Updated 3/10/08

Innovation Grant Announcement
A Note From the NE RC Advisory Board
Full RFP Package

Overview

Assessing the effectiveness of education in the United States until recently has been focused on K-12 education.  For well over a decade, the nation’s attempt to measure student learning in public elementary and secondary schools (centered mostly on No Child Left Behind policies) has attempted to drive needed change in American primary and secondary education. Now national accountability is focused directly on higher education.

As the cost of a college education continues to rise, notions of what comprise a high quality college education have been increasingly scrutinized. Parents, the general public, governors, legislators, employers, and accrediting bodies are eager to know whether institutions truly enable students to acquire the skills and competencies our communities, states, and nation need for a successful future.  Assessments and continuous improvement strategies such as the Voluntary System of Accountability, Collegiate Learning Assessment (CLA), Measure of Academic Proficiency and Progress (MAAP) and Collegiate Assessment of Academic Proficiency(CAAP), Academic Quality Improvement Program (AQIP), and Transparency by Design are being promoted by national higher education associations and adopted by states and institutions as methods for measuring, improving, and comparing institutional success.  In addition, the AAC&U surveyed employers regarding higher education accountability and have provided another perspective about How Should Colleges Assess And Improve Student Learning? Employers’ Views On The Accountability Challenge.

In Ohio, the Legislature and Governor Strickland have taken bold steps by ending the historic decrease in funding to Ohio’s colleges and universities and placed higher education among the state’s top priorities.  Chancellor Fingerhut is improving access for and the quality of higher education in Ohio, initially through the creation of the University System of Ohio.  At this critically important time in higher education, OLN believes the Learning Communities Initiative grants program can help stimulate innovations and develop new, effective and proven approaches to assessing student learning.  

Therefore, OLN announces a new round of Innovation Grants.  Through this grant program communities of colleagues are invited to select a course, or a sequence of courses, and create learning goals, strategies, and assessment methods that demonstrate improved student learning.  Faculty and other innovators at OLN member institutions will explore, test, evaluate and improve classroom learning and assessment strategies that are supported by the power of technology. 

The five OLN Regional Centers administer this grant program. The Regional Centers provide learning opportunities and ongoing support for grant recipients and others in the region by offering events, professional development, web-based resources, and consultations.  It is the purpose of Regional Centers to enable each community to learn, meet their goals, and be successful.  The Regional Centers share information about learning communities within the region and state, identify existing OLN services and programs, highlight promising practices, and encourage continuous knowledge sharing statewide.

Individuals who have never received an OLN Emerging Needs Grant, a Technology Innovations Course Redesign Grant or Learning Community Grant are eligible to apply and are encouraged to do so.  Our goal is to increase the number of grants awarded to institutions that have not previously received an OLN grant by 25% (11 institutions statewide).  Individuals who have been PIs on two or more Learning Community grants are not eligible for this grant cycle.



OVERVIEW: INNOVATION GRANT ANNOUNCEMENT

INNOVATION GRANTS
“To fully utilize a new teaching technology you often need to invent new teaching practices as well.  And to do that you need to have the desire, freedom and time to experiment with and refine these new practices.” (John Seely Brown, New Learning Environments for the 21st Century, 2005).

OLN’s Learning Community Initiative has offered Innovation Grants since 2002 to provide resources and support for members’ professional development: specifically for gaining proficiencies with learning technologies.  While gaining proficiencies with technologies to create improved learning environments for students is at the core of these grants, educators must go further by using new and rich assessment practices. Learning communities that have the desire to experiment with assessment, integrate technology, and invent new teaching practices collaboratively should apply for this grant.
Learning Community Innovation Grants projects in 2008-2009 must integrate these three components:  

1. collaboratively establish measurable student learning outcomes,
2. create and utilize assessments that measure student learning that is within the scope of a course or course sequence and
3. gain proficiency in using specific learning technologies, together with colleagues in a learning community, to support rich student learning environments.

Innovation Grants are part of OLN’s ongoing commitment to practitioners’ professional development and learning.  Therefore, ninety percent of each grant award should be allocated to members’ professional development, not to individual stipends, hardware or other items ultimately unrelated to learning what’s needed to best serve Ohio’s students. Deciding how the grant funding is utilized is a collaborative decision.
Please review RFP Resources and the FAQ for supplementary information about these grants. 
Each Regional Center will award up to six (6) $5,000 Innovation Grants.  A total of $150,000 is available statewide in this program.

WHO IS ELIGIBLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE GRANT PROGRAM?
Proposals will be accepted from individuals or groups from OLN member institutions.  To become an OLN member, institutions agree to and have signed the OLN Memorandum of Understanding. Institutions that may not currently be OLN members are invited to become a member.  Contact Kate Carey to learn how (614-995-3240 or kcarey@oln.org).

