Goals and Objectives

In order to produce significant positive changes, the ISE Program pursues the following goals:

• to increase the number of youth, particularly underrepresented (e.g., minorities, girls, the physically disabled) and underserved (e.g., rural communities in science), who are excited about science
• who pursue such activities both in and out of school;
• to establish linkages which promote new relationships between informal and formal education resulting in improved and creative SMT education in all learning environments;
• to stimulate parents and other adults to become effective proponents for better quality and more universally available SMT education in both formal and informal settings and to encourage them in the support of their children’s science and mathematics endeavors in the home and elsewhere;
• to bring informal science education programs and activities to relatively large areas currently without, or minimally reached by, such opportunities, e.g., rural areas and inner-city environments; and,
• to enrich the quality of life by improving the scientific and technological literacy of children and adults so they are informed about the implications of SMT in their everyday lives; are motivated to pursue further experiences in these areas; and are aided in making informed, responsible decisions about related policy issues having societal implications.

Project Characteristics

Most ISE projects are designed to reach large audiences and to have significant regional or national impact. The program encourages development of projects that address critical needs for informal science education in less populated regions of the country. When appropriate, projects are expected to use the relevant science and mathematics standards to help guide the content of the activities and to promote linkages with formal education. All projects are expected to disseminate effective designs or materials in order to maximize their impact. All ISE projects should also include plans for rigorous evaluation, based on comprehensive quantitative and qualitative information, in order to document program impact and demonstrate potential for dissemination and replication. ISE does not support local projects that reach relatively few people, nor does it support general operating expenses or capital development costs.

Areas of Special Interest

• Collaborations Linking Informal and Formal Education Communities: Successful collaborations, through the effective combination of diverse resources and expertise, can promote creativity and significantly broaden the impact of a project. ISE encourages development of collaborative projects that bring together individuals and organizations from the formal and informal education communities. Such collaborations include, but are not limited to those: 1) among organizations with informal education missions; 2) between organizations with formal and informal education missions; and, 3) among organizations in a common geographic area with similar goals and interests.


• Increasing Opportunities for Underrepresented Groups: Informal science education plays an important role in motivating the interest and participation of groups traditionally underrepresented in SMT and in increasing their access to quality materials. ISE encourages development of projects across a variety of performers (e.g., community-based organizations, museums, media) that will develop and implement new and innovative strategies to increase participation of minorities, girls/women, and youth from economically disadvantaged areas (e.g., inner cities, rural communities) in these disciplines.


• Increasing Involvement of Parents in SMT: Parents can be effective proponents for science and mathematics education reform and play a critical role in promoting the success of their children in SMT through encouragement and understanding of their children’s science and mathematics activities at home, in school, and in informal learning settings. ISE encourages development of projects that integrate components for improving parent understanding of, and attitudes toward, science, mathematics, and technology, as well as those that increase awareness of new approaches to teaching and assessing performance in these disciplines. Materials for parents should teach them effective ways to support their children’s work in science and mathematics and actively involve them in inquiry-based, experiential activities that demonstrate the importance of these disciplines to everyday life.

Other Considerations

Evaluation: Competitive proposals submitted to the ISE Program will have a well-developed beginning-to-end evaluation plan. When appropriate, ISE projects will include three stages of evaluation commensurate with the nature and scope of the proposed project: front-end, formative, and summative. Applicants are reminded to provide adequate time at the end of a project to conduct summative evaluation. The proposal narrative should clearly detail the evaluation goals, methodologies, and indicate the individual or individuals responsible for conducting evaluations. The budget should clearly reflect the evaluation costs including the external evaluation and/or the in-house staff effort that will be given for evaluation work. There must be a letter of commitment from any external evaluator and this should include a summary of the planned work. It should be clear what the external evaluator is responsible for and to whom the evaluator reports.

Proposal Requirements

Full Proposals. Information on submission of full proposals (including planning grants, conference grants, and Small Grants for Exploratory Research (SGER)) are contained in the Guidelines section, ‘‘Preparation and Submission of Proposals.’’ The narrative should include results from prior NSF support, a project overview, goals and objectives, general project description, qualifications to conduct the project, anticipated results, as well as evaluation and dissemination plans. Substantive information essential to understanding the details of complex projects should be placed in supporting appendices with explicit reference in the narrative. Using the example of a television series, the narrative would outline the scope of the series, briefly describing the programs (outlines, treatments, or scripts would be included in an appendix); provide a general description of evaluation plans (detailed plans would be in an appendix); and describe major elements of outreach plans (detailed plans would be in an appendix). A copy of any ancillary material submitted, such as videocassettes, should be included with each copy of the proposal. While NSF does not require reviewers to read appendices, ISE reviewers are asked to read any materials explicitly referenced in the proposal narrative.

Information about Planning Grants, Conference Grants, and Small Grants for Exploratory Research can be found in ‘‘Special Categories of Full Proposals,’’ page 31.

ISE Supplements for Public Understanding of Research. ISE will fund as many as 30 supplements of up to $50,000 to NSF research directorate grants. These supplements are intended to inform the general public about the content, process, and relevance of state-of-the-art research. Interested PI’s with active research grants should contact their Program Officer in the research directorate for information about the requirements for these supplements and procedures for applying. Additional information can be found on the World Wide Web: https://www.nsf.gov, and in the special guidelines for the supplements (NSF 97-70.)

Goals and Objectives

• stimulating parents to become informed, active proponents for high quality and more universally available SMT education in both school and non-school settings; and,
• providing strategies, materials, and resources for parents to support their children’s SMT education in the home and elsewhere.

Project Characteristics

Content. To be considered viable and to ensure that they will make a contribution to the field, projects should incorporate the following elements:

• clearly defined target audience(s), discussion of effective strategies for recruitment and involvement of parents (especially those heretofore not engaged in their children’s SMT education) including issues and obstacles to be addressed, and plans for engaging participants in project activities;
• goal statements that clearly and realistically describe expected outcomes such as providing parents with resources and skills to continue their own involvement in SMT education, to keep abreast of SMT education issues, and to continue as supporters of their children’s education and quality SMT education in general;
• innovative, accurate, and up-to-date SMT content, demonstrated knowledge of adult learning strategies, and knowledge of science and mathematics education reform;
• solid partnerships and collaborations with communitybased organizations and agencies that serve families and youth, schools, the informal science community, colleges and universities, industry, and, where appropriate, NSF systemic initiative projects;
• inclusion of parents and/or appropriate community-based organizations in project planning;
• strong staff and advisors with expertise in appropriate areas;
• a statement of how gender and equity issues will be addressed broadly as opposed to focusing on specific groups;
• formative and summative evaluation that provides good qualitative and quantitative reporting on project development and outcomes, especially in terms of impact on parents knowledge, attitudes, and behavior;
• dissemination that ensures maximum impact and reach; and,
• realistic plans for sustainability after NSF support ends.

Funding. The estimated total amount to be committed annually by the ESIE Division for Parent Involvement Projects is $3 million, depending on availability of funds.

Cost-sharing. Cost-sharing is required for all projects, is a factor in evaluating proposals, and will be a condition of any resulting award. For broadcast media projects, NSF generally contributes one-third of the total project cost; for all other projects, NSF may contribute up to two-thirds of the total project cost. The level of cost-sharing must be shown in the proposal in enough detail to allow NSF and reviewers to determine its impact on the proposed project.

Special Review Criteria

Plan. Is the project plan informed by sound research or evidence of promising practice in the area of parent involvement in education? Where appropriate, is the plan in alignment with, and does it draw upon, local and state education reform efforts?

Strategy for Recruiting and Involving Parents. Is there a realistic and potentially effective plan to reach out to parents and to involve them in a meaningful way in project activities. The NSF is especially interested in reaching parents who previously have not participated in or made a significant commitment to their children’s education or to science and mathematics education reform.

Impact. What difference will the project make to parents and other adults who wish to help their own and other children increase their involvement with, and enhance their understanding of, SMT? For those who wish to develop knowledge and skills to be proponents of high quality education at the school building, district, or other levels, what are the indicators that confirm they have attained these capabilities?

Scope and Cost-effectiveness. Does the project have the potential to reach a large number of parents at a reasonable cost per participant and have a regional or national impact? Does the project include a satisfactory plan for disseminating and sustaining the material and activities?

Preparation of Proposals

Full Proposals. General requirements for submission of full proposals (including those for planning grants, conference grants, and Small Grants for Exploratory Research (SGER)) are included in the section, ‘‘Preparation and Submission of Proposals.’’ The proposal narrative should include results from prior NSF support, project overview, goals and objectives, general project description, qualifications to conduct the project, anticipated results, as well as evaluation and dissemination plans.

