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Boise State Provost’s Teaching Scholars

The Boise State Provost’s Teaching Scholars (BSPTS) program recognizes instructors’ commitment to ongoing professional development around teaching. The program was developed in a collaboration between the Center for Teaching and Learning, the eCampus Center, Community Engagement and Belonging, and University Foundations, all of which have missions related to instructional support. 

The BSPTS program is aligned with the Assessment of Faculty Teaching Policy (Policy 4750). By working toward the recognition as a BSPTS, instructors will develop skills in the three components of effective teaching outlined in the policy. “Effective teaching is characterized by well-structured instructional design, the use of instructional strategies that actively engage students and support learning, and a commitment to continuous improvement through reflective practice.”

In order to earn the BSPTS recognition, instructors will complete 3 certificates, choosing from those offered by the various units that support Boise State faculty in their teaching. These certificates (listed below) align with the components of effective teaching outlined in Policy 4750. Each certificate is expected to take 30-40 hours to complete; most are designed to be done over a semester or even several semesters. Completion of each individual certificate comes with its own recognition and marks an instructor’s commitment to their development as a teacher.  It is expected that an instructor might take a few years to work toward the BSPTS recognition, thus indicating a significant and sustained commitment to effective teaching. Instructors who are interested in working toward this distinction can sign up here. Someone from the CTL or eCampus Center will then reach out.

Requirements for becoming a Boise State Provost’s Teaching Scholar

STEP 1: Complete one certificate from each of the three categories

Note: Instructors who teach in primarily face-to-face settings are encouraged to complete the Center for Teaching and Learning’s certificates (notated below as “F2F”), while instructors who teach primarily online courses are encouraged to complete certificates offered by the eCampus Center (“Online”). The Reflective Teaching Practice certificate is designed to accommodate instructors teaching in any modality.  

1) Instructional design

2) Instructional strategies

3) Reflective practice 

STEP 2: Submit final deliverables

Once you have completed three individual certificates, one from each category above, please prepare an application letter which includes: 

  1. A list of the three certificates you completed 
  2. A short reflection (1-2 paragraphs) on how your teaching has changed based on the work you’ve done related to the certificates
  3. Links to three pieces of evidence, one from each certificate, with a 1-2 sentence description about what you’re including. This doesn’t need to be something new that you’re generating, but can be part of the work you did for that certificate (e.g., a course design plan, a teaching philosophy statement, a transparent assignment, a lesson/module plan, etc.). 

Submit a link to your letter via this google form. Please make sure that Senior Educational Development Consultant Megan Frary (meganfrary@boisestate.edu) and Faculty Development Coordinator Liz Cummins (lizcummins@boisestate.edu) have access to view the letter.