Teaching and Learning Inquiry Program
The Teaching and Learning Inquiry Program (TaLIP) is designed to support faculty and instructors in conducting scholarly inquiry on their teaching practices and student learning at UChicago. Over an academic year, participants will learn how to approach pedagogical research, including formulating questions, collecting and analyzing data, and preparing a project for publication or presentation. Participants will become familiar with principles and methodologies relevant to Discipline-Based Education Research and the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, design and conduct their own scholarly inquiries about teaching and learning, and share their findings with colleagues.
Faculty and instructors in the program will receive guidance on conducting educational research through quarterly group meetings, one-on-one consultations with CCTL staff, curated resources, a choice of book, and time with UChicago’s Survey Lab. Program participation does not require project completion. We encourage participants to begin and make progress on a research project about teaching and learning during the program. Support is available for those who require additional time.
Eligibility for Principal Investigator (PI) status does not prohibit participation in this program. Those who are ineligible for PI status may collect data for internal use (i.e., individual professional reflection and classroom/program improvement).
Contact Charmian Lam (charmian.lam@uchicago.edu) should you have any questions.
Program Goals
- Enhance faculty and instructors’ pedagogical development through self-designed scholarly inquiry and reflection of their own teaching practices and student learning.
- Foster a community of practice among faculty and instructors interested in advancing their teaching through research and gathering evidence to inform their pedagogical practices.
- Offer curated resource collections for UChicago faculty and instructors to engage in scholarly inquiry into their teaching practices and student learning.
- Promote the dissemination of innovative teaching strategies and outcomes within the university community and beyond.
2025 - 2026 Applications
Apply Here
Applications for the Teaching and Learning Inquiry Program for the 2025 - 2026 academic year are now open! Apply by Monday, September 29, 2025 for the 2025-2026 academic year.
2025-2026 Program Schedule
TaLIP aims to foster a supportive pedagogical community for systematic inquiry about teaching and learning. Scholars are expected to be active, collegial participants throughout all aspects of the program. Should an unavoidable conflict arise, reasonable alternative arrangements can be made.
- Topic: Foundations of Scholarship of Teaching and Learning and Discipline-based Educational Research
- Topic: Methods and IRB
- Optional Consultation with Asst Director of Assessment and Scholarship and/or Survey Lab
- Submit Autumn Benchmark document (research questions, study purpose, literature review)
- Topic: Data Collection Methods
- Topic: Research Instruments
- Optional Consultation with Asst Director of Assessment and Scholarship and/or Survey Lab
- Submit Winter Benchmark document (methods and research instruments)
- Topic: Data Analysis
- Optional Consultation with Asst Director of Assessment and Scholarship and/or Survey Lab
- Submit Research Project