IRGP Teaching and Learning Internal Research Grant Program

April 30, 2019

Objectives and Eligibility

The intention of the Faculty of Land and Food Systems Teaching & Learning Internal Research Grant Program (T&L IRGP) is to provide short-term support for the development of innovative, multidisciplinary project that may form the basis of a proposal submitted to an external funding organization or the UBC TLEF program. Projects must have the LFS student (graduate or undergraduate) or instructor experience as a focus, and meet one of the following objectives:

  • Understand and identify areas of strengths and challenges in the learning experience of LFS students and/or the teaching practices of LFS faculty members
  • Enhance the learning and teaching experience in LFS

Proposals can complement areas supported by TLEF (Teaching and Learning Enhancement Fund) or SoTL (Scholarship of Teaching and Learning) but are not limited to the areas covered by these programs. The proposals should support the goals of the LFS action plan and UBC strategic plan.

 

 

  • The LFS IRGP requires collaborative, multidisciplinary submissions: applicant teams must be comprised of a lead PI and least one other co-applicant who represent different research disciplines.
  • The lead, and at least one other co-applicant, must be full-time LFS faculty members. Additional co-applicants from outside LFS are permitted.
  • Faculty members from both the research and teaching stream are eligible.
  • Intellectual contributions for each applicant and co-applicant on the project must be described.
  • Students (graduate and undergraduate) are encouraged to apply, but must have a faculty member as a co-lead on the project
  • Applicants who have previously held an LFS or another UBC internal research grant must have completed the project and submitted an acceptable final report where required, before being eligible to receive additional funds.

Award Process

Researchers are invited to submit an application to the LFS internal research grant program that includes:

  • A completed LFS Internal Research Grant application form (applicant and co-applicant information, budget summary table and signatures) with the following attachments:
  • A proposal (two-page maximum) that includes-
    • A Rationale in which the central problem or question addressed by the applicant’s research project is explained, with particular attention paid to how the project connects to larger questions that will be part of a future funding application. The applicant should make clear how the internal research grant will lead to the success of the future external application.
    • A Methodology section that details the theoretical/conceptual framework guiding the research and any research hypotheses if applicable, supported by references to existing literature and detailing the methods and procedures to be used and highlights the roles of specific individuals (co-PIs and HQP) required to successfully carry out the work. Also indicate how you plan to evaluate the project, and the timelines of the proposed work.
  • Budget justification (one page)
  • References

UBC Research Project Information Form (RPIF)

  • Applications are due June 14, 2019 12:00 pm to the Associate Dean Academic
  • Results of the competition will be announced by June 30, 2019.

 

Guidelines

The IRGP has funds of up to $50,000. Each project may request up to $25,000.

Support will only be provided for the direct costs of research and / or dissemination that are essential to the completion of the proposed research, including:

  • Stipend and salary support for students and postdoctoral fellows to conduct research or create the dissemination materials
  • Support for equipment purchase or rental which will be transferred to the Learning Centre once the project is complete.
  • Material supplies or consumables
  • Funds for dissemination of the results to support knowledge mobilization and the profile of work done in LFS. Funds are not to be used for travel/conference for Faculty members. Support for student participation in a conference to disseminate the results of the work can be funded up to $1000. Examples of other types of dissemination include infographics, a visualisation or animation that for the LFS website, a poster or video.

All items must be critical for the successful completion of the proposed research and must be defended in a detailed budget justification to be submitted as an attachment to the main application (see below). Expenses incurred prior to the start date of the proposed work will be ineligible to receive funding.

It is expected that investigators will take advantage of opportunities to leverage LFS funds with funds from other sources where possible.

  • Proposals demonstrating interdisciplinarity will be given higher priority
  • Emphasis will be placed on the evaluation and anticipated impact of the proposal on teaching and learning in LFS.
  • Projects can expect support from the LFS Learning Centre (equipment, staff time, management and training of human resources).

Example of broad topic areas that can be the focus of the proposal : (From: https://uwaterloo.ca/centre-for-teaching-excellence/certificate-university-teaching/research-project-topics-and-process)

  • Academic integrity
  • Classroom feedback techniques
  • Cooperative learning
  • Course design principles
  • Course outlines
  • Developing writing skills
  • Course evaluations
  • Group work
  • Classroom disruptions
  • Interactive lecturing
  • Learning styles
  • Lecture design
  • Discussion-based teaching
  • Motivating students
  • Problem-based learning
  • Teaching higher-order thinking skills
  • Using instructional technologies
  • Visual displays of quantitative information
  • Experiential learning
  • Inquiry-based teaching
  • Service learning
  • Demonstration videos
  • Animations
  • Communication artifacts for novel platforms or delivery

 

Funding Details

The review panel reserves the right to only partially award the envelope available for a particular intake if the proposals submitted are not of sufficient quality.

Funding will be released to successful applicants as a single payment and must be spent within one year of award receipt. This funding competition is one-time and cannot be renewed.

Successful applicants will be required to submit a final report on the research activities undertaken within 3 months of the project conclusion. Applications to future intakes will not be considered until the final report has been submitted.

Submission and Selection Process

Applications (application form plus all attachments submitted as a single PDF file) for the first intake of this pilot funding call should be sent to christine.scaman@ubc.ca by 12:00 pm, Friday June 14, 2019.

Proposals will be reviewed by a panel consisting of:

  • A representative from CTLT
  • Director of the Learning Centre
  • One APBI Faculty member
  • One FNH Faculty member
  • One Professor of Teaching/ Senior Instructor from outside of LFS and at arm’s length from any of the applicants.

Decisions will be returned by June 30, 2019, with funding start date of July 1, 2019.

 

 

Submitted proposals will be judged against the following evaluation criteria:

  • All proposal requirements have been provided in full
  • The quality, originality and potential for impact of the proposed project
  • The extent to which the aims and motivations of the proposal are consistent with the multidisciplinary intent of the LFS Internal Research Grant Program
  • Feasibility of completing the project within the one-year timeframe
  • Appropriateness of budget allocation and justification
  • Evidence of a clear research plan that links the proposed work to future work planned as part of an external funding application or UBC TLEF proposal

Questions should be directed to the Director, Learning Centre or the Associate Dean Academic