The Office of the Provost encourages SMU faculty to explore meaningful and innovative use of instructional technology. The Instructional Technology Grant provides faculty members with funds to improve teaching and learning through the incorporation of technology. Since its inception in 1992-1993, approximately 80 Instructional Technology Grants have been awarded.
Grants are awarded in the Fall. Funding will be available this semester with work to be completed no later than Fall 2008.
Grants are of two types 1) grants between $500 and $5000; and 2) mini-grants under $500. The mini-grants are intended to fund the purchase of less expensive equipment or software such as an iPod nano and microphone for coursecasting. The mini-grants have a streamlined application process.
The Award.
In addition to funding, recipients are also entitled to appropriate technical support from Academic Computing, which may include accessing an array of expertise, as well as programs, equipment, and facilities. The larger awards may be used for training, purchase of equipment, travel, or other grant-related activities. The smaller awards are for hardware or software only.
Funds are intended to assist faculty in developing technology expertise; therefore, use of funds for labor is discouraged. Similarly, requests for generic classroom enhancements, such as projectors, are not competitive. The grant period is one year.
Eligibility.
All full-time regular SMU faculty members are eligible. Both new applicants as well as past recipients are welcome. For the larger grants, applicants must secure endorsement from their department chair or dean.
Potential Topics.
Grants will be awarded to veteran technology users as well as intermediate and beginners. A list of potential topics is provided to facilitate your application and stimulate ideas. You are not limited to these topics.
Course-restructuring using various technologies and techniques, e.g., Blackboard course management systems, etc.
Coursecasting, e.g., MP3 players and microphones Animations, simulations, and learning modules using Flash technology (Examples) Classroom technologies to increase student interactivity, e.g., Tablet Computers, PDAs, etc.
Technology-enabled assessment, e.g., classroom response systems, web-based early semester teaching evaluation, etc.
Registration and travel costs to participate in a classroom technology meeting or seminar (applicant must be presenting a paper or poster).
Partnerships with colleagues from other academic areas, as well as librarians and technology staff, are encouraged. Faculty are welcome to consult with staff at Academic Computing (jlan@smu.edu, bskinner@smu.edu) with regard to topics, pedagogical objectives, equipment costs, and other issues related to the proposals.
Proposal.
For grant requests between $500 and $5000, please submit a proposal, not to exceed 5 double-spaced pages plus cover sheet, endorsed by your chair or dean, indicating:
Project Description
Your expertise and/or expertise to be acquired; Relevance to your discipline, school, or department, including research; Criteria you will use to evaluate the success of the project; Proposed budget, indicating other related funding if applicable; Potential follow-up plans, e.g., seeking additional funding to continue or expand the project, if applicable; Please complete the linked cover sheet as the first page of your proposal.
For grant requests of $500 and under, please submit a proposal, not to exceed 2 pages, indicating
Your name, department, office phone, email address Project Description Your expertise and/or expertise to be acquired; Relevance to your discipline, school, or department, including research; A list of the specific courses (with expected enrollments) who will most benefit; The equipment/software you are requesting and cost.
Mini-grants do not require endorsement from your chair or dean.
Evaluation Criteria.
The Teaching Technology Group will review proposals and recommend recipients. The evaluation of the proposals will be based on relevance of the goals and objectives, potential benefit, feasibility, appropriateness of technology addressed, or other applicable criteria. It is especially important to document how students in the classes you teach will benefit from the grant and to identify criteria you will use to measure your project's success.
Reporting Requirements.
Since one of the major goals of the grant is to extend technological interest and expertise to other faculty members, the grant requires that recipients present the project outcomes to a public meeting of the Teaching Technology Group, so others may benefit. (For recipients not able to attend, a brief written report (1-2 pages) is required .)
Deadline to apply is 5pm, Wednesday, October 31.
Address proposals to
Dr. Ellen Jackofsky, Perkins Administration Building, Box 221.
Notification.
Grant recipients will be notified by the Office of the Provost the week of November 5th.