The Basics
The Allen Centennial Garden (ACG) Teaching Fellowship provides you the opportunity to immerse your students in a living laboratory where all of their senses can be engaged in hands-on learning that supports your course goals in any discipline. ACG Teaching Fellows will work with ACG staff to develop learning experiences that integrate an experience in the Garden into a new or existing course. Please reach out if you are interested, as a limited number of Fellowships are available on a rolling basis. Instructors will also receive a grant of up to $500 that can be used for course supplies and expenses. These course materials, relationships, and experiences will begin to spread the word about ACG’s resources among instructors across campus to enhance the Garden’s reputation and use as a premier outdoor classroom and educational resource.
Eligibility
UW-Madison faculty, instructional staff, and graduate student teaching assistants who plan and lead course activities.
Selection Criteria
- Depth of proposed engagement with the garden (with a goal of supporting longer-term engagement)
- Feasibility of proposed program with available resources
- Diversity of fellowship class (with a goal of connecting with as many different departments and programs as possible)
Expectations
- Meet with ACG staff to co-create garden program.
- Complete Class Visit form before each visit.
- Submit an itemized course supply and expense budget for use of funding.
- Author at least one in-garden activity to be shared on the ACG website and featured in the Friends of Allen Centennial Garden newsletter.
- Provide a post-semester evaluation of the impact of this program on your teaching and learning. Can be a meeting with ACG staff or written report.
How To Apply
Submit a 1-2 page application to Reba Luiken, ACG Director (rluiken@wisc.edu). Your application should include the following:
- Name
- Department
- Position
- Email, campus address, phone
- Course number and title
- Anticipated number of students
- Course semester and schedule (days/times)
- One- to two-page description of your course addressing: how you will use ACG to support your course goals, how ACG’s resources may be involved (e.g. types of plants needed, physical spaces such as bench or lawn space, assistance from ACG staff through tours or lectures, proposed teaching activities, etc.), and proposed uses of supplemental course funds. It is understood that plans will be tentative at this point.
- Optional: Attach a draft of your course syllabus and/or schedule
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Is this program specifically intended for instructors in the Plant & Agroecosystem Sciences Department or who work with plants regularly?
A: No. This program is open to anyone who is teaching a course at UW-Madison during any academic term. We are very open to your vision for how to use our outdoor space to meet your students’ learning needs. We are especially interested in ideas to utilize the Garden at outside of our peak season in September and October.
Q: I have worked with ACG for courses in the past. Can I still apply for this program?
A: Yes. The goals of this program include deepening relationships with current instructors and diversifying the disciplines who use ACG.
Q: I would like to use ACG in my courses, but I am not sure how I would do that. Can I still apply?
A: Yes! Please contact Reba Luiken, Director of Allen Centennial Garden by email at rluiken@wisc.edu to discuss possibilities and initial ideas.
Q: What kinds of things can I use the supply budget for?
A: There are many, many options. Please feel free to suggest anything that fits in the budget. Some possibilities include: plant materials to be used in class or added to the ACG collection (with staff approval), reference books, consumable art or scientific supplies, guest speakers, and/or related field trips.
Q: I would like to bring my course to the garden, but I don’t need an additional supply budget. Should I still apply?
A: Probably not. If you would like to visit the garden once or twice during the semester you can fill out the Classroom Visit form to set that up. ACG staff can work with you to develop those experiences too. However, if you are envisioning that ACG might be integrally connected to your course, you are welcome to apply to the ACG Fellowship even if you do not currently have an idea for how to use additional course funds.
Q: I want to bring my class to the garden for a field trip once during the semester. Should I apply?
A: It depends. If you are planning to make this visit integral to the rest of your course and would like additional staff support and funding to make this a reality, then yes! If this visit will be a smaller exercise or part of your course, you should fill out the Classroom Visit form instead. This will let us know you plan to use ACG for your class and begin a conversation about how ACG staff can support your visit (tours, guest lecture, etc.).
Q: I am a teaching assistant, and I’m not sure if I’m eligible. How can I find out?
A: Anyone who is creating and leading course activities for a UW-Madison course is eligible. This includes anyone who is an instructor of record or who is leading and designing their own lab or discussion sections. If you have additional questions, please email Reba at rluiken@wisc.edu.
Q: Who do I contact if I have more questions?
A: Please contact Reba Luiken, Director of Allen Centennial Garden by email at rluiken@wisc.edu.