Information about Planning Grants, Conference Grants, and Small Grants for Exploratory Research can be found in ‘‘Special Categories of Full Proposals,’’ page 35.

Goals and Objectives

The IMD Program gives priority to projects that are national in scope and significance and that produce materials appropriate for use by all teachers and students. A broader cross section of students may pursue SMT education if the materials use real-world contexts and provide an understanding of the workplace. The IMD Program also will support a few innovative, high-risk projects that develop and test prototypes of instructional materials and learning technologies that apply the most current research on teaching and learning. Proposals for such high-risk projects must demonstrate promise for advancing the state-of-the-art in curriculum development and for testing the limits of instructional materials in promoting student understanding of science, mathematics, and technology.

The goal of the IMD Program is the development of highquality instructional materials to enhance the scientific, mathematical, and technological knowledge, and the thinking skills and problem solving abilities of all students, regardless of background, ability, or future educational plans. They should promote students’ positive attitudes toward SMT and positive perceptions of themselves as learners.

Toward achieving this goal, the IMD Program pursues the following specific objectives:

• ensure the success with science, mathematics, and technology content of all children in the Nation’s classrooms;
• align instructional materials with quality standards for content, teaching, and assessment;
• apply the latest research on teaching and learning; and
• help teachers employ exemplary instructional practices.

Project Characteristics

It is important that projects include methodologies and instruments to assess the impact of the instructional materials on students. Accompanying materials that instruct teachers on their use and implementation will help assure that assessment is regularly and appropriately conducted.

Areas of Special Interest

• Development of K-8 mathematics implementation sites. IMD will support sites to provide assistance in implementation of K-8 mathematics instructional materials.
• Development of comprehensive science curricula at the middle- and high-school levels. The IMD Program particularly encourages proposals for comprehensive projects at the middle or high school level that develop disciplinebased courses in earth science, chemistry, and physical science or that develop materials for a thematic approach that integrates content across science disciplines and that connects science with other disciplines (e.g., mathematics), particularly at the high school level.
• Early childhood education (ages 3-5). The IMD Program will support the development of instructional materials that provide innovative SMT curricula for children. Materials designed primarily for use by parents are supported by the Parent Involvement in Science, Mathematics and Technology Program.
• Extended student inquiry. The IMD Program will support leading scientists and SMT educators in developing modules for student research activities that are age-appropriate and rich in disciplinary content. Such materials, for example, may involve students in global research projects that include gathering, manipulating, and communicating data from natural phenomena or may involve students in long-term, in-depth investigations within the classroom.
• History and nature of science, mathematics, and technology (HNSMT). IMD will support projects that emphasize the development of student understanding of the history and nature of science, mathematics, and technology. Projects may, for instance, develop modules for a particular age group that specifically address important HNSMT content, or the development of new comprehensive SMT projects may include a focus on HNSMT.
• Technology education. The IMD Program will support projects that address the technology content aspects of national and state standards for science education and that are consistent with the forthcoming national standards for technology education.

Proposal Requirements

Full proposals. For information on requirements for proposal submission, see section, ‘‘Preparation and Submission of Proposals,’’ page 31. Major sections of the proposal are as follows:

Proposal narrative. The proposal narrative should present the following information that determines whether or not a grant will be awarded:

• Results of prior NSF support—a section describing the results of prior NSF support for projects in which senior personnel have been involved. For projects that have developed materials that relate to the proposed work, the proposal must include a summary of the project evaluation that provides compelling evidence of the quality and effectiveness of the materials developed.
• Need/content area—a clear and concise description of the relevant issues to be addressed that relate to instructional materials within the broader context of elementary, middle, and/or secondary education. This section should provide evidence that the proposed materials fill a need of students, teachers, and schools throughout the nation better than materials currently available to schools. The proposal should reference relevant literature to show knowledge of disciplinary and pedagogical issues. The proposal also should describe how the instructional materials build on, and relate to, previous and on-going efforts in the field.
• Goals and objectives—a description of project goals and objectives.
• Anticipated products—a description of the materials to be produced (e.g., workbooks, textbooks, software, videos, CD-ROM, scholarly publications, monographs).
• Content and pedagogical strategies—a major part of the proposal should describe the content and pedagogical strategies embedded in the materials and their alignment with national and state standards. This section should describe how the proposed instructional materials will build on the knowledge students gained at previous grade levels and will prepare and motivate students for continued study in SMT at higher grade levels. Relevant experts should be able to judge the suitability of the materials for the intended audience in the academic setting described.
• The proposal should describe the specific learning activities to be developed, including experiments, student projects, course work, assessment materials, or new modes of instruction; and required resources (e.g., computer expertise) at the school level to implement them. If the materials are to be modules or supplemental in nature, they must target particular areas of study; clearly identify SMT research questions to be addressed; and utilize appropriate scientific, computational, and educational technologies. They also must include professional development materials for teachers. Specific examples should be included in an appendix.
• Potential impact and significance—justification for the impact and significance of the proposed products, including an explanation of why those products will be of interest and useful to a nationwide community of educators. The proposal should delineate the expected impact on student learning, especially the learning of groups that are underrepresented (e.g., women, minorities, persons with disabilities) and underserved (e.g., rural, inner city). The proposal should identify mechanisms for insuring market penetration of the products. The IMD Program will assess the project with respect to its anticipated long-term impact on SMT education.
• Procedure and methods—a description of the experience and capability of the Principal Investigators, of the plan and timeline for project work, and of the resources available for realizing project objectives. This section should describe:

—the process to be used for writing, content review, pilot tests, field tests, formative and summative evaluation, and production of final materials. Materials must be pilot tested with master teachers with evaluation results reflected in revisions. Field tests must include a broad range of teachers serving students with backgrounds representative of the diversity throughout the nation. The results of field tests, presented in a format that can be used for marketing materials, must be submitted to NSF for review during the project.

—the collaborations of practicing scientists, science educators, and teachers that will contribute to the successful development and review of the materials.

• Assessment—the proposal should describe the tools and strategies for student assessment that will be included with the instructional materials. Ideally, there should be a variety of assessment materials that teachers can use to plan instruction and to assess the impact on students’ achievement.
• Evaluation—a description of the evaluation plan, including the key questions, data collection and analysis framework, and assessment tools. The proposal should include criteria for evaluating the quality and impact of the project (e.g., assessment of student learning, results of pilot and field testing) and procedures for collecting and analyzing quantitative and qualitative information. Evaluators should have assisted in developing the plan. The proposal should provide evidence of the qualifications of the individuals who are part of the overall evaluation team.
• Dissemination—a description of plans to disseminate project results and products to other professionals in SMT education communities, during and after the project. All instructional materials projects must be commercially published and distributed. Proposals should identify the names of commercial publishers who have expressed an interest in the materials or present a timeline for securing a publisher within the first two years of development. Projects must have contracted with a publisher by the third year of the grant. Dissemination plans that include potential sales income should describe the disposition of that income in the proposal.
• Budget—For IMD projects, NSF expects the majority of project costs to support personnel time and personnelrelated costs; modest requests to support acquisition of materials, supplies, equipment, and computing services are allowable. Equipment costs must be matched by nonfederal funds greater than the funds requested from NSF. Performers are expected to have the computing facilities, most of the equipment, and physical environment to achieve project goals. The IMD Program will not fund purchase of classroom equipment necessary to implement instructional materials.
• Eligible costs—The budget should include only items representing new design and development costs. NSF funds may not be used to support expenditures that would have been undertaken in the absence of an award, such as costs for normal teaching and materials development activities.
• Cost-sharing—The level of cost-sharing depends upon the scope and nature of the project. Commitments may be in the form of funds, equipment, personnel time, etc., and may be provided from the submitting institutions and schools/school districts where the materials are to be implemented or from other non-federal sources. The listed cost-share amount is integral both to the review and award decision for the proposal and becomes a condition of any resulting award.

Information about Planning Grants, Conference Grants, and Small Grants for Exploratory Research can be found in ‘‘Special Categories of Full Proposals,’’ page 35.

Goals and Objectives

Projects should be national or multi-state in scope and must provide multiple curriculum offerings. The site should be defined in terms of: 1) content areas (i.e., science, mathematics, technology); 2) grade levels (i.e., elementary, middle, secondary); and, 3) instructional materials to be supported. Sites must have the capability of assisting schools/districts with needs assessments that enable the selection of appropriate materials. Depending on its focus, a site would provide some or all of the following:

• assistance in assessing the alignment of the instructional materials with national standards and school, district, and/or state curricular frameworks;
• assistance in assessing the alignment of instructional materials across grade levels and, as appropriate, between science and mathematics;
• planning of professional development that prepares and supports teachers in the use of the instructional materials;
• assistance in determining the critical local factors entering into the selection and adoption of the instructional materials;
• assistance in determining the critical factors needed to make decisions about appropriate educational technologies and student assessments to implement the new instructional materials;
• identification or development of tools (e.g., professional development materials, assessment packages, resource guides) that support the necessary teacher enhancement;
• assistance with identification of, and access to, resources (e.g., demonstration sites, videos, simulations) for observation of teachers and students in classroom settings that model the exemplary implementation of the materials;
• strategies to identify and build the partnerships needed to support school change that enables the adoption and implementation of exemplary instructional materials; and,
• enhancement of potential staff developers in the implementation of the curricular materials.

