Digital Pedagogy

The Faculty Hub is committed to helping faculty incorporate digital tools into their pedagogy. This support for digital pedagogies is provided through multiple programs. Our Digital Pedagogy Cohorts are semester-long commitments that focus on a specific area, like digital media or web publishing. We also support the experimentation and evaluation of digital pedagogy tools through the Digital Pedagogy (DP) grants. The DP grants are a collaboration across IS, the Faculty Technology Committee, and Faculty Hub.  Learn more about the two digital pedagogy programs below.

Digital Pedagogy Grants

  • General Information

    The digital pedagogy (DP) grant is a pilot program for the exploration and evaluation of digital pedagogy tools and practices that have the potential to enhance teaching and learning.  

    DP grants support the purchase/licensing of software or digital services. 

    Recommendations for funding will be made to the Director of the Faculty Hub by a review committee comprised of one member of the Faculty Hub, three faculty members on the FTC, plus one staff member from Information Services (ex officio).  

    Priority will be given to grant proposals that:   

    • Explain how the requested item has potential to create new or enhanced learning opportunities beyond what is currently available on campus (see Instructional Software and Tools for Faculty) 
    • Define objectives that can be realistically completed during the grant period  
    • Align the use of the item with inclusive pedagogy (IP) practices  
    • Demonstrate the potential to benefit more than one course or group of students   

    As a pilot program, DP grants support experimentation and evaluation of new items for use in one or more courses for a duration of one to three semesters. Longer-term funding will follow the IS governance process.   

    DP grants do not directly provide integration with existing enterprise systems (e.g., Blackboard, Box, Office 365).  If these integrations are essential for your proposal, please consult with Information Services (helpdesk@richmond.edu) before submitting your application.   

    Faculty are encouraged to contact the Faculty Hub (facultyhub@richmond.edu) for any questions about the DP grants process or to seek guidance on their proposals before submission.   

     

  • Current & Previous Recipients

    Below is a list of Digital Pedagogy Grant recepients and the pedagogical tools approved for evaluation by the Digital Pedagogy Grant committee. 

    Pedagogical Tool Faculty Member(s)
    Mentimeter  Olivier Delers & Michael Marsh-Soloway
    EdPuzzle Olivier Delers & Michael Marsh-Soloway
    Peerceptiv Kristine Nolin
    Packback Lauren Henly
    Elizabeth Kissling
    Movavi Julie McConnell
  • Apply

    Link to the application

    Deadlines:

    • Currently accepting applications for the 2024-2025 academic year 

    Questions:

    • Primary Instructor Applicant’s Name, UR Email, School/Department
    • How many instructors will be evaluating this item?
    • Course(s) for which this funding request is made. Please submit this information for each course that will use this item.
      • Instructor
      • Semester
      • Course Number
      • Course Title
      • Enrollment
    •  Name of item (equipment, software, or service) requested. (If possible, please provide a link to the item’s website.) 
    • Please explain your goals for how the proposed item may enhance or improve learning in your course.
    • How will the item help promote inclusive and equitable teaching practices?
    • Please explain briefly how this item has the potential to benefit more than one course or group of students (now or in the future).
    • Please provide specific budgetary needs. (For example, if the cost is per student, please provide the total cost of your item based on enrollment numbers.)
    • Please upload a PDF with email quotes from vendors.
    • Duration of the requested evaluation period (1, 2, or 3 semesters).

Digital Pedagogy Cohorts

Led by the Faculty Hub’s technology consultants, the DPC provides opportunities for faculty to improve their skill with digital pedagogy methods, increase their familiarity with digital pedagogy theories, and cultivate community during a semester-based cohort model. 

  • Generative AI

    The Digital Pedagogy Cohort at the University of Richmond aims to empower faculty and instructional staff to integrate meaningful digital activities into their courses. This academic year, we will focus on the role of generative AI in education, exploring both its potential and its limitations.

    Our Approach

    Our goal is not to force generative AI into the classroom but to critically assess the technology and explore its impact on learning. We aim to help you make informed decisions, whether crafting a course policy on AI or integrating AI into specific assignments.

    • Fall Semester: Exploring Foundational Concepts: In the fall semester, we will read Ethan Mollick’s new book, “Co-Intelligence.” This book provides a compelling look at how AI can transform our daily lives and work environments, offering insights into the collaborative potential between humans and machines. 
    • Spring Semester: Practical Applications: In the spring semester, we will dive into "AI Snake Oil" by Arvind Narayanan and Sayash Kapoor. This book offers a skeptical approach to understanding what AI can and, importantly, can’t do. 
    • All cohort members will receive free copies of both “Co-Intelligence” and “AI Snake Oil.”

    Meeting Schedule

    We will meet twice a month (six times per semester). Whether you are new to generative AI or have experience with it and wish to enhance your teaching methods, this cohort is for you. We are currently accepting sign ups but space is limited.

     

  • Learning Management Systems (Blackboard)

    A University’s learning management system (LMS) is a foundational digital pedagogy tool that helps faculty teach and students learn. For the fall 2022 semester, faculty will come together to discuss the role of this tool in their teaching both in the past but also in the future. The pandemic dramatically altered the way many of us teach and the LMS played a big role in that – the fall 2022 digital pedagogy cohort on the LMS looks to continue the exploration into the ways the LMS can impact student learning.  

  • Web Publishing

    The 2022 spring Digital Pedagogy cohort focus is web publishing. Have you ever thought about creating a blog assignment, online exhibition, or social media assignment for your course? Have you incorporated a web publishing assignment in the past but want to improve it? If so, email us at facultyhub@richmond.edu and let us know you’d like to participate.  

  • Digital Media

    Our pilot cohort focused on digital media (e.g. digital storytelling, podcasting, videographic essays) and was designed for faculty who were creating a digital media assignment or project for the first time, or wanting to improve an existing assignment or project. The cohort met twice a month during the Fall 2021 semester, with individual consultations and in-class observations available by request. 

    Resources

    Topic Resource
    Designing Effective Digital Media Projects Guide
    Creating Flexible Digital Media Assignments Guide
    Where to Find Stock Media Guide
    Considerations for Scaffolding Digital Media Assignments Slides