Proposal Review Process Mock Review Webinar
Louis Everett, Scott Grissom & Don Millard
Division of Undergraduate EducationNational Science Foundation
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Most of the information presented in this session represents the presenter’s opinion and is not an official NSF position
Caution
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Introduction (5min) Overview of the review process (5min) Instructions on producing a panel review (5min) Organization of participants into teams and designation of panel chairs (5min)
Local teams discuss strengths and weaknesses (20min) Teams locally report/discuss results (10min) Reporting to virtual group with ratings – note: facilitators will be asked to select an individual to report (10min)
BREAK (15min)
Individuals consider ways to improve the proposal (5min) Local teams discuss suggestions for improvement (10min) Teams locally report/discuss results (5min) Report back to virtual group - note: facilitator picks an individual to report (5min) PD commentary on responses (10min) Think – What have I learned today that I will use in preparing my next proposal? (5min) Share your thoughts with local participants (5min) Facilitator reports results back to virtual group (5min) Wrap-up Q&A (10min)
Webinar Agenda
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Help participants to: Become more familiar with the proposal review process
Better understand the TUES-specific criteria
Better understand the use of intellectual merit/broader impact criteria in reviewing proposals
Develop more competitive proposals that effectively meet the expectations of the TUES program
Please note: A number of the following slides are provided for informational purposes – we will not be going through all of them
Webinar Goals - Expected Outcomes
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Title changed to emphasize the special interest in projects that have the potential to transform undergraduate STEM education
Review criteria was modified to emphasize the desire for projects that: Propose materials, processes, or models that have the potential to
Enhance student learning Be adapted easily by other sites
Involve a significant effort to facilitate adaptation at other sites Institutionalize the approach at the investigator's college or university as
appropriate (e.g., for the Type) Have the potential to contribute to a cultural shift in undergraduate STEM
education
TUES vs. CCLI
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TUES Program Vision: Excellent STEM education for all undergraduate
students
Reflects national concerns about producing: ◦Skilled STEM professionals (including K-12 teachers) ◦Citizens knowledgeable about STEM and how it relates to
their lives
Seeks to build a community of faculty committed to improving undergraduate STEM education
Encourages projects with potential to advance and transform undergraduate STEM education
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Creating Learning Materials and Strategies Guided by research on teaching and learning Incorporate and be inspired by advances within the discipline
Implementing New Instructional Strategies Contribute to understanding on how existing strategies:
Can be widely adopted Are transferred to diverse settings Impact student learning in diverse settings
Developing Faculty Expertise Enable faculty to acquire new knowledge and skills in order to revise their curricula
and teaching practices Involve a diverse group of faculty
TUES Project Components
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Assessing and Evaluating Student Achievement: Develop and disseminate valid and reliable tests of STEM knowledge Collect, synthesize, and interpret information about student understanding,
reasoning, practical skills, interests, attitudes or other valued outcomes
Conducting Research on Undergraduate STEM Education: Explore how:
Effective teaching strategies and curricula enhance learning and attitudes Widespread practices have diffused through the community Faculty and programs implement changes in their curriculum
TUES Project Components (cont)
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Projects developing instructional materials and methods should:
◦ Be based on how students learn
◦ Consider transferability and dissemination throughout the project's lifetime
◦ Involve efforts to facilitate adaptation at other sites in more advanced projects
Instructional Materials and Methods Projects
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Expect to award approximately 10% Total budget: up to $200,000 for 2 to 3 years
$250,000 when 4-year and 2-year schools collaborate Typically involve a single institution & one program
component – but there are exceptions Contribute to the understanding of undergraduate STEM education Informative evaluation effort based on the project's specific
expected outcomes Institutionalized at the participating colleges and universities Deadlines:
May 26, 2011 (A-M) May 27, 2011 (N-W)
Type 1 Projects
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Type 2 Projects 20 to 25 awards expected Total budget: up to $600K for 2 to 4 years
Type 3 Projects 3 to 5 awards expected Budget negotiable, but not to exceed $5M over 5 years
