Request for Proposals for Innovative Curricular Projects

The Alex and Brit d'Arbeloff Fund for Excellence in Education

The Vice Chancellor is currently soliciting proposals for the d’Arbeloff Fund for Excellence in Education for MIT faculty-led projects that strengthen undergraduate education and enrich the experiences of our undergraduates.  Proposals can be focused at any level of undergraduate education; priority will be given to projects that:

• Improve the first-year academic experience, including the General Institute Requirements (GIRs)
• Explore ways of including algorithmic reasoning and computational thinking in the curriculum (along the lines described in the report of the Study Group on Algorithmic Reasoning and Computational Thinking)
• Develop student motivation, confidence, and self-efficacy by providing opportunities to demonstrate educational accomplishments in authentic contexts
• Support students in exploring and choosing majors
• Enhance undergraduate advising – including professional and career development discussions – between faculty and students

Proposals that make use of innovative, active, and/or inclusive pedagogies to improve student learning and the student experience are encouraged, as are projects that transcend specific departmental curricula, and/or make use of online technology.
 
If you have participated in the d’Arbeloff Fund process before, you will notice that there has been a change; there will now be one opportunity to submit a detailed proposal to the d’Arbeloff Fund Selection Committee. The Selection Committee places a high value on assessment of educational innovations and encourages sharing of good practices and results. The Teaching and Learning Laboratory (TLL) has resources to help you in developing an assessment plan for your proposals. All award recipients are expected to attend an assessment workshop offered by the Teaching and Learning Laboratory in November or to otherwise discuss their project with TLL. A final report on the project at the end of the funding period is also required.

For guidelines and more information, visit web.mit.edu/darbeloff or contact the Registrar’s Office, Curriculum and Faculty Support at x3-6776 or darbeloff-fund@mit.edu.

Proposals are due by September 29, 2017.

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