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Ontario Tech acknowledges the lands and people of the Mississaugas of Scugog Island First Nation.

We are thankful to be welcome on these lands in friendship. The lands we are situated on are covered by the Williams Treaties and are the traditional territory of the Mississaugas, a branch of the greater Anishinaabeg Nation, including Algonquin, Ojibway, Odawa and Pottawatomi. These lands remain home to many Indigenous nations and peoples.

We acknowledge this land out of respect for the Indigenous nations who have cared for Turtle Island, also called North America, from before the arrival of settler peoples until this day. Most importantly, we acknowledge that the history of these lands has been tainted by poor treatment and a lack of friendship with the First Nations who call them home.

This history is something we are all affected by because we are all treaty people in Canada. We all have a shared history to reflect on, and each of us is affected by this history in different ways. Our past defines our present, but if we move forward as friends and allies, then it does not have to define our future.

Learn more about Indigenous Education and Cultural Services

FAQs

  • What Does the Teaching Innovation Fund Support?
    The objective of the Ontario Tech Teaching Innovation Fund (OT-TIF) is to assist faculty members and instructors in the development, implementation, and dissemination of novel and innovative practices in university teaching. The fund provides seed money for the start-up or implementation of these practices, and supports scalable, sustainable, and collaborative initiatives that promote new frontiers in teaching.
  • What Are Eligible Projects?

    Eligible projects support teaching and learning in one of five thematic areas. These are:

    1. Indigenization and Reconciliation: Projects will naturalize Indigenous knowledge systems in new or existing opportunities in order to bring traditional knowledge together with Western knowledge systems.
    2. Open Educational Practices and Resources: Projects will address the use of open educational practices (OEP) and/or the creation or use of open educational resources (OER) for teaching and learning.
    3. Experiential and Work-Integrated Learning: These initiatives will look at incorporating experiential and/or work-integrated learning into teaching practice.
    4. Alternative Learning Opportunities: Projects in this category will examine innovative practices in the offering of alternative learning opportunities, including micro-certifications, badges, and micro learning experiences.
    5. Open Category: Focusing on the truly innovative, this area considers all other initiatives pertaining to teaching and learning which are not addressed in the previous categories.

    Initiatives also have a clear target student cohort, a way to address and assess impact on teaching and learning, as well as a dissemination plan. Projects must include a feasible budget and project timelines.

    The money is to be used as seed money to begin a project. It is not intended to be used as support for on-going expenses of an in-progress initiative or project, nor is it intended to support the work of graduate or post-doctoral students currently engaged in a research project.

  • How Are Projects Funded?
    The OT-TIF fund is an annual, fixed-amount fund. Applicants are welcome to make applications of any dollar amount up to $8200 per project – the size of the request does not diminish the chances of receiving funding. However, projects with budgets of any size up to the maximum may not receive the entire amount requested, even if they are selected for funding. The Teaching and Learning Advisory Committee may determine which portions of a selected project are eligible for funding.
  • What Are Ineligible Expenses?

    Because OT-TIF is a fixed fund, the following expenses are not eligible:

    • Faculty reimbursement of expenses unrelated to the project
    • RAships for students at the graduate or undergraduate level
    • Journal subscriptions
    • Professional association memberships
    • Equipment or software normally provided by the university
    • Registration or travel for conferences
    • Equipment, software, and or salary/wages are normally covered and/or supplied by the university
  • If I Apply For a Two-Year Length of Funding, Does That Mean I Receive Two Times My Budget (e.g., a maximum of $16,4000)?
    No, applying for a two-year length for funding means that project funds are available to you for two years, after which, unused funds will be returned to the Teaching and Learning Centre. The maximum available funds for any project for any length of time is $8200. In your application, please ensure you apply for funds to cover the entire length of your project, as outlined by your project timelines.
  • How do I complete an Application Form?

    The application form is available on the Teaching and Learning Centre’s website at https://tlc.ontariotechu.ca/awards+funding/teaching-innovation-fund/apply.php. Forms must be completed electronically through this system. No other forms of submission are permitted.

  • Can I Make My Own Application Form?
    No, you must use the form provided online. However, you may submit the project timelines and budget files (in any electronic format) in the locations indicated in the application form.
  • When is the Application Form Due?

    All applications must be received by Wednesday, April 15, 2020 at 4:30 p.m. Applications are time-stamped and no late applications will be accepted.

  • Who is Eligible to Apply?

    The primary applicant of the OT-TIF application must be an Ontario Tech instructor. This includes tenured and tenure-track professors, teaching professors, and part-time or sessional instructors. Part-time and sessions instructors must apply with a collaborator who is a full-time continuing instructor at the university. Collaborators may be other staff or faculty members at Ontario Tech.

  • Can Previous Recipients Apply?
    Yes, previous recipients may apply.
  • Can Previous Applicants Apply?
    Yes, previous applicants may apply.
  • How Are Fund Recipients Selected?
    Fund recipients are selected by the Teaching and Learning Advisory Committee. Committee members use a comprehensive rubric to discuss each project’s suitability for funding.
  • When Are Recipients Announced?
    Both successful and unsuccessful applicants are contacted via email. After the necessary paperwork has been completed, an announcement of successful projects will be made on university social media channels and on the Teaching and Learning Centre’s website.