ThinkAchieveCourseDesignation:BeyondtheClassroom

ThinkAchieve isUTC’sQualityEnhancement Plan(QEP) for SACSreaccreditation.The QEPfocuses onthedevelopment ofstudentcritical thinkingskills.Experiential learning– learningthroughexperience –isone wayto promote theseskills.Inorder to recognize studentswho participate inexperiential learningthroughclassesand facultywho offer suchcourse sections, theFaculty/Staff Applicationto Offer BeyondtheClassroom(BTC)Course/Experience hasbeendeveloped.Approvedapplications will result inaBTCdesignationbeingplacedasanattributecodeinthe coursesectionslisting.

Experientiallearningengagesstudentsbeyond theclassroom inprojectsthatencourage themto applytheirknowledge and skillsina practicalsetting.For example,experiential learningmayinvolve students inacommunitysettingsuchasbusiness,nonprofit,communityservice,orgovernment, encouragingthemtoexamine, apply,practice,andreflect.Experiential learningmayalsoinvolvestudyabroad,internships,andcapstoneand culminatingexperiences.The essentialcomponentof experientiallearning that is common amongexperience types is thatstudents engage incriticalreflectionbefore,during,andafterthe experience.

Studentswhosuccessfullyparticipate in designated courses canearnpointstoward aThinkAchieve ExperientialLearning GraduationDistinction,includinga designationontheir official UniversityTranscript and recognitionatUTC’sCommencement Ceremony.To see completeawardsopportunitiesfor students, please visit:

Facultywhosuccessfullyapplyfor designationofacourse will be designatedas Beyond the ClassroomFaculty.Additionally, Beyond the ClassroomGrants, Awards and Faculty Learning Cohorts areavailable for participatingfaculty. For more information onbothof these opportunities, see

ProgramRequirements

  • Submit names and student IDs for eachstudentto be recognized no laterthanthe last day to submit grades.
  • Notifythe Experiential LearningCoordinatorof anychangesto the designatedsection

Eligibility,DesignationCycle,SelectionCriteriaand Process

TheFaculty/Staff Applicationto Offer Beyond the Classroom(BTC)Course/ExperienceisopentoindividualsandsmallteamsofUTCfacultyand staff.Collaborationacrossdepartmentsandwithcommunitypartners isencouraged.Allpart-timeandfull-timefacultyandstaffareeligibletoapply.Experiencesoffered bystaffequivalent asemester longcourse sectionmayalsobe used tocomplete the application.

Applicationsareacceptedonarollingbasis and considered onamonthlybasisbyaninter-disciplinarycommitteeusingthe criteriashownintherubriconthenextpage. The applicationsforFallDesignation aredueonFebruary 20,forSpringDesignation theduedateis October1.Applicants willbenotifiedwithinaweek ofthesedates.Applications should be submitted to .

Faculty/Staff ApplicationtoOffer BeyondtheClassroom(BTC) Course/ExperienceEvaluationRubric:approvedapplicationsmustfullyachieve all criteria inthe rubric.

Criteria / Does Not Achieve / Somewhat Achieves / AdequatelyAchieves
Linkage of course learninggoalsto ThinkAchievestudent learningoutcomes / There islittleor noconnectionof courselearninggoalstoThinkAchievestudentlearningoutcomes / Connectionofcourselearninggoalsdescribedfor1or2ThinkAchievestudentlearningoutcomes / There areclearconnections ofcourselearninggoalsto3ThinkAchievestudentlearningoutcomes
Evidence ofcritical reflectionplan / No descriptionofevaluated reflectionproductsincluded inapplication. / Descriptionfor planincludespre,ongoing andpostproject reflection / Descriptionfor planincludesevaluated pre, ongoingandpost project reflection
Intentional, authenticexperiential learningis acomponent ofthisproject.For moreinformation see:
and-practice / Descriptionof projectdoesnotincludeintentional andauthenticexperience / Descriptionincludes anexample of intentional,authenticexperiencewithlimited relationtothe discipline / Project’sofferingofintentional andauthenticexperiencebased knowledge ofthe discipline isthoroughlydescribed
Adheresto the DefinitionsandAdditional Criteria Sections ofApplication / Descriptionofexperience doesnotmatchwithdefinitionand doesnotmeetadditional criteria / Descriptionofexperience eitheradheresto definitionormeetsadditionalcriteria / Descriptionofexperience adherescloselyto definitionand fullymeetsadditional criteria