Request for Proposals: eDNA Undergraduate Curriculum Innovations Seed Grant Program

March 17, 2021 Funding, Maine-eDNA, News

The Maine Center for Research in STEM Education (RiSE Center) is pleased to announce, as part of the NSF EPSCoR RII Track 1 award Molecule to Ecosystem: Environmental DNA as a Nexus of Coastal Ecosystem Sustainability for Maine (Maine-eDNA), a second call for proposals for the Undergraduate Curriculum Innovations seed grant program. This program aims to support statewide undergraduate curriculum development (courses, modules) leveraging environmental DNA (eDNA) approaches or concepts, through grants (lasting 1 to 2 years) to faculty and teaching postdocs statewide.

Primary criteria for funding will include:

  1. fit to the institution’s current or emerging programs,
  2. ability to bring hands-on/minds-on molecular biology/genetics lab experiences to ecology and environmental science students, or vice versa, and
  3. potential for impactful curriculum that can be adapted beyond the funded institution.

Additional criteria that may be considered during the selection process include:

  1. impact on underrepresented populations in STEM and first-generation college students
  2. potential for timely implementation within the instructional constraints of the COVID-19 pandemic (e.g.,emphasis on collaborative data analysis rather than hands-on data collection), and
  3. focus on introductory students and early academic career opportunities (e.g., students in their 1st and 2nd years).

Projects can be proposed for a duration of 1 to 2 years. Proposal budgets may include a request for up to $10,000 in funds for the duration of the project. Examples of kinds of support that may be requested include faculty compensation for course and assessment development and assessment data analysis, materials and supplies, undergraduate learning assistants, web site development to disseminate proposal work to other faculty, and other related expenses. The grant cannot pay the faculty member to teach the course or to engage in routine course preparation activities. Faculty salary and benefits requested may not exceed $5,500 per instructor over the course of two years. Please specify whether the salary requested is summer or academic year. Learning assistants should be budgeted at the minimum hourly wage and their estimated time should include 2 hours per week of preparatory meetings in addition to in-class hours. They should not be assigned grading or office hour responsibilities.

This program is open to all post-secondary institutions in Maine, and primarily undergraduate institutions and community colleges are encouraged to apply.

To submit your application, complete the form found here: tinyurl.com/eDNAcourseproposal2021

Proposal Deadline:  April 19, 2021.  Completed proposal applications must be submitted by midnight on April 19, 2021for consideration.

If you have questions, please reach out to: eDNACurriculumInnovations@gmail.com.

Proposal Application for eDNA Undergraduate Curriculum Innovations Seed Grant Program 

Instructor information

  • Name of primary instructor
  • Email address
  • Institution
  • Department
  • Name(s) of additional instructor(s), if applicable
  • Are you proposing to create a new course or to modify an existing course?

New course description

  • Proposed course name and number
  • When and how often will this course be offered? (e.g., each semester, each spring, every other fall, etc.)
  • What is the anticipated course enrollment?
  • Which population(s) of students will be enrolled in this course (check all that apply)
    • Molecular biology/genetics students
    • Ecology and environmental science students
    • Other
  • What can you say about the population who will be taking this course (e.g., level, composition)?
  • Have you ever taught a course similar to what you are proposing here? If so, please briefly describe that course and your experience with it (g., did you develop it? how many times have you taught it?)

Course modification description

  • Course name and number
  • When and how often is this course offered? (e.g., each semester, each spring, every other fall, etc.)
  • What is the typical course enrollment?
  • Which population(s) of students enroll in this course (check all that apply)
    • Molecular biology/genetics students
    • Ecology and environmental science students
    • Other
  • What can you say about the population who typically take this course (e.g., level, composition)?
  • Approximately how many times have you taught this course?
  • Describe the course in its current form. Include information about how time in class is typically spent (e.g., use of lecture, lab activities, group work, etc.).