Individuals who have never received an OLN Emerging Needs Grant, a Technology Innovations Course Redesign Grant or Learning Community Grant are eligible to apply and are encouraged to do so.  Our goal is to increase the number of grants awarded to institutions that have not previously received an OLN grant by 25% (11 institutions statewide).  Individuals who have been PIs on two or more Learning Community grants are not eligible for this grant cycle.

We encourage partnerships to advance learning community work.  Partners can include, but are not limited to, other learning communities (previous or current), PK -12 schools, hospitals, alternative content providers (e.g. museums, zoos, and historical centers), businesses, research centers, and not-for-profit agencies. 

LEARNING COMMUNITIES, INSTITUTIONAL MISSION AND ALIGNMENT
Support of learning communities by the college or university, as well as the related administrative unit, college or school, is critical to success.   Without the knowledge of and institutional support for the work of learning communities, members of professional learning communities are likely to work in isolation.  Their work may be no more than a random act of innovation and is counter to the goals of the LCI (LCI Goals can be found at the end of this overview). The work of a learning community is to align with and be supported through the mission, goals and strategies of the institution and partners.  In this way, the learning community work is relevant, the potential for success increases, and dissemination is valued. 

INSTITUTIONAL SUPPORT AND MATCH REQUIREMENT
Fifty percent of the grant award must be matched by the home institution.  Learning Communities comprised of multiple institution or agency partners must devise an equitable arrangement for all partners to contribute to the match.  Partners are expected to contribute to providing a supportive environment for the pioneering work expected from each learning community. This match can be cash or in-kind services. Examples of match contributions include, but are not limited to:

1. technology and software, IT staff support, peripherals that support PLC work and professional development of members, instructional design services
2. re-allocation of load to enable the learning community facilitator to provide adequate leadership and follow through 
3. meeting space
4. student support
5. travel, registration and lodging costs for members to attend LCI and project-related events, the Ohio Commons for Digital Education (ODCE) Conference (March 2009) and other relevant learning and sharing opportunities in Ohio
6. marketing and public relations assistance, financial and morale support , invitations to present across campus, at trustee meetings, and to stakeholders external to the institution

TIMELINE
Grant Writing Workshop - March 25
Proposal Submission Deadline - April 21

GOALS: OLN LEARNING COMMUNITY INITIATIVE (2002-2009)

1. Provide a catalyst and support a framework for the on-going development of pedagogically robust, technologically enhanced collegiate programs, courses, modules, and learning objects. 
2. Together with the OLN Regional Centers provide a framework for the ongoing development of faculty and others in higher education and as networked communities throughout the state. These communities will encourage collaboration, communalize discoveries among and across institutions and disciplines, reduce redundancies, and improve economic efficiencies. 
3. Develop more courses and degrees available at a distance
4. Develop shared learning resources that are portable, scalable, and connected to student learning goals. These learning resources will be available through the E-Learning Athenaeum of Ohio (ELA), OhioLearns!, the OLN website, or OhioLINK’s Digital Media Center. 
5. Continue to build upon ideas and projects developed in previous years. Creatively address challenges in ways that will provide positive momentum for future Learning Communities and Ohio’s institutions.
   
6. Build a diverse and networked cadre of learning community members who will eagerly
   
7. Work with and support each other as they address current issues of teaching, learning, assessment, and advanced technologies,
   
8. Share and disseminate information and knowledge through virtual and face-to-face local, state and national venues, and 
   
9. Support OLN and the LCI in the future years by planning, facilitating, presenting and participating in statewide events such as the ODCE Conference, Learning Institutes, TeachU, Regional Center Events, webinars, and the LCI EXPO.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

WHAT IS A PROFESSIONAL LEARNING COMMUNITY?  
OLN defines a professional learning community (PLC)as a group of colleagues that voluntarily come together and commit to work collaboratively; provide resources, information, ideas, feedback, reflection, and support each other; and continuously assess community goals and activities.  
Community members commit to working together over time on a common project or initiative.  Each community has a convener who facilitates an inclusive process.  Learning communities generally number between six and 12 individuals.
One of the great benefits of a learning community is the broad assortment of knowledge, skills and networks that each member contributes. All members have leadership responsibilities in ensuring a true community spirit where participant voices and talents are valued equally.
Professional Learning Communities are not committees and members volunteer to participate.

WHO CAN BE A MEMBER OF A PLC?
Members can come from higher education, PK-12, organizations, businesses, community agencies, well actually, from just about anywhere.  The basic criteria for membership include a willingness and ability to share skills, knowledge and commitment, and to contribute willingly to community success. 
Members can include, but are not limited to: full-time, part-time and adjunct faculty; students, technology experts, instructional designers, administrators, librarians, distance learning administrators, deans, student services professionals, department chairs, provosts, CIOs, and curriculum specialists; faculty and staff developers;  PK-12 teachers, aides, curriculum developers, principals, parents, media specialists, and others; colleagues from businesses, government, health care, non-profit agencies, grassroots organizations; and state, county and local officials.  