Tues Central Resource Projects 1 to 3 awards expected Budget negotiable, depending on the scope and scale of the activity
Small focused workshop projects -- 1 to 2 years & up to $100K Large scale projects -- 3 to 5 years & $300K to $3M
Deadline: January 13, 2012
Type 2, 3, and CRP Projects
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NSF Peer Review Process Reviewers are solicited by program directors◦ For example - A Typical TUES Type 1 Panel Review:
4 panels/program director (60-70 proposals/PD) 6-8 reviewers/panel 17 proposals/panel – not all read by every panelist Approximately 130 engineering reviewers
Reviewers assign individual ratings and prepare written comments on Intellectual Merit & Broader Impacts prior to coming to the panel meeting
Panel meeting is held in DC area – over a 1.5 day period
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Panel Review Meeting Panel Chair establishes order of proposal review
process
Proposals are discussed individually
A “scribe” is designated to capture all of the points brought up in discussion and produce a summary review – called the “Panel Summary”
All reviewers return on day 2 to approve all the Panel Summaries
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NSF program directors
◦ Informs recommendations relative to funding
◦ Guides pre-award negotiations
Applicants
◦ If proposal is funded: Provides suggestions for improving project
◦ If proposal is not funded: Provides information to guide a revision of the proposal
Audience for Reviews
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NSF Review Criteria All proposals are evaluated using the NSB-approved
review criterion ◦Intellectual merit ◦Broader impacts
The TUES Solicitation provides two sets of suggested questions to help define these criteria◦Standard NSF set ◦TUES specific set
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Suggested questions are only a guide for considering intellectual merit and broader impacts
Suggested questions are NOT:
◦ A complete list of “requirements”
◦ Applicable to every proposal
◦ An official checklist
Caution Regarding Suggested Questions
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Will the project: Include activities important in advancing knowledge? Involve qualified proposer(s)? Contain creative and original concepts? Have a well conceived and organized plan? Include sufficient access to resources?
NSF Suggested Questions for Intellectual Merit
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Will the project: Advance discovery - promote teaching & learning? Broaden participation of underrepresented groups? Enhance the infrastructure? Include broad dissemination? Benefit society?
NSF Suggested Questions for Broader Impacts
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Will the project: Produce one or more of the following:
Exemplary materials, processes, or models that enhance student learning and can be adopted by other sites
Important findings related to student learning? Build on existing knowledge about STEM education? Have explicit and appropriate expected measurable outcomes integrated into an
evaluation plan? Include an evaluation effort that is likely to produce useful information? Institutionalize the approach at the investigator's college or university (as
appropriate for the Type)
TUES Suggested Questions for Intellectual Merit
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Will the project: Involve a significant effort to facilitate adaptation at other
sites? Contribute to the understanding of STEM education? Help build and diversify the STEM education community? Have a broad impact on STEM education in an area of
recognized need or opportunity? Have the potential to contribute to a significant advancement
and cultural shift in undergraduate STEM education?
TUES Suggested Questions for Broader Impacts
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The Entire Proposal is Used to Inform Reviewers◦ Project Summary◦ Project Description◦ Biographical Sketches◦ Budget◦ Supplementary Documentation
Review Material
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Overview
A review should indicate an opinion on the merit of the project
The rating should indicate an overall evaluation of the proposal’s merit◦ Excellent, Very Good, Good, Fair, and Poor
Describe positive aspects◦ Not just list them -- Provide details
Identify concerns (or weaknesses)◦ Not just list them -- Provide details
Offer suggestions for improvement
Rating and text should be consistent
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Uses appropriate style Contains adequate details Contains understandable, specific, and complete statements Relates strengths and weakness to review criteria Indicates why an item is a strength or weakness Justifies the proposal rating in the written critique
A reader should be able to guess the rating from the written text
Characteristics of Informative Reviews and Panel Summaries
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Specific and Complete Comments Identify a strength or weaknesses
◦ “The evaluation plan is a strength.”
Identify a strength or weaknesses and indicate why it is one◦ “The evaluation plan includes a competent, independent evaluator...”
◦ “The background discussion is well referenced, shows a good understanding of the prior work, supports the proposed work...”
