The Curriculum Development Fund exists to support work by individual faculty or teams of faculty to enhance Carleton's curriculum and/or improve pedagogy. Grants from the Curriculum Development Fund (CDF) will be awarded by the Faculty Curricular Planning Committee (FCPC) for the summer of 2014 or winter break of 2014-15. Directors and participants in any of the activities described below can receive stipends of $600 per week of full-time work up to a maximum of $3,000 (please note that stipends are taxable). Generally, grants of $1,200 (two weeks' support) will be available for individual course revisions; larger sums may be requested for development of new courses.  Small sums for other expenses can also be provided (please note how much of your request is for expenses). The total grant may be larger than $3,000 for group applications.

Proposals are invited, addressing any of the following categories:

1. Major curricular revisions for department or interdisciplinary programs undertaken by an individual faculty member or a group of faculty. Proposals would be expected to include provision for sharing with colleagues and program directors the results of the project undertaken with CDF support.
2. Curricular innovations whose development would involve faculty seminars or workshops. Proposals are expected to address how a small number of faculty would be centrally involved in intensive discussions of disciplinary or interdisciplinary topics. The project should lead to a significant change in the curriculum.
3. A study of a subject or topic of substantive interest to one or more academic department or discipline. Although topics chosen might have some bearing on the curriculum, a proposal addressing this category would seek support for collegial discussion of academic or pedagogical issues of concern.
4. Individual or team proposals to work on a specific course.

Proposals should be specific about the nature of the activities to be undertaken with grant support and about the goals of the curriculum or pedagogical approach to be developed. Where relevant, strong proposals will cite evidence from department or other assessment efforts.  This is particularly true in the case of proposals looking at significant revisions to majors and concentrations.  Evidence of appropriate consultation with departments or interdisciplinary programs should also be included.

In cases in which pedagogical work requires support from technical or academic support staff, proposals should describe the support needed and feasibility.

Proposals should be submitted by February 1, 2014 to the Dean of the College office.  Also submit the electronic Internal Grant Application Cover Sheet.

Examples of projects funded in preceding years include:

• Alex Freeman, Music, to select freeware, develop expertise in its use, and create a tutorial for an assignment for the Music 220 course.

• Laura Goering, German and Russian, to fund participation in a December break workshop to develop a course in area studies methodology.

• Al Montero, Political Science, and Silvia López, Spanish, to develop two Spanish-language (FLAC) two-credit trailers for Latin American politics courses.

• Diane Pearsall and Beatriz Pariente-Beltrán, Spanish, to redesign the curriculum for Spanish 101, 102, and 103.

• Debby Walser-Kuntz, Biology, to fund revision of the Methods of Teaching Science course to broaden student access to the course and incorporate teaching activities through civic engagement.