The University of Toronto Mississauga (UTM) is committed to offering innovative, high-impact, and real-world opportunities to all its students through experience-driven programs. Experiential learning (EL) is “the specific process by which a student acquires knowledge or meets learning goals through experience.” Effective EL addresses four learning modes: “hands-on experience,” “reflection,” the “integration of the experience with previous learning,” and an “opportunity to test new ideas.” Examples include academic internships, community-partnered field experiences, organization-partnered experiences, simulated work experiences, and more. High-quality EL programs deepen graduate and undergraduate education, respond to the needs of society, contribute to community-campus relationships, and enhance the reputation of the University.
The Office of the Vice-Principal Academic & Dean (OVPAD) continues to offer the Experiential Learning Development Grant twice per year to offset the range of costs associated with the development and delivery of EL opportunities.
UTM faculty may apply for one-time funding of up to $5,000 per project to support the short-term development and implementation of EL opportunities in undergraduate courses scheduled to be delivered in the current or upcoming academic session at the time of application. Applications will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
Deadlines: Friday, November 8, 2024 (fall) and Friday, May 16, 2025 (spring)
We encourage all instructors at UTM with an interest in teaching and learning to apply. This includes faculty members with continuing appointments in the teaching or tenure stream, CTLAs, LTAs, and sessional instructors II and III (teaching in the current or next academic session at the time of application). Collaborative proposals from multiple departments or academic support units on campus are encouraged.
Funding can be used towards a variety of purposes, for instance hiring research assistants to support course planning; purchasing equipment, consumables, or software licenses; covering group transportation or registration costs for field experiences; and other expenses downloaded to students that would normally be listed as an ancillary fee. Expenses associated with guest speakers (e.g., honouraria), hospitality (e.g., event space, catering), or Research Opportunity Program courses are not eligible for this grant.
Grant funds will be deposited directly into recipient research accounts (or, if sessional, departmental funds) upon award. Faculty members are encouraged to add their successful proposals to their Annual Activity Report and CVs as part of their PTR.
Interested applicants should complete and submit an Experiential Learning Development Grant Application prior to the appropriate deadline. Should you have any questions about this funding opportunity, please contact Dakota Pinheiro, Experiential Learning Developer, at dakota.pinheiro@utoronto.ca.