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Specific and Complete Comments (cont.) Identify a strength or weaknesses and indicate why it is one and
why it is important◦ “The evaluation plan includes a competent, independent evaluator, … and it
will guide the investigators as the project evolves and provide a measure of its effectiveness at the end.”
Identify a strength, indicate why it is one, why it is important, and how it could be improved◦ “The evaluation plan is a strength because it includes a competent,
independent evaluator, … and this will guide the investigators as the project evolves and provide a measure of its effectiveness at the end. It could be improved by adding …”
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Try to be constructive in your written comments◦ Provide suggestions to help applicants improve their proposals
Do not be overly critical in your ratings◦Most fundable proposals have some weaknesses◦ Some are correctable through negotiations
Other Important Ideas
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Local teams discuss the strengths and weaknesses identified in the individual reviews Team “scribe” takes notes during discussion
Teams locally report/discuss results with facilitator’s guidance Facilitators guide discussion and selection of an individual to report to
the full virtual group Participating organizations will be called upon by webinar
moderator – PLEASE BE READY TO REPORT BACK Program Directors will offer comments on reports
Team Activity Process
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Redundancy is OK – indicative of common perception Responses will be solicited as follows:
Intellectual Merit Strengths Weaknesses
Broader Impacts Strengths Weaknesses
Overall Perception Is this a proposal worthy of funding?
Reporting
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Redundancy is OK – indicative of common perception Responses will be solicited as follows:
Intellectual Merit Strengths Weaknesses
Broader Impacts Strengths Weaknesses
Overall Perception Is this a proposal worthy of funding?
Reporting
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Individuals consider ways that the proposal could be improved – create a list
Local teams discuss the suggestions for improvement Team “scribe” takes notes during discussion
Teams locally report/discuss results with facilitator’s guidance Facilitators guide discussion and selection of an individual to report to
the full virtual group Participating organizations will be called upon by webinar
moderator – PLEASE BE READY TO REPORT BACK Program Directors will offer comments on reports
Improvements Activity Process
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Try to minimize redundant responses Identify approaches for:
Building on strengths Overcoming weaknesses
Responses should include potential improvements to: Idea Project infrastructure Project implementation plan Evaluation plan Dissemination plan Proposal participation/involvement
Reporting
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Try to minimize redundant responses Identify approaches for:
Building on strengths Overcoming weaknesses
Responses should include potential improvements to: Idea Project infrastructure Project implementation plan Evaluation plan Dissemination plan Proposal participation/involvement
Reporting - Reminder
Sample Proposal Review
Comments Regarding the Proposal’s Intellectual Merit, Broader Impacts and Weaknesses
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The following comments reflect a combination of the proposal’s panel review, individual reviewers and inputs provided by NSF program officers
Sample Proposal Review Comments
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The proposal is the evolution of the successful studio pedagogy to a mobile studio pedagogy.
The proposal builds on a instructional methodology that is accepted in the STEM literature.
The proposal is student-focused and grounded in the STEM knowledge base.
A primary innovation is the development of a low cost virtual instrument board that, when coupled with a computer/laptop, provides students with a portable experimental platform
Intellectual Merit (1)
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This experimental platform serves as a low cost replacement for the laboratory equipment found in the original studio classrooms and provides the students with an "anywhere, anytime" experimental platform. The PIs are well qualified to carry out the work.
The proposal was responsive to the cyclic model of knowledge creation contained in the TUES/CCLI request for proposals.
The panel felt the proposal would be strengthened by a more detailed evaluation plan with clearly stated, measurable outcomes.
Intellectual Merit (2)
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The inclusion of an historically black college or university and a community college should magnify the impact of the proposed pedagogy.
The broader impacts of the proposed work include the potential to significantly impact a large number of under-served students by providing a low cost, portable experimental platform.
The partnership was made concrete through an instructor exchange program between the institutions.
Broader Impacts
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While the evaluation team appears to have worked together with the PIs for several years, some basic information about the qualifications of those individuals should have been included in the proposal.
The proposal could be strengthened with more definition of the role of each partner.
It is not clear that it will positively impact student learning; just because a student has the means to perform an experiment 24/7, does not mean that they will.
