UITL accepting grant proposals for SoTL, DBER projects

The University Institute for Teaching and Learning is currently accepting grant proposals for projects that advance implementation and/or research of instructional best practices in Ohio State courses and make contributions to the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SOTL) or Discipline-based Education Research (DBER).

This is the second year of UITL’s grant program designed to encourage research that will have a measurable impact on student learning and experience. The program provides not only funding, but also assistance from experts.

“This grant program is an excellent way for instructors to start a project on implementing an evidence-based instructional practice or investigating how to help students with a particularly difficult course or content topic or skill," said Andrew Heckler, the UITL Research Fellow and professor of Physics.

Instructors may submit proposals under one of two categories:

  • Implementation, focusing on engaging in and assessing research-based instructional methods and materials for undergraduate students, and
  • Research, or conducting investigations in student learning and/or instructional best practices, using quantitative and/or qualitative research methods.

In 2018-19, nine proposals were funded in disciplines ranging from physics and material science engineering to theater and sports management.

“The program is open to faculty, associated faculty, and lecturers and is built with a progression of levels of support so that an instructor with no prior experience in such projects can apply. And if you complete a Level 1 award, you can subsequently submit for a Level 2 award.  We are excited about the broad range of quality projects awarded last year, and we look forward to this next round,” said Heckler.

Deadline for 2019-20 Research and Implementation Grant proposals is March 3. Full details on proposal requirements and processes are available here: https://uitl.osu.edu/research-implementation-grant. In addition, if you have specific questions regarding your proposed project, you may email uitl@osu.edu.