The Pillars of CIRTL

Three ideas are at the foundation of all that CIRTL does: Teaching-as-Research, Learning Community, and Learning-through-Diversity. The teaching-as-research and learning community ideas formed the basis of the CIRTL proposal and strategic plan. Enhancing learning for all students has been woven into all CIRTL initiatives since the beginning, but only late in the first year of the project did we recognize the importance of making learning-through-diversity an explicit third foundational concept.

Teaching-as-research is the deliberate, systematic, and reflective use of research methods by science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) instructors to develop and implement teaching practices that advance the learning experiences and outcomes of both students and teachers.

Learning communities bring together groups of people for shared learning, discovery, and generation of knowledge. To achieve common learning goals, a learning community nurtures functional relationships among its members.

Learning-through-diversity capitalizes on the rich array of experiences, backgrounds, and skills among STEM undergraduates and graduates-through-faculty to enhance the learning of all. It recognizes that excellence and diversity are necessarily intertwined.

For a more detailed description of the Pillars of CIRTL, click on each pillar.

CIRTL
1025 W. Johnson St.
Madison, WI 53706
ph.: 608.263.0630
fax: 608.265.0538