Women's Studies Program receives $5,000 grant to advance online teaching

02/13/09 - The University of Rhode Island's Women's Studies Program received a $5,000 grant from the National Education Association that will be used to improve the use of online courses.Every year URI receives a long list of grants that faculty members can choose to apply for. Jody Lisberger, Interim Director of the Women's Studies program decided to take the time to apply.

"I am familiar with what you need to do when writing a grant," Lisberger said. "[It's] important to be specific."

When she applied for the grant, Lisberger said she didn't think she was actually going to receive it.

"I almost didn't open the e-mail," she said. With a subject line that read "Learning and Leadership," Lisberger said she thought it was just another e-mail.

But after opening it, she learned she received the $5,000 grant.

According to the NEA Web site, Lisberger became the first URI faculty member to receive an NEA grant since 2001. She said she believes the money will greatly reward faculty in the Women's Studies Department.

Lisberger stated in the grant application, "This grant will allow 12 women's studies faculty to develop the skills, learn the best practices, discuss the pedagogical ramifications and share with other faculty members the knowledge and experiential wisdom they gain from teaching online courses."

The money will give women's studies faculty members a $250 bonus. "This is an opportunity to pay part-time [employees] full-time for their professional development," Lisberger said.

She has planned three half-day workshops, where faculty members can meet and learn more about the online courses. The workshops will take place in the URI Multicultural Center's computer classroom.

Lisberger said the first workshop was held this past week. The next one is planned for Feb. 27. The final workshop will be open to faculty members of different departments, including Dean of Arts and Sciences Winifred Brownell and Vice Provost of Enrollment Services Dean Libutti. The date of the final session has yet to be determined, but is expected to be in May.

Lisberger said a portion of the "Learning and Leadership" grant will pay for food and refreshments at the workshops. It will cost $350 for the first two sessions and $400 for the last session as there will be more attendees.

Along with free lunch, the grant has allowed the faculty to invite WebCT specialist Brett Rutherford, who Lisberger said is an expert on how to teach online courses. A portion of the $5,000 will go toward his teachings for the three sessions.

"Brett will discuss with us basic computer skills, access and design so faculty can learn how to use or improve their WebCT in both a full-class and a blended class format," Lisberger said in the application.

She said she had written the grant before the faculty decided to switch from WebCT to a new program called SAKAI. "[It's] a much easier online teaching platform [and is] more accessible and easier to negotiate," Lisberger said. The program SAKAI will take effect next September, she said.

According to the grant, in the past two years the number of students participating in the WMS online courses, "doubled from 160 to 280." WMS offers approximately 40 online courses.

Before writing the grant, Lisberger, the faculty and some students discussed the pros and cons of online courses. The staff felt the courses were more convenient online, but the students said they are unable to create personal relationships with fellow classmates.

"Teaching online requires a slightly different approach. [The grant] will help the faculty be better teachers, "It will benefit the students and the university," said URI English Professor and former Women's Studies Director, Karen Stein.