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Great Questions Fellowships

Overview

Great Questions Courses center around the discussion-based exploration of transformative texts, works, and ideas rather than a textbook and instructor-delivered lectures and assessments that are oriented toward the reproduction of that content. There are two kinds of Great Questions Courses at ACC: HUMA 1301: The Great Questions Seminar, which is taught from a common syllabus and meets the college Student Success Course requirement, and Great Questions Journey courses, which are each designed by the instructors who teach them in their home disciplines, but feature the same, student-centered and discussion based pedagogical approach, which helps students raise and explore questions that are important to us as human beings, and emphasizes works within various academic disciplines that help us to become more thoughtful about those questions.

The Introduction to Great Questions Pedagogy fellowship is an introduction to the Great Questions pedagogical approach through participation in and study of the HUMA 1301: The Great Questions Seminar curriculum. Completing this program is required of all faculty who would like to teach sections of HUMA 1301: The Great Questions Seminar. It’s also a required stepping stone towards the Great Questions Journey Fellowship, in which faculty will work to redesign a course they teach in their home discipline to become a part of The Great Questions Journey through general education at ACC. Senior Fellows will work to document the impact of our programs on teaching and learning at ACC, as well as to help onboard new faculty members who are interested in being a part of the Great Questions Journey at ACC. Introduction to Great Questions Pedagogy: HUMA 1301 The Great Questions Seminar.

Introduction to Great Questions Pedagogy

An introduction to or rediscovery of discussion-based learning through active exploration of discussion-based pedagogical techniques centered around the study of core and transformative texts. Participants will discuss, explore, and reflect on transformative texts in a number of academic disciplines while learning how to incorporate discussion and project-based learning activities in their own courses centered around those texts.

Note: The Introduction to Great Questions Pedagogy Fellowship follows a different schedule. Applications open in the spring. Please contact Keri Pope at kpope@austincc.edu for any questions.

Outcomes:

Upon completion of the Introduction to Great Questions Pedagogy training, participants will be able to:

    1. Discuss transformative texts with peers, which represent a diversity of academic disciplines.
    2. Apply discussion-based pedagogy in their own courses.
    3. Formulate engaging and student-centered study and discussion questions related to a core and transformative text in their home discipline.
    4. Create a project or group-based activity centered around a core and transformative text in their teaching discipline.

Number of Hours: 12 in-meeting (six meetings) and 12 in prep, total 24.

Stipend: $600

Completion of the Introduction to Great Questions Pedagogy training places
candidates in the selection pool for the Great Questions Course Redesign Workshop Fellowship.

Faculty who have Completed the Introduction to Great Questions Pedagogy

Great Questions Journey Course Redesign Workshop

Great Questions Journey Course Redesign Workshop

A small group workshop with Great Questions faculty members to redesign at least 40% of a course centered around the project and discussion-based study of core and transformative texts in the teaching discipline and which will meet Great Questions Journey Course Guidelines.

Outcomes:

  • Upon completion of the Great Questions Journey Course Redesign Workshop, participants will be able to:
  • Identify at least one core/transformative text in the teaching discipline, which students will read in its entirety, and create comprehensive, engaging, and student-centered study and discussion questions related to that text.
  • Identify selections from other core and transformative texts in the teaching discipline, and create comprehensive, engaging, and student-centered study and discussion questions related to those selections.
  • Develop one or more project or group-based activity centered on core and transformative texts in the teaching discipline that collectively account for at least 15% of the course grade.
  • Design a syllabus where at least 40% of course material is centered around core/transformative texts in the teaching discipline, and which can be listed with a Great Questions Journey course note in the schedule and meets the requirements listed here.

Number of Hours: 30 – 50 hours, depending upon the level of course redesign desired.

Stipend: $1,200

Application

The application deadline has passed.
Acceptance notifications will be sent no later than 5 p.m. on Friday, December 6, 2024.

Completion of the Great Questions Course Redesign Workshop places candidates in the selection pool for the Great Questions Faculty Fellowship.

Faculty who have Completed the Great Questions Course Redesign Workshop

Great Questions Senior Fellow

A Great Questions Senior Fellow will be helping us understand the impact of Great Questions classes on student success and learning at ACC, as well as its impact on helping students develop as individuals and citizens.

Outcomes:

  • Design, implement and interpret surveys, which both faculty and students may complete.
  • Communicate the impact of Great Questions on teaching and learning at ACC with visually compelling data.
  • Organize and conduct focus groups, coordinate video projects and work with OIRA on acquiring and interpreting data related to student success.
  • Lead efforts to expand Great Questions Journey opportunities to students in disciplines where Great Questions Journey courses are not already present. This work will include meeting with academic department leadership and faculty and working to shepherd promising and prospective Great Questions Journey courses through the course certification process.

Number of Hours: 35-40 hours

Stipend: $1,500

Application

The application deadline has passed.
Acceptance notifications will be sent no later than 5 p.m. on Friday, December 6, 2024.

Contact

For questions about ACC Course Redesign Great Questions Fellowship opportunities, please contact Ted Hadzi-Antich Jr.  – thadzian@austincc.edu. If you want to receive a reminder for faculty fellowships, please subscribe here.