UHart Receives $219,000 Grant to Support General Education

The grant will enable UHart faculty to design or, in many cases, completely redesign course requirements to meet a modern, transformational, and innovative standard. This process will utilize a methodology known as Universal Design for Learning, supported by professional development and the use of generative artificial intelligence tools. Ultimately, the goal is to ensure that every student at the University of Hartford thrives in a dynamic and inclusive academic community.

"This grant from the Davis Foundation for Public Giving will be instrumental in helping support faculty who are creating new courses, retooling existing ones, or designing a team-taught interdisciplinary course to meet the new university general education requirements," notes Associate Provost Jim Shattuck. "This grant will provide faculty with both a stipend and course planning support in their course design work."

Under the guidance of Principal Investigators Shattuck and Lisa Zawilinski-in partnership with Rebecca Brandt of the Office of Development and Alumni Relations-the University successfully secured this grant. Zawilinski serves as executive director for the Center for Teaching Excellence and Innovation, and is an associate professor of elementary education.

A recent faculty committee review of the University's general education requirements, which have been in place since 1987, recommended a complete revision based on the strengths of UHart's six schools and colleges.

Previous Davis grants were awarded to UHart in 2013 to revise 13 introductory, gateway, and critical upper-level courses, and in 2018 to create faculty learning communities focused on high-impact practices and essential learning outcomes.

The Davis Educational Foundation, headquartered in Yarmouth, Maine, aims to strengthen the undergraduate programs of public and private, regionally accredited colleges and universities that grant baccalaureate degrees in New England.