1

CCLI Proposal Writing Strategies

Tim FossumTim Fossumtfossum@nsf.govtfossum@nsf.gov

Program DirectorProgram DirectorDivision of Undergraduate EducationDivision of Undergraduate Education

National Science FoundationNational Science Foundation

Vermont EPSCoR NSF Research DayVermont EPSCoR NSF Research DayJune 7, 2008June 7, 2008

2

Caution

The information presented in The information presented in this workshop represents my this workshop represents my opinion and is not an official opinion and is not an official NSF position.NSF position.

3

Overview of Workshop

Goal:Goal: Prepare you to write Prepare you to write more competitive CCLI more competitive CCLI proposalsproposals

4

EHR/DUE’s CCLI Program

VisionVision:: Excellent STEM education for Excellent STEM education for all undergraduate students. all undergraduate students.

Goal:Goal: Stimulate, disseminate, and Stimulate, disseminate, and institutionalize innovative institutionalize innovative developments in STEM education developments in STEM education through the production of knowledge through the production of knowledge and the improvement of practice. and the improvement of practice.

Components:Components: Material & pedagogy developmentMaterial & pedagogy development Faculty developmentFaculty development Implementation Implementation Assessment Assessment ResearchResearch

5

Audience participation

Identify the Identify the singlesingle most most important important piece of advice piece of advice you would give to a colleague you would give to a colleague writing a CCLI proposal ...writing a CCLI proposal ...

6

Initial Proposal Sketch Goal:Goal: Enhance student learning in Enhance student learning in

<field X> at U of Y<field X> at U of Y Rationale:Rationale: Observed shortcomings in Observed shortcomings in

educational experience of the students educational experience of the students at U of Y and felt that at U of Y and felt that new stuff new stuff would would improve the situationimprove the situation

Project Description:Project Description: Details of Details of new stuffnew stuff Evaluation:Evaluation: Use U of Y’s course Use U of Y’s course

evaluation forms to show improvements evaluation forms to show improvements in learningin learning

Dissemination:Dissemination: Describe Describe new stuffnew stuff using using conference papers, journal articles, and conference papers, journal articles, and web site web site

7

Proposal Strategies Read the Read the program solicitationprogram solicitation

Determine how your Determine how your ideasideas matchmatch the the solicitation and how you can improve the solicitation and how you can improve the matchmatch

Articulate your Articulate your goals, objectives, & goals, objectives, & outcomesoutcomes Outcomes should include improvedOutcomes should include improved

student learningstudent learning Build on existing Build on existing knowledge baseknowledge base

Review the literatureReview the literature Present evidence that the Present evidence that the new stuffnew stuff

is doable; will enhance learning; is is doable; will enhance learning; is the best approachthe best approach

Explore potential Explore potential collaborationscollaborations

8

Proposal Strategies Use Use datadata to document existing to document existing

shortcomings in student learningshortcomings in student learning Describe Describe management planmanagement plan

Provide tasks,Provide tasks, team team responsibilities, timelineresponsibilities, timeline

Provide clear examples of the Provide clear examples of the approachapproach

Integrate the Integrate the evaluationevaluation effort early effort early Build assessment tools around Build assessment tools around

defined objectives and expected defined objectives and expected outcomes outcomes

Connect with independent Connect with independent evaluation expertsevaluation experts

9

Proposal Strategies

Identify strategies for Identify strategies for disseminationdissemination Define a plan to contribute to Define a plan to contribute to

knowledge baseknowledge base Address broader impactsAddress broader impacts Collaborate, form partnerships, Collaborate, form partnerships,

build communitybuild community

10

Write Proposal to Answer Reviewers’

QuestionsWhat are you trying to accomplish? What are you trying to accomplish?

What will be the outcomes?What will be the outcomes?

Why do you believe that you have a good idea? Why do you believe that you have a good idea?

Why is the problem important? Why is the problem important?

Why is your approach promising?Why is your approach promising?

How will you manage the project to ensure success? How will you manage the project to ensure success?

How will you know if you succeed?How will you know if you succeed?

How will others find out about your work? How will others find out about your work?

How will you interest them? How will you interest them?

How will you excite them?How will you excite them?

11

Developing Goals & Outcomes

Start with one or more Start with one or more overarching statements of overarching statements of project intentionproject intentionEach statement is a Each statement is a goalgoal

Convert each goal into one Convert each goal into one or more expected or more expected measurable results measurable results Each result is an Each result is an outcomeoutcome

12

Goals –> Objectives –> Outcomes

Converting goals to outcomes Converting goals to outcomes may involve intermediate stepsmay involve intermediate steps Intermediate steps Intermediate steps

frequently called frequently called objectives:objectives:More specific, more More specific, more measurable than goalsmeasurable than goals

Less specific, less Less specific, less measurable than measurable than outcomesoutcomes

13

Goals

Goals may focus onGoals may focus on Cognitive behavior Cognitive behavior Affective behaviorAffective behavior Success ratesSuccess rates DiversityDiversity

Cognitive, affective, Cognitive, affective, or success in targeted or success in targeted subgroupssubgroups

14

Goals

Goals may focus on ...Goals may focus on ... Cognitive behaviorCognitive behavior Affective behaviorAffective behavior Success ratesSuccess rates DiversityDiversity

Cognitive, affective, Cognitive, affective, or success in targeted or success in targeted subgroupssubgroups

15

Outcomes

Must be measurable Must be related closely to

goals Outcomes are the basis for

evaluation

16

Example Outcomes

Conceptual understandingConceptual understanding Students will be better able to Students will be better able to

solve simple conceptual problemssolve simple conceptual problems

Students will be better able to Students will be better able to solve out-of-context problems.solve out-of-context problems.