Motivation for curriculum/course development and/or modifications

  • What motivates you to want to develop curricular materials to introduce or enhance (1) molecular biology/genetics lab experiences for ecology and environmental science students, or (2) ecology and environmental science lab experiences for molecular biology/genetics science students?
  • What are the hands-on/minds-on, active learning instructional practices you would like to introduce or enhance via this curriculum development project? Why do you believe the curricular changes are likely to improve student learning outcomes and increased student interest in STEM careers?
  • How does your proposed curriculum development effort align with current or emerging programs (or priorities) within your institution and department/unit?

Proposed curriculum development

The proposed course and/or additions or enhancements to an existing course curriculum must involve hands-on/minds-on learning opportunities for students.

  • How will this development project either introduce or enhance (a) molecular biology/genetics lab experiences for ecology and environmental science students or (b) ecology and environmental science lab experiences for molecular biology/genetics science students?
  • Why are the proposed course curriculum development efforts particularly suitable for groupwork or hands-on/minds-on activities?
  • What will your students be doing (or doing differently) in your proposed course curriculum?
  • What will you be doing (or doing differently) in your proposed course curriculum?
  • Are there any instructional practices that you will introduce or enhance as a result of this effort? If so, please describe them and your prior experiences using these practices.
  • Please provide any additional information about your proposed curriculum development or modification effort that you feel was not addressed in your responses to the above questions.
  • Discuss any challenges you anticipate in developing and/or modifying curriculum for your course and meeting the guidelines of the eDNA Undergraduate Curriculum Innovations seed grant program. Are there any areas in which you would particularly like to be supported?

Description of Assessment

Proposals should include plans for assessing the impact on students’ learning, interest in STEM careers, and experience in the course and beyond.

  • How do you plan to assess the success of your curriculum modification and/or development efforts?
  • Participants in this program use data to examine the impact of their curricular changes. What data will you gather and what instruments/assessments will you use?

Potential for curriculum implementation and adaptation beyond your institution

  • Based on your experiences and interactions with professional colleagues, in what ways do you believe that your curricular development efforts may be leveraged by other institutions?
  • What ancillary resources or support materials will you develop so that instructors at other institutions may be able to use your materials effectively?

Budget and justification

Projects can be proposed for a duration of 1 to 2 years. Proposal budgets may include a request for up to $10,000 in funds for the duration of the project. Examples of kinds of support that may be requested include faculty compensation for course and assessment development and assessment data analysis, materials and supplies, undergraduate learning assistants, web site development to disseminate proposal work to other faculty, and other related expenses. The grant cannot pay the faculty member to teach the course or to engage in routine course preparation activities. Faculty salary and benefits requested may not exceed $5,500 per instructor over the course of two years. Please specify whether the salary requested is summer or academic year. Learning assistants should be budgeted at the minimum hourly wage and their estimated time should include 2 hours per week of preparatory meetings in addition to in-class hours. They should not be assigned grading or office hour responsibilities.

  • Select those categories for which you will be requesting support. If you check “other” please described that item in the budget justification section below.
    • Faculty salary
    • Materials and/or supplies
    • Undergraduate learning assistants
    • Dissemination
    • Other…
  • Briefly explain your rationale/justification for requesting support in these areas. (A more detailed budget will be requested if your proposal is selected for funding.)

Supporting documents and additional comments

Additional information:

  • To complete your application, please email the following to eDNACurriculumInnovations@gmail.com:
    • Your resume/curriculum vitae
    • A brief letter from your department chair or director indicating support for the proposal and its alignment with the unit’s instructional plans
  • A Contract for Services shall be initiated with successful awardees who are located outside of the University of Maine System.
  • All costs incurred in the performance of the grant will be subject to audit by the Federal Government or University. Upon request the Subrecipient will allow the auditor’s access to records necessary to support reported costs.
  • Finally, in the space below, you may include any additional comments you feel are relevant for our review of your proposal.
  • Do you have any additional comments you would like to include for consideration of your course development proposal?