The Center for Academic Innovation and Faculty Support (CAIFS) offers a broad, holistic approach to faculty development that fosters and rewards academic innovation, in the classroom and beyond. The Center for Academic Innovation and Faculty Support provides a centralized hub for faculty orientation, mentoring, and professional development needs, from adjunct faculty members and new faculty to academic leadership.
CAIFS coordinates the university’s initiatives in active learning, learning technologies, inclusive pedagogy, distance education and hybrid learning, and service learning and community engagement. Our units include Online Learning and Program Support, including Palmetto College coordination, the Office of Transformative and Inclusive Pedagogy, and the Office of Service Learning and Community Engagement, as well as a staff of Learning Experience Designers who can help with a range of instructional design projects.
Get in Touch
To request a consultation or any of our services…
- Visit us in the Media Center, Room 248.
- Email us at academicinnovation@uscupstate.edu
- Use the Bookings app to schedule an appointment
- Find on-demand webinars and workshops in the CAIFS Professional Development Blackboard Course. Please be sure to login to Blackboard before clicking the course link.
- Follow us on the Spartan Hub (login with USC Upstate email username and password).
Our Services
- Instructional design support for faculty and staff projects provided by Learning Experience Designers
- Help with Blackboard Learning Management System (LMS) and Educational Technology Tools
- Syllabus Templates and Resources
- Online Teaching certification and online course and program development support, using the Quality Matters (QM) Higher Education Rubric Standards
- Service Learning Teaching certification and service learning course development support provided by the Director of Service Learning and Community Engagement
- New Faculty Orientation, Mentoring, and Professional Development
- Adjunct Faculty Orientation and Adjunct Faculty Professional Development
- USC Upstate Academic Leadership Institute
- Inclusive Pedagogy Certificate and Engaged Pedagogy and Hybrid Course Design Institute led by the Director of Transformative and Inclusive Pedagogy
- Universal Design for Learning and Embracing Neurodiversity
- Teaching observations and teaching evaluation consultations
- Media support and guidance for faculty and staff wishing to integrate video and audio into their projects, including the Lightboard Studio and YuJa video platform
- Strategies for awarding Credit for Prior Learning and Military Credit
- Workshops and consultations for faculty on mentoring, developing/fulfilling your professional goals, and preparing for promotion, tenure, and post-tenure reviews.