CIRTL at Ohio State

Preparing Future Faculty for Excellence in Teaching! Logo for the Center for the Integration of Research, Teaching and Learning beside the "Block O" Ohio State logo

The Center for the Integration of Research, Teaching and Learning (CIRTL) is a National Science Foundation (NSF) funded center and network of over forty research universities across the United States and Canada aimed at supporting teaching excellence in higher education through, “…development of a national faculty committed to implementing and advancing evidence-based teaching practices for diverse learners.”*

The Drake Institute is pleased to serve as the official CIRTL home at Ohio State.


How CIRTL Benefits Graduate Students and Post Docs at Ohio State

Image of an instructor monitoring student work in the classroom.

CIRTL offers unique programming to support aspiring future faculty (primarily graduate students and post docs) in learning new, evidence-based approaches to teaching. While originally focused on developing future faculty in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM), CIRTL programming is open to all instructors across all disciplines. 

Image of an Ohio State mug being held with the smiling individual blurred in background

As a CIRTL member, the entire Ohio State community is granted access to all that CIRTL has to offer. Individuals simply need to sign up at the CIRTL website! Registration with the network is free to all Ohio State students and instructors and opens a range of professional learning opportunities including workshops, Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs), institutes, learning communities, and moreLearn more about the network and its mission and values by visiting cirtl.net/about. 

Image depicting locations of each of the 41 CIRTL Network member institutions.
Image from cirtl.net/universities

 

 

The CIRTL Network currently comprises 41 member institutions reaching across the United States and Canada. The Ohio State University entered into this exemplary network of institutions in 2021!

 

 


Get Involved: Join a CIRTL@OSU Learning Community

If you aspire toward a career as a faculty member in higher education, please consider joining a local CIRTL@OSU Learning Community (LC). To get started, click the button below. Those completing a CIRTL@OSU LC are eligible to apply for the CIRTL Associate-Level Endorsement. Drake Institute Endorsements are recognized credentials that appear on official OSU transcripts.

GO TO CIRTL@OSU LC INTEREST FORM


LCs start each Autumn term and can be formed by request at nearly any time should a group find itself interested. Each LC group meets monthly (in person or via zoom) and the Drake Institue provides resources and expertise to help each LC member achieve a number of defined outcomes for the experience. Contact drakeinstitute@osu.edu with any questions about LCs and other CIRTL opportunities available at Ohio State.

Participants in each CIRTL@OSU LC should expect to be supported in learning across each of the the CIRTL core ideas and, through participation, should realize each of the CIRTL Associate-Level outcomes.

 

CIRTL Core Idea 1: Learning-through-Diversity

Image of a group of students in discussion with seats arranged in a large circle.

"Learning-through-diversity capitalizes on the rich array of experiences, backgrounds, and skills among STEM undergraduates and graduates-through-faculty to enhance the learning of all. It recognizes that excellence and diversity are necessarily intertwined."

(from https://www.cirtl.net/about/core_ideas)

 

 

 

 

CIRTL Core Idea 2: Teaching-as-Research (TAR)

Image of a group of students working at a white board in a classroom.

Teaching-as-research is the deliberate, systematic, and reflective use of research methods by science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) instructors to develop and implement teaching practices that advance the learning experiences and outcomes of both students and teachers. 

(from https://www.cirtl.net/about/core_ideas)

 

 

 

CIRTL Core Idea 3: Learning Communities

Group of Ohio State students signaling O-H-I-O with their arms above their heads.

Learning communities bring together groups of people for shared learning, discovery, and generation of knowledge. To achieve common learning goals, a learning community nurtures functional relationship among its members.

(from https://www.cirtl.net/about/core_ideas)

 

 

 

 


CIRTL@OSU Learning Community (LC) Information: 

Important Annual Dates

  • July 1 - September 1 (11:59 pm) - Apply for annual CIRTL LCs  
    • for LC applications outside the annual registration window, please contact drakeinstitute@osu.edu
  • October – Welcome (1st) LC Session 
  • May – Final (8th) LC Session 

Meeting Format

In-person and online (zoom) LC formats are available. 

Resources for Community Participants

Each LC participant will be added to a CIRTL@OSU LC Carmen Course. This course consists of eight modules that allow for exploration, application, and reflection across critical teaching and learning topics. See below for a brief  introduction to each of the CIRTL@OSU LC modules. 