WHAT ARE THE TWO TYPES OF LEARNING COMMUNITY MEMBERS?
Learning community participants can generally be divided into two major groups: Core and Associate members. Core members are the key participants that will consistently participate and contribute during community meetings and attend local and statewide events. Associate members are invited into the community to contribute their expertise, but aren’t necessarily consistent participants at all stages of community development. 

WHAT DOES A PROFESSIONAL LEARNING COMMUNITY DO?  WHAT’S EXPECTED? 
We expect active engagement in establishing the community’s project and meeting project goals. Each project is to meet a specific educational need or address a problem that will help members learn how to and actually utilize technology to impact student learning needs.  To receive an OLN grant, each community’s project must also explain how members learn how to use learning technologies.  Learning about specific technologies, experimenting with effective pedagogies, and using them in educationally effective practices are especially critical.

Throughout, but particularly at the end of the project cycle, communities will verbally share what they’ve learned and contribute digital resources on public websites in Ohio for others to use. These digital resources should be of two types: 1) resources about how they worked, learned and achieved and 2) goal-related outcomes and digital resources.  Digital resources created include websites; project planning strategies, videos, insight papers that led to your community’s effectiveness, problem-solving capacity, and successes; audio and podcasts; learning objects of all kinds; policy documents; partnership agreements; modules; rubrics; student assessments; surveys; data analysis; and online courses or programs. 

I’VE HEARD THAT OLN PROFESSIONAL LEARNING COMMUNITIES ATTEND REQUIRED EVENTS? IS THAT TRUE? 
Yes, that’s true. Over many years of working with learning communities, we’ve learned that when a majority of members attend sponsored events during their grant year they experience much greater success.  Assisting PLCs in becoming successful is critically important to OLN as the primary funding agency and to the Regional Centers because we provide direct support and ongoing services to learning communities. By occasionally getting away from day-to-day routines community members are also able to focus on their work. Participants can also reap the benefits of regional and state events by meeting new colleagues, communicating with similar communities, sharing resources, working uninterrupted with colleagues, solving problems, and learning about solutions to similar challenges that institutions in the region and state have faced.

Communities will be expected to attend 1) a Fall 2008, kick-off offered by their Regional Center; and 2) a January 2009 Institute offered by their Regional Center and 3) an end-of-the-year state Conference, referred to as the EXPO, to report and share their experiences and outcomes. This event will be open to the public.  It is also recommended that newly awarded communities attend the 2008 EXPO, on May 19th.

WHAT REPORTS AND ASSESSMENTS ARE REQUIRED? 
Three assessment items are required: 

See the 2006-2007 or 2002-2006 Learning Community Profiles for examples of “Portraits of Practice.”

FUNDING AMOUNTS AND ACCEPTABLE USAGE
The OLN Learning Community Initiative ’08-09 INNOVATION GRANT recipients will receive an award of $5,000.  Ninety percent of this funding is to be used for the professional development of community members.
Examples of appropriate expenditures include: attending learning events, meetings and conferences; amassing team resources and knowledge about topics related to pedagogies and advanced technologies; paying facilitators or consultants; providing release time; offering stipends; providing instructional design training; materials; etc. Please note: No hardware may be purchased with these funds. Up to 10% of the grant funds may be used for item such as headsets, collaborative software, and peripherals.

HOW ARE THESE GRANTS ADMINISTERED? WHAT IS THE APPLICATION PROCESS?
Five OLN Regional Centers administer this grant.  Each has a separate proposal submission process. Contact the Regional Center in your area for further information.

OLN Northwest Regional Center @ Bowling Green State University
Bonnie Fink, Coordinator nwlccenter@bgnet.bgsu.edu

OLN Northeast Regional Center @ Kent State University
Jeffrey Pellegrino pelleg1@kent.edu
Jessie Carduner jcardune@kent.edu

OLN Southeast Regional Center @ Shawnee State University
Barbara Kunkle, Co-Coordinator  bkunkle@shawnee.edu
Eugene Burns, Co-Coordinator eburns@shawnee.edu

OLN Southwest Regional Center @ Miami University
Milt Cox, Co-Coordinator coxm@muohio.edu
Matt Evins, Co-Coordinator evinsmj@muohio.edu

OLN Central Regional Center @ The Ohio State University
Tsui Cheah, Coordinator  cheah.5@osu.edu

Please Submit Proposals by April 21 to kflorig@kent.edu