NSF 23-510: Improving Undergraduate STEM Education: Directorate for STEM Education (IUSE: EDU)

Overview

The IUSE: EDU program supports projects designed to contribute to a future in which all undergraduate students are fully engaged in their STEM learning. The IUSE: EDU program promotes (1) Engaged Student Learning: the development, testing, and use of teaching practices and curricular innovations that will engage students and improve learning, persistence, and retention in STEM, and (2) Institutional and Community Transformation: the transformation of colleges and universities to implement and sustain highly effective STEM teaching and learning.

NOTE: This announcement is for Institutional and Community Transformation (Capacity-Building and Level 1) proposals and Engaged Student Learning (Level 1) proposals only

All projects supported by IUSE: EDU must: 

• Demonstrate a strong rationale for project objectives or incorporate and build on educational practices that are demonstrably effective 
• Contribute to the development of exemplary undergraduate STEM education 
• Add to the body of knowledge about what works in undergraduate STEM education and the conditions that lead to improved STEM teaching and learning 
• Measure project progress and achievement of project goals 

To accomplish these goals, IUSE: EDU projects may focus their activities at any level, including the student, faculty, institutional or community levels. Development, propagation, adaptation, and transferability of evidence-based practices are also important considerations. Projects should consider designing materials and practices for use in a wide variety of institutions or institutional types. Topics of interest to the IUSE: EDU program include, but are not limited to, the following: 

• Development and study of the efficacy of innovative teaching and learning practices and resources 
• Development, testing, and dissemination of instruments for measuring student outcomes 
• Efforts to increase the diversity of the STEM workforce including K-12 teachers and/or the faculty and institutions engaged in work to improve undergraduate STEM education 
• Faculty professional development to increase the use of evidence-based teaching practices 
• Implementation of and research on sustained change processes involved in adopting evidence-based and effective instruction within or across departments, disciplines, or institutions 
• Efforts to achieve STEM educational goals through innovative partnerships, for example with community organizations, local, regional, or national industries, centers for teaching and learning, professional societies, or libraries, 
• Propagating and sustaining transformative and effective STEM teaching and learning through institutional practices or involvement of professional societies 

The IUSE: EDU program features two tracks:

Track 1: Engaged Student Learning (see full guidelines for descriptions of varying levels and their corresponding due dates)
The Engaged Student Learning (ESL) track focuses on design, development, and research projects that involve the creation, exploration, or implementation of tools, resources, and models. Projects must show high potential to increase student engagement and learning in STEM. Projects may focus directly on students or indirectly serve students through faculty professional development or research on teaching and learning. Whatever the focus, all projects should be both evidence-based and knowledge-generating, with well-developed plans to study student experiences and evaluate student outcomes. 
 
Track 2: Institutional and Community Transformation (see full guidelines for descriptions of varying levels and their corresponding due dates) 
The Institutional and Community Transformation (ICT) track funds innovative work applying evidence-based practices that improve undergraduate STEM education and research on the organizational change processes involved in implementing evidence-based practices. The emphasis of this track is on systemic change that may be measured at the departmental, institutional, or multi-institutional level, or across communities of STEM educators and/or educational researchers.

Limit on Number of Proposals per PI or co-PI: 3
An individual may serve as PI or co-PI on no more than three IUSE: EDU proposals submitted during the period of October 1 through September 30. This eligibility constraint will be strictly enforced. In the event that an individual exceeds this limit, proposals will be accepted based on earliest date and time of proposal submission (i.e., the first three proposals will be accepted and the remainder will be returned without review). No exceptions will be made.
 

Important Information And Revision Notes and Update: (Replaces: NSF 21-579)

The IUSE: EDU program team will host webinars in which key features and expectations of the IUSE: EDU program will be discussed. Information about the webinars will be posted to the IUSE: EDU program webpage: https://beta.nsf.gov/funding/opportunities/improving-undergraduate-stem-education-education.

DUE DATES
Deadline of January 15, 2025 is for Institutional and Community Transformation (Capacity-Building and Level 1) proposals and Engaged Student Learning (Level 1) proposals only

AWARD INFORMATION
ESL Level 1 projects have a maximum award of $400,000 and a maximum duration of three years.
ICT Level 1 proposals have a maximum award size of $400,000 and a maximum duration of three years. 
ICT Capacity-Building proposals may be submitted as individual or collaborative projects. The maximum award size is $200,000 for a single institution proposal or $400,000 for a multi-institution proposal. The maximum duration of both single and multi-institutional proposals is two years.

The IUSE: EDU program team will host webinars in which key features and expectations of the IUSE: EDU program will be discussed. Information about the webinars will be posted to the IUSE: EDU program webpage: https://beta.nsf.gov/funding/opportunities/improving-undergraduate-stem-education-education.