2009-2010 Grant Proposals

Monique Myers, Associate Professor, Communication Department
"Annual Conference of the Western States Communication Association"
Pedagogy Travel Grant Proposal

Project Description:

I am applying for a Pedagogy Travel Grant for travel to and participation in the Western States Communication Association's annual conference which is being held in Anchorage, Alaska, March 5-9, 2010. This is the first time I have applied for CTL Travel Grant.

Although I will be using the majority of my professional development funds ($1225) toward the cost of the conference which will total $1974.49, I will also be incurring an additional $750 due to the cost of the airfare to and even modest accommodations in Anchorage, Alaska. In this proposal, I am asking for reimbursement for airfare to the conference in the amount of $759.49.

In addition to giving two panel presentations, I will be attending and participating in many pedagogical teaching and learning panels and workshops including a pre-conference workshop on "Teaching the Basic Communication Course." Samples of other panels/workshops in which I will be engaged are: "Do we utilize the power of theory to enhance the study of communication in our lower-division courses?" "Grades, Relationships, Immediacy, & Empowerment: Finding Commonalities Within Education's Walls," "Theorizing Power in Activist and Community-Based Scholarship," "Empowering Students Inside and Outside of the Classroom" "G.I.F.T.S. (Great Ideas for Teaching Speech) Public Speaking Showcase," "Overcoming Obstacles to Critical Communication Pedagogy," "Theorizing Communication Research Through Pragmatism and the Public Sphere" "Educated into Whiteness?: Credibility, History, Pedagogy, Scholarship & Race."

Many of the panels/workshops I will be attending and participating in are sponsored by the Communication & Instruction as well as the Communication Theory Interest Groups. These panels/workshops pertain to teaching and learning in all of my communication courses including Communication Theory, Interpersonal Communication, Public Speaking, Intercultural Communication, Gender & Communication, Organizational Communication, Leadership & Communication and the learning community I co-teach with Prof. Swanson, Women's Global Issues. However, as I am in the midst of fine-tuning my Community-Based Learning courses: Communication Theory and Leadership and Communication, I am excited to meet with and share ideas with my national colleagues on how to incorporate community-based learning into communication courses. This is particularly important to my professional development as I am in the process of revising a community-based learning pedagogical article with my colleague at Stonehill College, Nuala Boyle.

My professional development will be enhanced from meeting and collaborating with leading scholars in the field of Communication. Indeed, there will be a special session highlighting my mentor and co-author, Dr. Mary Jane Collier from the University of New Mexico. As Dr. Collier is one of the premier Intercultural Communication scholars in the country I will be able to meet with and learn from other scholars at this special session honoring her teaching and research.

Benefit:

Upon my return to Stonehill College I will be able to share my new ideas about teaching and learning with my colleagues in the Department of Communication. This will be timely as currently two out of three of the Department's Capstone Courses in Communication (one of which I teach) now include a community-based learning component and the third professor is thinking about adding a community-based learning component into her capstone course.

My students will benefit from my participation and attendance at this conference as I will be able to incorporate new ideas and pedagogical innovations into my coursework and hopefully improve our jointly constructed teaching and learning. In particular, although I have had many opportunities to work with past and present leaders of community-based learning at Stonehill College, to attend service-learning conferences and to speak to leaders in service-learning, I have rarely had the opportunity to interact with colleagues in Communication who utilize community-based learning strategies in their research and teaching.

Community Outreach Plans:

I will share my teaching and learning with my departmental colleagues immediately after my return from the conference. I will also be sharing my learning with my students in classes and enhanced term project designs. I would volunteer to lead a "Teaching Square," during the next academic calendar about my experiences and/or lead a break out session during Academic Development day next year. No doubt I will be in communication with Stacy Grooters, Director of the Center for Teaching and Learning, as well as Corey Dolgon, Director of Community-Based Learning, to discuss my experiences and how they might be utilized for the benefit of the college community. In two weeks time I will be participating in an on-campus community-based learning workshop, and I imagine, given the launch of the new CBL office, there will be other such workshops in the future in which I could participate and/or help lead.

Budget (detail how you will use the funds requested) :

Airfare: $ 759.49
Hotel (for six days): $ 810.00
Convention Registration/Member Dues: $ 165.00
Meals (for six days): $ 210.00
Transportation to/from airport $ 30.00

Total Estimated Expenses: $1,974.49