The purpose of the Stearns Center Classroom Inquiry – Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) grants program is to foster a culture of evidence-based research designed to contribute new knowledge related to teaching and learning at Mason. The grant program supports faculty examining classroom practice in a scholarly way, researching teaching and learning across programs or student populations, and sharing work through publication.
For summer 2025, applicants can propose projects to be funded up to $5,000.
Applications for Summer 2025 grants due April 7!
Click on the headings below to learn more
How can this grant support my work?
Grants can be used to support your classroom inquiry projects at any stage of data collection, analysis, and dissemination, including but not limited to the following:
- developing a new inquiry project, including developing data collection instruments
- initiating data collection on a new project
- continuing data collection for a research project-in-progress
- extending a previous project to another course, intervention, or research question
- conducting data analysis
- writing in preparation for submitting a presentation, publication, or book proposal
- collaboration with colleagues across the institution – or at other institutions – in any stage of the research and dissemination process
Priority will be given to applications from a team of faculty, graduate students, and/or staff working on a common project. Cross-departmental/program collaborations are encouraged. While teams can include full- and part-time faculty, staff, and students, the project principal investigator must be a full-time faculty or staff member at George Mason.
What are eligible expenses?
Eligible expenses include the following:
- investigator stipends (as allowed by rank, status, and local academic unit regulations) – up to a maximum of $1,000 per individual
- wages for research assistant(s)*
- research equipment or supplies (e.g., data analysis software subscriptions)
- participant incentives (e.g., gift cards)
*student involvement should be a clearly defined role, for a short-term and limited scope of work. If undergraduate research assistance is needed, the Stearns Center will supervise OSCAR funded undergraduate research assistants who will be available to help individual projects with data collection and data preparation. Chat with Breana Bayraktar to learn more about Stearns Center research assistance!
If awarded a grant, what do I have to do?
All grant recipients are expected to:
- Acknowledge the funding from the Stearns Center when presenting and publishing the findings.
- Conduct the project as proposed, to the best of their ability, and keep the Stearns Center apprised of changes that might need to be made to their plans.
- Keep the Stearns Center informed of Institutional Review Board (IRB) status.
- Provide a brief mid-project report (a template will be provided).
- Submit a one-page final report with:
- overview of the project activities,
- summary of results for the project, and
- summary of dissemination efforts and plans.
- Participate in a Stearns Center-designated presentation following project completion.
- Prepare a 5-10 minute video about the project.
How do I apply?
Applicants must submit a complete project plan, including project aims, procedures, timeline, and budget. Potentially interested applicants should reach out to Dr. Breana Bayraktar, [email protected], with any questions or for assistance in preparing their application.
- STEP 1: Download the application template here
- STEP 2: Submit your application here
When are grants awarded?
The next round of Classroom inquiry-SoTL grants will be in late spring/early summer for work spanning May-August 2025
- Deadline: April 7
- Announcement of Awards: April 21
Examples of past projects…
Dr. Michelle Lafrance, “Crafting in Rhetoric Courses” (2023-2024)
Dr. Wendi Manuel-Scott & Dr. Lauren Cattaneo, “Undisciplined: Practices that Connect and Sustain Liberatory Educators” (2023-2024)
Dr. Leslie Lacroix, “Critical Friends are the Best Friends: Leveraging the Practice of Self-Study to Enhance Undergraduate Students’ Writing Practices” (2024-2025)
Dr. Greta Herin, “Exam scores are not different for POGIL-taught topics than for active lecture in a lower level Anatomy and Physiology I and II sequence” (2024-2025)