Who we are
The Center for the Integration of Research, Teaching, and Learning (CIRTL) seeks to transform higher education through implementing innovative, culturally responsive pedagogy that benefits all learners. CIRTL was founded in 2003 as a National Science Foundation Center for Learning and Teaching in higher education. CIRTL uses graduate education as the leverage point to develop future faculty committed to implementing and advancing evidence-based teaching practices to enrich undergraduate education that is accessible to all learners.
CIRTL was founded with the goal of improving STEM learning of all students, and thereby increasing the diversity in STEM fields and the STEM literacy of the nation. While CIRTL continues to have a strong interest and support for the STEM disciplines, including offering some specialized STEM programs and conducting related research, most of our opportunities and resources are available to all students. Likewise, our CIRTL institutional chapters are a mix of those serving STEM disciplines specifically and those serving all disciplines, depending on their local context and needs.
The CIRTL Network
To impact the future faculty population, CIRTL must influence graduate-through-faculty preparation in teaching and learning at a significant number of universities. We plan to achieve this goal through CIRTL’s core ideas — that is, through a networked learning community of diverse universities mutually engaged in the deliberate, systematic, and reflective use of research methods to develop and implement teaching practices that advance learning.
CIRTL began in 2003 as a collaboration between Michigan State University, the Pennsylvania State University and the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Its first success was establishing that major research universities would be willing and able to prepare their graduate students to be both superb researchers and excellent teachers. As a next step toward expanding impact, in 2007 the formalized CIRTL Network was launched, comprised of six institutions: Howard University, Michigan State University, Texas A&M University, University of Colorado Boulder, University of Wisconsin-Madison, and Vanderbilt University. After substantial expansions in 2011 and 2016, the CIRTL Network now welcomes new members annually and includes 45 research universities in the United States and beyond.
Our Mission
The CIRTL mission is to develop future faculty committed to implementing and advancing evidence-based teaching practices to enrich undergraduate education that is accessible to all learners.
Our Vision
The CIRTL vision is to transform higher education through implementing innovative, culturally responsive pedagogy that benefits all learners.
Our Values
CIRTL Value Statements were developed through the collective efforts of CIRTL members and the CIRTL Values Working Group. These statements represent what we value both in our mission and our operations as a shared learning Network.
CIRTL Constitution & Bylaws
Using a sociocratic process in accordance with CIRTL’s decision-making policy the CIRTL Constitution and Bylaws were adopted on March 4, 2021.