August 25, 2022
This message is distributed to Senate-Faculty. (Click here to view description of distribution groups.)
The following is being sent on behalf of Associate Dean, Undergraduate Education, Madeleine Sorapure
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Dear Faculty Colleagues,
We’re writing with the call for Winter 2023 Discovery@UCSB seminar proposals. The preferred application deadline is Friday, October 14th; we will review proposals after that date and schedule as we are able.
Discovery @ UCSB seminars introduce students to subjects that UCSB faculty care about and explore how faculty study these subjects. In this way, the seminars serve as introductions to academic disciplines -- that is, they enable students to understand what issues or problems are of interest within particular disciplines and how faculty in those disciplines go about exploring those areas of interest.
We encourage proposals that:
- introduce students to current areas of faculty interest and research
- enable students to learn about strategies for navigating UCSB disciplines and courses
- provide opportunities for students to become oriented to and study the physical surroundings of the campus
- include intentional strategies for students to get to know other students to build support networks.
We also encourage you to talk with students about how you and others in your discipline bring particular perspectives to bear on the subjects you study: what kinds of questions do you ask? What evidence or data do you collect? How do you analyze this evidence? How do you and others in your field share what you have learned? Building this layer of meta-analysis and meta-learning peels back the curtain on knowledge-making in disciplines and enables students to develop their own strategies for recognizing and navigating among these practices.
In your proposal, you’ll select one of three Discovery@UCSB seminar types.
Exploration Seminars (1 unit) are taught by one faculty member, focused on a topic of interest to the faculty member. Exploration Seminars can be for first year students (Exploration Seminars) or transfer students (Transfer Exploration Seminars). Enrollment is limited to 20 students, or 11 students if a field trip is involved. Faculty receive $1500 in professional development funding for teaching first year or transfer Exploration Seminars.
Discovery Seminars (2 units) are taught by two faculty members from two different disciplines around a common theme or topic. In addition to teaching about the topic, faculty will discuss how their disciplines inform the different approaches they take. Students will develop both knowledge of the subject and a framework for understanding disciplines and their expectations.
Linked Seminars (2 units) are taught by two faculty members from the same discipline or perspective. They focus in greater depth on one subject and provide greater insight into one disciplinary perspective.
Faculty teaching Discovery or Linked Seminars may set their class sizes for 30, 35, or 40 students. Each faculty member will receive research/professional development funding; the amount increases based on the enrollment cap set by faculty.
For seminars capped at:
- 15 students (second year, and senior transfer only): each faculty member will receive $1500 in research/professional development funding.
- 20 students (first year exploration, transfer exploration): each faculty member will receive $1500 in research/professional development funding.
- 30 students: each faculty member will receive $2000 in research/professional development funding.
- 35 students: each faculty member will receive $2500 in research/professional development funding.
- 40 students: each faculty member will receive $3000 in research/professional development funding.
On the form that you’ll use to propose Discovery@UCSB seminars, you’ll indicate:
- what kind of seminar you want to propose (Exploration, Discovery, or Linked)
- how many students you’ll want to include (15/11, 20/11; 30, 35, or 40).
To propose a Discovery@UCSB seminar, go to: https://forms.gle/
You can find more information about the seminars here:
https://duels.ucsb.edu/
If you have questions or would like to brainstorm possibilities for seminars, I’d be happy to talk with you!
Madeleine Sorapure
Teaching Professor, Writing Program
Associate Dean, Undergraduate Education
sorapure@ucsb.edu