Introduction
Affordable Course Transformation, ACT, is a grant-based, affordable course transformation program for faculty teaching at all Penn State locations who want to transform a course to displace high cost published materials. Teaching and Learning with Technology Innovation and University libraries will work with faculty to replace high cost course materials with pedagogically sound open and affordable (under $50.00) content. Faculty will receive a monetary grant (multiple faculty working together will receive equal division of the total amount of the award), library, multimedia, and instructional design support, and assistance in production of affordable/open content.
Synopsis
This call for proposals is for faculty across all Penn State Campuses to provide course transformation grants funded by the Provost. ACT Grants may be used for, but not limited to:
- Adaptation of Open Textbooks or Open Educational Resources
- Authoring of Open Textbooks or Open Educational Resources
Faculty who are accepted into the ACT Program will:
- Participate in a blended cohort faculty development program. This program will be customized to the individual needs of the faculty member for their specific project. Some examples of what they will experience includes: guidance and instruction on best practices in finding, adapting and authoring open and affordable course materials as well as revising their course to accommodate the open and low-cost resources, and licensing open content.
- Adapt and/or author open/affordable content.
- Deliver their course using the affordable/open resources.
- Survey their students regarding the experience of using affordable/open resources in their course.
- Participate in writing a final report and/or white paper on their project.
- Optional: Present at a local or national conference regarding their experience.
Faculty who are accepted into the ACT Program will have the option to receive:
- A grant distributed in three increments throughout the program. Please note: if multiple faculty apply to collaboratively work on a project, the grant award will be divided equally among them.
- The first award will be granted after their participation in the faculty development program.
- The second for the completion of adapting or authoring open/affordable content
- The third for revising their course to accommodate the open/affordable content and delivering the revised course.
- Instructional design support to align course goals and lesson objectives with content, assignments, and assessments.
- Production support in adapting and authoring open/affordable content.
- Library support in finding and licensing adapted/authored open content.
- Research team support in assessing student success with the open/affordable content in the revised course.
Criteria for a Successful Proposal
A successful proposal will have the following:
- A consultation prior to submitting your application
- A completed online application (Application is open for Round 3 on September 25, 2019)
- Current Syllabus
- Demonstration of Impact including but not limited to:
- Increasing Affordability
- Enhanced learning experiences
- Willingness to dedicate to time and effort to the project
- Creative and unique approaches
Following Acceptance into the Program you will need:
- A letter of administrative approval for participation
- A signed letter of agreement
Project Requirements
For funding to be released according the disbursement schedule, each ACT milestone must be met on time. These project milestones are:
- Participation in the ACT Faculty Development program
- Completion of the adaptation or authoring open/affordable content project
- Revising the course to accommodate the open/affordable content
- Delivering the revised course in the agreed upon time frame.
Review and Selection Process
Evaluation, selection, and grant awards are determined by an internal review committee against a rubric based on the set of criteria listed above, as well as the degree of impact (financial savings as well as impact on overall course experience) your proposed project will have on students at Penn State.
Round Three
Third round of ACT@PSU Grant ProjectsFaculty Member(s) | Campus(s) | Type of Project | Course |
---|---|---|---|
William Meyerowitz | Abington | Adapt | IST 301 |
Jo Ann Jankoski | Fayette | Adapt | HDFS 414 |
Roy Robson | Abington | Adapt | HIST 011 |
Lolita Paff | Berks | Author | ACCTG 211 |
Stephanie Winkeljohn Black | Harrisburg | Author | PSYCH 432 |
Ronald Kelly | Schuykill | Author | CRIMJ 100 |
Whitney Zimmerman | World Campus | Author | STAT 200 |
Samantha Prince | Dickinson Law, Carlisle | Author | EXPSK 909 |
Larry Musolino | Lehigh Valley | Adapt | MATH 110 |
Michelle Yarwood | University Park | Author | PSYCH 425 |
Robin Yaure Barrett Scroggs | Mont Alto | Adapt | HDFS 129 |
Round Two
Second Round of ACT@PSU Grant ProjectsFaculty Member(s) | Campus(s) | Type of Project | Course |
---|---|---|---|
Andea Patrucco | Beaver | Adaption | SCM 301 |
Eshani Lee | Hazleton | Adaption | CHEM 110 |
Josh Wede | University Park | Adaption | PSYCH 100 |
Margaret Signorella Jennifer Croyle | Brandywine/Greater Allegheny | Adaption | PSYCH 221 |
Robert Loeb | Dubois | Adaption | BIOL 110 |
Rosemary Martinelli | Greater Allegheny | Adaption | COMM 370 |
Tami Mysliwiec | Berks | Adaption | MICROB 201 |
Alfredo Jimenez | Hazleton | Authoring | Math 140 |
Jacob Moore Joan Kowalski Rungun Nathan Majid Chatsaz Douglas Miller | Mont Alto New Kensington Berks Scranton DuBois | Authoring | EMCH 212 |
Renee Borromeo | Mont Alto | Authoring | PT 270 |
Christopher Palma Julia Plummer | University Park | Authoring | ASTRO 116 & SCI ED116 |
Joan Smeltzer | York | Authoring | Math 34 |
Lynn Klees | University Park | Authoring | NUTR 100 |
Molly Wertheimer | Hazleton | Authoring | CAS 100C |
Victoria Kazmerski | Erie | Authoring | PSYCH 163N |
Zachary Klingensmith | Behrend | Authoring | ECON 102 & 104 |
Round One
Faculty Member(s) | Campus(s) | Type of Project | Course |
---|---|---|---|
Christopher Martin & Joseph Ranalli | Altoona & Hazleton | Adaption | ME 300 |
Jackie Schwab | Mont Alto | Adaption | BBH 143 |
Jennifer Sliko | Harrisburg | Adaption | GEOSC 001 |
Kristen Pueschel | New Kensington | Adaption | MATH 220 |
Kuei-Nuan Lin | Greater Allegheny | Adaption | MATH 220 |
Linghao Zhong | Mont Alto | Adaption | CHEM 112 |
Anita Serrano & Melba Amador | Lehigh Valley & New Kensington | Authoring | SPAN 1, 2, 3 |
Beth Egan, George Ruth, & Kimberly Cooper | University Park | Authoring | HM 329 & 330 |
Jacob Moore | Mont Alto | Authoring | EMCH 212 |
Renee Borromeo | Mont Alto | Authoring | PT 270 |