Weaknesses (1)
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The proposal could benefit from clarifying or identifying the role of laboratory experiences where actual industrial-quality laboratory equipment is utilized. Too much reliance on the proposed pedagogy might also leave the student with limited experience in the use of the real industrial grade and scale laboratory equipment.
Moving from the original studio to the mobile studio essentially means that the new work is now based on an untested model. The proposal could be strengthened by addressing this issue.
Weaknesses (2)
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It has not been demonstrated that the mobile studio is as effective as the original studio with its significant faculty involvement and structure.
This proposal would have been much stronger if some preliminary data on efficacy was included.
The proposal mentions a pilot test that was done at Howard University but no details are provided.
The proposal fails to explicitly address how it will focus on components of the cyclic model for innovation in STEM education.
Weaknesses (3)
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Reviewers have: Many proposals
Ten or more from several areas Limited time for your proposal
20 minutes for first read Different experiences in review process
Veterans to novices Different levels of knowledge in proposal area
Experts to outsiders Discussions of proposals’ merits at panel meeting
Share expertise and experience
Practical Aspects of Review Process
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Write down a list of suggestions (guidelines) that you would suggest that a colleague should follow - to deal with practical aspects of the Review Process
2 minutes
Practical Aspects of Review Process
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The following comments reflect perspectives provided by NSF program officers
Considering the Practical Aspects of the Review Process
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Use good style (clarity, organization, etc.) Be concise, but complete Write simply but professionally Avoid jargon and acronyms Check grammar and spelling Use sections, headings, short paragraphs & bullets (Avoid dense,
compact text)
Reinforce your ideas Summarize; Highlight (bolding, italics)
Give examples
Proposal Writing Guidelines
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Use tables, figures – where it makes sense
Reinforce your ideas Summarize; Highlight (bolding, italics)
Give examples
Proposal Writing Guidelines
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Provide appropriate level of detail
Pay special attention to Project Summary
Summarize goals, rationale, methods, and evaluation and dissemination plans
Address intellectual merit and broader impacts Explicitly and independently
Three paragraphs with headings: “Summary” “Intellectual Merit” “Broader Impacts”
Proposal Writing Guidelines
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Follow the solicitation and GPG Adhere to page, font size, and margin limitations
Use allotted space but don’t pad the proposal
Follow suggested (or implied) organization
Use appendices sparingly (check solicitation to see if allowed)
Include letters showing commitments from others “Support letters” are not allowed Avoid form letters
Proposal Writing Guidelines
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Prepare credible budget Consistent with the scope of project Clearly explain and justify each item
Address prior funding when appropriate Emphasize results
Sell your ideas but don’t over promote
Proofread the proposal
“Tell a story” and turn a good idea into a competitive proposal
Proposal Writing Guidelines
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Good idea + need Right people + infrastructure Assessment of outcomes that measure effect on
student learning (with goals/objectives linked to evaluation)
Active dissemination plan Efforts to broaden participation of underrepresented
groups
A Successful Proposal
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Individuals consider: What have I learned today that I will be able to used in preparing my next proposal?
Create a list (5min) Share your list with local participants (5min) Facilitators report back to virtual group (5min)
Participating organizations will be called upon by webinar moderators – PLEASE BE READY TO REPORT BACK
Reflection Activity
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Model good practices that increase/improve learning Facilitate direct experience with the methods and processes of
inquiry/experimentation Empower the student Enhance ability to produce and evaluate innovative results
Products Solutions to problems Metrics on outcomes
Establish a community that will help inform, disseminate and sustain engineering education efforts
Toward Transformation…
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Good idea + need Right people + infrastructure Can be readily adopted at other sites Assessment of outcomes that measure effect on student
learning (with goals/outcomes linked to evaluation) Active dissemination plan Shows promise for institutionalization Efforts to broaden participation of underrepresented groups
A Successful TUES Proposal…
Thanks for participating!
Please respond to the survey located at:http://www.step.eng.lsu.edu/nsf/participants
Louis Everett – [email protected] Grissom – [email protected]
Don Millard – [email protected]
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