NSF Funding for New Methodologies in STEM Learning Research

The National Science Foundation (NSF) Directorate for Education and Human Resources (EHR) announced that it seeks to support the development and testing of methodologies that facilitate research on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) learning. Funding will be provided through the EHR Core Research program, which supports fundamental research to assess challenges in STEM participation, learning, and workforce development.

In their grant applications, investigators must demonstrate how their proposal for the development, application, or extension of methodologies will generate knowledge about STEM learning and education research, research synthesis, knowledge diffusion, or evaluation. Possible projects could investigate, but are not limited to, developing and testing new models or methodologies to support inferences about STEM learning; methods to improve statistical modeling, measurement, replication, and learning analytics; and research on new or existing procedures for data collection, curation, and inference.

NSF intends to fund synthesis projects and/or meta-analyses, conference proposals, and Early Concept Grants for Exploratory Research (EAGER) projects that improve the ability to conduct research on STEM learning:

• Synthesis/meta-analysis project proposals aim to examine existing knowledge on a critical topic related to STEM learning or the diffusion of research-based knowledge, with permitted use of conferences or meetings as part of the plan.
• Conference proposals seek support for conferences related to STEM learning. If interested, it is recommended that applicants contact a program officer prior to submission.
• EAGER projects propose early stages of exploratory work on untested but potentially consequential ideas and approaches, including interdisciplinary perspectives. Investigators must contact an NSF program officer before submitting an EAGER proposal.

Read NSF’s Dear Colleague Letter describing the funding opportunity by clicking here. For the full ECR program solicitation, click here.

If interested, psychological scientists should submit applications by October 3, 2019, or the first Thursday in October annually thereafter. Conference and EAGER proposals can be submitted year-round.

Interested in learning more about NSF funding for psychological science? NSF representatives will be present at ICPS 2019 and the 31st APS Annual Convention to speak about grants and training opportunities. Be sure to attend!