Educational Research Mini-Grant Program

Educational Research Projects 2018-2019

Five educational research projects proposed by Missouri S&T faculty have been funded for 2018-2019 as part of a mini-grant program which promotes scholarly inquiry into a question about teaching and learning. The Center for Advancing Faculty Excellence (CAFE) provided nearly $25,000 to fund the following projects:

  • "Impact of Exposure to Broad Engineering on Student Persistence," Kellie Grasman, lecturer, engineering management and systems engineering, $4,962.03.
  • "The Impact of Classroom Design on Active Learning," Michelle Schwartze, assistant teaching professor, teacher education and certification, $5,000.
  • "Evaluating the Impact of an Expanded Sophomore Design Curriculum for Aerospace Engineering Students," Jill Schmidt, assistant teaching professor; Warner Meeks, assistant teaching professor; Hank Pernicka, professor; mechanical and aerospace engineering, $4,500.
  • "Maximizing the Co-op Experience, Step 1", Bob Schwartz, professor, materials science and engineering; Bill Gillis, assistant teaching professor, civil, architectural and environmental engineering; K.M. Isaac, professor, mechanical and aerospace engineering; Doug Ludlow, professor, chemical and biochemical engineering; Ed Malone, professor, English and technical communication; Keith Nisbett, associate professor, mechanical and aerospace engineering; Joe Stanley, associate professor, electrical and computer engineering; Nathan Weidner, assistant professor, psychological science; Phil Whitefield, professor, chemistry; $8,000.
  • "Comparison of Learning Outcomes and Student Demographics Between Classroom-Based and Asynchronous Online Lectures in Large Enrollment Engineering Physics Courses," Jim Musser, assistant teaching professor, Agnes Vojta, associate teaching professor, physics, $2,500.

This is the seventh year of the program, which provides funding to help instructors research a teaching and learning question that affects student, course or campus outcomes. Results of these projects will be shared with the campus at the Missouri S&T Teaching and Learning Technology Conference in March of 2019.

Grant Guidelines

All full-time faculty, full-time staff who also have teaching duties, or department chairs may apply.

Educational research mini-grants provide funding to help instructions research a teaching and learning question within the faculty member’s discipline. The goal of the project is to promote scholarly inquiry using systematic, pedagogical research methods, into a question that has the potential to affect student, course, program or campus outcomes. Results should be measurable, either through quantitative or qualitative methods.

Team projects within disciplines or across disciplines are welcomed and encouraged.

Projects can focus on design of educational innovations and outcomes, curriculum development, and pedagogical problem analysis, but must address a specific research question. Research should have an empirical component (e.g., qualitative or quantitative studies, measurement of student learning or teaching effectiveness, etc.) Projects should be completed within three semesters. Grant recipients will be required to share project results with the campus community through CAFE venues and at the  annual Teaching and Learning Technology Conference at Missouri S&T in March. Recipients are encouraged to share their results beyond campus as well (e.g., presentation at ASEE regional meeting, publication of paper, etc.)

Methods and strategies that do one or more of the following --

  • Increase student retention, persistence and graduation rates
  • Improve attainment of institution-wide, program or course level student learning outcomes
  • Improve access and success for underrepresented students
  • Promote strategies for equity and inclusion
  • Utilize formative and summative assessment methods for instructional improvement
  • Enhance student professional development
  • Increase faculty-student interaction
  • Promote collaborative, experiential, technology-enhanced or active learning strategies
  • Improve attainment of learning outcomes according to disciplinary or regional accrediting agencies

Up to $5,000 will be awarded for individual projects, and up to $8,000 will be awarded for interdisciplinary group projects. Funds may be used for summer support, materials and supplies, printing, TA or GTA support, release time and/or project-related travel expenses, as well as costs related to presenting and publishing results of educational research projects.

Matching funds are not required, but they may demonstrate commitment to instructional development, innovation and implementation of project outcomes.

