Scholarly Teaching Writing Retreat

The Scholarly Teaching Writing Retreat is a Signature Program from the WVU Teaching and Learning Center. The 2026 Fall Break retreat will focus on writing applied, teaching-practitioner scholarship. Faculty members are asked to apply due to space limitations. Those accepted from WVU Tech and WVU Potomac State College will receive a travel package.

Friday, October 9 and Saturday, October 10, 2026 in  Bruceton Mills, WV.

Fall Break Retreat: Applied, Teaching-Practitioner Scholarship

Applications are due on Monday 9/28/2026.

Do you have an effective teaching practice, a unique approach to assessing student learning, or a time-tested classroom management technique? Share what works in your classroom through short-form, applied scholarship.

This scholarly approach to teaching is often disseminated through a genre called “teaching briefs,” “teaching reflections,” or “great ideas for teaching” found in dedicated sections of peer reviewed teaching journals (WVU MIX login required) or teaching publications such as The Teaching Professor (WVU login required). This work is also presented at national, international, and regional conferences on teaching and learning. 

Why Attend?

• Prepare an applied, teaching-practitioner manuscript for submission to a publication outlet of your choice.
• Include your published article as evidence of your teaching effectiveness in Digital Measures.
• Develop a manuscript which can become the basis of a conference proposal, conference paper, or longer-form writing such as a research-based article.
• Receive a letter from the Office of the Provost, suitable for inclusion in Digital Measures. 

Retreat Structure

Express your interest in this writing retreat by applying to join us over Fall Break at the WVU Natural Resources Center in Bruceton Mills, WV (approximately 14 miles from the Downtown Campus). Structured activities and writing support will be provided by our facilitators: Sarah McCorkle, Nathalie Singh-Corcoran , and Amanda Berardi Tennant. The retreat is a joint effort between the SpeakWrite Program and the WVU Teaching and Learning Center.

Breakfast and lunch will be provided. This program is supported in part by a grant from the Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation. Funds are managed by the WVU Foundation. Chartered in 1954, the WVU Foundation is the nonprofit organization that receives and administers private donations on behalf of the University.

Faculty members will receive a letter acknowledging their full participation in the retreat activities from the Office of the Provost for inclusion in their Digital Measures dossier.

Program Details

Specific questions may be directed to the WVU Teaching and Learning Center by emailing: tlc@mail.wvu.edu

• Competitive Application Process: The WVU Teaching and Learning Center will review all applications and prioritize those with a clearly articulated project and rationale for attending the retreat. Prior academic publishing experience is not necessary. Teaching Track and Service Track faculty members are strongly encouraged to apply. 
• Eligibility: Faculty members with a full-time appointment from a WVU campus. Due to the cost of this program, we regret that we are unable to support graduate students during this application cycle.  
• Travel Support: Those selected to attend from WVU Potomac State College or WVU Tech will receive a travel support package for their hotel and mileage. Your hotel stay will be arranged by the WVU Teaching and Learning Center. (If you reside in Morgantown, please note that public transit does not reach the retreat location. Carpools are being organized.)

Application

The call for applications closed on Monday, September 28.

Preview of Application Questions

1. Briefly describe the teaching technique, teaching tip, or teaching strategy you plan to write about during the retreat.
2. Where did you learn about or hear about this teaching idea? If this is an original development, briefly describe how this idea came about.
3. How do you know this teaching idea works in your classroom? (If you're having trouble answering this question, think about what you've observed during your interactions with students or increases you've observed in their scores, participation, motivation, self-efficacy, etc.)
4. Briefly outline any "lessons learned" on potential pitfalls, what to avoid, what to look out for, or how to pivot if something doesn't go as planned. 
5. Scholarly approaches to teaching rely on evidence-based methods, such as peer-reviewed literature, to support our claims about teaching effectiveness. In this space, list examples of the peer-reviewed literature that informs or supports your approach. (Please, provide no more than five. Two or three is sufficient.)

• Title
• Author(s)
• Year
• This source is a... Journal Article, Book Chapter, Book, Other
• Upload a PDF file or provide link to the resource