Eligible Institutions and Departments. Organizations with a science and/or mathematics education mission are eligible to submit proposals. These include: colleges and universities, state education agencies, professional societies, private foundations, private industry, publishers, and other public and private organizations whether for profit or not-for-profit. Proposers are strongly encouraged to build meaningful partnerships.

Funding and Duration. Project duration is expected to be from three-to-five years, with an award amount not to exceed $1.4 million annually. The maximum total request of any one project may not exceed $6 million. Costs of participating in site activities are generally expected to be borne by the districts or agencies served. In cases where costs are to be borne by the project, proposals must provide a rationale for the necessity of such support.

Proposals will be reviewed in accordance with established procedures, the two new merit review criteria described in ‘‘Review Criteria’’ (page 37), and the following special criteria:

• well-articulated objectives and rationale for selecting clients, instructional materials, and the range of activities to support dissemination adoption and implementation of the materials;
• potential for establishing effective working relationships with school districts that (1) are in the exploratory phase of an educational reform initiative and need information on state-of-the-art instructional practices and curriculum content, (2) need assistance in understanding differences in alternative instructional models and materials in order to design and implement their own project, (3) require mentoring by leaders of model projects so they can adapt activities to their local needs, and/or (4) need advice and support as they implement their own initiative;
• potential of the partnership to provide technical assistance which applies a broad knowledge base including state-of-the-art information on curricular models and the related needs for professional development, student assessments and application of educational technologies, and research in teaching and learning;
• demonstrated awareness of alternative strategies for achieving equity and outreach directed to areas with high minority or underserved populations; and,
• well-developed indicators for formative and summative evaluation, as well as project monitoring that demonstrate progress, effectiveness, and success.

Proposal Requirements

Full Proposals. For information on submission of full proposals, see ‘‘Preparation and Submission of Proposals’’ in these Guidelines. Full proposals (including those for planning grants) must strictly adhere to the page limitation and formatting requirements. Appendices may be used to provide information relevant to the project. Appendix material should be clearly referenced in the proposal. Please note that reviewers are not required to read appendices.

Goals and Objectives

Therefore, NSF’s IMD Program encourages the development and implementation of various levels of new directions in the assessment of student learning in mathematics and science. Projects of interest include:

• development of various tools (e.g., portfolios, item banks, performance tasks, new technologies in the service of assessment) to assess and guide student learning at the classroom level;
• research on the effectiveness of various ‘‘authentic’’ measures such as performance tasks;
• exploration of how ‘‘authentic’’ assessments closely tied to the actual work done by students in classrooms can be integrated with district or state assessment programs;
• exploration of the role of assessment in improving classroom performance and student progress;
• measures for monitoring gains in student progress in mathematics and science at the classroom, district, state level and/or across reform sites.

Eligible Institutions and Departments. Organizations with a science and/or mathematics education mission are eligible to submit proposals. These include colleges and universities, state education agencies, professional societies, private foundations, private industry, publishers, and other public and private organizations whether for profit or not-for-profit. Proposers are strongly encouraged to build meaningful partnerships.

Funding and Duration. Project duration is expected to be from two-to-five years, with an award amount not to exceed $1.4 million annually. The maximum total request of any project may not exceed $6 million. Proposals will be reviewed in accordance with established procedures. The two general NSF criteria and additional criteria pertinent to proposals to the ESIE Division are described in ‘‘Review Criteria’’ (page 37).

Proposal Requirements

Full Proposals. For information on submission of full proposals, see ‘‘Preparation and Submission of Proposals’’ in these Guidelines. Full proposals (including those for planning grants) must strictly adhere to the page limitation and formatting requirements. Appendices may be used to provide information relevant to the project. Appendix material should be clearly referenced in the proposal. Please note that reviewers are not required to read appendices.

Goals and Objectives

The TE Program encourages the following major categories of proposals: 1) local systemic change for SMT education, grades K-12; 2) educational leadership projects; 3) teacher and student development through research experiences; 4) replication and scale-up; 5) professional development materials; and, 6) professional support for the teaching workforce. Proposals are especially encouraged that target greatest need (e.g., geographic areas with high percentages of underrepresented and underserved populations—urban, rural, and resource-poor school districts). It should be noted that the TE Program requires that professional development be aligned with the curriculum and instructional materials used in participating schools and that the instructional materials to be implemented are of high quality and aligned with national standards. TE does not support the development of curriculum or instructional materials for students.

Goals

• strengthen the teacher workforce by:

— deepening commitment to, and understanding of, national education standards;

— expanding and deepening understanding of content, pedagogy, curriculum, and assessment;

— increasing understanding and use of appropriate and effective applications of educational technologies;

— heightening awareness and deepening understanding of the diverse experiences, strengths, and needs of students; develop a cadre of teachers, administrators, teacher educators, and staff developers who can lead reform in science and mathematics education effectively;

• develop a school culture supportive of professional development and reform in science and mathematics;
• develop the program and system characteristics necessary to support the implementation of a standards-based science and mathematics curricula program; and,
• improve achievement of all students in science and mathematics education.

Areas of Special Interest

• Building the National Capacity for K-12 Mathematics: TE will support projects to develop national leaders and professional developers for K-12 mathematics, drawn from university and college faculty in mathematics or mathematics education, well-prepared supervisors of mathematics in school districts or at state levels, and wellprepared teachers with national experience.
• Professional Development of Grades 4-8 Mathematics Teachers: TE invites both Leadership and Local Systemic Change (LSC) projects submitted under K-8 or 7-12 guidelines, that focus on professional development aligned with implementation of exemplary instructional materials for upper elementary or middle school mathematics. Substantial commitments of Eisenhower, Goals 2000, Title I and/or cost-sharing from state/local funds are expected.
• Professional Development of Secondary Science Teachers: The TE Program also is especially interested in projects that focus on Secondary Science.
• Innovative High Risk Projects: The TE Program will support a few projects with a potential to make substantial and sustainable gains for the improvement of SMT education. Such projects would develop and test new models that show promise of advancing the state-of-the-art in the professional development of teachers, teacher leaders, and/or professional developers. Of particular interest are projects that use technology to reach large numbers of teachers and make exemplary curriculum and support materials available to them.

Project Characteristics

• teacher education that leads to improved understanding of disciplinary content, instructional practice, and the use of assessment for enhancing classroom effectiveness;
• engagement of schools, parents, and communities as proponents for the support of long-term educational improvement and continued professional development of teachers;
• commitment of key members of the school community to ensure local and state support for education, for policies necessary for education reform, and for incentives for teachers to pursue continued professional development;
• a plan to develop the organization and culture of schools necessary to support professional development and effective SMT education;
• integration of appropriate educational technologies and networking in order to increase access to high quality education and adapt instruction to different learning styles; and,
• a cost-effective strategy (based on reasonable cost-perteacher given the duration and quality of professional development) that ensures potential for replication and scale-up and that contributes to program accountability.

Local Systemic Change (LSC) projects support school systems and their partners in reforming the delivery of science and/or mathematics education, grades K-12. Such projects are expected to initiate systemic efforts that will make significant progress in implementing recognized standards for content, teaching, and assessment.

The LSC projects represent a shift in focus from professional development of individual teachers to that of all teachers within an entire school organization. Projects should result in the establishment of professional communities that empower teachers to change practice and to reflect on their own teaching and learning. In these projects, new beliefs, skills, and behaviors are learned and explored within a supportive school culture, which is itself engaged in renewal.

LSC Project Characteristics.

• Eligibility—School districts or coalitions of school districts in partnership with at least one organization with a scientific or educational mission may submit proposals. Among the latter are: colleges and universities, state and local education agencies, professional societies, research laboratories, private foundations, and other public and private organizations whether for-profit or not-for-profit.
• Focus—While projects must clearly be placed in the context of a comprehensive strategy of reform for grades K-12, they may address a component of that system. For example, LSC projects could target all K-8 teachers of science and/or mathematics or a subset (e.g., all science teachers, grades K-5; all middle school mathematics and/ or science teachers; all science and mathematics teachers in a particular set of schools within a large system).¹ LSC projects, for grades 7-12, could target all mathematics or science teachers at those grade levels or a subset (e.g., all mathematics teachers, grades 9-12, or all science teachers, grades 7-12 in a particular set of schools within a large system). Projects that focus on the improvement of elementary or middle school mathematics are particularly encouraged.

