FAQ
What is the purpose of the Teaching Innovation Fund (TIF)?
Created by the Dean of Faculty as a parallel body to the Babson Faculty Research Fund (BFRF), the Teaching Innovation Fund (TIF) exists to:
Encourage the development and publication of innovative teaching materials by Babson faculty through monetary awards and administrative support;
Keep Babson's curriculum current and global;
Publicize new teaching innovations across campus; and
Increase the public visibility and teaching reputation of Babson College and its faculty.
What kinds of projects are eligible for TIF funding?
The TIF Advisory Committee will consider funding requests for virtually any materials that are used in teaching and that are publishable or otherwise replicable for use by others. Examples of fundable projects include but are not limited to: case studies, industry notes, simulations, exercises, videos, video games, and tutorials. A list of TIF-funded projects is available here.
What does a TIF award include?
Awards may include a faculty stipend (standard amount $5000) and/or reimbursement for out-of-pocket expenses such as travel, transcription, student research assistance, videography, etc. (standard cap $2500). Applicants may request a higher stipend and/or expense allotment if special circumstances warrant. Funds for any case writing assistance should be taken out of the faculty stipend. TIF does not award course releases.
In addition to the monetary award, approved TIF proposals are typically offered editorial review and publication guidance.
What criteria are used to determine TIF awards?
To be eligible for funding, proposed projects must:
- Be above and beyond the scope of the author's normal teaching responsibilities;
- Fulfill a strong, relevant teaching purpose, with special consideration given to materials that fit with Babson's curricular priorities, such as Entrepreneurial Thought and Action (ETA), Social, Environmental, and Economic Responsibility and Sustainability (SEERS), and global awareness; to materials that are multidisciplinary; and to materials designed for use in Babson's core curriculum;
- Identify a concrete deliverable that will be replicable and usable by other faculty, including a teaching note (or an explanation as to why a teaching note is not necessary);
- Be non-trivial in purpose and scope; and
- Include a complete TIF application.
In addition to the general Teaching Innovation Fund, several restricted funds are also available for pedagogical materials. Proposed projects that meet the criteria for one of the restricted funds may have a better chance of being approved and/or being eligible for an increase beyond the standard award. Restricted funds are currently available for projects that are:
- related to Social, Environmental, and Economic Responsibility and Sustainability (SEERS) issues;
- designed for use at the Graduate School;
- designed for use in the Entrepreneurship Division;
- based on companies located in Russia; or
- focused on clean technologies.
Who is eligible for TIF funding?
Any Babson faculty member (whether tenured or non-tenured, full-time, part-time, or adjunct) is eligible for TIF funding. Babson faculty members are welcome to collaborate with others, such as students, alumni, faculty from other institutions, industry experts, etc. Unless special circumstances warrant, the standard caps aply, regardless of the number of collaborators: $5,000 for the faculty stipend (to be shared at the discretion of the Babson faculty) and $2,500 for out-of-pocket expenses and student research assistance apply.
I would like to write a case /develop a simulation / produce a teaching video / create some other product for use in teaching. How do I apply for funding from the TIF?
Complete and submit the TIF application.
When are TIF awards made?
Awards are determined on a rolling basis by the TIF Advisory Committee. The Advisory Committee expects to reach a decision about every proposal within three weeks of submission. Babson faculty may submit a TIF proposal at any time.
Does developing a case or other teaching material contribute to AQ (academically qualified) status?
Yes. Published cases, simulations, videos, and other published pedagogical materials are legitimate elements of a faculty member’s portfolio of intellectual contributions for AQ.
What assistance or guidance is available for Babson authors?
Babson offers both case writing and editorial assistance for faculty authors. If you need the assistance of a case writer before submitting your project, contact Kathy Esper, Manager of the Babson Teaching Center (kesper@babson.edu; 781-239-4502). There are eight professional case writers associated with the TIF; some are employed by Babson, and some are outside consultants.
Babson also provides editorial review for all submissions prior to publication, to ensure professionalism and consistency. In September 2011, Professor Cheryl Kirschner was appointed Babson's Editor-in-Chief, and oversees the editorial process. All submissions will enter the editorial process automatically.
For guidance on case formatting and style, please see the
Babson case format guidelines.docx and the
HBS Style Guide.pdf. All cases and similar textual materials (such as discussion exercises and role simulations) should follow these formatting and style guidelines.
If the TIF funds a project, will it be published?
Case studies funded by TIF will be published through the European Case Clearing House, unless the author arranges for publication elsewhere. Babson's Author Agreements support and encourage publication of faculty teaching materials in textbooks. The Babson Teaching Center will also help identify appropriate publishers for other materials (simulations, exercises, videos, video games, etc.) if they are not suitable for publication through ECCH. The Teaching Center is now compiling an internal library for The Babson Collection, where all materials published through Babson, whether TIF-funded or not, will be available to Babson faculty.
When will my project be ready for publication?
The Process Overview outlines the usual steps involved in developing a new teaching tool for publication. The typical case takes roughly 12-18 months to develop, test, edit, and publish, but this timeframe can vary depending on the length and complexity of the case, as well as on how quickly the author writes and tests the case. The timeline for non-case projects such as role simulations, video games, films, and so forth is highly variable. The TIF is committed to expediting this timeframe by responding to funding applications within 3 weeks and by implementing a streamlined editorial process.
What relationship does the TIF have with the BFPF? With the Babson Teaching Center?
The TIF (Teaching Innovation Fund) was formerly known as the BFPF (Babson Faculty Pedagogy Fund). The name was changed in Fall 2011.
The Babson Teaching Center serves faculty through two distinct vehicles: the TIF and the Case Publishing and Production Center, and serves as a constant point of contact for authors and their work throughout the process from funding to publishing. The TIF and the Publishing and Production Center operate independently, but in close collaboration with the Teaching Center. For questions about the Babson Teaching Center, please contact Kathy Esper at 781.239.4502 / kesper@babson.edu / Kriebel Hall, Room 214.