Discovery Research K-12: Full Research and Development Awards FY 12

Sponsor: National Science Foundation
Due: 01/10/2012
Full Solicitation


The purpose of this program is to support projects that lead to innovative and sustainable improvements in the learning and teaching of pre-K through 12 science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education. The program encourages projects that build upon current educational research and promotes effective STEM practices in diverse pre-K through 12 classrooms. Projects should include interdisciplinary teams of scientific researchers, educators, and future researchers such as graduate students. All projects must demonstrate content that is important from a disciplinary and learning perspective.

Program categories are:

• Assessment: projects that develop and study valid and reliable assessments of student and teacher knowledge, skills, and practices; including summative and formative assessment and assessment of teacher and pedagogical content knowledge
• Learning: projects that develop and study resources, models, and tools to support all students' STEM learning; enhance their knowledge and abilities; and build their interest in STEM fields
• Teaching: projects that develop and study resources, models, and tools to help pre- and in-service teachers provide high quality STEM education for all students; including recruitment and retention of STEM teachers, resources for teacher development, and sharing tools
• Scale-up and sustainability: projects that develop and study the factors that contribute to successful implementation, scale-up, and sustainability of proven, high-quality innovations in schools and districts in a cost effective manner

This program is composed of three components:

• (Part A): Full Research and Development Awards
• (Part B): Exploratory Awards
• (Part C): Synthesis Awards
• (Part D): Conference and Workshop Awards

The purpose of the Full Research and Development Awards component is to build upon promising, existing projects that have demonstrated effectiveness in small sets of classrooms, schools, or other learning settings. Projects should result in completed products that are ready for implementation.

Program component (Part C): Synthesis Awards is not being offered during the current fiscal year.