¹A city with an NSF Urban Systemic Initiatives (USI) award is eligible to apply for an LSC project provided that it would implement large-scale professional development integral to the overall USI reform strategy and that it is strongly endorsed by the PI of the USI project. Projects in USI cities at the K-8 grade level must target both science and mathematics instruction.

• Coverage—LSC projects for science and mathematics education, grades K-8, must include at least 200 teachers, each engaged for no less than 100 hours of intensive professional development activities over the duration of the project. Similarly, projects for science and mathematics education, grades 7-12, must include at least 100 teachers, each receiving no less than 130 hours of intensive professional development activities.
• Duration—Duration of LSC projects is expected to be from three-to-five years.
• Funding Levels—LSC projects focused on grades K-8 may request up to $1.2 million for each year of the project— the maximum being determined by multiplying the total number of teachers reached over the course of the project by $3,000. LSC projects on grades 7-12 may request up to $1.0 million for each year of the project— the maximum determined by multiplying the total number of teachers reached over the course of the project by $4,500. Not all teachers need the same type of professional development, nor will all professional development require the same amount of NSF support; the allowable cost-per-teacher can therefore be an average across those project participants who engage in at least the required experiences of 100 hours for grades K-8 or 130 hours for grades 7-12, within the duration of the grant. For example, strategies may vary by investing heavily in development of mentors or lead teachers or in providing additional resources to strengthen content background of under-prepared teachers.
• Allowable Costs—NSF funds are intended to support teacher enhancement activities, not the actual costs of providing selected curricula for classroom use. Proposals must indicate the amount and source of funding for the following: classroom instructional materials, equipment, and supplies (none of which may be supported with NSF funds); ongoing support for teachers beyond the NSF funding period; and long-term evaluation. In situations where networking technology would help sustain professional development opportunities for teachers, equipment purchase will be considered within the allowable funding level (i.e., as determined by the product of total number of teachers and average cost-per-teacher over the course of the project) so long as other requirements are met.
• Cost-sharing—Cost-sharing from school systems, state funds, and the private sector, higher education, and other partners is required for all projects. Cost sharing often equals or exceeds the amount of the request from NSF. In general, only items allowable under applicable cost principles, if charged to the project, may be included as the grantee’s contribution to cost-sharing (see GPG (NSF 98-2)). However, classroom materials, equipment, and supplies—the purchase of which may not be supported by NSF funds—will be allowed as cost-sharing. While other federal funds are not an acceptable source of costsharing under NSF reporting regulations, it is anticipated that LSC projects will leverage and complement activities supported with other federal funds, in particular Title I, Goals 2000, and/or the Eisenhower Program. Use of these funds should be described in the budget explanation, separate from the cost-sharing information. The listed costshare amount and the use of other federal funds are integral both to the review and award decision for the proposal and becomes a condition of any resulting award. For further information, see the section on ‘‘Preparation and Submission of Proposals.’’ Documentation of actual cost-share, signed by the authorized institutional representative, must be submitted with each annual report and will affect the decision made regarding the next funding increment.
• Evaluation—LSC projects must participate in a standardized, core evaluation that allows assessment of each project’s progress toward attainment of quality standards for science and mathematics teaching, aggregation of data/information across projects, and cross-project analysis. The core evaluation consists of a data collection framework and a set of instruments and procedures. It ensures program accountability and provides a basis for assessing progress upon which continued project funding will depend.

²The standardized evaluation is designed to assess the impact of the project on classroom practice and will address such issues as: 1) the overall quality of professional development activities; 2) the extent of teacher involvement in the LSC activities; 3) the impact of the LSC on curriculum, instruction, and assessment; 4) the likelihood that the proposed professional development system will be sustained; and, 5) the level of support for teaching.

Receipt of Continuing Grant Increments—No continuing grant increments will be made for LSC projects unless the PI remains current with requirements of the core evaluation.

LSC Special Proposal Review Criteria. The reform strategy employed in LSC projects should be aligned with nationally recognized content, teaching, and assessment standards for science and mathematics education, as well as with existing state frameworks, as appropriate. Successful projects must also align policy and practice. Proposals will be reviewed using the new merit review criteria, described on pages of this announcement (NSF 98-2), as well as the following specific criteria:

• Vision—The project must be based on a shared, comprehensive vision of science and mathematics education reform among major stakeholders and on a professional development strategy that is clearly articulated for grades K-12. The vision should include goals and objectives for student learning and incorporate national and state standards for curriculum, teaching practice, assessment, programs, and systems. The project must encourage changes in the educational system that are needed to support improved science and mathematics education (e.g., district- wide assessment systems; procurement, distribution, and replenishment of materials). LSC projects, whether for grades K-8 or grades 7-12, should address science and/ or mathematics comprehensively by articulating a coherent vision for K-12 science, mathematics, and/or technology education.
• Needs Assessment—The proposed strategy must be based on a realistic assessment of the system’s strengths and weaknesses. Such assessments should identify: teacher needs based on the current status of instruction and the chosen curriculum; staff and material resources available to support the reform effort; related activities (both NSF and others) impacting the system; and state and local policies directly influencing instruction.
• Curriculum Implementation—Participating school districts must delineate the curriculum framework for their LSC project. Instructional materials to be implemented must be aligned with science and mathematics education standards, and must have been extensively field tested and proven effective. The proposal must identify the instructional materials to be implemented or must submit a list of instructional materials to be considered for adoption, accompanied by criteria for selection. The selection process must be completed during the first year of the grant. If these materials are not nationally recognized, representative samples should accompany the proposal to demonstrate content accuracy and soundness of instructional practice. The professional development strategy, program support, and resource levels delineated and committed to in the proposal must be sufficient to implement the selected instructional materials throughout the school system.
• Strategic Plan—Project design must be consistent with the articulated vision for K-12 science and mathematics education. The strategic plan should be grounded in a needs assessment of the targeted system(s) and should be based on: current research on teacher and system change; effective teacher enhancement models; the exemplary instructional materials and programs selected; appropriate student assessment; effective use of technology for students and teachers; follow-up and ongoing support for teachers; and strategies for institutionalizing the new programs and sustaining newly established partnerships.
• Cooperative Relationships—The project should forge partnerships among higher education, business and industry, museums, media, and other parts of the private sector that will support quality science and mathematics education. Reasonable working relationships must be established and clearly evidenced in the proposal. The project should, whenever possible, capitalize on, and coordinate with, NSF investments in related education projects (e.g., other large-scale TE projects (current or recent past), State Systemic Initiatives, Urban Systemic Initiatives, Rural Systemic Initiatives, NSF Collaboratives for Excellence in Teacher Preparation).

Through leadership projects, participants obtain a thorough background in appropriate content and pedagogical knowledge, knowledge of quality curriculum materials and educational technologies, knowledge of the process of educational change, and knowledge and skills of leadership. Where appropriate, participants also receive follow-up support to implement classroom improvements and to conduct leadership and/or staff development activities. Typical leadership projects exceed the equivalent of four-to-six weeks in duration. They may involve multiple-year work through summer institutes and/or academic year programs. Projects must include adequate time for indepth study, reflection, and guided practice and should model effective approaches to curriculum, teaching, and assessment.

