Teaching Innovations and Learning Enhancement Fund

New! 2022 TILE recipients.

The Teaching Innovations and Learning Enhancement (TILE) fund is an institution-wide funding competition supported by Memorial's Teaching and Learning Framework (2023) to encourage exploration of new and innovative practices in teaching and learning.

One-time (non-base) funding will be provided to support one-year projects that align with the framework. Please note that course remissions are excluded from project funding. The TILE fund calls for proposals to articulate and undertake projects that contribute to undergraduate student accessibility, engagement, and success.

An allocation of $80,000 has been approved for the TILE Fund. Details on application requirements are below.

Summary timeline

March 7, 2022 TILE applications due to CITL
April 8-12, 2022 Project funding awarded (successful applicants contacted)
April 25, 2022 Projects commence
April 25, 2023 Projects completed
Spring 2023 (dates TBD) Projects presented at Teaching and Learning Conference
June 20, 2023 Project summary reports due to CITL

Purpose and objectives

The purpose of the TILE fund is to support teaching and learning initiatives that are evidence-based and enhance the undergraduate student educational experience by enabling accessibility, deepening engagement, and facilitating student success.

Specific objectives of the TILE fund are:

  • Encourage new and innovative teaching practices that enhance undergraduate learning
  • Build on recent successes and developments in the changing landscape of undergraduate education
  • Develop innovative use of online instruction and educational technologies to support undergraduate student learning
  • Enhance the flexibility of course design and mode of delivery
  • Positively impact significant numbers of undergraduate students and/or educators
  • Facilitate interaction among undergraduate learners, educators, staff and the community
  • Involve multi-disciplinary, cross portfolio, cross campus and/or community collaboration

Application themes

Applications for TILE funding must address at least one of the following themes:

Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Anti-Racism (EDIAR)
Projects address an area of EDIAR, including (but not limited to): Indigenization of undergraduate curriculum and pedagogy, anti-Black racism in undergraduate curriculum and pedagogy, connecting with rural and remote undergraduate students, and Universal Design for Learning.

Integration of Learning Technology with Teaching Practice
Projects explore innovative use of online instructional tools (e.g., collaboration spaces, discussion boards, and interactive whiteboards) and educational technologies (e.g., video production, gaming, and virtual reality) to enhance undergraduate student learning.

High Impact Practices (HIPs) in Teaching and Learning
Projects apply one of three HIPs to enhance student engagement (read more about HIPs).

  • community-based/service learning
  • learning communities
  • undergraduate research for first-year students

Eligibility

All full-time educators (tenured, tenure-track, contract, lab instructors, and other instructional staff) of Memorial University are eligible to apply as principal applicants. Per-course instructors, non-instructional staff, graduate students, and undergraduate students can apply as co-applicants.

Application process

The duration of the TILE funding is one year and projects should be endorsed by the unit head (department, faculty or school) of the principal applicant. The TILE fund application form requires the following:

  • A one-page teaching philosophy statement demonstrating alignment of project with teaching practice. See CITL resource for guidelines on teaching philosophy statements.
  • Clear and concise project title
  • Identification of theme(s) addressed
  • Project purpose and rationale aligned with the TILE fund purpose and objectives
  • SMART (specific, measurable, actionable, relevant, time-bound) project objectives
  • Activities to achieve objectives within one year
  • Project impact of and benefits to undergraduate students
  • Budget Outline (Computer and equipment purchases are not eligible unless they directly relate to the objectives of the project. There are no restrictions on proposed budget amounts, but applications should not exceed the total fund amount of $80,000.)
  • Acceptance to present project results at Memorial’s Teaching and Learning Conference
  • Dissemination of results (other than the Teaching and Learning Conference)
  • Signatures from the principal applicant and their unit head (Dean or Department)

Deadline

Applicants must complete and submit the application form for the TILE fund by 5 p.m. on March 7, 2022.

Successful applicants will be notified by April 4, 2022 and projects will commence by April 25, 2022.

Adjudication

Adjudication of applications received will be the responsibility of a panel of university representatives established and chaired by CITL. The Associate Vice-President (Teaching and Learning) will be responsible for making the final decisions regarding funding, based on recommendations received from the adjudication panel.

Evaluation criteria

Applications will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

  • The project will focus on undergraduate student learning.
  • The project addresses at least one of the three themes outlined above.
  • The project will contribute to the TILE Fund purpose and objectives, as outlined above.
  • The project purpose, objectives and activities are aligned and achievable in one year.
  • The project aligns with the teaching practice of the applicant to enhance undergraduate student learning.
  • The project will result in impactful and sustainable benefits to students and/or educators.
  • The project will be completed by April 25, 2023.
  • The budget is fully justified and is in line with the objectives and timeline of the project.
  • The applicant agrees to present results at Memorial’s Teaching and Learning Conference and considers other dissemination of results.

Reporting and dissemination

Successful applicants will complete their projects by April 25, 2023. A brief report on the results of the project will be due to CITL on June 20, 2023. A report template will be provided to successful applicants.

Acceptance of TILE funding includes applicant agreement to present their project results at Memorial University’s annual Teaching and Learning Conference. Applicants are also asked to consider other scholarly dissemination of the results of their project.

Contact us

For questions about the TILE fund, please email our Educator Development Team: educatordev@mun.ca