  1. Welcome to the LC 
    1. Meet your fellow LC members and LC facilitators! Become familiar with the CIRTL@OSU LC Carmen course structure (Explore, Engage, Reflect), learn about local (OSU) and cross-network CIRTL programming, and explore CIRTL Network resources. 
  2. Backward Design 

    1. Become introduced to the concept of backward design, a critical element of the Understanding by Design model developed by Grant Wiggins and Jay McTighe.**  

  3. Outcomes and Alignment 

    1. Gain insights into how learning outcomes can most effectively be written and used to ensure alignment across the critical elements of instruction including assessments, assignments and activities.  

  4. Feedback on Teaching 

    1. Learn how to request, collect, analyze, interpret and more effectively respond to student feedback on teaching. 

  5. Active Learning 

    1. Develop new ideas and tools for engaging your students using evidence-based active learning approaches and strategies.  

  6. Inclusive Teaching 

    1. Consider different evidence-based strategies and techniques for developing inclusive teaching and learning environments and work to create equitable learning experiences for all students. 

  7. Equitable Assessment 

    1. Discuss equity as it relates to grading practices and explore culturally responsive assessment techniques. 

  8. Teaching Philosophies and Teaching-as-Research (TAR) 

    1. Begin developing a personal philosophy on teaching, see examples of teaching philosophy statements, and learn about CIRTL’s Teaching-as-Research project opportunity 


CIRTL@OSU - Other Opportunities to Get Involved

CIRTL TEACHING-AS-RESEARCH (TAR) OPPORTUNITIES

Consider joining a 2023/2024 Teaching-as-Research (TAR) Cohort. Graduate students and postdocs engaging in a TAR cohort will be supported in fully designing and implementing a research project in the area of teaching and learning. Questions can be directed to sovic.2@osu.edu and applications to participate are open. Use the link below to apply!

Apply to join a 2023/2024 TAR Cohort

 

CIRTL CROSS-NETWORK OPPORTUNITIES

Additinoally, consider clicking the buttons below to view a list of current CIRTL cross-network events and courses. You can also learn more about all the opportunties available to you through CIRTL by visiting https://www.cirtl.net/about/programming.

CIRTL CROSS-NETWORK EVENTS FIND AN UPCOMING CIRTL COURSE  

 

In addition to CIRTL courses and cross-network programming, the Drake Institute and its partners and collaborators offer local programming supportive of the CIRTL core ideas. Visit the Drake Institue Events Page for a listing of upcoming events.


Earn CIRTL@OSU Endorsements 

The CIRTL network formally recognizes three levels of participant certification:

  1. CIRTL Associate
  2. CIRTL Practitioner
  3. CIRTL Scholar

By engaging in local and cross-network programming opportunities, registered participants can work to achieve outcomes defined for each certification level.

All Ohio State CIRTL participants achieving Associate, Practitioner, and/or Scholar-level outcomes are provided an opportunity to apply for a Drake Institute CIRTL@OSU Endorsement. Separate endorsements are available for each CIRTL certification level. For more information on how to get involved and for how to apply, contact drakeinstitute@osu.edu. CIRTL@OSU Endorsements will be available beginning Autumn 2022.


CIRTL@OSU Endorsement Outcomes and Opportunities 

CIRTL Participant Outcomes 

CIRTL learning outcomes are defined for each certification level. Each level includes outcomes related to the following process or content areas: 

  1. Teaching as Research 

  2. Evidence-Based Teaching 

  3. Learning Communities 

  4. Learning through Diversity 

Read & review CIRTL participant outcomes by visiting https://www.cirtl.net/about/learning_outcomes. Endorsements are available at Ohio State to recognize achievement of each of the CIRTL certification levels. 

Associate-Level CIRTL Endorsement 

Earn the opportunity to apply for an Associate-level CIRTL@OSU Endorsement by joining and completing a local CIRTL@OSU Learning Community. Click the button below to submit your LC interest application!

GO TO CIRTL@OSU LC INTEREST FORM
 

Already completed a CIRTL@OSU Learning Community experience? Apply for the CIRTL@OSU Associate-Level Endorsement beginning in Autumn 2022 and e-mail drakeinstitute@osu.edu for more information!

Explore other Drake Institute Teaching and Learning Endorsement Opportunities 


* Quote from https://www.cirtl.net/about

** Wiggins, G. P., & McTighe, J. (2005). Understanding by design (2nd ed.). Pearson.