EIU Faculty Development and Innovation Center

General Education D, W, F Collaborative Redesign Initiative:

Innovative Course Redesign Grants

Request for Proposals

Due: October 25, 2024

This Request for Proposals (RFP) supports PLAN 2028’s goal (see Activity 1.22) of improving EIU’s retention and graduation rates for all learners. Specifically, this proposal aims to promote course redesign to assist and recognize an individual faculty member who seeks to address high D, W, and F rates in an identified course or courses within their department. Faculty members are invited to submit a 1-page redesign proposal to the Faculty Development and Innovation Center (FDIC) that outlines how sections of the identified course will be redesigned and implemented in Fall 2025 and/or Spring 2026. The redesign should focus on implementing innovative and revised pedagogies that promote student success.

Download an electronic copy of the Request for Proposals and Proposal Review Rubric.

Proposals can be submitted via email to: fdic@eiu.edu by 5pm on Friday October 25, 2024.

For questions or assistance developing a proposal for a course redesign, please contact Dr. Ryan Hendrickson, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs (rchendrickson@eiu.edu) or Dr. Michael Gillespie, Director of the FDIC (mgillespie@eiu.edu).

Eligibility Criteria:

Eligible faculty and proposals must meet the following criteria:

• Unit A or Full-Time Unit B Faculty
• Target 1000 or 2000 level course(s) in either the major or general education curriculum or a 3000-level general education course
• Identified course(s) with two or more sections each fall and/or spring semester enrolling a combined minimum of 50 students across all course sections
• The proposal may be applied to a combination of eligible courses, if appropriate
• Description of obstacles to student success in the identified course
• Formulation of innovative strategies to address these obstacles

Grants will be awarded to faculty members who identify eligible courses for redesign. To support this critical work, selected faculty will receive:

• Up to $3,000 in collaborative redesign grants awarded in Fall 2024
• Direct consultation and support from the FDIC

Innovation Redesign Grants may be used for professional development opportunities, course materials, and other activities related to the redesign of the identified course(s). Eligible expenditures include:

• Resources for pedagogical development
• Conference attendance for professional growth focused on pedagogy, instructional design, or course development
• Tools and ancillary materials for use in the course(s)
• Instructional materials
• Technology directly related to the course

Grants cannot be used to fund temporary staff, graduate assistantships or stipends. Faculty receiving grants will collaborate with the FDIC Director to ensure proper expenditure of funds.

Faculty members will have access to the FDIC Instructional Designer, Kim Ervin, and Director, Dr. Michael Gillespie, for tailored consultation to assist in redesign efforts. This consultation, if desired, will include an assessment of the current course design, a workshop on the backward course design process, and ongoing support from the FDIC Team. Combining content expertise from the department with instructional design principles will enable effective teaching strategies that align with the discipline’s best pedagogical practices.

All planning and redesign must be completed by the end of the Spring 2025 semester and all expenditures must be made by June 30, 2025.

Content of the 1-Page Proposal:

Each proposal should address the perceived course challenges contributing to high D, W, and F rates and how these factors will be addressed in the redesigned course. These factors may include, but are not limited to:

• types and frequency of assessments,
• frequency of interaction with course instructor(s),
• form or modality of instruction,
• revisions or updates to current course content,
• underutilized and unoptimized use of technology,
• course-specific advising practices and tutoring,
• student-to-student engagement within the class, and
• potential misalignment of learning objectives with learning activities.

