From developing assistive technology for counselors-in-training to fostering transformative virtual reality experiences, NC State DELTA Grant awardees demonstrate their passion for pedagogical excellence through creative experimentation with new ideas, teaching methods and technologies.
These innovative learning experiences, made possible through the annual collaboration between NC State instructors and the DELTA Grants team, are showcased in a new 2022-2023 DELTA Grants Yearbook webpage. The purpose of this page is to highlight the meaningful student engagement opportunities that result from these impactful working relationships focused on student success — and improve awareness of project outcomes.
The DELTA grants program kicks off each year with an in-person orientation during which the Principal Investigators (PIs) meet one another and share their goals and anticipated challenges. From there, the PIs spend the year working in small groups with DELTA specialists on their individual projects.
However, the process can become siloed: PIs don’t typically know much about the progress of other grantees’ projects. The Delta Grants Yearbook project aims to change that.
“The yearbook is a simple initial effort to share what happened in a grant year,” explained Donnie Wrights, Assistant Director for Educational Media Design at DELTA. “It also provides a high level summary for faculty who are contemplating applying for a grant.”
Wrights envisioned creating the project in the style of a high school yearbook, combining fun and compelling visual storytelling with informative copy using an engaging and celebratory tone.
He is optimistic that the project both recognizes months of hard work by dozens of stakeholders across the university and also inspires prospective grantees interested in improving their own courses.
“This resource aims to serve as a valuable reference for the PIs of the corresponding grant cycle to observe the achievements of their peers during that grant year,” Wrights explained. He acknowledges the invaluable help of various teams across DELTA in making this project happen: instructional design, instructional media services and communications, among others.
DELTA Grants Support Instructional Excellence
The DELTA Grants program cultivates instructional excellence and student success at NC State by pairing faculty grant recipients with DELTA staff — including instructional technologists, course designers, multimedia producers and professional communicators — in a yearlong collaboration.
Many grant projects involve the redesign or ‘flipping’ of existing face-to-face, virtual or hybrid courses. Other projects facilitate the creation of innovative technology applications to meet the needs of a specific pedagogical challenge.
All of the projects are designed to be easily replicated in courses across the university, with the overarching goal of increasing student engagement and academic success.
During the 2022-2023 grant cycle, DELTA funded 41 grant proposals, including full-year grants, semester-long DELTA Express Grants and collegial Faculty Fellow Grants.
“The 2022-2023 grant year was a testament to the power of collaboration, innovation and dedication in driving positive change,” Wrights said. “I’m excited to share the next iteration of projects when they’re completed.”
Interested in learning more about DELTA Grants and Express Grants? Sign up for our newsletter to receive reminders and news throughout the year!