Pursuing subsequent funding for a larger grant to continue research on the grantee’s topic is strongly encouraged but not required. For more information about pursuing larger externally sponsored educational research grants, contact the Office of Sponsored Programs.

One half of the funding will be awarded after awards are announced (June 1, 2018) and a MO Code is provided to the CAFE Administrative Assistant Diane Hagni (hagnid@mst.edu). One quarter of the funding will be released after an in-person project update is provided to the CAFE team after the 2018 fall semester. The final quarter of the funding will be released once the final report is completed and sent to CAFE on or before Jan. 2, 2020.

Submit a letter of intent regarding your proposal to CERTI (certi@mst.edu) or mail to 207 Norwood by March 1, 2018.

Submit a proposal (up to 5 pages including the cover sheet) on or before May 18, 2018, to the CERTI address, above. Click here for the Educational Research Mini-Grant Proposal Template 2018-19

The proposal should include:

  • Cover sheet (name, department, phone/email, project title, date, signature of department chair(s))
  • A brief abstract (100 words)
  • Purpose of the project
  • Pertinent information about your class (anticipated student enrollment, number of sections taught, distance component, etc.)
  • Research question to be addressed
  • Learning outcomes to be addressed
  • Methodology
  • Evaluation plan
  • Project Timeline (within 18 months)
  • Budget with justification
  • Deliverables and dissemination plan

Here are the Educational Research Mini-Grant Guidelines 2018-192016-2017 Request for Proposal/Mini-Grant Guidelines

Proposals will be reviewed by an educational research committee according to the following rubric:  evaluation rubric for mini-grant projects

  • Proposals will be reviewed by a committee comprised of the CAFE team and members of the CERTI advisory committee
  • Assistance for developing educational research proposals is available by contacting the CAFE office at cafe@mst.edu
  • Awardees must ensure IRB approval or exemption. Go here for more information about campus IRB approval
  • Awards will be announced by June 1, 2018.
  • One-half of the funding will be released after the awards are announced and a MO Code is provided to the administrative assistant of CAFE. One quarter of the funding will be released after a project update to the CAFE team after the fall semester. The final quarter of the funding will be released when the final report is submitted, before or on Jan. 2, 2020.
  • March 1, 2018 – Letter of intent due to CAFE office (email cafe@mst.edu, or mail to 207 Norwood)
  • May 18, 2018 – Full proposal due to CAFE office (email cafe@mst.edu, or mail to 207 Norwood)
  • June 1, 2018 – Awards announced, and one half of funding released once MO Code is provided by PI
  • One quarter of funding released after an in-person update is provided to the CAFE team after the 2018 fall semester
  • Awardees are required to present at the Missouri S&T Teaching and Learning Technology Conference in March 2019. For more information, visit tlt.mst.edu
  • Jan. 2, 2020 – Final report due to CAFE office (email cafe@mst.edu, or mail to 207 Norwood)
  • Final quarter of funding released after receipt of the complete final report

The final report for the project will be due to the CAFE office (email cafe@mst.edu or mail to 207 Norwood) no later than Jan. 2, 2020.

The final report should include:

  • Cover sheet
  • Abstract
  • Purpose of project
  • Methodology
  • Results
  • Conclusion/Future Implications/Plans for Further Dissemination
  • Reflection on whether/to what extent the project has impacted your teaching, and/or student learning

A project is considered complete once the final report has been accepted and all of the above requirements have been met. 

Five Years of Educational Research Projects Bring Impressive Results

From 2011-2016, 26 current Missouri S&T faculty did educational research projects in their classrooms through mini-grant funding administered through CERTI. Eighteen interviews were conducted with PIs regarding 20 unique research projects that demonstrated impressive results, including increased satisfaction in teaching, improved student performance, improved end-of-course evaluation scores, papers, publications and presentations, and several other positive outcomes. See the presentation, Data from 20 Educational Research Projects at Missouri S&T,  for more information.