Categories of Projects. Leadership opportunities will be provided to: 1) build a core of college and university faculty who can provide professional development opportunities to those who will be staff developers and leaders of school reform on a regional basis, 2) prepare teachers and other educators to serve as members of teams that provide professional development for SMT teachers and to make a broad contribution to the infrastructure that supports science and/or mathematics educational reform improvement, and, 3) prepare teachers to serve as school or district mentors and/or change agents responsible for supporting program improvement. The three categories are:

1. National Capacity Building: These projects support the development of national leaders and professional developers for K-12 science and mathematics, drawn from university and college faculty with disciplinary and/or education expertise in these fields, well-prepared supervisors of these fields in school districts or at state levels, and teachers of science and mathematics with national experience. Those selected as participants will be expected to have strong disciplinary expertise. Participants will be expected to engage in an intensive program that develops the expertise and skills needed to: 1) plan and implement professional development for K-12 science and mathematics teachers; 2) implement exemplary instructional materials in K-12 science and mathematics; 3) provide advice and technical assistance to districts on the important components of school-wide reform in mathematics and science and resources needed; and 4) be effective communicators on behalf of science/mathematics reform. Projects should provide an intensive experience lasting between one and two years. Projects could, for example, offer a sabbatical experience on a university campus and incorporate an internship component emphasizing professional development and the implementation of exemplary instructional materials. To adequately prepare such national leaders and providers of professional development, there is particular interest in supporting projects housed at institutions of higher education that offer opportunities for graduate degree credit and appropriate internships. Eligibility: colleges and universities
2. Regional/District Capacity Building: These projects create staff developers who can become part of the infrastructure for science and mathematics education reform. Such individuals should possess the necessary knowledge and skills to engage in the planning, implementation, and evaluation of professional development activities that support such education reform. Projects should provide participants with opportunities to develop knowledge of advanced disciplinary content and related pedagogy, leadership development, adult learning, program development, supervision, and the process of educational change. Projects should also provide follow-up support to participants as they implement staff development activities. Participants are expected to be master teachers (grades K-12), district leaders, college faculty, and/or staff developers in education, mathematics, science or technology.
3. Teacher Leaders: These projects are intended to develop master teachers and/or intellectual leaders who have the preparation in content, curriculum, and assessment necessary to actively support school program improvement. Participants should both learn and practice the skills necessary to facilitate change as they implement science and mathematics improvements. Projects should target teachers at the middle- and high-school levels. As part of the recruitment and selection process, participating schools must commit to sanctioning and supporting the participating teachers as school leaders in science and mathematics education reform. It is anticipated that projects with the potential for greatest impact would draw participants from districts or a consortium of schools. In addition to teachers, leadership teams may also include building and district administrators, and other appropriate support personnel. NSF limits its support for projects in this area to an average cost of $6,000 per teacher. Generally, each participant’s school or school district is expected to provide sufficient time and resources to enable the participant to apply the leadership knowledge and skills gained from the project to support reform of mathematics and/or science education.

The integration of research and education is a powerful paradigm for SMT education. Bringing the excitement of scientific discovery to teachers and students by providing them with the opportunity to work beside practicing scientific and technical personnel, such projects result in personal growth and the development of research activities that can be transported back to classrooms.

Categories of Projects. TE will support projects that involve teachers where research is a means of professional development and projects that involve teachers and students in research. Categories of projects include:

1. Research Experiences for Teachers Projects—Teachers gain insight into scientific and technological processes when given the opportunity to work beside practicing scientists, engineers, mathematicians, and technologists in a research-rich environment. These opportunities refresh and deepen the teachers’ understanding of SMT concepts and scientific processes.

Characteristics of Research Experiences for Teachers Projects

—Eligibility. Higher education institutions, and advanced federal and industrial research and development (R&D) facilities may submit proposals individually and/or in collaboration. Selected project sites should provide participants with intellectually stimulating R&D experiences.

—Staff. Senior staff (e.g., those with major responsibility for teacher selection, supervision of research and pedagogical activities) should be college or university faculty; active researchers in science, mathematics, engineering, and technology employed in academia, industry, or Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs); educators in these disciplines; or education researchers. While the PI must have a major role in the project and provide intellectual leadership, a CoPI may serve as liaison with NSF for purposes of administering the project. Staffing levels must allow for substantive one-on-one or small group interactions with participants. [NOTE: Any proposals under this category that originate from federal agencies and FFRDCs may not include costs related to Civil Service Salaries for federal scientists and engineers.]

—Recruitment. Participants must be recruited from among teachers of science, mathematics, and/or technology at the middle- or secondary-school level whose background and teaching assignments are matched with the project’s research focus. Proposals must detail recruitment, selection, and placement plans, especially as they relate to involvement of women, minorities, the physically disabled, and teachers from resourcepoor school districts. Lack of financial resources should not prevent participation of any eligible teacher, and proposals must include a plan for providing necessary support (e.g., travel, room, and board) for those with limited resources. While not essential to project design, consideration should be given to successive, multi-year participation by teachers. A clear rationale for such a project design should be provided.

—Duration. Projects are expected to last from three-tofive years.

—Activities. Participants must engage in meaningful R&D summer activities for a minimum of six weeks that are designed to broaden and deepen scientific and technological knowledge. Activities must clearly relate to well-articulated goals and objectives and include mechanisms for translating research experiences to the classroom (e.g., development of appropriate pedagogical techniques, laboratory experiments) and ensuring the accuracy, effectiveness, and ease of transportability of any laboratory activities and related materials to the school environment. Proposals should clearly describe provisions for meaningful academic-year follow-up and continued dialogue among participants.

—Evaluation. Proposals should clearly describe formative and summative evaluation plans. Formative evaluation should provide a strategy for strengthening the project through continual feedback from participants, staff, and others. Summative evaluation should include data on the project’s success in enhancing participants’ disciplinary knowledge, instructional skills, classroom practice, and attitude toward science and technology, as well as a list of participants by name, address, and relevant demographic characteristics. Summative evaluation results must not be purely anecdotal in nature.

—Budget. Proposals may request no more than $400,000 per year. NSF funds may be applied, in part, to supplement participant salaries, but the majority should be used to support translation of research experiences to the classroom, follow-up, and project evaluation.

—Cost-sharing/Co-Funding. Participating organizations are expected to provide substantial cost-sharing. Only items allowable under the applicable cost principles, if charged to the project, can be included as costsharing. For example, cost-sharing may take the form of participant salaries; staff release time to work with teachers as mentors during project and follow-up activities; donation of relevant materials, supplies, and equipment for implementing related classroom activities in participants’ schools; and room and board for participants. For further information on cost-sharing see section, ‘‘reparation and Submission of Full Proposals.’’

—Partners. Federal laboratories or facilities are expected to join NSF as full partners in co-funding the project. Both cost-sharing and co-funding commitments will be considered in proposal evaluation and will be a condition of any resulting award. The proposal must clearly identify the amount and source of cost-sharing and co-funding to allow NSF to determine its impact on the proposed project.

—Institutionalization. NSF seeks to support development of effective models that will be institutionalized by the submitting organization over time. Plans for ensuring continuation of the project after NSF support ceases must be clearly described in the proposal.

2. Research Experiences for Teachers and Students Projects—TE anticipates supporting projects, targeted at the middle and secondary levels (grades 7-12), that demonstrate a range of innovative and cost-effective approaches for engaging teachers and students in meaningful SMT research experiences. Participating teacher/student teams (generally from the same school) are expected to work in small groups with researchers and technologists in settings that range from research laboratories to field sites. Research experiences should lead to in-depth mastery of scientific and mathematical concepts and to the development of measurement and analytic skills. Teacher/student teams, working with researchers during the summer and in subsequent follow-up activities, are expected to translate the research investigations into meaningful classroom experiences. Two types of research participation projects are appropriate for funding consideration:
1. Research Apprenticeships for Teacher/Student Teams—Teachers and students participate directly in a research project conducted by scientists, mathematicians, and/or technologists. Apprenticeships would typically involve working at the research site for a period of at least four-to-six weeks during the summer and include follow-up activities during the school year.
2. Research, Large-scale Data Collection, and Analysis for Teachers and Students—Certain research projects lend themselves to large-scale data collection and/or implementation of research experiences that can be integrated into school curricula. TE will support projects that forge partnerships between practicing researchers and teacher/student participants through four-to-six week summer (or equivalent, intensive academic year) experiences and follow-up activities, with the expectation that participants transport these research activities back to whole schools or classrooms. School-based activities should include gathering, analyzing, and communicating data derived from natural phenomena, museums, or on-line databases. Proposals must identify the focus of study, hypotheses and issues, data collection protocols, and data analysis techniques. Projects should build a research community, bringing together teams of teachers and students to report research findings and/or use electronic communications to continue the dialogue among researcher, teacher, and students in disparate geographic locations.

4. Replication and Scale-up

The TE Program seeks to broaden its impact by capitalizing on its investment in successful models for in-service training that are consistent with current guidelines. The program especially seeks to support cost-effective efforts to expand effective projects to new locations or for new target populations. In both cases, evidence must be provided to demonstrate: 1) the success of the previous project in improving both the classroom instruction of participating teachers and the achievement of their students (such evidence must not be purely anecdotal in nature) and 2) the potential of the design for meeting the needs of a new or expanded environment, including documentation of those factors that have been critical to its success. A critical aspect of replication and scale-up projects is that they achieve a major reduction in the cost-per-teacher participating in the project. The proposed project should achieve a cost-effectiveness far exceeding that achieved by the prototype project. In addition, the proposed project must incorporate assurances that necessary school, district, and community support has been secured for project implementation and for sustaining its impact after NSF support terminates.

5. Professional Development Materials

Major reform efforts in SMT education have increased the need for professional development materials that enhance teachers’ understanding, adoption, and implementation of effective, standards-based instruction that uses state-of-the-art student materials, assessment strategies, and educational technologies. The TE Program, therefore, supports the development of curricula and training materials for pre-K-12 teachers and instructional leaders of SMT.

