Faculty Engagement Awards
Offering hardware, software, staff support, and more to help improve teaching and learning through the innovative use of technology.
How It Works
Annually, TLT grants several Faculty Engagement Awards. They focus on a specific theme that brings together sound pedagogy and digital tools that can enhance the educational experience. Award recipients are furnished resources to support their exploration and development of that year’s topic. Each award includes a multi-semester arrangement with an instructional designer and technology support staff who collaborates with faculty to identify the most effective in-class uses of a particular technology. There is an opportunity for one consultation with a TLT researcher to help to assess the impact of this technology and TLT shares relevant findings of the program with the Penn State community.
This Year’s Theme: Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) for Teaching including Microsoft CoPilot 365
To foster creativity, productivity, and efficiency within teaching, this year’s awards are focusing on the exploration and investigation of freely available generative AI at Penn State along with Microsoft CoPilot 365 and ChatGPT Teams. These tools encompass a range of features designed to enhance the teaching and learning experience including:
- Microsoft Word: Automate document formatting, generate summaries and refine instructional materials with AI-driven insights.
- Microsoft Excel: Utilize AI-powered data analysis, assist with grading and feedback and generate predictive models for student performance.
- Microsoft PowerPoint: Enhance presentations with AI-assisted slide design, generate real-time content suggestions and create more engaging instructional materials.
The focus is on how to use these from a faculty perspective for instructional use and productivity. This includes using generative AI to assist in instructional design, course planning, and content delivery, as well as generative AI to enhance overall faculty productivity in teaching and administrative tasks including managing and facilitating efficient communication.
Exposure to these generative AI tools can assist faculty for professional success in a rapidly evolving digital landscape. We are eager to collaborate with faculty to explore the affordances and constraints of utilizing generative AI tools in teaching and to give dedicated support and space to the adaptability to these emerging technologies. Together, we aim to identify best practices and innovative approaches that leverage these tools to elevate the teaching and learning experience in various educational settings.
2025 Faculty Engagement Award Application
2025 Faculty Engagement Award ApplicationProject Commitment and Timeline
Selected faculty will be expected to explore various implementations of generative AI of text and images for faculty instructional use and productivity, document innovative approaches during Summer/Fall 2025, and submit a summary report as an artifact. All requirements include:
- Attend a combined online orientation session and training workshop to the program and how to navigate and utilize generative AI tools.
- Participate in pedagogical consulting throughout the entire faculty engagement
- Attend 2-3 virtual meet-ups throughout the process with date selection based upon groups availability
- Implement innovative approaches of generative AI for teaching and productivity of one or more courses during Fall 2025.
- Write a summary report, outlining the work of innovative approaches of using generative AI for teaching and productivity of a course, as well as, any implications of implementation to the classroom and student experience with the report intended for a public audience
Faculty who fulfill all faculty engagement requirements will receive access particular technology and dedicated TLT staff support from Summer 2025 through early Spring 2026.