1. Webinar NSF’s Improving Undergraduate STEM Education (IUSE) Program
Program Description: NSF
Note: This presentation is for the EHR Directorate version of the IUSE program. For information about other NSF IUSE opportunities, refer to ‘Dear Colleague Letters’ and other program descriptions.

2. Webinar NSF’s Improving Undergraduate STEM Education (IUSE) Program
Presentation led by: Jill Singer, SUNY-Buffalo State
Also present to answer questions: Keith Sverdrup, NSF DUE Geosciences Program Officer
With assistance from
The Virtual Faculty Collaborative (a partnership among AAAS, Louisiana State University, and Higher Education Services) in collaboration with NSF
Special thanks to Roger Seals (the ‘web wizard’)
October 2, 2014

3. Webinar NSF’s Improving Undergraduate STEM Education (IUSE) Program
This webinar is divided into two parts – each 1 hour in duration
Hour 1: General Overview of Program
Hour 2: More information especially relevant to geosciences community
For more information about the IUSE (EHR) program, go to:

4. Disclaimer
This Webinar represents the opinions of the presenters (Jill Singer and Jeff Ryan) and it is not an official NSF document
Presenters are former rotators and served as NSF DUE program officers
In preparing the webinar materials, the presenters have had several discussions with Keith Sverdrup, DUE Geosciences program officer
Keith Sverdrup will answer questions in both Hour 1 and Hour 2 of this webinar.
? To submit a question, use the control panel that appears on your screen and type your question into the chat/message box at any time during the webinar.

5. Webinar Topics Hour 1: Hour 2: Introduction to IUSE - EHR Program
Program description
Review criteria
Proposal preparation advice
Q&A #1
Hour 2:
Why it is important to submit an IUSE - EHR proposal
Geoscience topics of special interest
Geoscience tips and other advice
Q&A#2
? To submit a question, use the control panel that appears on your screen and type your question into the chat/message box at any time.

6. IUSE - EHR Program
Broadening participation by increasing the number and diversity of STEM majors
Develop the professional STEM workforce
Contribute to a STEM-literate society
Foster widespread use of evidence-based resources and pedagogies
Build new knowledge about evidence-based strategies and disseminating best practices

7. IUSE - EHR supports 2 NSF strategic goals:
Transform the frontiers of science and engineering
Supporting fundamental, high-risk and potentially transformative research in science and engineering
Education of the next generation of the STEM workforce to continue this transformation

8. IUSE - EHR supports 2 NSF strategic goals:
Stimulate innovation and address societal needs through research and education
Supports research and development on STEM education
Prepare a diverse, globally competent STEM workforce and a STEM-literate citizenry

9. Collectively, IUSE - EHR projects will
Increase student retention in STEM
Prepare students to participate in science for tomorrow
Improve students' STEM learning outcomes
Generate knowledge on how students learn and on effective practice in undergraduate classrooms
Broaden participation in STEM fields
Advance the preparation of a globally-competitive workforce, including teachers

10. IUSE - EHR has two tracks with different levels of funding:
Exploration & Design/Development
Track 1: Engaged Student Learning (ESL)
Track 2: Institutional and Community Transformation (ICT)
Note – specific deadlines apply for the two tracks and for levels of funding
Exploration tier is for ESL and ICT projects and can be up to $250K for 2 years
Design and Development tier supports larger scale efforts in ESL and ICT tracks

11. IUSE - EHR Structure Two Tracks: Engaged Student Learning (ESL)
Exploration: up to $250K, 2 years
Design and Development – 2 Levels:
Level I: up to $600 K, 3 years - Scale of multiple institutions
or multiple disciplines at an institution
Level II: $600,001 - $2M, 5 years - Large-scale efforts or
long-term research
Institutional and Community Transformation (ICT)
Design and Development – only 1 Level:
Up to $3M, 5 years
Workshops, Conferences, and Special Projects encouraged:
up to $75K - contact Program Officer in advance of preparing submission