Projects may range from the creation of new teacher enhancement materials/curricula to the upgrading of existing ones that respond to innovations in student curricula and instruction; from the development of comprehensive teacher enhancement curricula to a few modules on focused content or instructional topics; from a focus on a single topic to the integration of several disciplines; and from supporting specific comprehensive materials to providing generic teacher enhancement for targeted SMT content and pedagogy.

Project Characteristics. Proposed professional development materials/curricula are expected to be developed by experts in the fields of science, mathematics, and technology education and should exhibit the following design characteristics:

• have the potential to be national in scope and/or significance;
• reflect national standards and state frameworks (where relevant) that guide content, instruction, and assessment;
• be grounded in the most recent advances in research in teaching and learning;
• recognize the importance of imagination and design skills in developing materials that stimulate adult interest and understanding;
• incorporate educational technologies and telecommunications as vehicles for creating new, more effective teaching strategies;
• provide for pilot and field testing of teacher development materials, with personnel and in circumstances representative of the target clientele, as part of on-going project evaluation efforts and the revision process; and,
• include plans for the publication and wide distribution of results and products.

To meet national standards for content, teaching, and assessment in science and mathematics education, teachers must continue to learn throughout their careers not only by participating in formal education, but also by engaging in ongoing interactions with their peers, teacher educators, scientists, mathematicians, engineers, and technologists, the informal science community, and the private sector. Teachers need support in their efforts to build and sustain a community of colleagues with shared interests and require easy access to information resources regardless of their location. The TE Program will support a small number of projects that provide such opportunities through the use of educational technologies.

Educational technologies (e.g., electronic mail, bulletin boards, homepages, electronic conferencing) are becoming commonplace and essential to projects whose effectiveness depends on connecting participants with common interests, resources, or needs. TE seeks to support projects that find innovative ways to utilize educational technologies in providing teachers with the capabilities and support needed to go beyond the typical in-service course. Such projects should work 1) to create a culture of learning where teachers can share ideas, draw freely on the expertise of their colleagues, and gain access to current information, thinking, and discussions about teaching practice and content; 2) to help teachers individualize instruction through the use of modeling and other pedagogical strategies that are made available through advances in technology; and 3) to extend opportunities and resources to isolated schools and teachers through telecommunications.

Of particular interest are projects that significantly reduce cost, yet increase the access to, and the variety of, in-service experiences available through the use of electronic networking, distance learning, and two-way video technologies. Such projects should support teachers in their continual learning and involvement in SMT while preparing them to use technology in their own instruction.

TE will support a few projects that: 1) extend electronic networking, information access, and two-way communications to isolated communities in order to support cooperation, collegiality, and the development of a professional community of SMT educators; 2) develop and implement new technologies that provide in-service and ongoing support for the dissemination and adoption of IMD projects; and, 3) extend the model of in-service training allowing teachers to contribute to their field or adopt roles where they have a lifelong involvement in their discipline.

Special Considerations for the TE Program

• Participant Stipends—A direct stipend of up to $60 per day (for participation in formal professional development activities occurring outside of paid school time), prorated for partial days, is encouraged and allowable from NSF funds. The total stipend may exceed these amounts if supplemented from other sources. Teachers employed as staff should be included as senior personnel and not under participant support.
• Costs for Substitute Teachers—The cost of hiring substitute teachers is allowable under the following conditions: 1) it is necessary to the project’s administration and 2) it can be certified that the substitute teachers are directly replacing teachers participating in the NSF-funded project for the time they are working on the project. Substitute teachers are to be paid in accordance with established school district policies and in lieu of paying the teachers participating in the project. Records must be maintained by the accounting office on the hiring of substitutes and their relationship to the project.
• Participant Travel—In residential programs, allowable costs for participant travel may include only one roundtrip to and from the location of the institution conducting the program and the participant’s home. Those participants who commute may be reimbursed for actual travel at approved rates.
• Subsistence—Costs for participant room and board may be requested.
• Other Support Costs—Tuition fees may be requested from NSF or from participating teachers only if no NSF funds are used to support project administration, instruction, or indirect costs. Also, if NSF funds are requested for any of the three items listed, tuition waivers may not be counted as institutional cost-sharing for the project. Indirect costs are not allowed on participant support costs.

Cost-Sharing. TE projects require cost-sharing (see special considerations for Local Systemic Change (LSC) and ‘‘Education through Research Experience’’ projects). Proposed cost-sharing is considered in evaluating proposals and will be a condition of any resulting award. Typical cost-sharing amounts for most TE projects are 20-30 percent of the NSF award amount and more than 50 percent for LSC projects. Proposals must document the total estimated amount of cost-share, including the expected contribution made from various sources.

Annual Reports. Annual reports are required for all multiyear awards. In addition to the requirements for annual reports described in the section, Announcement and Administration of Awards’’ page 84, TE annual reports must provide participant information, as well as an updated TE data form. Reports must include: findings from evaluation activities, a summary of the professional development activities, and the impact of the project on classroom instruction. A listing and explanation for any significant changes in the plan for the upcoming year, including any changes in the amount of PI and CoPI time devoted to the project is also required. To ensure uniform reporting, LSC projects will be provided a reporting framework; continuation of funding also depends on submission of relevant evaluation data for the mandatory standardized evaluation. PI’s will receive complete instructions after an award has been made.

Final Project Reports. Submission of a final report (98A) is required of all projects; see later section on ‘‘Announcement and Administration of Awards.’’ As appropriate, all TE projects require submission of the following:

• a participant list complete with addresses, school affiliations, subject expertise, and levels taught (elementary, middle, high school);
• information on summative evaluation efforts, including evaluator reports, as available. LSC projects, as part of the standardized evaluation, must report on professional development activities; teacher involvement; teacher knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs; classroom implementation; project sustainability; and support for reform.

Proposal Requirements

Full Proposals. For further information, see section, ‘‘Preparation and Submission of Proposals.’’ Full proposals must strictly adhere to the page limitation and formatting requirements, but appendices may be used to provide information relevant to the project. Appendix material should be referenced clearly in the proposal. Please note that reviewers are not required to read appendices. TE may request set(s) of instructional materials for panel review.

Information about Planning Grants, Conference Grants, and Small Grants for Exploratory Research can be found in ‘‘Special Categories of Full Proposals,’’ page 35.

General Program Description

The Advanced Technological Education (ATE) program promotes improvement in technician education delivered at the undergraduate and secondary school levels. The program expects all projects to include major involvement of two-year colleges. Focused on both national and regional levels, it supports curriculum development and program improvement for technicians being educated for the high performance workplace of advanced technologies. Curriculum development encompasses the design and implementation of new curricula, courses, laboratories, and instructional materials. Program improvement encompasses faculty and teacher development, student academic support, and formal cooperative arrangements among institutions and other partners. ATE centers and projects result in major improvements in advanced technological education, serve as models for other institutions, assure that students acquire strong backgrounds in mathematics and science, and yield nationally-usable educational products. All projects must have a vision for technician education which is used to guide project development.

The program is managed jointly by the Division of Undergraduate Education (DUE) and the Division of Elementary, Secondary, and Informal Education (ESIE).

Eligibility. Requirements under the ATE Program are as follows:

• Eligible Projects—For purposes of the ATE Program, technician education is generally considered to be the occupation-driven education of persons who will use complex technologies. ATE projects focus on strategic advanced-technology fields and offer education and/or work experiences that are based on scientific, mathematical, and engineering principles. ATE-supported fields in engineering technology include, but are not limited to, aeronautical, architectural, biomedical, chemical, civil, communications, computer, electrical and electronic, industrial, manufacturing, materials, mechanical, marine, nuclear, systems, and telecommunications. In the area of science technology, supported fields include, but are not limited to, agriculture, biotechnology, chemical, environmental, hazardous waste, marine science, and optics. Technicians in these fields enhance productivity in manufacturing, telecommunications, transportation, and other commercial activities important to national economic and security interests. Students enrolled in ATE projects at two-year colleges typically earn an associate degree in engineering technology or science technology qualifying them for employment or transfer to a four-year institution.

ATE will support development of science, mathematics and technology courses in both core and advanced technology areas. The disciplinary emphasis is predicated on the expectation that all ATE projects have a strong core of courses in science and mathematics to serve as prerequisites and co-requisites for specialized technology courses. ATE will also support development of advanced science and engineering technology courses that assume students have mastered such skills and principles. Course development is expected to be a cooperative effort among faculty and appropriate industry staff (e.g., technicians, research staff) in mathematics, science, engineering, and technical fields.

