Earning Criteria

• Complete at least one year of full-time work at the US Air Force Academy that includes a teaching assignment of at least one course.
• Complete at least three years of teaching experience at the college level.
• Participate in a two-year, faculty learning community - the Mastery of Teaching Certification Community. Community members are expected to read assigned literature, provide support to other members of the community through feedback and engage in sustained discussions regarding pedagogy and the development of effective learning environments.
• Complete a Scholarly Teaching or a Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) research project proposal. Both tracks requires a formal proposal that includes background literature as well as descriptions of the projects' research methods and assessment processes. The SoTL project requires a formal ethics review. A similar amount of time investment is required for both tracks.
• Engage in a classroom observation process through video recording and/or peer observation. Develop personal goals for observable classroom behaviors based on the literature as a focus for the observations.
• Engage in ongoing reflection that allows for immediate reaction to teaching experiences as well as the development of connections across multiple experiences. Document reflections and plans in an evidence file or portfolio that may later contribute to an academic promotion package.
• Present ideas and project results to the larger USAF Academy community through formally provided opportunities. At least once each year, lead a discussion of innovative ideas and teaching practices that emerge from the MTCC learning community.
• During the second year of the MTCC program, prepare and present a formal academic poster summarizing the Scholarly Teaching or SoTL research project.