Cover Story Seed and Cultivate Research Innovation Funds

SEED AND CULTIVATE RESEARCH & INNOVATION FUNDS

FOR EMERGING AND SEASONED RESEARCHERS SoTL REDEFINED

By Anju Kakkar and Camila Perez-Pena

AT THE OFFICE OF RESEARCH & INNOVATION (ORI), we understand that the work of faculty is divided into four independent functions or scholarships which, as described by Ernest L. Boyer in his Model of Scholarship (1996), are interconnected and consolidate the holistic approach of their role as educators. The Scholarship of Discovery allows faculty to explore the world around them and gain knowledge by conducting research. This is followed by the Scholarship of Application, in which insights are applied in a practical manner to solve real-life problems. The Scholarship of Integration allows faculty to capitalize on the diversity of disciplines, knowledge and skills by connecting them in meaningful and substantial ways. Finally, the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) invites educators to reflect on their teaching in every aspect of their scholarly life.

Humber’s SoTL was incorporated into the Office of Research & Innovation (ORI) family on 1st April, 2021. We acknowledge that our goal and promise to our community is to welcome research and teaching as two functions that build on each other. These two functions are equally important to enrich the development and growth of faculty members’ journey as researchers and educators. The ORI team thrives on encouraging reflective and critical thinking by understanding and communicating that regardless of how research or teaching is being conducted, what is truly valuable for both teachers and students alike, is the opportunity to build new knowledge, to experience a novel understanding of the world surrounding them, to gain or perfect their skills and abilities. In short, to learn, unlearn and relearn.

Let’s take a brief moment and ask ourselves, “What is critical reflection? What do we mean by discovery? Is a systematic inquiry not the same thing as a focused curiosity? Is it not Research, plain and simple?” Before we continue, let’s also remember the Learning aspect in SoTL.

Research, be it applied research, phenomenon-driven research, or research in the form of capstone projects and SoTL, is as much about learning as teaching. Learning is an accepted and celebrated aspect of research.

At ORI, learning is the key that leads to demystifying research and making it accessible to all by welcoming the rich curiosity and range of various passions, interests and unanswered queries that are waiting to be investigated. We are eager to build a collaborative learning culture where failure, risk or uncertainty are not judged but celebrated. These experiences lead to the exploration of broader and more complex topics and scenarios that would not be considered in a traditional environment.

One thing that this pandemic has taught us is that regardless of how prepared we think we are, there will always be an unexpected challenge to face; therefore, having a proactive mindset to the various phenomena that are occurring or could occur is the best response to a world of constant and fast change. We are a hub for professional development, inquiry and discovery in which both emerging and seasoned researchers can interconnect their roles as educators and as researchers in such a way that they are not perceived as independent functions, but as complementary—two sides of the same coin—that can take place both inside and outside the classroom.

“What is research?” if not the discovery and interpretation of facts, revision of accepted theories or laws in the light of new facts, or practical application of such new or revised theories or laws. (Merriam-Webster, n.d.). ORI encourages and supports the research community to engage in a holistic conversation encapsulating “research.” Applied research and an innovative mindset are competent skills that can lead the Humber community in developing resilient citizens who are empowered to thrive in an ever-changing era of innovation and digitization. At ORI, we also embody the very same mindset; we house emerging researchers and innovation experts, and we embrace research as a ceremony.

SOWING THE IDEA

“I think that the thing I most want you to remember is that research is a ceremony. And so is life. Everything that we do shares in the ongoing creation of our universe.”

—Shawn Wilson, Author, Research is Ceremony

Restructured Funding Opportunities

Our first step to achieve this goal was to restructure the funding opportunities we provide by making them more flexible and open to accommodate the diversity we are proud of witnessing among our growing research community at Humber College. This is why, as of October 1st, 2021, the Teaching Innovation Fund (TIF) was replaced by the Seed and Cultivate Research and Innovation Funds.

The Seed and Cultivate funds will assist us in creating pathways for emerging researchers who are willing to grow from curiosity in the classroom to crossing boundaries with discovery and application of knowledge in practical applied research opportunities. These new programs go hand-in-hand with the ongoing workshops and seminars that we offer and are focused on strengthening qualitative and quantitative research skills and sparking interest in novel ways of initiating, developing, and disseminating their work to share with future researchers.

Think of research as a massive green field—rich, abundant and filled with a wide scope of discovery and wonder. These “research green fields” are sustainable, and the “sky is the limit” when it comes to research. Think of emerging researchers and initial research projects as “seeds” being planted in the richness of research. As researchers observe the seeds they have sown begin to flourish and “cultivate,” these emerging researchers, in turn, cultivate into savvy researchers. Think of students as “gardeners” assisting in sowing the seeds of discovery and embracing, adopting and learning along the path of discovery and research.

SEED Research & Innovation Fund

• “Discovery-oriented”

• Ideal for Emerging Researchers. x Funding amount: $1,500, up to $4,500

CULTIVATE Research & Innovation Fund

• “Design-oriented”

• Possibility of investigating with external partners.

• Funding amount: $5,000, up to $15,000

A more in-depth description of these new funding programs and detailed standard operating procedures can be found online in the SoTL Handbook (https://issuu.com/humber_research/ docs/sotl-handbook).

researchprojects@humber.cahumber.ca/research

Cultivating the results

In line with these restructured funding opportunities, ORI has decided to establish a collaboration with the Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) team. This collaboration aims to expand the reach of the researching faculty who are willing to provide students with authentic and unique intercultural opportunities. COIL-SoTL projects will explore research from a global lens by allowing educators the opportunity to evaluate their teaching and learning initiatives in an international context and connect with partner institutions from across the globe. These one-of-a-kind opportunities are set to support the development of 21st-century skills, which directly responds to Humber Learning Outcomes (HLOs) and aligns with Humber’s Centres of Innovation (COIs) for comprehensive internationalization.

For ORI, cross-disciplinary opportunities are paramount to achieving a collaborative culture in which the [faculty] can feel confident and safe to explore their passions and interests. We foresee the COIL-SoTL collaboration to be the perfect scenario in which both emerging and seasoned researchers will find the resources and support needed to bring authentic, unique, and meaningful intercultural initiatives to life. We expect that this collaboration will motivate and encourage more faculty members to conduct research with an international lens and will enrich their journey as they become global research and education leaders.

—Camila Perez Pena, Senior Project Manager, ORI

COIL + SoTL = Deeper unde understanding to inform future to inform future directions!

We are all researchers, though we may initially not recognize it. We want to create opportunities for everyone to engage and participate in research. So, connect with us and let us support you. You may have an idea or a curiosity and that’s all it takes begin your research journey. Through research that is accessible and approachable, ORI aims to expand and encourage dialogue that fosters creativity all the way to innovation.

—Anju Kakkar, KMbS/Managing Editor, Humber Press, ORI

This collaboration is the first step towards an institutional integration that we consider vital to achieve, solidify, and maintain an outstanding reputation among Canada’s academic institutions as leaders spearheading the philosophy of research, innovation and education.

The Office of Research & Innovation looks forward to working with the Humber community and supporting their initiatives by nurturing a culture of collaborative learning, co-creation, innovation, curiosity, and research.

We are thrilled to support your initiatives; if you are interested in applying for one of our SoTL funds, please submit your Notice of Intent (https://ncv.microsoft. com/ZaxPYVLmBD) or reach out to researchprojects@ humber.ca for more information about our opportunities, workshops and more.

REAPING THE FRUIT OF RESEARCH THE COLLABORATIVE ONLINE INTERNATIONAL LEARNING (COIL)-SOTL COLLABORATION