As a core part of its ongoing mission, OTLA coordinates professional development opportunities, particularly for new faculty members.  OTLA staff members provide organizational support for the Alpha Faculty Series, which includes the Alpha Day Orientation, Fall Semester Alpha Seminars, and the Spring Semester Alpha-Beta book discussion program.  As well, OTLA sponsors faculty-led seminars on various teaching topics during the Spring Semester and hosted monthly discussions about teaching and learning.  OTLA also manages three teaching award programs that carry varying levels of financial support: the Excellence in Teaching Award, the Creative Teaching Grant, and the Outstanding Teacher Award.

OTLA staff members assist with instructional design projects, individual and group, focusing on pedagogical aspects of teaching and teaching technology, and well over 350 faculty members representing most departments took part in OTLA-sponsored events or were directly assisted in some capacity by our staff.

OTLA continues to partner with other units on campus to support teaching with technology, particularly the Office of Informational Technology.  OTLA staff provides e-Classroom orientations, introducing the new electronic teaching consoles.  Expanding on that technology, OTLA partners with the School of Extended Education and the University Teleplex to implement the use of Mediasite presentation recording technology for both distance education and on-campus instruction.  OTLA also works closely with the University Teleplex to provide increased videoconferencing services to faculty and staff for a variety of instructional, scholarly, and administrative purposes.

OTLA reports to the Office of Academic Assessment and Institutional Research (AAIR). OTLA continues to increase its efforts to serve more faculty across the University's seven colleges. Launched in 2006-2007, the Enhancing Student Learning Initiative takes a college-centric approach to supporting faculty development in the area of student learning.  Faculty fellows from each college serve as the "go-to" person for information and expertise on student learning research, best practices, and collegial support.  The faculty fellows serve as liaison between OTLA and the colleges; therefore they can be a valuable resource for new faculty.

OTLA Mission and Goals

Ball State University pursues excellence in teaching as its primary goal. Within the University's administrative structure, the Office of Teaching and Learning Advancement (OTLA) is responsible for coordinating University resources to support faculty in achieving effective and exemplary teaching practices.

In support of the University's strategic plan, the OTLA focuses on the advancement of teaching and learning:

OTLA is a central source for information about professional development in teaching that facilitates successful learning for a wide variety of students.

Central to the OTLA mission is to: (1) respond to and support faculty members' goals for professional development; (2) assist with processes to create or sustain a culture of excellence in teaching; (3) provide instructional design support for on-campus and distance education courses; and (4) advance new initiatives in teaching and learning. Three full-time professional staff members and one part-time member, one full-time staff member and one student assistant helped carry out these goals. 

 Ongoing Professional Development Initiatives

Ball State's professional development programs emphasize learner-centered teaching practices, reinforced with appropriate technologies. OTLA staff assist faculty by planning and delivering various events, including workshops, seminars, and discussion groups.  The following is a brief overview of these ongoing initiatives:

New Faculty Orientation Day

The Associate Provost and OTLA organizes orientation days for new faculty. Alpha Day, on Thursday before the beginning of Fall Semester classes, introduces the academic structure of the University, provides guidelines for the immediate tasks of teaching BSU classes, and offers an introduction to the instructional resources that support the teaching mission of the University.

Alpha Seminars

These five-week seminars provide small groups of first-year faculty members with a comfortable environment within which to explore a variety of topics related to teaching, scholarship, university service, settling into a new community, etc.  These discussions are facilitated by experienced faculty members.

Alpha-Beta Seminars     

First- and second-year faculty (Alphas and Betas) discuss teaching and career issues through a common reader like, The Missing Professor: An Academic Mystery. Books are provided to faculty through OTLA budget funds.

Teaching Workshops    

OTLA coordinates workshops that serve faculty participants.  Sessions are facilitated by faculty members and/or OTLA staff.  Topics include: Developing a Teaching Portfolio, Leading Effective Classroom Discussions, Developing a Student-Centered Approach to Teaching, Teaching with Group Projects, Making Lectures More Engaging and Interactive, Aligning Teaching with Course and Programmatic Objectives, and Asking Questions that Promote Learning.

Discussion and Videoconferences

OTLA continues to host monthly "First Friday" discussions on various issues related to teaching and learning, as well as acts as a local host for the monthly IHETS "Virtual Brownbag" videoconferences.

Awards and Grants

Awards and grants demonstrate that the University values exceptional contributions to teaching. OTLA provides administrative support for the following faculty recognitions.

Creative Teaching Grants:  OTLA provides administrative support as mandated by the Faculty and Professional Handbook. Academic Affairs and OTLA provides budgets for faculty awardees chosen by the University Creative Teaching Committee.

Excellence in Teaching Awards:   OTLA organizes the student-nominated process and then supports the selection committee consisting of students and faculty. OTLA coordinates the award process with the Associate Provost, the Associate Vice-President for Student Life, the Executive Director of Institutional Effectiveness, University Computing Services, and the Associate Deans.

Outstanding Teaching Award:  OTLA provides administrative support and guidance to the Creative Teaching Committee in choosing the annual recipient of this award. 

Focused Professional Development Initiatives

Instructional Design Consultation

OTLA staff engages in instructional design projects, supporting faculty and programs with individual consultations regarding course design, curriculum development, teaching technology, and other instructional issues.  Among these consultations are long-term course design projects for distance education.