2006-2007ACADEMIC YEAR

PROJECT PROPOSAL FORMAT

 

DEADLINE:  Monday, February 19, 2007

Please submit proposals electronically to:

Dr. Andrea Hardin, Director of Institutional Research and

Title III Activities

 

 

Name Shelly Martin, Bill Curry

 

Division/Dept.  Social Sciences/Psychology

 

Phone 5237; 5235

 

Date Proposal Submitted 2/19/07

 

Course Name(s) and Number(s) to be impacted

FIS 101

PSY 101

PSY/WST 201

PSY 203

PSY 207

PSY/MAT/ECO 220

PSY 230S

PSY 260

PSY/WST 301

PSY 304

PSY 305

PSY 306

PSY 307

PSY 310

PSY 314

PSY 325

PSY 330

PSY 331

PSY 441/442

 

 

 

Specify if this is an application for:             ________STIPEND (Up to $1,500)             OR

                                                            ________1 COURSE REDUCTION

                                                            (subject to approval by Department Chair)      OR

                       

____X____EQUIPMENT GRANT (hardware and/or software including computers and educational software)

(for equipment grants, please detail needs in item 3 below)

 

 

 

 

 

Narrative:  Please answer these questions

 

I.               Specify how the class would differ from how you have traditionally taught it, describing innovative strategies to be employed.

Psychology classes at Wesleyan often are supplemented by multimedia applications in teaching.  Frequently faculty use Excel, WebCT, PowerPoint, and websites to demonstrate statistical analysis, show DVD clips illustrating psychological principles, and examine relevant websites during class.  Students often would like to use PowerPoint during their student presentations to the class.  However, only Taylor 110 has these technological capacities.  Many of our classes must be taught in Taylor 109 which has no projection system, and these capabilities cannot be integrated into teaching.  At times I have tried to crowd my students all into my office to view my computer screen to demonstrate a particularly important point.  With the addition of a laptop computer and a portable projector that the psychology faculty could share, faculty could use these teaching enhancements when teaching in Taylor 109 or other classrooms to which they are assigned. 

 

To give a specific example from a course Dr. Curry is currently teaching, in PSY 330 Forensic Psychology, students examine one particular serial killer case and provide a report on the case.  If they had the ability to integrate PowerPoint into their presentations, they would be able to use images to make it easier for the class to understand the case and societal reaction to it.  In another course taught in a previous semester by Dr. Martin, PSY/WST 301, students presented on a book they read.  Many wanted to provide images in a PowerPoint presentation, and so during those talks we had to search around Taylor Hall to find an open room that had a projector system (often Taylor Amphitheatre, which is not conducive to a small discussion focused class).  In addition, Dr. Martin uses many images from advertisements or medical texts in her class PSY/WST 201 that requires PowerPoint.  These additional forms of learning improve a studentŐs understanding of the material and provide better student engagement.

 

Enabling students to do better presentations will expand their role and influence in the classroom, making the classes less hierarchical and more student centered.  Having this equipment available to Psychology faculty will encourage faculty members to think creatively about how they can bring in more forms of electronic media into the classroom and how those media can be used to enhance student learning.

 

II.             Discuss how your project would have benefits extending over time beyond this particular class or semester and how many students would be impacted.

This equipment would certainly be useful to the psychology department for the next several years.

 

Psychology general education classes like PSY 101 typically have twenty students in them, and we offer two sections a semester.  In addition, the Psychology Department offers popular elective courses that are typically full as well, such as PSY/WST 201 Sexual Decisions (offered one or two times a year) and PSY 260 Drugs and Behavior (offered once a year).  The psychology major is one of the largest on campus, so our other courses (listed above) typically have 10-20 students.  In addition, we offer 3 to 4 evening classes each semester that have 10-20 students.  The number of students that would be impacted by this equipment grant would be about two hundred per year.

 

III.           Indicate software/equipment needed to accomplish the project and itemized cost estimate.

Dell E1505 Dual Core laptop, $1862 (see attached PDF file for specifics)

 

NEC LT35 portable projector (the worldŐs first automatic projector, with 3000 ANSI lumens and XGA 1024 x 768 native resolution, weight 4.4 lbs.), $1599

 

IV.       Detail special training you will require in order to accomplish the project.

Dr. Curry and Dr. Martin will need to be trained as to how to use the requested equipment.  Such training should require minimal effort.

            Will this involve consultation with the Instructional Technologist?  

YES__X____  NO______

 

V.            Describe your assessment plans or how you will know that students are learning more effectively.

If Dr. Curry and Dr. Martin receive this grant, they will survey students in classes that do not yet have the equipment available about their satisfaction with the incorporation of technology into the teaching of the courses.  Then we would have students in future classes using the new equipment take the same surveys for comparative purposes.

 

Guidelines for Applications

Title III Faculty Instructional Technology Development Grants

Support for Faculty to Incorporate Technology into Their Teaching

 

The Wesleyan College Title III grant, a five-year grant from the U.S. Department of Education, includes support to faculty in the form of stipends and equipment, including hardware and/or software, to help faculty enhance student learning.  Joint proposals are encouraged.  All full-time faculty members are eligible.  Faculty whose positions are funded by Title III may not be eligible for stipends or equipment grants.

 

Applications for Title III equipment grants and stipends will be processed twice annually.  Dates for submitting applications are:

For Fall 2006:  Monday, October 9, 2006 (For Fall 2006 stipend or equipment grant or Spring 2007 course release*)

For Spring 2007:  Monday, February 26, 2007 (For spring and/or summer stipend or equipment grant or Fall 2007 course release*)

 *Course release is subject to approval by the Department Chair & Dean

 

All applications will be reviewed by the Title III Task Force Committee. Criteria for distributing stipends and equipment grants include:

 

1.     The potential of the project to enhance student learning.

2.     The number of students who will be impacted by the proposal.

3.     The necessity of any equipment (hardware/software) to accomplish the goals of the proposal and the ability to integrate and support the equipment within current resources.

4.     The plan for assessing improvements in student learning as a result of the proposal.

5.     Participation in Title III Activities through workshops, technology-related conferences, or similar activities.

6.     The cost of the proposed equipment should be within the limits of the Title III budget (up to $1,800).

 

 

Each stipend/grant may include individualized consultation with the Instructional Technologist (IT).  The need for assistance from the IT should be outlined in the application proposal.

 

Preference will be given to faculty members who have not previously received a stipend or equipment grant.

 

Faculty receiving grants and stipends will be expected to submit a brief follow-up report, including assessment information, at the end of the semester and may be asked to report to faculty regarding their activities.