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The Academic Technology Venture Fund for Curricular Innovation was established to promote faculty initiatives that enhance opportunities for curricular innovation through instructional technology support that foster teaching and learning. Through a competitiveapplication process, the Venture Fund will award several mini-grants of up to $5000 to support curricular project design, development, and implementation. Collaborative projects exceeding $5000 will be considered.
These one-time curricular enhancements may provide necessary faculty assistance for the time-intensive process of designing and developing innovative curricular applications, "digitizing" instructional materials, and preparing these resources for electronic presentation and dissemination. Examples may range from converting print images, slides, or video vignettes to a digital format, to more complex processes such as designing and developing instructional web pages, instructional CD-ROM projects, or incorporating other "new media" (text, image, audio, video) materials into classroom environments. The scope of projects is only limited by the first paragraph above.
Possible project might include:
- Enabling students to access "new media" course materials outside of class hours.
- Use of "new media" in the classroom, utilizing Technology Enhanced Classroom facilities.
- Use of online class discussions or other forms of "remote collaboration" or network-based interaction.
The Academic Technology Venture Fund for Curricular Innovation seeks projects that are new or represent a significant new direction for an existing project. Successful project proposals must persuade the Committee on Academic Technology on at least one of two points:
- The proposal shows a wide scope or range of applicability. Examples of such scope include use of the resulting technology by more than one department, or more than one faculty member, or more than one class, or by most participants within an academic program.
- The proposal is based on an original, pioneering concept that can be used as a practical model for future or continued development.
PROPOSAL GUIDELINES
Guideline 1. The Committee on Academic Technology will issue a Request for Proposals (RFP) pending funding. The Committee will review the proposals and make awards based on the following considerations:
- direct benefit to students in support of the academic mission of the College
- potential impact on the faculty and the department(s)
- potential for success
- reasonable expectations for future College support</liI>
- demonstrated interest in technology applications for teaching and learning
Requests will not be considered for faculty desktop computer upgrades, general software requests, summer salaries or stipends for faculty, or other needs that could be attained through alternative funding activities of the College.
Applicants are urged to work closely with the Academic Technology Services professional staff on the development and delivery aspects of proposed projects.
NEW EQUIPMENT REQUESTS
Proposals requesting new equipment (such as a computer or scanner) must describe why existing equipment will not suffice. Equipment acquired through the Academic Technology Venture Fund will reside either in a department or a campus office such as Academic Technology Services, depending upon the nature and outcome of the project. Software and hardware acquired through the Fund will remain the property of the College.
NEW APPLICATION DEVELOPMENT REQUESTS
Proposals calling for application development must justify the project's goals by demonstrating that no existing application accomplishes those goals. Proposals must document how applications will be supported and maintained after the introduction into the curriculum. Members of the Academic Technology Services Development Group may be available for programming and project support assignments. Before including such a request, proposing faculty must contact Oscar Retterer, Director of Academic Technology Services, Computing Services.
Guideline 2. Proposals submitted to the Committee on Academic Technology should include the following information:
- Name of Principal Investigator (must be full-time faculty at Franklin & Marshall)
- Department
- E-mail address
- Three to five page written description of the planned project emphasizing the problem the project will address, the planned solution, why the project is important, the academic terms and the departmental course number(s) in which Venture Fund materials will be used, a detailed budget including equipment and personnel costs, evidence of copyright permission (when applicable), and specific and realistic time line for project development and implementation.
- Completed proposals submitted to Oscar Retterer in Academic Technology Services.
Guideline 3. If funded, the faculty member(s) agree to provide the Committee with a demonstration of the planned outcome of the funding within 12 months after funding occurs, as well as allowing the Committee the privilege of acknowledging the project support.
Please contact Oscar Retterer with any questions regarding this program.
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