CIRTL Certificate Program
A three-tiered certificate program for graduate students and postdocs.
Overview
The CIRTL Network is a multi-institutional network aimed at transforming higher education through the implementation of innovative pedagogy that benefits all learners. CIRTL at Northwestern is led by the Searle Center and is open to all members of the Northwestern Community, who may participate in local and online offerings led by the Searle Center and/or the CIRTL Network.
The Searle Center offers three levels of certification to Northwestern graduate students and postdocs, confirming achievement of three levels of learning outcomes outlined by the CIRTL Network.
Learning Outcomes
Associate Level
Participants should make progress toward:
- Recognizing the value of participation in learning communities that center teaching and learning.
- Understanding student experiences in STEM classrooms.
- Demonstrating knowledge of and staying current with evidence-informed teaching practices.
Offerings
To achieve learning outcomes at this level, attend one exploratory session from each of the following:
Practitioner Level
Participants should make progress toward:
- Communicating pedagogical values and decisions around evidence-informed teaching.
- Integrating and implementing one or more evidence-based teaching strategies into a responsive teaching plan to accomplish their learning goals.
- Critically reflecting upon experiences, others’ perspectives, and scholarship to promote ongoing development as an effective educator.
Offerings
To achieve learning outcomes at this level, complete the Associate Level Programming, plus one of the following:
Scholar Level
Participants should make progress toward:
- Demonstrating understanding of the Teaching-as-Research (TAR) process and its relation to the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL).
- Applying knowledge of the TAR and SoTL processes to current or future teaching.
- Contributing to community knowledge about teaching and learning through the co-creation of a teaching and learning guide.
Offerings
To achieve learning outcomes at this level, complete the Practitioner Level Programming, plus both of the following:
- One Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) Gathering*
- The Searle Teaching-as-Research (STAR) Program, which includes the creation of a teaching and learning guide with a Searle Educational Developer*
*Forthcoming
How to Receive a Certificate
We recognize that participants may move through this program in a non-linear fashion. Participants will be notified via email about progress.
To earn the credential at each level, participants should complete this form. Participants will be asked to submit:
- One-page reflection(s) demonstrating achievement of the learning outcomes upon the completion of each level
- Accompanying program artifacts further demonstrating achievement of learning outcomes
Participants may be asked to provide additional materials supporting the program learning outcomes.