The University Libraries is offering another Faculty Institute entitled "Creative Research Assignments: Looking Beyond the Research Paper". This was a popular and successful program offered May 2017 and January 2018, and UNLV Libraries is offering another opportunity for more faculty to participate. Like previous institutes, faculty who are selected to participate are eligible to receive a $1,000 stipend.

Faculty at UNLV and around the country are exploring options beyond the traditional research paper. In this institute, faculty will have an opportunity to learn about other types of assignments – for example, websites, infographics, poster sessions, podcasts, videos – that enable students to increase knowledge and develop skills.

The purpose of this institute is to provide a space for faculty to explore creative alternatives to traditional research assignments that challenge students’ critical thinking skills and support them as they create new knowledge. Faculty who already assign non-traditional work, but would like to incorporate a more robust research element are also welcome to participate.

Faculty will create learning outcomes that challenge and strengthen the critical thinking and inquiry skills of students in their disciplines. Through collaboration with campus partners, faculty will consider how these learning outcomes can be achieved through creative assignments that engage students in research and knowledge creation practices. Participants also will explore possibilities for student learning outcomes assessment in order to evaluate assignments and plan improvements.

The Institute is designed for faculty members with an interest in creating research assignments where students record the process or product of their research in non-traditional ways. Similarly, faculty who would like to incorporate more meaningful research requirement into existing non-traditional assignments are also welcome to attend.

This Institute is open to all UNLV faculty who teach undergraduate and graduate courses. Graduate assistants who teach are welcome to attend with the support of their program coordinator. Program coordinators are encouraged to consider attending with another instructor in their program.

Learning Outcomes

This workshop will enable attendees to:

• Articulate developmentally appropriate learning outcomes for research assignments that address critical thinking and inquiry skills
• Construct creative assignment prompts using alternative methods for presenting the process and product of student research
• Collaborate with colleagues in order to engage in cross-disciplinary discussions about course design

The application deadline is Monday, April 16. 

If you have questions, please contact Melissa Bowles-Terry, Head of Educational Initiatives, via email at melissa.bowles-terry@unlv.edu.