Education Innovation Grants

Apply today!

Applications close Wednesday, February 14, 2024 at 12:00 p.m. (EDT).

Grants of up to $10K are available to individual or small groups of Michigan Engineering instructional faculty and staff members seeking to implement innovative teaching methods and/or tools.

Proposal Evaluation Criteria

  • Applies a novel method or tool to achieve objectives
  • Reflects innovation in teaching methods or approaches
  • Builds upon evidence-based best practices for enhancing student learning
  • Promotes equitable instruction for all learners
  • Implements practices or tools that have the potential for great impact (either large impact on a small population, or be something that could be applied to a larger population at Michigan Engineering)
  • Other funding opportunities do not exist for this type of work
  • Achieves synergy with goals, strengths, and ongoing work of ADUE, CAEN, CRLT-Engin, Nexus, and/or the broader College of Engineering

Proposal Submissions

Applicants should prepare a 2-3 page max proposal that includes the items listed below. Please reach out to e3grants.engin@umich.edu to set up a consultation.

Project Statement

  • Clearly describe the proposed project
  • Explain the value of the project
  • Identify the specific innovation and its relation to evidence-based practices
  • Explain how the project supports equitable instruction and enhanced student learning
  • Discuss the project’s potential for application in broader contexts

Project Evaluation Plan

Explain how the success of this project will be evaluated, documented, and disseminated. Approaches might include midterm course assessments, focus groups, and surveys, among others.

Budget Request

Provide a budget breakdown, which may include: 

  • Graduate or undergraduate student salaries
  • Materials and supplies
  • Project evaluation expenses
  • Travel and registration fees for teaching-related conferences, seminars or workshops
  • Faculty member summer salary (up to $2K of the project’s total budget)

Example Topics

  • Implement a frequent low-stakes, mastery-based assessment strategy supported by digital tools (such as MiQuizMaker) in a high-enrollment course and measure the impact on student outcomes
  • Transform a traditional lecture-based course or series of courses to an active learning and/or team-based structure to increase student access and engagement 
  • Develop and implement DEI-focused activities and assignments throughout a core technical course
  • Redesign a capstone design course with enhanced industry and/or community engagement
  • Explore digital accessibility guidelines and implement best practices to remediate an existing Canvas course
  • Apply learning analytics tools to explore and remediate inequitable outcomes in a course 
  • Run pilots of new and innovative software in courses

Timeline

Submissions will be accepted until Wednesday, February 14, 2024 at 12:00 p.m. (EDT) with funding decisions announced in early March  Upon award, grant recipients are encouraged to schedule a consultation with CRLT-Engin to support progress.