InteDashboard Scholarship Essay Competition for Students

InteDashboard is committed to promoting educational scholarship and amplifying student voices in the Team-Based Learning (TBL) space. We are excited to launch the InteDashboard TBL Scholarship Essay Competition for students currently or previously enrolled in TBL courses with InteDashboard.

This initiative aims to:
✅ Gather authentic student insights on how TBL impacts their learning.
✅ Support student engagement and provide scholarship funding.
✅ Enhance educational innovation by showcasing student experiences.
✅ Recognize student contributions through certificates, publications, and potential invitation for an interview for an upcoming book on Team-Based Learning by Larry Michaelsen, founder of TBL methodology.

💰 Scholarship Fund: InteDashboard will award a total of $1,000 in educational support.

About the Competition

Students are required to submit a 1,500-2,000 word essay on the following topic: 

How Team-Based Learning (TBL) Prepares Students for the Workforce

Eligibility Criteria

• Open to students currently or previously enrolled in a TBL course using InteDashboard
• Faculty-signed approval – Each submission must include a faculty endorsement, along with the essay submission. You may find the faculty endorsement template here. 

Essay Guidelines

The essay should include the following: 

1. Cover page: Include the essay title, student’s full name, institution name, and date of submission
2. Word limit: Minimum 1,500 words; Maximum 2,000 words (excluding references)
3. Formatting:
   • Single-spaced, 12-point font, Calibri or Times New Roman
   • 1-inch margins on all sides
   • Submit in PDF format
4. Images (Optional): You may attach relevant pictures of your TBL team, classroom activities, or other supporting visuals
5. The essay content should include the following: 
   • Briefly introduce yourself, your field of study, and how you were introduced to Team-Based Learning (TBL)
   • Share how TBL has impacted your learning experience (e.g., engagement, understanding of concepts, collaboration).
   • Discuss the skills you developed through TBL, such as: collaboration & teamwork, communication skills, critical thinking & problem-solving, leadership, and adaptability
   • Provide specific classroom incidents or projects where TBL played a significant role in skill development
   • How has technology, particularly InteDashboard, supported or enhanced your TBL experience? 
   • Explain how the skills developed through TBL will help or has helped you in your future or current career
   • Provide examples of real-world applications where TBL-prepared skills are valuable
   • Summarize key insights and reflect on how TBL has shaped your academic and professional growth
   • Cite any academic or professional sources referenced in the essay using APA, MLA, or any preferred institutional citation style
6. Honor Code Statement: Each student must include an honor code statement affirming their essay is their original work. If they have used AI in any way, they should include the details of how did they use AI in writing their essay. 
   

   Honor Code Statement example (to be included in the submission):
   "I certify that this essay is my original work and accurately reflects my personal experiences with Team-Based Learning. I have not used AI tools to generate content, except for editing, and have disclosed any AI assistance. I understand that failure to comply may result in disqualification from the competition."

Ensuring Authenticity

To maintain fairness and uphold academic integrity, all submissions must adhere to the following:

• Plagiarism & AI Detection: Essays will be screened for originality.
• Personal Story Requirement: Essays must include real classroom experiences.
• Limited AI Use Policy: AI tools may be used only for editing, not for content generation.
• Students who use AI must submit a 200-word reflection explaining how they used it.

Judging Criteria

How We Will Use Student Essays

• Featured on the InteDashboard website to showcase student perspectives
  
• Included in research reports, case studies, and white papers on TBL.
• Used to inspire and inform educators and institutions implementing TBL.

Students will have a chance to interview with Larry Michelsen, founder of TBL methodology, and share their experiences for the 2nd Edition of the book, Team-Based Learning: A Transformative Use of Groups in Teaching. 

Student Privacy Protection Measures

• Secure essay submission – Essays will be submitted via Google Forms, stored securely, and not shared with third parties without consent. Judges will review essays through Google Docs with link expiration and disabled downloads to maintain confidentiality.
• Written consent – Before publication, students must sign a content release form allowing InteDashboard to use their essay. Students may revoke permission by emailing marketing@intedashboard.com.
• Anonymization option – Students may choose to publish their essays anonymously or with initials instead of full names.
• Prize issuance & data retention – Student personal data may be collected only for prize distribution and will be permanently deleted within one month of prize issuance, per FERPA guidelines.