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Submission Deadline: 8AM on Tuesday, October 30, 2001
Late proposals will be considered only if funds remain after
proposals received by the deadline have been considered.
The cycle for this RFP has been completed.
Summaries of Grants Awarded are now available.
Overview
To support effective implementation of outcomes assessment in CSU programs, the CSU Institute for Teaching and Learning (ITL) invites proposals for the development of faculty-directed clearinghouses that are discipline- or program-specific. These clearinghouses should promote and support the sharing of outcomes assessment goals and objectives, strategies, tools, and results with CSU colleagues on different campuses. We recognize that each campus program has a unique array of learning objectives and priorities, but access to the clearinghouse may help faculty consider new ideas, learn about and adapt strategies that are effective on sister campuses, and avoid problems that have emerged elsewhere. Eligible for funding is an individual or team who represents any CSU instructional program in which students take credit-bearing courses, such as traditional majors (e.g., History, Sociology) and interdisciplinary/multi-disciplinary programs (e.g., General Education, Liberal Studies). Assessment efforts should be sufficiently mature within the designated program that a critical number of campuses are able to share what they have learned from directly assessing student learning outcomes. For example, a program that has implemented portfolio assessment can share with similar programs on other CSU campuses how they assigned and analyzed portfolios, what they learned from portfolios, and what they learned about using portfolios. We encourage the development of technology-mediated, interactive resource banks, but we will give serious consideration to other collection and dissemination strategies. ITL will provide support for planning and developing the clearinghouses. Programs will be responsible for their ongoing development and use beyond this academic year.
The intent of this grant program is to enable faculty on different CSU campuses who teach in similar programs to learn from each other. We encourage project directors to collect information in a digital format so documents can be easily disseminated and are easily accessible, and we encourage the collection of sufficiently detailed information that campuses can easily adapt documents (e.g., assignments, tests, scoring rubrics) or procedures (e.g., interview or focus group protocols) for local use. The actual dissemination mechanism (e.g., interactive Web sites, perhaps mediated by Blackboard or WebCT; e-mailed attachments) and access control will be left to project directors to determine, based on the needs and preferences of relevant CSU faculty and program chairs.
Faculty interested in preparing proposals in response to this RFP should consult with colleagues on other CSU campuses to determine the most effective design of their clearinghouse and to document colleagues' interest and willingness to participate. ITL will consider only one proposal for an academic program (e.g., B.A. in Philosophy) and will expect to see broad interest in the initiative. Although not every campus has to commit to participating in the effort, the project should include the participation of a critical number of campuses, given the extent of the program within the system.
Anticipated Funding
We anticipate funding projects with budgets that range between $2,000 and $7,000, depending on the scope of the project, types of activities, expected outcomes, and number of involved campuses. Those submitting requests should look for cost-effective approaches, and we encourage them to seek matching funds from other sources, such as participating departments or campuses. Contributions of resources from involved campuses are strong indicators of interest in the project and commitment to participate.
All funds are from ITL's 2001/02 state budget. Projects must be completed by June 30, 2002, and all expenditures must follow state spending guidelines.
Preparing a Proposal for a Clearinghouse Grant
ITL will consider funding proposals only if there is evidence of support and intention to participate from department chairs and/or faculty from a reasonable number of potentially-involved campuses.
The proposal should include the six components listed below:
- COVER PAGE
Identify the following: program that will be the focus of the clearinghouse, names of participating campuses, project coordinator(s) (with mailing, phone, fax, and e-mail addresses), amount of funds requested from ITL, funds committed from other sources, and date.
- PROPOSAL NARRATIVE (five pages maximum)
Explain how the clearinghouse will be developed and function. Describe what is known about the status of outcomes assessment efforts at relevant CSU campuses, work already done to initiate the project, expected outcomes of the project this academic year, plans for sustaining the clearinghouse after this academic year, and logistics (how relevant individuals will be identified, contacted, and integrated into the project). Proposal reviewers will appreciate your efforts to structure the proposal to make it easy to follow and to read. Keep in mind that they probably will not be from your discipline and may need some background information and explanation of specialized terms or software packages that you intend to use.
- TIMELINE
Summarize anticipated deadlines for the major steps required to complete the project, including planning, implementing, and evaluating the project and preparing the final report. Be sure that all work can be completed by June 30, 2002.
- BUDGET
Submit an itemized budget that estimates costs, such as release time, student assistants, travel, consulting fees, and materials and supplies. Clarify which expenditures will be covered by matching funds.
- QUALIFICATIONS
Include a 200-word statement of the project coordinator's(s') abilities to organize and implement the initiative, including his/her/their experience with relevant technology tools that are necessary for project success.
- INDICATION OF COMMITMENT
Include evidence of intention to participate from department chairs or faculty on the involved campuses.
Criteria for Evaluating Proposals
The proposals will be evaluated using the following criteria:
- Need for the proposed clearinghouse
- Relevant campus experiences in the direct assessment of student learning outcomes
- Thoroughness and appropriateness of the proposed activities
- Specificity and feasibility of the project
- Quality and value of the expected outcomes
- Specificity and congruence between budget and proposed activities
- Qualifications of project coordinator(s)
- Breadth of involvement and commitment of multiple campuses
Reporting Requirements
ITL will require a final report from each funded clearinghouse project, summarizing what was accomplished and how the funds were used. ITL may post these final reports on its Website.
How to Submit a Proposal
Send a digital copy of your proposal as a Microsoft Word email attachment to
dwheeler@calstate.edu. Proposals will be sent to reviewers immediately, and we hope to announce results before Thanksgiving. Proposals received after 8AM on Tuesday, October 30 will be considered for funding only if funds remain after proposals received by the deadline have been reviewed.
Questions
For further information, contact Mary Allen, (562) 951-4735 or
mallen@calstate.edu. If you want local assistance, contact relevant campus assessment officers. You'll find a list of campus assessment personnel on the
Chancellor's Office Website. Your local campus contact may be able to help you locate and establish critical connections. In addition, you probably should consult your department chair. Email distribution lists are maintained for many programs, and you may find such lists useful for identifying colleagues throughout the system. |
