Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship

Program

2011 Proposal Writing Workshop

Part II: Features of Effective Proposals

Features of Effective Proposals:

Fellowship Track (TF/MTF)

Brief Review of the TF/MTF Track Fellowships for STEM professionals

receiving teacher certification through a one-year master’s degree program with teacher certification (Teaching Fellows)

Fellowships for science and math teachers preparing to become Master Teachers (Master Teaching Fellows)

Key Features of the Project Description

Results from prior NSF support Proposed Fellowship program Description of teacher preparation and/or master

teacher development program Recruitment activities Selection process Management and administration Support for new teachers Collaboration and partnerships Monitoring and enforcing compliance Evidence for institutional commitment Evaluation plan

Key Features of the Project Description:

Description of Proposed Program

Is there sufficient information about the numbers and activities to convince you that this would be a strong program?

In what ways has the PI most effectively documented the quality of the teacher preparation and professional development program?

Is the proposed program likely to enable the Fellowship recipients to become successful teachers?

Key Features of the Project Description:

Recruitment Activities and Selection Process

What aspects of the recruitment plan do you think are the most likely to be effective? (and why?)

Will this plan be effective in recruiting STEM professionals who might not otherwise consider a career in teaching?

Will this selection process effectively identify the ‘best’ candidates for the fellowships?

Key Features of the Project Description:

Support for New Teachers

Will the planned induction support adequately meet the needs of new teachers?

Key Features of the Project Description:

Evaluation Plan

Will this plan provide useful information about important program outcomes?

Four features, one per tableManagement & administrationCollaboration & partnerships and evidence of

institutional commitmentMonitoring & enforcing complianceResults from prior NSF support

In your Jigsaw GroupsDiscuss the questionsDecide on main points to report to group

Report out

Jigsaw Activity

Key Features of the Project Description:

Management & Administration

What aspects of the administration and management plan did the most to convince you that the project will be well run?

Key Features of the Project Description:

Collaboration and Partnerships

Has the PI persuaded you that the collaboration and partnerships are well-functioning?

Key Features of the Project Description:

Evidence for Institutional Commitment

Consider the information about institutional commitment

What other lines of evidence could a PI use to demonstrate that the sponsoring institution is committed to making the program a central institutional focus?

Key Features of the Project Description:

Monitoring & Enforcing Compliance

Consider the strategies outlined in the proposal for monitoring and enforcing compliance.

Are these plans likely to be effective?

Key Features of the Project Description:

Results from Prior NSF Support

Does the proposal adequately address prior support?

Intellectual Merit and Broader Impact Consider the descriptions of criteria for

intellectual merit and broader impact, as well as additional review criteria for the TF/MTF track proposals that align with them (see handout), and consider how the sample proposal addresses these criteria.

What could you say about intellectual merit and broader impact for the program for which you are seeking funding?