request for proposals:
Mobile Learning Strategies in an Academic Program
Boise State University’s strategic plan, “Focus on Effectiveness”, states as its first goal that we should “Create a signature, high-quality educational experience for all students”. One of the strategies to support this goal is to “Invest in faculty development, innovative pedagogies, and an engaging environment for learning.” Academic programs are invited to submit a proposal for Mobile Learning Strategies in an Academic Program. One academic program will be supported to make and assess transformative and innovative changes to the teaching and learning environments within the program, using pedagogies enabled by mobile technology.
Mobile Learning Strategies in an Academic Program is part of the Mobile Learning Initiative. This initiative is a campus-wide effort to explore the implications of an increasingly mobile environment on effective teaching and learning practices.
Timeline
- Proposals must be submitted to the Center for Teaching and Learning (ILC 315) by 5 PM on Friday, March 1, 2013.
- The program to participate will be selected, and applicants notified, by Monday, March 18, 2013.
- The successful program will participate in a project kickoff meeting the week of April 1, 2013, with the exact date and time established in consultation with program principals (lead faculty). All faculty involved in the project implementation will attend, along with appropriate Academic Technologies staff and other key support personnel for the project.
- During Spring and Summer 2013, the project team named in the application will work on redesigning appropriate aspects of the academic program and its courses to make intentional use of mobile technology in meeting the objectives laid out in the proposal. The team will receive support from Academic Technologies, Albertsons Library, OIT, and others as appropriate.
- During the week of May 20-24, 2013, faculty involved in the project will participate in a summer institute on teaching and learning with mobile technology, with sessions tailored to the needs of the program.
- Initial implementation of the redesigned program and course curricula will be in Fall 2013. Support for formative assessment and continued program improvement will occur through Spring 2015.
Benefits of Participation
Project teams will receive the following benefits for participation.
- Faculty involved in integrating mobile learning strategies into the program will receive an iPad or equivalent mobile device
- A $55K budget for the project which can be used for a summer stipends for planning and development, course reductions for lead faculty to coordinate efforts and conduct assessment, and other costs associated with the project.
- An allocation of $10K to Albertsons Library for the acquisition of specific digital content, such as ebooks, in support of the mobile learning efforts in the program.
Expectations
- All faculty involved in the project implementation will attend a project kickoff meeting the week of April 1, 2013, and the summer institute on teaching and learning with mobile technology from May 20-24, 2013.
- Program lead faculty and other involved faculty will attend weekly meetings in April and May, 2013, as well as regular meetings throughout Summer 2013. The ultimate expectation is that an intentional plan for incorporating mobile learning strategies throughout the program curriculum will be ready for implementation at the beginning of Fall 2013. A program design document detailing the methods, tools, strategies, etc. planned for the redesigned program will be submitted to the Mobile Learning Initiative Leadership Team by Aug. 12, 2013.
- All program personnel will submit regular reflections on their work on the project to be used as formative assessment of the project and to guide project work and inform the participation of support personnel.
- Program principals will submit annual reports to the Mobile Learning Initiative Leadership Team, which will be published on the Mobile Learning Initiative website to disseminate assessment/evaluation findings from the project to the campus community. These will be due in August 2014 and August 2015.
- Program personnel will share ideas, knowledge, and best practices regarding mobile learning with their colleagues at Boise State by participating in workshops and other faculty development offerings.
Eligibility
Eligible programs are those that award credit leading to a collegiate-level degree or certificate. A set of courses which cross departments or programs but are connected such that students move through the courses in a particular way, as dictated by the curriculum, are also eligible.
To Apply
- Your application indicates you can meet the expectations described above.
- Applications are due to the CTL (ILC 315, MS 1005) by 5:00 pm on Friday, March 1, 2013.
- Selection will be made by staff from the sponsoring offices and announced via email by Monday, March 18, 2013.
Information Sessions
The following optional question-and-answer sessions give potential applicants an opportunity to ask questions about the request for proposals, the expectations and goals of the program, or anything else they want clarified.
- Friday, Feb. 8 from 11 AM - noon in SM 210
- Monday, Feb. 11 from 3-4 PM in SM 210
- Thursday, Feb. 14 from 1-2 PM in SM 227
Application Review Criteria
- There is abundant evidence of plans for transformative practice across courses.
- Anticipated student learning outcomes are clearly stated, with a clear articulation of how mobile strategies can be used to help achieve them. There is a viable process for assessing results.
- The proposal provides plans for coordination/support, in terms of resources and personnel qualifications.
- The probability that the pedagogical change, if effective, will be sustainable, and/or that it will generate replicable models that will be synergistic with University initiatives/goals, is high. While not required, documented contributions of department or program resources to the project in addition to those provided by the Mobile Learning Initiative can help to give evidence for sustainability.
- Costs that students will be expected to bear are reasonable in light of the benefit to the student over the course of their academic experience.
Sponsorship
This program is funded by the Boise State Mobile Learning Initiative and is supported by the following campus organizations:
- Center for Teaching and Learning/Academic Technologies
- Office of Information Technology
- Albertsons Library
Questions?
Questions can be directed to Eric Orton (Academic Technologies): ericorton@boisestate.edu (6-1844).