• Eligible Institutions—Proposals are invited from twoyear colleges, other associate degree granting institutions, two-year college systems, and consortia of two-year colleges. In addition, proposals are welcomed from consortia of other appropriate organizations and institutions (e.g., four-year colleges and universities, secondary schools, professional societies, and non-profit, educational research and development groups) that include two-year colleges in leadership roles. Proposals from a formal consortium should be submitted by the consortium; proposals from an informal consortium should be submitted by one member of the consortium.
• Eligible Costs—ATE will support new design or development costs. NSF funds may not be used to support expenditures that would normally be undertaken in the absence of an award.

Areas of Special Interest

• Developmental Courses: The ATE Program particularly encourages proposals for new and innovative approaches to effectively increase students’ understanding of mathematics and science so that they can successfully complete programs in technological fields. New approaches are needed that take account of the diverse needs of these students.
• Recruitment: There presently is a great shortage of students going into technician education programs despite evidence that there are many rewarding jobs available. The ATE Program encourages national projects that emphasize attracting and recruiting secondary school students, especially women and minorities, to technical careers. These projects may include special outreach to parents and counselors, nationally.
• Secondary School Materials: The ATE Program encourages the development of materials for use in secondary schools that promote student interest in technological careers and provide an understanding of the workplace. These materials contain academic and industry standardsbased disciplinary content in contexts, provide significant computer-based experience, link to post secondary instruction in technological education and help teachers change their professional practices.
• Workplace Experiences for Teachers and Faculty: The ATE Program encourages projects that provide structured experiences for teachers and faculty of science, mathematics, communications and technology education to help them gain an appreciation of the high performance workplace and the skills needed by technicians.
• Career Advancement: The ATE Program encourages projects that address the specific needs of mature learners seeking to enter or advance in the technological workplace.

Categories of ATE Projects

1. projects which focus on one or more aspects of advanced technological education, i.e., curriculum or instructional materials development, faculty or teacher preparation and enhancement, technical experiences for students including internships and cooperative education, or laboratory development;
2. up to three new Centers of Excellence in Advanced Technological Education that provide systems-based approaches to technological education (Note: the number and distribution of Centers and projects depends on availability of funds and quality of proposals received); and,
3. conferences, workshops, symposia, design and planning projects, studies, and other special projects that will lead to better understanding and promotion of issues in advanced technological education.

Project Development. ATE focuses on improving educational opportunities for potential science and engineering technicians. Centers are expected to be comprehensive in scope. Projects may focus more narrowly on curriculum or instructional materials development, faculty or teacher enhancement, faculty or teacher preparation, technical and research experiences for students and faculty, including internships and cooperative education, or laboratory development. They should, nonetheless, be placed within the context of a more comprehensive program. Because of the nature of ATE Programs, where appropriate, projects should build on alliances of associate degree granting institutions with four-year colleges and universities, secondary schools, business, industry, and government. Students and parents must also be made aware of the opportunities and rewards for careers as technicians and the educational requirements necessary to pursue such careers. Projects that cut across the boundaries listed below are especially encouraged.

1. Curriculum and Instructional Materials Projects. ATE supports model projects that demonstrate a vision to improve the quality of courses and curricula in the basic mathematics, science, and engineering core underlying programs in advanced technological education, as well as more specialized science and engineering technology courses. Its activities affect the learning environment, content, and experience of instruction. Technological education is field dependent and driven by applications. There should be a match between occupational requirements and what students are taught. The education component should provide understanding to make the technician more insightful about the work environment and more flexible about receiving additional training which may be job and/or skill related.

ATE seeks projects that envision major changes in technician education and that result in products such as textbooks, laboratory experiments and manuals, software, videos, CDROMs, and other educational products. Products are expected to be widely disseminated through publishers, seminars, workshops, electronic networks, and other appropriate means including conference presentations and journal articles. Projects may range from substantial revision of existing materials to creation of entirely new ones; from a few modules at a single instructional level to comprehensive curricula for multiple years; and from a single subject to the integration of several disciplines. Projects must produce major changes and significant improvement beyond the recipient institution and produce materials used nationally. Curriculum projects are especially sought that integrate mathematics, science, and technology; are developed by teams of educators, scientists, and industry participants; and implement the national mathematics, science, and industry standards in a technological context. Curriculum projects that prepare future teachers and faculty for advanced technological programs are also encouraged.

A variety of projects is encouraged. Requests normally range from $50,000 to $500,000 per year and for one to three years duration depending on complexity.

2. Teacher and Faculty Development Projects. Faculty and teachers are key elements in advanced technological education. It is critical that they have a sound disciplinary background with knowledge of state-of-the-art developments and techniques in their fields; be intellectually vigorous and excited about their disciplines; employ modern teaching practices; and regard teaching as an important and rewarding activity. To this end, ATE seeks to enhance both the disciplinary capabilities and teaching skills of faculty and teachers, as well as to provide support to maintain their currency and vitality.

Successful projects emphasize content, pedagogy, development and exercise of leadership skills, and opportunities for continuing professional growth. Faculty and teachers also need to be familiar with new instrumentation and the opportunity to evaluate its suitability for instructional use. They need opportunities to synthesize knowledge that cuts across their own and other disciplines. Finally, they also need opportunities to interact intensively with experts in the field and with colleagues who are practicing scientists, technicians, engineers, and mathematicians, both during the course of the project, and in a continuing way after the project.

Typical projects for teacher and faculty enhancement include conferences, seminars, short courses, industrial internships, institutes, workshops, or a series of such activities. Sessions may vary in length from a few days to several weeks. It is expected that activities would usually be conducted in the summer with follow-up activities during the academic year. To affect long-term change, teacher and faculty enhancement projects normally span at least two academic years.

In the area of teacher enhancement at the secondary level, ATE will fund four categories of projects described for the TE Program earlier in these Guidelines, i.e., Educational Leadership, Teacher and Student Development through Research Experiences, Professional Development Materials, and Technology in Support of Professional Development. Note Educational Leadership projects should offer at least three weeks of intensive instruction each summer with intensive academic year follow-up. Projects focused on teachers should be congruent with the guidelines for the TE Program described elsewhere in this Announcement and provide major support for classroom and school change, for implementing advanced technological education curricula, as well as for improving the integration of mathematics and science in support of technological education. Projects in which twoyear college faculty work with four-year college or university faculty and/or secondary school teachers are encouraged, as are those which bring together faculty and teachers from different disciplines.

Instructional materials projects to prepare pre-service teachers and faculty for careers in technological education are also sought. Programs which are collaborations between two-year colleges and four-year colleges and universities are particularly desirable. Involvement of science, mathematics, engineering, technology, and education faculty and secondary school teachers in curriculum design and program implementation is encouraged.

Teacher and faculty preparation and enhancement projects normally range from $25,000 to $500,000 per year, with a duration of one-to-three years depending on the complexity and length of the activities, the number of teachers and faculty involved, and the follow-up support provided.

3. Technical Experiences for Students and Faculty. Technical experiences should provide high-potential students and faculty from secondary schools or two-year colleges with a broad perspective of technical fields. They are introduced to an intellectually stimulating environment centered on genuine technical experiences both in the classroom and in a work or community environment. Participants are expected to work in small groups interacting on a regular basis with scientists, engineers, and technicians and with peers who have an interest and curiosity similar to their own. Studentfaculty teams are particularly encouraged to participate in technical experiences. Successful projects provide opportunities to formulate problems and questions, design appropriate models, use technological tools, and perform tasks related to their field. In addition, the student-faculty teams are expected to translate the summer and follow-up activities into meaningful classroom experiences that introduce other students to the role of technicians in the workplace.

Technical experiences include, but are not limited to, industrial internships and cooperative experiences. It is expected that the industry partners will provide major support for internships and cooperative activities. Through participation in technical experiences, students and faculty will:

• gain greater knowledge of, and hands-on exposure to, the applications of science, mathematics, engineering, and technology and become more confident of their ability in technical areas;
• obtain information about, and develop interest in, careers as science and engineering technicians, and become aware of the academic preparation necessary for such careers; become acquainted with the environment of two-year colleges as well as business, industry, government laboratories, research organizations, and other academic institutions.
Projects may consist of any combination of activities involving instruction, problem solving, research, design and creation of products. Proposers should provide a balance of classroom, laboratory, industrial, and field experiences. While some activities may be individualized, project activities should stress group interactions that foster collaborations among peers and provide substantive feedback.

Proposals should describe recruitment strategies; criteria for selection of participants; relevance of the planned experiences to curricula or programs; commitments by schools, colleges, or industries to provide resources for implementing project activities; content of sessions about ethics in the workplace and career awareness; and strategies for evaluating the value added to the education of students and faculty.

Technical Experience projects will normally range from $50,000 to $250,000 per year with a duration of one to three years. Internships should receive substantial cost sharing.