Proposals should include:

1. Department Name
2. Course Name and Number
3. Department Chair
4. Faculty Name
5. Identification of at least three and no more than five changes in the design and/or structure of the course that may impact the high D, W, and F rates
6. Reference to the D, W, and F rates for the course(s). Please note, office administrators can access course grades for applicants through Argos. If there are difficulties, please contact fdic_help@eiu.edu for support.
7. A budget detail outlining how the grant funds will be spent and how they connect to the course redesign
8. Proposed timeline for Fall 2024 and Spring 2025 through which the course(s) will be redesigned

Evaluation Criteria:

Proposals will be evaluated by a committee including the Director of the FDIC, a representative from the Council of Chairs, a representative from the Dean of Student Success, as well as input from the Council on Academic Affairs as needed. This team will evaluate submissions based on:

• Identification of perceived course challenges and proposed redesigns
• Realistic timeline for redesign and implementation
• Effective utilization of grant funds and collaboration with the FDIC
• Course mean DWF rates (Fall 2021, Fall 2022, and Fall 2023)
• Course mean enrollment (Fall 2021, Fall 2022, and Fall 2023)

Past DWF Grant Initiatives

Spring 2024 Grant Cycle:

Eligible Courses:

Eligible courses meet the following criteria:

• 1000 or 2000 level general education course
• Course must have two or more sections in Fall 2024 or Fall 2025
• Course must enroll more than 50 students in total across all sections

For a list of eligible courses based on Fall 2021, Fall 2022, and Fall 2023 three-year averages, please refer to this document.

Request for Proposals:

Each proposal should address the perceived course challenges that contribute to high D, W, and F rates in the specific course, and how these factors will be addressed in the redesigned course. These factors may include, but are not limited to, types and frequency of assessments, frequency of interaction with course instructor(s), form or modality of instruction, use of remedial content, underutilized and unoptimized use of technology, course-specific advising practices and tutoring, student-to-student engagement within the class, and potential misalignment of learning objectives with learning activities.   

The content of the 1-page proposal should include the following:

1. Department Name
2. Course Name and Number
3. Department Chair
4. Faculty Redesign Coordinator
5. Other redesign participants (faculty, staff, students)
6. Identify at least three and no more than five changes in the design and/or structure of the course that may have an impact on the high D, W, and F percent for the course.
7. Proposed timeline for Spring 2024 and Summer 2024 through which the course will be redesigned.

Proposals will be evaluated by the Director of the FDIC, the Dean of Student Succes, a representative from CAA, and a representative from the Council of Chairs. This team will evaluate submissions based on:

• Perceived course challenges and their proposed changes / redesign
• Realistic timeline for redesign and implementation
• Utilization of collaborative redesign grants and the FDIC
• Course mean DWF percent (Fall 2021, Fall 2022, and Fall 2023)
• Course mean enrollment (Fall 2021, Fall 2022, and Fall 2023)

All planning and redesign must be completed ahead of the Fall 2024 semester.

Awards:

Ten awards will be given to departments that identify a single eligible general education course for redesign. To advance this critical work, successful departments will receive:

• $5,000.000 in collaborative redesign grants in Summer 2024;
• 0.25 CUs for a faculty redesign leader or spread across a redesign team for the Summer 2024;
• Direct consultation and support from the FDIC.

Collaborative redesign grants can be used for professional development opportunities, course materials, and other activities related to the redesign of the identified course. Chairs and faculty can work with the FDIC director to ensure proper expenditure of funds.

Redesign Support:

The department chair and faculty redesign coordinator/team will have access to the FDIC Instructional Designer, Kim Ervin, and Director, Dr. Michael Gillespie, during spring and summer 2024 for considered and tailored consultation to assist in the redesign efforts.

This consultation will include:

• An assessment of the current course design;
• A workshop on the backward course design process specific to awardees;
• On-going support from the FDIC Team.

Combining content experts from the department with instructional design principles will allow for effective teaching strategies to be merged with the essentials of the discipline to ensure best pedagogical practices.

Investment:

For those departments that reduce the DWF rate across all combined sections by more than 7.5 percentage points in Fall 2024 or Fall 2025 as compared to the prior three-year average (Falls 2021, 2022, & 2023), the University will provide a one-time unrestricted investment to the department’s gift account of $7,500.

• For example, a course which had a three-year average DFW rate of 27.0% across all section and the observed DFW rate in Fall 2024 or Fall 2025 was 19.5% across all sections would qualify for the one-time investment.