Transformational Learning Initiative Fund (TLIF)
As part of its commitment to active learning and teaching excellence, Lang has two teaching and learning funds. Calls are sent out via email and updated here.
Transformational Learning Initiatives Fund (TLIF)
Call for Proposals
The Transformational Learning Initiatives Fund has two submission criteria to better support the development of teaching and learning practices in the Gordon S. Lang School of Business and Economics.
The School has identified ‘active learning’, ‘research with impact’ and ‘community engagement’ as the three pillars underlining our vision and mission. Similar to the University-wide Learning Enhancement Fund (LEF), the Lang Transformational Learning Initiatives Fund (TLIF) seeks to support projects and opportunities that will enrich the learning experience of our students at both the undergraduate and graduate level. Submissions can be to support innovations and/or research in the classroom, or support a professional development opportunity related to teaching and learning.
The overall objective of the TLIF is to support and improve our collective expertise in active and experiential learning. As such, there will be an expectation that the results of the project will be shared with Lang faculty and staff to ensure we are mobilizing the knowledge and learning developed as a result of the projects funded. Awardees will also be encouraged to consider the publication and presentation of their ‘TLIF’ work at relevant SoTL events either in Guelph (e.g. TLI) or elsewhere.
A) Innovations and/or research in the classroom
Awards are normally up to a maximum of $10,000 each
The TLIF is intended to support action-based research and pedagogical development, with a focus on supporting discipline-specific teaching and learning practices in the School. All submissions will be considered on their merit, with projects designed to enhance the learning experience of business and economics students broadly, and thus potentially transferable with a wider impact, will be considered favourably. As with the University-wide LEF, the goal is to develop initiatives that are effective, efficient and sustainable.
The TLIF fund is not intended to support activities that will require ongoing and regular financial contributions. The fund is not a subsidy for electronic classroom resources. The TLIF will also not generally be used to support faculty buy-out from course teaching activities. In addition, multiple project funds will normally not be awarded to an individual until currently funded projects have been completed.
B) Professional development related to teaching and learning
The TLIF is also intended to support the culture of teaching and learning in the Gordon S. Lang School of Business and Economics. Therefore, the fund could also be used to support faculty and staff attendance at SOTL conferences and professional development opportunities related to teaching and learning.
For questions about the fund, possible initiatives or a general discussion on your ideas, please contact Jackie Hamilton, Director, Accreditation, Curriculum Development, and Learning Innovation.
TLIF Selection Criteria
Funding requests will be reviewed by the Lang Teaching and Learning Advisory Board. Complete the accompanying proposal template and submit it to the board via email. Submissions will be evaluated and awarded based on the following criteria:
- Definition of the teaching or learning problem or issue which the project seeks to address;
- Explanation of the proposed intervention or initiative that will seek to address the issue or problem and strengthen teaching and learning in demonstrable ways;
- Explanation of the metrics which will be used to measure the success of the intervention or initiative;
- Relationship to active learning and the needs for improvement or development identified in the School's integrated plan;
- Sustainability of any initiative beyond the timeline of the funding; budget viability and timelines to completion as defined at the time of submission.
- For professional development opportunities, we will evaluate the relevance of the conference as well as how you tend to use your experiences to further enhance teaching and learning practices at Lang.
Download TLIF proposal form for professional development
Download proposal form for innovations and/or research
Examples of past products: Student Attitudes towards the Environment and Ethics Research Project (TLIF 2019/20):
Download transcript
Experiential Learning Fund
Call for Applications
Similar to the Lang Transformational Learning Initiatives Fund (TLIF), the Experiential Learning (EL) Travel Fund normally seeks to support projects and opportunities that will enrich the learning experience of our students at both the undergraduate and graduate level. Overall, the objective of the fund is to provide equitable access to students who are interested in participating in a field course or other type of experiential learning opportunity within the Gordon S. Lang School of Business and Economics. All Lang instructors are eligbible to apply.
For the 2021 year, in recognition of the limitations in place due to COVID-19, the Experiential Learning Travel Fund will operate as the Experiential Learning Fund. The fund is currently open for applications for Experiential Learning opportunities in a virtual or local environment. Examples of what an instructor may wish to apply for include virtual workplace simulations, remote industry tours, experiential technologies, or other experiential learning opportunities. The funding must go towards a student experience and applications are normally funded up to a maximum of $10,000. In addition, Lang is committed to developing our collective expertise in teaching and learning excellence. As such, there will be an expectation that the results of the initiative will be shared with Lang faculty and staff to ensure we are mobilizing the knowledge and learning developed as a result of the initiatives funded.
If you have questions or ideas you would like to discuss, please connect with Jackie Hamilton, Director, Accreditation, Curriculum Development, and Learning Innovation.
EL Fund Selection Criteria
Funding requests will be reviewed by the Lang Teaching and Learning Advisory Board. Submissions should be emailed (via attached form) and are open until Friday November 12th 2021. The Advisory Board will provide responses in time for instructors to make appropriate changes for the Winter 2022 semester. Submissions are evaluated and awarded based on the following criteria:
- How well the plan has been laid out and budgeted for (e.g. a detailed plan has been provided and it is clear how the budget is being used in an itemized manner);
- The positive impact and increased access to experiential learning opportunities that would be available to Lang students (e.g. how will funding this initiative lead to a meaningful learning experience for Lang students, what evidence is there to support this initiative will be impactful, etc.);
- The quality of the learning objectives of the initiative (e.g. how do the objectives support experiential learning, student success, etc.) and;
- Relationship to Lang’s mission and strategic priorities (e.g. how does this support academic innovation and active learning, etc.).