Science Case Studies Grant
We are not accepting applications at this time.
Focus of Grant
The focus of this grant is to encourage the creation and use of case studies by educators in Dalhousie science courses to support engaged learning and promote the application of fundamental science.
The Objectives of this Grant include:
- Enhancing the learning experience of students in science courses at Dalhousie University
- Fostering engagement, interest, and curiosity about scientific topics through active, discursive, and hands-on learning experiences
- Improve students’ knowledge retention into upper year courses
- Contextualizing scientific understanding within the discipline and across disciplines
- Applying scientific knowledge to real-word applications
- Connecting science within social context
Eligibility
Each project team must be led by a full-time faculty member to ensure the long-term sustainability of the project, however non-academic staff and limited term and part-time faculty members may be co-applicants. Limited-term faculty who are project leads, must have at least one year remaining in their contract term. NB: Student co-applicants are strongly encouraged but not required.
To be eligible your course should be offered by the Faculty of Science or the Departments of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology or Microbiology & Immunology.
Amount of Award
One award of $1000 is available.
Requirements
- Applicants must complete the Science Case Studies Grant Application Form. Completed forms can be submitted directly to clt@dal.ca.
- A detailed budget is required with justification for each item (where student salaries are submitted, please use $24.00/hr for undergraduate students and $30.50 for graduate students, 13.662% benefits should be added – this includes 6% vacation pay.)
- If you are planning to seek assistance from an Educational Developer from the CLT as part of your project, please include confirmation in writing that assistance will be available from that individual during the time frame required, prior to submitting your proposal.
- Statement of support from the head of the relevant teaching unit department, school, Faculty) that includes: Description of any additional resources (e.g., funding, release time, equipment, etc.) to be provided to the project and a description of the value of the project, in particular the pedagogical impact on students. If a department head is an applicant for the grant, please provide a letter of support from your Associate Dean or Dean of your Faculty.
- Completion of a final report is required 18 months after receipt of funding for all successful grants. The completed Science Case Studies Grant Final Report Form can be submitted directly to clt@dal.ca.
*Funding can be used to hire student support, and when appropriate, these should be inclusive of an hourly wage (e.g., $24.00 or $30.50 for undergraduate and graduate students respectively) + 13.662% (6% vacation pay + 7% benefits, i.e., EI/CPP). Please note that the Centre for Learning and Teaching is using a consistent hourly wage for undergraduate and graduate Research Assistants in all budgets to ensure equity across all departments.
Submission Check List (To be submitted as part of the grant application, using the Science Case Studies Grant Application form):
- Names of project lead and co-applicant(s), employment status of project lead, Faculty/Department, contact information, and brief bio (as it relates to the nature of the project)
- Project Title
- Brief Abstract (maximum 150 words) to be used for promotional purposes if the applicant is successful
- Case Study Plan (Not to Exceed 2000 words) that includes:
- Brief description of the case including the inspiration for the case, how this story sustains the case, and the concepts covered by the case.
- Outline of Rationale and goals for the project – please address the following questions:
- What challenges do you/your students face in your course?
- How will the use of case studies help resolve this issue(s)?
- What is your plan for implementation? (Include the name and year-level of the course in which you will use the case study, whether this is to be used as an activity or assessment, for students in groups or for individual work.)
- Outline how the project will enhance student learning in your course
- Sustainability of project
The following must be appended to your Science Case Studies Grant Application Form:
- List of sources consulted from the literature
- Detailed project timeline
- List of additional departmental or other resources
- Teaching Unit Support - Letter from Head of Department
- Detailed Budget
Submission Process
Grant applications must be submitted as one full package, using the Science Case Studies Grant form. Electronic submission applications can be emailed to: clt@dal.ca. Unless given permission, applications must be in a single .pdf formatted document. Specifics for electronic submissions include:
- Email’s subject should indicate what grant is being applied for, and what year you are applying for.
- File name must follow the format [Last name of project lead, name of grant, year].
- Co-applicants: Indicate if you are submitting on behalf of the project lead in the email body.
If you encounter technical issues or have any questions, please contact the Centre for Learning and Teaching at clt@dal.ca or by phone at (902) 494-1622.
Selection Criteria
- The case will significantly contribute to student engagement in a science course.
- The case has a clear focus and aim (i.e., the case proposed identifies a key issue or problem to be addressed and outlines realistic and achievable outcomes.)
- The case promotes the application and transfer of classroom knowledge to real life.
- The case encourages interdisciplinary collaboration and integration.
- The proposed budget is fully justified and in line with the aims and timeline of the project.
- The project has the support of the applicant's Dean or Department Head.
Contact
Any questions or requests for feedback on proposals in development may be directed to Kate Thompson (thompskm@dal.ca).