12. Engaged Student Learning (ESL)
Characteristics of the two IUSE – EHR tracks:
Engaged Student Learning (ESL)
Institutional and Community Transformation (ICT)

13. Engaged Student Learning (ESL) Track
Focus on design, development, and research studies
Involve the creation, exploration, or implementation of tools, resources, and models that show promise for increasing engagement of undergraduate students in STEM learning and leading to measurable and lasting learning gains.
Reflect disciplinary differences in needs and priorities
Projects are encouraged to form collaborations to leverage what is known about how people learn and to contribute to body of knowledge:
Collaborations could include: STEM education researchers, STEM disciplinary researchers, and cognitive scientists
Undergraduate audience includes:
Students at all types of institutions and in all types of majors
Faculty members

14. Institutional and Community Transformation (ICT) Track
Supports projects that use innovative approaches to substantially increase the propagation of highly effective methods of STEM teaching and learning at the undergraduate level.
Projects may have variable scope and scale, e.g.,
high enrollment lower division courses or multiple courses
Courses within a single department or a college
Also seeks to learn whether theories of change from business or other sectors may be applicable to catalyze the institution-wide acceptance and use of proven effective teaching approaches.

15. IUSE - EHR Deadlines – FY2015
10/22/2014
10/24/2014
01/13/2015
Engaged Student Learning (ESL)
Exploration
Design and Development I & II
Institutional and Community Transformation (ICT)
Design and Development
Workshops, Conferences, Special Projects
No Due Date

16. Strands that Run Through Entire Proposal
Student learning
Budget to accomplish the project and carry out the identified activities
What you want to know (evaluation) and what informs the project (for project improvement and determination of project impact)
Dissemination and community engagement and adoption (if applicable to proposed project)
Continuation of project beyond period of NSF (sustainability)

17. Review and Submission
All proposals are reviewed using NSF’s merit criteria – Intellectual Merit and Broader Impacts
Additional program specific criteria may also apply
Refer to program solicitation for explanations for merit criteria and program specific criteria
Prior support must be summarized (use headings IM and BI and identify results, including dissemination)
Check spelling and grammar, margins, page limit, font size, and use enough headings to help reviewers keep track of proposal sections

18. Improving Undergraduate STEM Education Program (IUSE)
Questions?
Type your question into the chat/message box

19. Improving Undergraduate STEM Education Program (IUSE) - EHR
END HOUR 1

20. Improving Undergraduate STEM Education Program (IUSE) - EHR
BEGIN HOUR 2

21. Webinar NSF’s Improving Undergraduate STEM Education (IUSE) Program
Program Description: NSF
Note: This presentation is for the EHR Directorate version of the IUSE program. For information about other NSF IUSE opportunities, refer to ‘Dear Colleague Letters’ and other program descriptions.

22. Webinar NSF’s Improving Undergraduate STEM Education (IUSE) Program
Presentation led by: Jill Singer, SUNY-Buffalo State
Also present to answer questions: Keith Sverdrup, NSF DUE Geosciences Program Officer
With assistance from
The Virtual Faculty Collaborative (a partnership among AAAS, Louisiana State University, and Higher Education Services) in collaboration with NSF
Special thanks to Roger Seals (the ‘web wizard’)
October 2, 2014

23. Webinar NSF’s Improving Undergraduate STEM Education (IUSE) Program
This webinar is divided into two parts – each 1 hour in duration
Hour 1: General Overview of Program
Hour 2: More information especially relevant to geosciences community
For more information about the IUSE (EHR) program, go to:

24. Disclaimer
This Webinar represents the opinions of the presenters (Jill Singer and Jeff Ryan) and it is not an official NSF document
Presenters are former rotators and served as NSF DUE program officers
In preparing the webinar materials, the presenters have had several discussions with Keith Sverdrup, DUE Geosciences program officer
Keith Sverdrup will answer questions in both Hour 1 and Hour 2 of this webinar.
? To submit a question, use the control panel that appears on your screen and type your question into the chat/message box at any time during the webinar.

