CIRTL Certification Requirements

Graduate Students and Postdocs

Each CIRTL institution sets their own requirements for trainees to achieve Associate, Practitioner, and Scholar status. The following are the expectations for UNL graduate students and postdocs to receive each certification level. Sign up and track your progress through our Canvas page (https://canvas.unl.edu/courses/121244). Email Lisa Rohde to request access.

CIRTL Associate

Describe and Recognize Value

see Associate learning objectives

1. Teaching Philosophy

Write and submit a one-page teaching philosophy.

2. Learning Community/Course

Fully participate/receive a passing grade in at least ONE local learning community/course related to diversity, learning science, or effective instruction. The learning community accompanying the free, 8-week, online course (Intro to Evidence-Based Undergrad STEM Teaching) MOOC offered by CIRTL on EdX.org is highly recommended, but you can opt for another CIRTL online course or another CIRTL learning community at UNL.

3. Workshops

Participate in at least four workshops. You may participate both in cross-network and on-campus workshops to complete this requirement. Additional teaching courses or more extensive teaching training opportunities such as the Institute for International Teaching Assistants may also count towards these workshops as well, with prior approval. After completing four or more workshops, generate a 1–2-page reflective memo about the experience that addresses the three CIRTL core ideas.

4. Classroom Experience

After you have completed the coursework and workshop requirements, you have two options.

  1. Observe TWO class periods led by two different instructors and, in light of your knowledge about the CIRTL core ideas, complete CIRTL Instructor Evaluation Forms and write a reflective memo to assess the experience.
    OR
  2. Participate in the Teaching Development Program (TDP) offered by Graduate Studies. This includes a short phone interview, a classroom observation by a teaching consultant, mid-semester feedback from your students, a follow-up consultation, and generating a reflective memo to assess the experience. Having a formal teaching assignment is strongly recommended for completing this option.

CIRTL Practitioner

Develop and Implement

see Practitioner learning objectives

1. Attain CIRTL Associate Status

You may engage in both levels concurrently, but workshops cannot apply to more than one category.

2. Continuing Education

Here you have two options:

  1. Participate in at least three additional workshops. You may participate both in online (CIRTL) and on-campus workshops to complete this requirement. After completing three or more workshops, generate a 1–2-page reflective memo about the experience.
    OR
  2. Complete the CIRTL Practitioner online course (recommended)

3. Teaching as Research Project

Complete a full-cycle Teaching as Research (TaR) project, which includes:

  • Identifying a teaching and learning problem or question you can address, conducting a literature search, and developing a project proposal.
  • Presenting the findings of the study at a public forum such as
    • Poster presentation at the UNL Spring Research Days
    • Oral presentation in departmental or college seminar
    • Webinar presentation during the CIRTL Cross-Network TaR Forum
  • Writing a two-page summary of the research project, including an abstract, background, methods, results, and impacts of your work (potential or realized).

4. Teaching Philosophy

Update and submit your teaching philosophy statement, along with a short reflective analysis of the evolution of your perspectives on teaching and learning. Consider your experiences and learning as you engaged with CIRTL and how they affected and informed the changes you see.


CIRTL Scholar

Advance and Disseminate

see Scholar learning objectives

1. Attain CIRTL Practitioner status

2. Advance and Disseminate

Choose one:
  1. Publish your TaR project findings and outcomes in a peer-reviewed setting, such as a journal article or a presentation at an academic or professional meeting
    OR
  2. Coordinate with the CIRTL@Nebraska leadership to develop and present a campus-wide workshop about a principle related to, or practical application of, a CIRTL Core Idea. You should ideally incorporate the findings and outcomes of your TaR project to illustrate the concepts you present.