Exploration Grants
These grants provide seed funds for faculty to investigate an innovative mode or model of teaching and learning in terms of its potential to positively impact student outcomes and the student experience at RIT. These are funds for "proof of concept" investigations into the development, adaptation, or application of a new or different teaching approach, practice, or procedure. Exploration grants may range from $3,000-$5,000.
Examples of the use for Exploration grant funds include:
- Course release (reasonable, actual replacement costs for faculty members removed from teaching)
- Development of new technology-based learning tools and/or environments
- Technologies or equipment required by the project that are not normally provided by the department/college
- Resources for research design and consultation, data collection and aggregation, instrument development and/or purchase, secure data storage, data analysis, and report generation
- Travel to support research activity and/or meet with potential funding sources
Applications will be evaluated according the following criteria:
- Utility (solves a defined problem, has potential to benefit many courses/faculty)
- Creativity (is a novel approach or application, represents a new paradigm)
- Efficacy (uses an evidence-based approach, impact to student learning and/or the student experience can be demonstrated)
For more information, refer to the definition of and rubric for evaluating innovative teaching and learning.
Special consideration will be given for applications that:
- Have a defined opportunity for external dissemination, such as an academic journal or professional conference
- Have potential for application in more than one discipline
- Demonstrate a new use/application of a model, system, or technology already in use at RIT