4. Laboratory Development Projects. Laboratory or field experiences with suitable modern equipment are crucial elements of advanced technological education, especially at the two-year college level. ATE will support projects to develop innovative methods for using laboratory exercises that improve student understanding of basic principles and for using modern instrumentation, new technologies, or applications of instruments that extend the instructional capability of the equipment. ATE also encourages establishment of equipment-sharing through consortia or Centers.

Because ATE focuses on improving the quality of technological education through laboratory improvement, projects based primarily on financial need or replacement of equipment at the same level of capability are not appropriate.

Equipment funds must be matched by non-federal dollars equal to, or greater than, funds requested from NSF. The maximum NSF request for equipment for the life of the project is normally $100,000 or 10 percent of the total NSF budget request, whichever is larger.

National/Regional Centers of Excellence are comprehensive projects that serve as models and clearinghouses for the benefit of both colleges and secondary schools. A Center must have a well-formulated underlying philosophy; a vision for technological education for the future; and a well-defined plan to reach that vision. Model curricula, instructional materials, and teaching methods will be developed at and through these Centers and then be disseminated through publishers, seminars, workshops, publications, electronic networks, and other appropriate means. Centers may vary in size, complexity, disciplinary coverage, and extent of the region served. It is expected that Centers will involve active participation in the educational process by both academia and the private and public sectors served by the educational system. Centers are cooperative efforts among two-year colleges, four-year colleges and universities, secondary schools, industry, business, and government and must involve two-year colleges in leadership roles.

Sources of Support. Center proposals should involve a three-pronged alliance of support from:

• NSF—either for curriculum development (e.g., core courses and laboratories in science, mathematics, engineering, science technology, and engineering technology) or for program improvement (e.g., faculty and teacher development, formal cooperative arrangements among partners);
• Proposing educational institution(s) or consortium—for other laboratory-driven experiences, student services, and other courses such as technical writing to support the programs;
• Local business, industry, and government agencies and laboratories—for apprenticeships, cooperative educational experiences, and internships for students, faculty enhancement, loan of technical professionals to teach, and other modes of active cooperation in the Center.

• Curriculum Development

—curriculum improvement in the basic mathematics, science, and engineering core underlying the proposed program;

—curriculum improvement in science technology and engineering technology courses with the expectation that students have strong mathematics and science backgrounds;

—assessment of student learning;

—a product-oriented approach aimed at producing skill standards, curricula and educational materials of potential widespread benefit, as well as conference presentations and journal articles;

—coordination among technical specialties and other course areas;

—student experiences with appropriate equipment;

—collaboration with secondary schools and technical education professionals in the design of curricula and instructional materials that provide a foundation for technician education;

—instructional approaches that encourage such activities as student writing, oral presentations, group learning experiences, and long term projects; and,

—pedagogical designs that enhance the learning opportunities for women, minorities, and persons with disabilities.

• Program Improvement

—preparation and enhancement of college faculty, especially at the two-year level;

—preparation and enhancement of secondary school teachers congruent with the TE Program (see TE section of these Guidelines);

—use of modern instructional technologies in classrooms and laboratories;

—recruitment, retention, and placement of students, especially those groups underrepresented in careers in science, mathematics, engineering, and technology;

—improved guidance for students with diverse educational and work experiences entering the programs— both for students entering from high school programs and for those returning with a wide variety of work and educational experiences;

—alliances with local business, industry, and government including (1) internships, cooperative educational experiences, and apprentice opportunities for students and/or (2) faculty enhancement, exchange, and loan programs;

—articulation of courses and programs between secondary schools, two-year colleges and four-year colleges and universities;

—innovative partnerships for design of curricular and instructional materials and for their dissemination through national consortia, associations, and publishers;

—project evaluation to include, as appropriate, alignment with national standards;

—professionalization of technician careers, including accreditation, use of voluntary industry standards, and certification;

—electronic networking of partners for exchange of information and materials, including file transfers;

—collaborative arrangements with secondary schools; and,

—awareness of students and their parents about opportunities in technical careers.

3. Workshops, Conferences, Seminars, Studies and Other Special Projects

ATE expects to support a few special projects such as conferences, symposia, studies, design and planning projects, and other activities that will lead to a better understanding of issues in advanced technological education.

Requests should normally be made at least nine months in advance of the date of the scheduled activity. Individuals or groups wishing to submit such a request should contact an ATE Program Officer in DUE at (703) 306-1668 or in ESIE at (703) 306-1620, as appropriate, before preparing a two- to three-page preliminary proposal. Following an initial discussion, a preliminary proposal which includes a project outline, description of personnel involved, and approximate budget should be sent to the appropriate ATE Program Officer. NSF staff will review these preliminary proposals and encourage selected formal proposals.

Formal proposals for such activities should include: 1) a summary indicating the objectives of the project; 2) a statement of the need; 3) names and qualifications of key personnel organizing and leading the activity including vitae of Principal Investigators; 4) lists of participants to be invited or other persons to be involved in the project; 5) information on probable dates of workshops or meetings or duration of other type projects; 6) a budget which details the requested NSF contribution and support requested or available from other sources; 7) products to be disseminated; and 8) evaluation of impact of activity. Because proceedings are normally published, requests for support can also include publication costs.

Preliminary proposals and formal proposals for these special projects should be sent directly to an ATE Program Officer at the National Science Foundation, Division of Undergraduate Education—Room 835, 4201 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, Virginia 22230.

PREPARATION AND SUBMISSION OF PROPOSALS

Preliminary Proposals. A preliminary proposal is strongly recommended for submission of a full proposal. Requirements for preliminary proposal submission are included in ‘‘Preparation and Submission of Proposals,’’ page 31.

Full Proposals for Centers and Projects. General information on proposal preparation is included in the section, ‘‘Preparation and Submission of proposals. ’’ Page limits given there apply. Proposers may wish to consult the GPG (NSF 98-2), for additional information. Please indicate the preliminary proposal number that was assigned to your preliminary proposal.

REVIEW CRITERIA

NSF grants are awarded on a competitive basis. In selecting proposals to be supported in the ATE Program, NSF is assisted by reviewers who are mathematicians, scientists, engineers, technologists, and educators. Reviewers are selected from two and four-year colleges and universities, secondary schools, industry, and professional societies.

NSF reviews proposals on the basis of two general criteria recently adopted by the National Science Board: 1) the intellectual merit of the proposed activity, and, 2) the broader impacts of the proposed activity. The criteria, as they relate to the ATE Program, are outlined below.

• Intellectual merit. This criterion relates to the importance of the proposed activity to advancing knowledge and understanding within its own field and across different fields, the qualifications of the proposer(s) to conduct the project, the extent to which the proposed activity suggests and explores creative and original concepts, the technical soundness and organization of the proposed approach, and the adequacy of the institutional resources available. Typical questions raised in the review process include:

—Is the proposal supported by the involvement of capable faculty and teachers (and, where appropriate, practicing scientists, mathematicians, engineers, and technicians) who have recent experience in technical education, in the workplace, or in research, by adequate facilities and resources, and by institutional and departmental commitment?

—Does the proposal show an awareness of current pedagogical issues, the extent of the problems, what others have done, and relevant literature in the technological field of the project?

—Will the project result in provision of a foundation for scientific, technological, and workplace literacy in alignment with national standards?

—Does project design take into consideration the background, preparation, and experience of the target audience?

—Are the goals and objectives, as well as the plans and procedures for achieving them, innovative, well-developed, worthwhile, and realistic?

—What principles of science, mathematics, engineering, or technology will be taught?

• Broader Impacts. This criterion relates to the extent to which the activity advances discovery and understanding while promoting teaching and learning, how well it broadens participation of underrepresented groups (e.g., gender, ethnicity, geographic, etc.), the extent to which it enhances the infrastructure for research and education (e.g., facilities, instrumentation, networks, partnerships), the degree to which it plans broad dissemination to enhance scientific and technological understanding, and the benefits of the activity to society. Typical questions raised in the review process include:

—Does the project address the current and future needs of industry for technicians?

—Does the project enhance the current status of technician education?

—Will the project result in delivery of high-quality education to students planning to pursue careers as technicians?

—Will the project result in increased participation of people underrepresented in technical fields?

—Will the project result in solid content and pedagogical preparation of faculty and teachers of science and engineering technology and the science, mathematics, and technology core areas which undergird these fields?

—Are the proposed course, curriculum, faculty or teacher professional development, experiential learning, or laboratory activities integrated into the institution’s academic program(s)?

—Are the plans for evaluating progress and results of project adequate?

—Are the plans for assessing student learning adequate?

—Are project results likely to be useful at similar institutions?

—Are plans for production and national dissemination of instructional materials and communication of results appropriate and adequate?