning processes

Does not demonstrate this attribute(0)

Fails to state questions or uncertainties, misrepresents information

Fails to state limitations, but does not demonstrate gains in perspective on problem or solutions

Fails to demonstrate any interest in approaching problems from multiple perspectives

Fails to state, and discuss ideas and information

Fails to show reflection; does not demonstrate understanding of importance of relationship between knowledge and skill

Demonstrates this attribute rarely(1)

States pertinent question(s), but fails to identify how or why it is a question or problem. Identifies some information appropriately

States limitation(s), but finds few connections to a larger context or other ways of addressing the problem

States problem, shows desire, and exhibits effort to introduce new solutions

Occasionally demonstrates ability to comprehend, state, and discuss information

Reflects incompletely, demonstrating some acquisition of knowledge and skill through thinking and learning

Demonstrates this attribute adequately(2)

States pertinent questions and elements of the question or problem. Articulates scope of question and accurately interprets and evaluates information Identifies multiple limitations and connections to similar problems appropriately integrated with discussion of solutions