The UA Teaching Academy is pleased to announce the Cross Scholars program. Funded by a generous endowment, the Cross Scholars will support the continued development of the K. Patricia Cross Academy. Cross Scholars will work closely with UATA to maintain and add to the legacy of the KP Cross Academy by growing the current collection of instructional materials.
Position Details and Award
- Up to four Cross Scholars will be selected annually through an application and interview process.
- Successful applicants will be offered a one-year appointment to serve as a Cross Scholar, with the opportunity for a second-year renewal.
- Cross Scholars will receive a $4,500 stipend each fall and spring semester, payable upon completion of work for that semester, for a total of $9,000 per academic year.
- Potential opportunities for paid summer work exist.
- Current Faculty Teaching Fellows are not eligible to serve as Cross Scholars. Interested faculty should choose one program to apply to each application cycle.
What is the K. Patricia Cross Academy?
The KP Cross Academy is a database of videos, blog posts and teaching techniques developed for educators to access free of charge. Developed by UATA faculty director Dr. Claire Major with her colleague Dr. Elizabeth Barkley, the website moved to UA in Summer 2024, where it is housed in the Teaching Academy. The site not only supports the pedagogical development of UA faculty, but also educators and higher education professionals around the world. The KP Cross Academy has welcomed 475,000 educators and growing since its inception in 2018.
Cross Scholars’ Role and Responsibilities
The primary role of the Cross Scholars is to develop timely, valuable, evidence-based teaching resources for distribution to KP Cross Academy users. Specific responsibilities will include but may not be limited to:
- Produce written teaching tip posts to be used in the Cross Academy’s monthly newsletter and on its website.
- Create content and record teaching enhancement videos with support from OTIDE’s Creative Academic Media Services team.
- Review Activity Bank submissions from users and provide feedback as necessary.
- Contribute to the creation and distribution of the monthly Cross Academy newsletter and management of KPCA social media accounts.
- Cross Scholars should expect to spend approximately 20 hours per month on Teaching Academy-related activities.
Position Requirements and Preferred Qualifications
Required
- Full-time faculty member (tenured, tenure-track, or renewable contract) at The University of Alabama
- Minimum five years of postsecondary teaching experience
- Demonstrated teaching proficiency (Student Opinion of Instruction surveys, teaching awards, etc.)
Preferred
- Scholarly activities related to teaching and learning (publications, presentations, committee work, etc.)
- Recording experience for online courses or other recordings that document ability to teach via video format
Application Process
A call for applications will be announced in January of each year, with a deadline of April 1. A selection committee will review all applications and choose candidates to move forward to the interview stage. All applicants will be notified of their status prior to the end of the spring academic term. Interviews may take place after the spring term.
Application materials will include:
- Curriculum vitae
- Letter of support from the applicant’s department chair
- One-page active learning technique overview
Selection Criteria
Awards are competitive and applications will be evaluated based on the following selection criteria:
- Evidence of sustained teaching excellence
- Demonstration of innovative teaching practices
- Demonstrated commitment to assessment and continuous improvement in teaching
- Potential to create valuable, evidence-based pedagogical resources in multiple modalities
- Recommendation of department chair