25. Webinar Topics Hour 1: Hour 2: Introduction to IUSE EHR Program
Program description
Review criteria
Proposal preparation advice
Q&A #1
Hour 2:
Why it is important to submit an IUSE - EHR proposal
Geoscience topics of special interest
Geoscience tips and more advice
Q&A#2
? To submit a question, use the control panel that appears on your screen and type your question into the chat/message box at any time.

26. Where are the Geoscience Proposals?
Some reasons cited by geoscientists for not submitting proposals:
Fear of rejection
Unlikely to get funded without strong publication record
Doesn't "count" as research
High teaching load
Lack of time to develop ideas and write proposals
Lack of skills to prepare proposal
Unfamiliar with proposal process (from writing the proposal to submitting it)
Lack of prior experience
Increased workload if funded - commitment from institution uncertain.
The time it takes to form partnerships and collaborations
Knowledge of programs
Lead time for proposal writing and preparation
New faculty member
Small department
All my ideas seem like they already have been done
Feeling like my ideas for proposals are just "part of my job" and don't "deserve" external funding.
Finding an evaluator
Requirement for IRB
Budget preparation
Pressure to submit research proposals is greater

27. Where are the Geoscience Proposals?
Of the reasons given, lack of time is the most frequent response and will be difficult to overcome
None of the reasons provided are unique to the geoscience community
As a community we must do what we can to increase the number of quality proposals submitted to the IUSE program
Lack of proposals is a concern for the entire geosciences community
Missed opportunities to compete for available resources
IUSE Program money is in part based on relative number of proposals among disciplines. Fewer geosciences proposals translates to less money to fund projects
Lack of visibility within the Division of Undergraduate Education. Only one geosciences program officer in the division while other disciplines have 2 or more program officers
We are an active community but hard to believe that based on the low number of submissions to IUSE and previous programs (e.g., CCLI, TUES among others)
Faculty doing good work that could be supported by NSF

28. IUSE - EHR Structure Two Tracks: Engaged Student Learning (ESL)
Exploration: up to $250K, 2 years
Design and Development – 2 Levels:
Level I: up to $600 K, 3 years - Scale of multiple institutions or multiple disciplines at an institution
Level II: $600,001 - $2M, 5 years - Large-scale efforts or long-term research
Institutional and Community Transformation (ICT)
Design and Development: up to $3M, 5 years
Workshops, Conferences, and Special Projects
up to $75K (discuss idea with program officer before preparing a proposal)

29. Engaged Student Learning (ESL) Track
Focus on design, development, and research studies
Involve the creation, exploration, or implementation of tools, resources, and models that show promise for increasing engagement of undergraduate students in STEM learning and leading to measurable and lasting learning gains.
Reflect disciplinary differences in needs and priorities
Projects are encouraged to form collaborations to leverage what is known about how people learn and to contribute to body of knowledge:
Collaborations could include: STEM education researchers, STEM disciplinary researchers, and Cognitive scientists
Undergraduate audience includes:
Students at all types of institutions and in all types of majors
Faculty members

30. Engaged Student Learning (ESL) Track
Exploration Projects
Small-scale efforts
Deadline of Oct 22, 2014
Budgets up to $250,000
Maximum duration of 2 years
These projects may seek to
Pose and investigate new teaching materials or instructional strategies
Pose and investigate new methods of assessing student learning and achievement
Adapt and implement strategies that have proven effective at other institutions
Many others consistent with IUSE Program goals
Expected to contribute to the body of knowledge about
STEM teaching and learning
Effective means to broader implementation

31. Institutional and Community Transformation (ICT) Track
Supports projects that use innovative approaches to substantially increase the propagation of highly effective methods of STEM teaching and learning at the undergraduate level.
Projects may have variable scope and scale, e.g.,
High enrollment lower division courses or multiple courses
Courses within a single department or a college
Also seeks to learn whether theories of change from business or other sectors may be applicable to catalyze the institution-wide acceptance and use of proven effective teaching approaches.