AttitudeAttitude Students will be more likely to Students will be more likely to

describe <field X> as an exciting describe <field X> as an exciting careercareer

The percentage of students who The percentage of students who transfer out of <field X> after transfer out of <field X> after taking <course Y> will decrease. taking <course Y> will decrease.

17

Project Rationale

Rationale is the narrative Rationale is the narrative that provides the context for that provides the context for the projectthe project It’s the section that connects It’s the section that connects

the “the “Statement of Goals and Statement of Goals and OutcomesOutcomes” to the “” to the “Project Project PlanPlan””

18

An Effective Rationale answers the following

questions: What does the What does the knowledge baseknowledge base say say

about your approach? about your approach? Why is this problem Why is this problem importantimportant?? What is the What is the evidenceevidence that your that your

proposed approach will solve the proposed approach will solve the problem?problem?

What are the potential What are the potential problems & problems & limitationslimitations??

Have you done Have you done prior workprior work? If so, ? If so, was it successful?was it successful?

19

Project Evaluation Plan All projects require evaluationAll projects require evaluation

All proposal require an evaluation All proposal require an evaluation planplan

During the project, During the project, formativeformative evaluation:evaluation: Monitors progress toward goalsMonitors progress toward goals Identifies problemsIdentifies problems

At the end of the project, At the end of the project, summativesummative evaluation:evaluation: Tells you what you accomplishedTells you what you accomplished Provides data for you to use in Provides data for you to use in

telling otherstelling others

20

Evaluation Plan

Get help at the beginning – in Get help at the beginning – in the proposal writing phasethe proposal writing phaseInvolve an Involve an expert evaluatorexpert evaluatorConsider an Consider an outsideoutside (independent) evaluator(independent) evaluatorSize of budgetSize of budgetImportance of objectivityImportance of objectivity

21

Evaluation Plan Provide Provide detailsdetails on tools & on tools &

experimental designexperimental design Describe Describe howhow

Students will be “surveyed”,Students will be “surveyed”,Faculty will be “asked”,Faculty will be “asked”,Grades will be “compared”Grades will be “compared”

Indicate Indicate whowho will do these tasks will do these tasks Indicate Indicate whowho will analyze and will analyze and

interpret the datainterpret the data Consider confounding factorsConsider confounding factors Try to measure Try to measure deeper learningdeeper learning Collect Collect demographic datademographic data on on

student populationsstudent populations

22

Dissemination Plan

CCLI projects need to CCLI projects need to contribute to: contribute to:

The STEM educationThe STEM education knowledge baseknowledge base

Building the STEM Building the STEM education education communitycommunity

23

Dissemination Plan Target and involve a Target and involve a specific sub-specific sub-

populationpopulation – e.g., Those who teach – e.g., Those who teach similar courses at other locationssimilar courses at other locations Ask them to Ask them to review review various various

products, data, and approaches products, data, and approaches Work with them to Work with them to organizeorganize

Email exchanges and listservesEmail exchanges and listservesInformal meeting at a Informal meeting at a conference or on-campus conference or on-campus

Faculty development workshops Faculty development workshops (on-campus and at conferences)(on-campus and at conferences)

Explore beta test sitesExplore beta test sites

24

Dissemination Plan

Be specific in publication effortsBe specific in publication efforts Explore Explore commercializationcommercialization Put material in a form suitable Put material in a form suitable

for the National Science Digital for the National Science Digital Library (Library (NSDLNSDL))

25

General Advice

Use good Use good stylestyle (clarity, (clarity, organization, etc.)organization, etc.)

ReinforceReinforce your ideas your ideas Give Give examplesexamples Provide appropriate level of Provide appropriate level of

detaildetail

26

General Advice

Pay special attention to your Pay special attention to your Project Summary Project Summary Summarize goals, rationale, Summarize goals, rationale,

methods, and evaluation and methods, and evaluation and dissemination plans dissemination plans

Address Address intellectual meritintellectual merit and and broader impacts broader impacts Explicitly Explicitly andand independently independentlyThree paragraphs Three paragraphs with with headings:headings:•““Summary” Summary” •““Intellectual Merit”Intellectual Merit”•““Broader Impacts”Broader Impacts”

27

General Advice

Follow the Follow the solicitationsolicitation and and GPGGPG Seek Seek adviceadvice (PO, colleagues) (PO, colleagues) Prepare Prepare credible budgetcredible budget Address Address prior fundingprior funding when when

appropriateappropriate Sell your ideasSell your ideas but don’t over promote but don’t over promote ProofreadProofread the proposal the proposal ““Tell a story” and turn a good idea Tell a story” and turn a good idea

into a competitive proposalinto a competitive proposal

28

Conclusion

Full presentation at:Full presentation at:http://www.subr.edu/MSIWorkshop/http://www.subr.edu/MSIWorkshop/

MSI2.htmMSI2.htm

Read the solicitation!Read the solicitation!

Read the Read the GPG!GPG!