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Digital Media Center

DMC Small Grants

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See small grants in action.

Digital Media Center Small Grants Program

Applications Due: May 25, 2011

The Digital Media Center sponsors an annual small grants program in support of faculty integration of information technology into curriculum and pedagogy. The intent of this program is to combine faculty ideas, small grants, and support from various Information & Technology Services units in ways that allow faculty to explore the use of technology and information services within their courses. All PLU faculty and staff teaching a credit course are eligible for this program.

The Grants

Grant requests may be made up to $1,000 and will be drawn from a total pool of $5,000 available for the academic year 2011-12. Grants may be used to underwrite the cost of software, hardware, student wages, training, or other enabling resources. There are no costs associated with Information & Technology Services consultations or project partnerships.

Grant Applications

Notification of grant awards will occur by June 1, 2011. Grant funds will become available July 1, 2011 and must be expended by January 1st, 2012. Applicants are encouraged to discuss projects with potential Information & Technology Services partners before submitting a grant application. As most grant applications will be formed through such conversation, applicants are encouraged to begin that process early. The final application, in the form of a letter or email to Chris Ferguson, Associate Provost/Information & Technology Services, Library 100 (or cdf@plu.edu), should include:

  • name and contact information
  • title and description of the project
  • instructional goals, expected outcomes, and deliverables for the project
  • proposed budget, indicating other related funding if applicable
  • Information & Technology Services included in the project
  • how success of the project will be gauged

Selection Criteria and Process

The overall intent of this program is to increase the impact and foster innovation in the use of technology and information services in teaching & learning. Specific criteria for assessing applications are:

  • technology or pedagogical technique not otherwise available on campus or readily transferable from another source
  • overall impact on the applicant's subject curriculum or department/school program
  • incorporation of information literacy or technology proficiency skills for students in the course(s) associated with the grant proposal
  • feasibility of the project as conceived and described
  • benefit to other faculty, students, and courses at PLU; potential for sharing with others
  • methodology for assessing the success of the project

Applications will be reviewed and grants awarded by a panel consisting of the directors of the I&TS User Services and I&TS Library Services; a member of the faculty Instructional Resources Committee, and the Associate Provost for I&TS.

Expectations

Grant recipients are expected to participate in web-based presentation of their projects via the Information & Technology Services website. Recipients are also expected to present overviews of their projects in up to two public showcases, one during the year of the project and one during the year immediately following. Project outcomes (e.g., files, digital objects, hardware) must be available for sharing with other PLU faculty as appropriate and convenient.

Spring 2011 Cycle

Application Deadline:  May 25, 2010

Click here for a flyer on the 2011-2012 DMC Small Grants Program



Examples of Previous Grant Recipient Projects


Justin Lytle and Neal Yakelis
Department of Chemistry
The project "Lights! Camera! Action!" funded a flipcam, software, and storage to create online learning modules to teach undergrads how to (safely) use lab equipment and software in the PLU chemistry curriculum.

Elizabeth Brusco
Department of Anthropology
The project “Establishing Dialogue Between PLU Students and Students in the Pacific Islands for Contemporary Ethnographic Exploration” explored the use of chat rooms, blogs, social networking sites, and other internet resources created by Pacific Islanders to connect PLU students in ANTH 342.

Bridget Yaden, Rebecca Wilkin, JP Avila, and Heather Matthews
Departments of Languages and Literatures and Art
Piloted investigation of the use iPads in classes for mobile online access to digital course texts and other course materials, management  & presentation of images, opportunities for pedagogic innovation, and student information management.