We recognize that shaping top-quality, flexible courses and programs takes time and a lot of support. As such, a variety of funding opportunities and grants are available for individual faculty, departments, and colleges that engage in digital learning and innovation.
The following table illustrates the opportunities available for UNO faculty to get involved with online learning and/or invest in strategies that grow their online learning footprint. Faculty can earn financial incentives for their involvement in the opportunities below.
| Compensation | Activity & Information | Description |
|---|---|---|
| $0 | Course Design Review |
A great utility for faculty seeking feedback and suggestions about strategies to improve the flow and design of their digital course materials using the Open Suny Course Quality Review Rubric (OSCQR). Note: The Course Design Review process is confidential between the Instructional Designer and the faculty member. |
| $100 | Digital Learning Workshops |
Workshops cover a variety of both pedagogical and technological skills and are offered throughout the year. Faculty are awarded $100 for attending at least 3 workshops in a semester with disbursement of funds taking place in December and May. |
| $100 | Faculty Presentations |
Share best practices about online learning with fellow UNO faculty and staff at a campus-organized professional development event. |
| $300 | Humanizing Online Courses |
These courses are 6-week long utilizing a cohort model designed to introduce effective teaching strategies and tools that increase social presence and improve student satisfaction levels in online courses. |
| $1,000 |
An asynchronous training course that supports faculty in meeting (or exceeding in some cases) standards outlined in UNO’s Online Course Design rubric and scaffolds the online course development process. |
|
| $1,000 |
Make meaningful changes to existing online courses with the help of an Instructional Designer. (i.e., new textbook adoption, assignment updates, new course activities, adding lecture videos, etc.). (available once every four years per course). *To be eligible, faculty must have previously received a Course Development Grant for the course they are seeking to refresh. |
|
| $3,000 |
Earn compensation for the time and commitment needed to develop a new well-designed online class with the support of the instructional design team. |
|
| varies |
Join the NU Applied Research in Technology Lab to explore the impact of online learning and academic technologies on student success at UNO. UNO faculty members who are interested in learning more or proposing a specific study should contact Dr. Dan Hawkins (dhawkins@unomaha.edu), UNO’s Director of Online Development, for more information. |
|
| varies |
A quality online program grant designed to help departments extend their reach to students. This grant utilizes market demand research and supports departments navigate the approval stages both internally and externally, where applicable. |
|
| varies | A higher dollar grant category is when an individual faculty member and/or department is interested in developing an online class at scale (typically defined at 100 or more students). |
Each Spring, a broad call for proposals is opened campus-wide, requesting faculty, departments, colleges, and other units bring forward ideas that would bring ongoing transformation and innovation to UNO’s digital learning environment. Top proposals will receive start-up funding. This process is co-sponsored by the Division of Innovative & Learning-Centric Initiatives, NU ITS, and Academic Affairs.