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Mission
Innovative Teaching and Engaged Learning (INTEL) provides leadership and support for new academic initiatives and faculty development that promote Virginia Wesleyan University's strategic institutional commitments to students' intellectual inquiry, active learning and engagement.
About INTEL
INTEL supports the core capacities necessary for experiential learning both in and outside of the classroom in various ways. It promotes academic culture and community engagement in the classroom, encourages innovation with technology, and supports faculty excellence.
Promotes Academic Culture
INTEL hosts "Talk About Teaching" sessions. Through these venues, faculty are able to enhance their teaching, learn about their colleagues' research and share best practices about teaching techniques that work in their courses. Additionally, INTEL provides funding towards registration and housing for faculty who present a poster or session at the Conference on Higher Education Pedagogy at Virginia Tech.
Promotes Community Engagement in the Classroom
The director of Civic Engagement and Service Learning Deputy Diversity Officer of Wesleyan Engaged, serves as an ongoing member of the INTEL committee. INTEL strives to support Wesleyan Engaged to increase community engagement in the classroom through collaboration and discussion during INTEL meetings, programming, and The Pharos Community Engagement category.
Encourages Innovation with Technology
INTEL sponsors regular technology workshops throughout the academic year in many formats—scheduled, full-day, pop-up, and via Zoom. INTEL also provides a Blackboard course for faculty that houses technology and teaching support to develop faculty skills.
Supports Faculty Excellence
The director of INTEL edits a monthly publication that recognizes faculty accomplishments, such as publications, conferences, organization positions, and community engagement course experiences. The publication, "The Pharos" is distributed to both inside and outside audiences. INTEL also organizes the "Feathers in Your Cap" event at the end of the academic year to celebrate faculty accomplishments.
For more information, please contact the Chair of Innovative Teaching and Engaged Learning.