Track B Curriculum Development Scholarship Development Grants

We have just released the Call for Primary Proposal for the Track B Scholarship Development Grants!  We encourage any department that has been thinking about incorporating student scholarship, inquiry-based learning, undergraduate research, or original creative activities into their undergraduate classes to apply.

Summary of Track B
The goal of the curriculum revision supported by the Students as Scholars Scholarship Development Grants (SDG) is to provide courses and other experiences in which undergraduate students learn about scholarship and its role at Mason, actively engage in scholarship, and participate in the generation of knowledge. Track B grants are aimed at academic departments and support the creation of a scaffolded learning experience for students as they progress through an academic program and develop an understanding of the scholarly work in the discipline or field.  For Track B SDGs, curriculum development and revision should engage students in at least two of the three curriculum levels: Discovery of Scholarship, Scholarly Inquiry, and Creation of Scholarship (for Research and Scholarship intensive courses).

Track B Process
In conversations on campus, OSCAR and CTE have realized that departments need support (time and money) to learn more about details of the Students as Scholars student learning outcomes and models for incorporating these into classes before they can create specific plans for course revision. In response, we have broken the Track B Scholarship Development Grant proposal process into two steps. 

In the Track B Primary Proposals, departments will apply to participate in Curriculum Development Workshops to analyze their undergraduate program so that they can align their courses with the Students as Scholars student learning outcomes and prepare a plan for the secondary proposal focused on specific courses. Workshop participants will receive a $500 stipend for their participation in the workshop and subsequent work with their department on the secondary proposal (and lunch!).

In Track B Secondary Proposals, departments will explain their goals for their undergraduate programs and apply for funds to support the creation or revision of courses at any of the three levels: Discovery, Inquiry, or Creation of Scholarship ("the pyramid").

Timeline for Track B SDGs

January 17, 2012 (11-12a, Robeson Room, Johnson Center): Track B Question & Answer Session

February 3, 2012: Deadline for submission of Track B Primary Proposals (proposal cover sheet is available now)

February 10th, 2012 (11:30a-5:30p) and February 17th, 2012 (9a-3p): Curriculum Development Workshops (department teams need to attend only one day)

April 13th, 2012: Deadline for submission of Track B Secondary Proposals

More detailed information is available on the Call for Proposals.  The proposal is electronic, but a pdf version for planning purposes is now online.

As always, please feel free to contact us at OSCAR@gmu.edu for additional information or answers to your questions.