32. Institutional and Community Transformation (ICT) Track
Exploration Projects
Small-scale efforts
Deadline of Oct 24, 2014
Budgets up to $250K
Maximum durations of 2 years
These projects may seek to
Develop strategies for the adoption, adaptation, and implementation of effective practices by a growing number of faculty instructors
Explore challenges to their adoption, with the goal of informing policy, practice, and future development in education enterprise
Expected to contribute to the body of knowledge about
STEM teaching and learning
Effective means to broader implementation

33. What is HOT in Geosciences?
Understanding how students learn geoscience concepts  (e.g., cognitive, affective)
Bringing new research findings into the classroom
Integration of large data sets into the classroom
Visualization software and improving our students' ability to visualize data
Use of cyberlearning tools and platforms (e.g., Google Earth)
Innovative ways to integrate research equipment into undergraduate curricula
Topics of special interest: climate change, sustainability, and energy
Interdisciplinary projects that combine geosciences with other STEM disciplines

34. Pitfalls and Tips
Avoid writing in a vacuum unaware of best practices, body of literature about effective pedagogy, other efforts that inform the proposed project
Remedy: Plan to spend several days reviewing SERC and using the pointers to other sites, citations in the solicitation, and abstracts of funded projects
Citing the literature but not connecting to it; not making it clear how the proposed project builds upon the knowledge base
Remedy: Be specific about how your project is informed by best practices and prior work and identify ways your proposed project will contribute to advancing the discipline and improving our understanding of what works and what doesn’t
Budget that is inflated or too small to get the job done
Remedy: Ask for what is needed to carry out the proposed work plan and explain everything you request in the proposal (e.g., salary based on effort, instruments, students, travel, dissemination, and project evaluation) and include explanation in the budget justification. The budget should align with your proposal
Avoid passive dissemination plans & consider sustainability after NSF funding
Remedy: Consider ways of engaging community in all stages of proposed project. Take advantage of regional and national geoscience conferences to share findings. The more you connect your project to department/institutional priorities the higher the likelihood of sustaining the project after funding ends.

35. Proposal Preparation
Identify and describe your target audience, including students’ backgrounds
Describe how project engages students inside and outside the classroom
Identify your collaborators and what each partner will contribute to the project
Provide sufficient detail about the project, what educational problem or challenge you are addressing, significance of the problem, and how you will implement the project
Explain how the project builds upon and takes advantage of existing resources and what the literature tells us about how students learn
If equipment is requested, clearly demonstrate its educational benefits and how students will use the equipment
Include a plan for engaging the community
Explain how the project will be evaluated and identify the evaluator
Provide a timeline and measureable outcomes for each activity
Identify all budget needs

36. Planning to submit a proposal?
And want some feedback on a few pages,
evaluation plan, or budget?
Take advantage of ‘Just-in-Time’ IUSE advice during the GSA meeting in Vancouver
Stop by the NSF booth and leave a message (and include your contact information) for Jeff Ryan and Jill Singer
One of us will get back in touch with you and schedule a time to meet
Due to limited time, we are not able to read the entire proposal, but can look over up to 5 pages and provide feedback during the meeting

37. Serve as a reviewer for the IUSE program
Not quite ready to submit a proposal?
And want to learn more about the process and what makes a competitive high quality proposal?
Serve as a reviewer for the IUSE program
Review panels include experienced & new reviewers
Reviewers are typically assigned proposals to read and prepare individual reviews
Reviewers participate in discussions with other panel members
If you are interested in serving as a reviewer, a 2-page biographical sketch (NSF format or equivalent) to:
Keith Sverdrup, DUE Geosciences Program Officer

38. Improving Undergraduate STEM Education Program (IUSE)
Questions?
Type your question into the chat/message box