Center for Engaged Teaching and Learning

The ACE Framework is the matrix inspired by Plymouth State University (PSU) to support faculty as they worked readying their curriculum for the impact of COVID-19. It is organized around three core pedagogical values– Adaptability, Connection, and Equity— that are aligned with the mission of their public regional university in New Hampshire and our MHU Mission and core values. 

ACE is also organized around three levels: assignment, course, and institution. While faculty will no doubt be most interested in the first two levels, PSU realized as they developed this framework that without institutional support, structural adjustments, and some curricular shifts would be hard to operationalize for any university. For that reason, they built an institutional level of the framework to guide committees, staff, administrators, trustees, and legislators, so they can attend to larger issues that will align with faculty efforts. MHU ACE Faculty Fellows will not work on the institutional level part of the framework, only the assignment and course level. However, MHU administrative leaders have asked to be a part of the final steps of the assignment and course level development to ensure that the third level (institutional) can be designed to support the first two levels. 

Inside the ACE matrix are ACE-Informed Practices that align with the core values and with each level of the framework. These practices form the backbone of the ACE curriculum. If you are interested in learning more about the ACE framework feel free to visit the ACE Introduction Website. 

The CETL board members and the MHU ACE Taskforce (Amanda Knapp, Deb Myers, Jonathan McCoy, Judith Harris, Susan Stigall and I) have completed or are currently working to complete the four-week course that was offered at PSU. Attached you will find two documents one is the ACE Mentor job description and the other is the week-by-week schedule for the activities of the ACE Fellows. There will be a $1000.00 stipend paid to each ACE Fellow for your commitment and leadership in this project.