±«Óãtv

Ìý

Deadline to submit is November 4, 2024.

Ìý

Focus of Grant

TheseÌýgrants will provide support for ±«Óãtv educators who are interested in developing a project that studies, assesses, and/or evaluates the impact of a particular research question on students’ learning. This might include, but not be limited to, the development of new or revised initiatives, programs, courses,Ìýuse or creation of open educational resources (OER),Ìýand/or methods/activities/assessments in teaching and learning.

The goals of this grant program include:

• Enhancing the learning experience of students at ±«Óãtv University.
• Developing interest in the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL).
• Producing educational resources
• Producing research studies founded in systematic and rigorous scholarly work
• Encouraging the dissemination and sharing of research on teaching and learning, locally and/or through presentations/publications to the higher education community.

Eligibility

Full-time ±«Óãtv faculty. To ensure the long-term sustainability of the project, non-academic staff and part-time or sessional faculty members may be co-applicants but each project team must include at least one full-time faculty member. Limited-term faculty must have at least one year remaining in their contract term.

Each project team must be led by a full-time faculty member to ensure the long-term sustainability of the project, however non-academic staff and limited term and part-time faculty members may be co-applicants. Limited-term faculty who are project leads, must have at least one year remaining in their contract term.ÌýPriority will be given to those who have not previously received a ±«Óãtv SoTL grant within the last 12 months.

Amount of Award

Up to $3,000 may be awarded to each project.

Requirements

1. Applicants must complete theÌý. Completed forms can be submitted directly toÌýclt@dal.ca.
2. A detailed budget is required with justification for each item (where student salaries are submitted, please use $24.00/hr for undergraduate students and $30.50 for graduate students, 13.662% benefits should be added – this includes 6% vacation pay.)
3. If you are planning to seek assistance from an Educational Developer from the CLT, please include confirmation in writing that assistance will be available from that individual during the time frame required, prior to submitting your proposal.Ìý
4. If necessary, a statement of intention to seek approval for the proposed research project from the ±«Óãtv Research Ethics Board or confirmation that approval has been received. (NB: If your grant is successful but requires ethics approval, funding will not be released until proof of approval has been received.)
5. Statement of support from the head of the relevant teaching unit (department, school, faculty).ÌýIf a department head is an applicant for the grant, please provide a letter of support from your Associate Dean or Dean of your Faculty. Statement of support must include:
   1. Description of any additional resources (e.g., funding, release time, equipment, etc.) to be provided to the project.
   2. Description of the value of the project, in particular the pedagogical impact on students and the contribution the project will make to the and learning literature.
6. Completion of a final report is required 18 months after receipt of funding for all successful grants. The completed can be submitted directly to clt@dal.ca.
   

Funding will be provided to support the following:

• Research Assistants* (preference given to ±«Óãtv students)
• Project Coordinators*
• Participant incentives
• Focus group food/snacks where necessary
• Modest amounts for focus group participant compensation or participant survey draw (e.g. gift certificate)
• Technology (hardware/software) where it contributes substantially to the project and no other technology is available or appropriate (provide justification)

*Funding can be used to hire student support, and when appropriate, these should be inclusive of an hourly wage (e.g., $24.00 or $30.50 for undergraduate and graduate students respectively) + 13.662% (6% vacation pay + 7% benefits, i.e., EI/CPP).ÌýPlease note that the Centre for Learning and Teaching is using a consistent hourly wage for undergraduate and graduate Research Assistants in all budgets to ensure equity across all departments.

Ìý

Funding will NOT be provided for the following items:

• Conferences: registration, travel, accommodation
• Technology already available elsewhere, or where alternative is available
• Office supplies
• Phone charges
• Publishing fees
• Faculty and staff salaries
• Funding will not be provided for evaluations that would normally be undertaken within the established processes of a department or faculty

**NB: Projects that submit budgets that are largely requesting funds to purchase technology will only be considered in special circumstances where research has been conducted to ensure that the tool is the only possible solution, that the tool can be demonstrated to contribute substantially to the project, that there are no institutional plans to consider a ±«Óãtv-wide site licence for such a tool, and if the department or Faculty is able to commit to maintaining the tool to ensure continued use and impact.

Ìý

Submission Check-List

Applicants are encouraged to submit well-defined proposals that will demonstrably enhance teaching and learning. ÌýÌý

To be submitted as part of the grant application, using the .

1. Names of project lead and co-applicant(s), employment status of project lead, Faculty/Department, contact information, and brief bio (as it relates to the nature of the project)
2. Project Title
3. Brief Abstract (150 words)
4. Project Plan (Not to exceed 2000 words)
   1. Your research question.
   2. Outline the need for, or significance of, the project. (i.e., outline the pedagogical impact on students and the contribution the project will make to the teaching and learning literature).
   3. Note the student population/sample affected and the impact this project will have on those students.
   4. Literature review/support from the literature/contribution of project to the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning.
   5. Overview of Methods/Methodology (e.g., research design, recruitment of study participants, approach to and tools for data collection) with a rationale/justification for their use
   6. If using a survey, focus groups, or interviews, include in an appendix sample questions that clearly relate to the research question being explored
   7. Timeline of project.
   8. Dissemination plan.
   9. Bibliography.

The following must be appended to your :

• Ethics – Statement of Approval or Intent to Seek Approval (where necessary)
• Indication that primary applicant has reviewed and understands the following ±«Óãtv REB documents
• Teaching unit support - Letter from Head of department
• Detailed Budget

Submission Process

Grant applications must be submitted as one full package.ÌýElectronic submission applications can be emailed to:Ìýclt@dal.ca.ÌýUnless given permission,Ìýapplications must be in aÌýsingleÌý.pdf formatted document. Specifics for electronic submissions include:

• Email’s subject should indicate what grant is being applied for, and what year you are applying for.
• File name must follow the format [LAST NAME OF PROJECT LEAD, NAME OF GRANT, YEAR].
• Co-applicants: Indicate if you are submitting on behalf of the project lead in the email body.

If you encounter technical issues or have any questions, please contact the Centre for Learning & Teaching atÌýclt@dal.caÌýor by phone at (902) 494-1622.

Selection Criteria

• The project clearly articulates a research question/issue.
• The project includes appropriate methods and examples of data collection tools for investigating the research question/issue.
• The project provides evidence that it is informed by the existing literature.
• The applicant has clearly articulated how this project will impact student learning.
• The proposed budget is fully justified and in line with the aims and timeline of the project.
• The applicant provides a plan for dissemination within and/or beyond ±«Óãtv University.
• The project has the support of the applicant's Dean or Department Head.

Contact

Any questions or requests for feedback on proposals in development may be directed toÌýKateÌýThompsonÌý(thompskm@dal.ca).