Past Educational Research Mini-Grant Projects

2016-2017 funded projects:

  • “Student-Centered Dynamic Syllabus Development for Mathematical Programming,” Dincer Konur, assistant professor, engineering management and systems engineering, $3,000
  • "Impact of Cross Functional Interdisciplinary Team Structure and Immersive Learning Environment on Students' Perception of Learning Experience, Engagement, and Course Satisfaction," Bih-Ru Lea, associate professor, and LiLi Eng, associate professor, business and information technology, $3,000.

Click here for the 2016-17 Educational Research Mini-Grant Final Reports

 

2015-2016 funded projects:

  • “Visualizing Research and Writing: Improving Student Self-Confidence Through Focus Groups and Library Interaction,” Jossalyn Larson, lecturer, English and technical communication, $2,500;
  • “Introducing and Evaluating Innovative Teaching Techniques in Economics Principles Classes,” Ana-Maria Ichim, assistant professor, and Sarah Steelman, assistant teaching professor, economics, $5,500;
  • “Evaluating the Impact of Interactive Technology in the Classroom on Students' Perceptions,” Elizabeth Cudney, associate professor, engineering management and systems engineering, $1,980;
  • “Do Flipped Lectures Increase Student Engagement With Course Material?” Katie Shannon, associate teaching professor, biological sciences, $3,500;
  • “Evaluation of Section Properties App for Mechanics of Materials,” Nicholas Ali Libre, assistant professor, civil, architectural and environmental engineering, $3,500;
  • “Analysis of Student Success in a Blended Laboratory Course by Trend Analysis in a Parallel Lecture Course,” Klaus Woelk, associate professor, chemistry, $4,050;
  • “Assessment of Freshman Mathematics Placement at Missouri S&T,” Stephanie Fitch, associate teaching professor, mathematics and statistics, $2,600.

Click here for the 2015-2016 educational research mini-grant reports 

2014-2015 funded projects:

  • “Assessment of Textbook-free Courses in the Biochemical Engineering field as Vehicles for Lifelong Learning,” Daniel Forciniti, professor, biochemical engineering, $4,720.
  • “Improving Understanding of Academic Integrity Among Undergraduate Students in STEM Fields” Amber Henslee, assistant professor, psychological science; and Susan Murray, professor, engineering management and systems engineering, $8,000.
  • "Development of a Conceptualized Guided Coding for the Course of Mathematical Foundation of Finite Element Methods,” Xiaoming He, assistant professor, mathematics and statistics, $4,732.
  • “Implementing Guided Group Activities to Improve Performance and Self-efficacy in College Algebra – Stage 2,” Kimberly Kinder, assistant teaching professor, mathematics and statistics, $4,500.

Click here for the 2014-2015 educational research mini-grant reports

2013-2014 funded projects:

  • “Class Redesign for Chemistry 375 – Principles of Environmental Monitoring,” Yinfa Ma, Curators’ Teaching Professor of chemistry, $4,750.
  • “Developing, Implementing and Evaluating Active Learning Components for Traditional Engineering Lecture Courses,” Mary Reidmeyer, associate teaching professor of materials science and engineering, and Richard Brow, Curators’ Professor of materials science and engineering, $2,500.
  • “Face-to-Face Classroom Learning versus Synchronous and Asynchronous Distance Learning,” Fiona Fui-Hoon Nah, professor, Business Information and Technology, $4,400.
  • “Flipping the Microbiology Laboratory to Improve Student Preparation and Increase Student Interaction,” David Westenberg, associate professor of biological sciences, $3,895.
  • “Implementing Guided Group Activities to Improve Performance and Self-Efficacy in College Algebra,” Kimberly Kinder, assistant teaching professor, mathematics and statistics, $2,500.
  • “Using ‘Conceptual’ and ‘Assessment’ Problems to Enhance Student Learning of Fundamental Concepts Taught in an Undergraduate ThermoFluid Mechanics Class,” Nishant Kumar, assistant teaching professor, mechanical and aerospace engineering, $3,955.

Click here for the 2013-2014 educational research mini-grant reports

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