Status: closed
We invite research proposals from B.C. post-secondary students who are committed to exploring and improving student learning and eager to conduct and share research with others. For this call, only projects with student lead researchers will be considered.
BCcampus Research Fellowships have an 18-month term, and awards are typically up to $6000 CAD each, but we will consider other amounts, depending on the project scope and needs. Here are some examples of other BCcampus Research Fellows projects.
The deadline for proposals is October 31, 2021.
This program is designed to achieve the following results:
- To support students to conduct small-scale research on teaching and learning
- To support development and dissemination of evidence-based teaching practices that focus on student success and learning in B.C. post-secondary education
- To support students to participate in scholarly work through conference attendance, research support, and dissemination of their work
Current areas of research focus:
- Online learning and teaching, with a special interest in projects about “pivoting” online; strategies for alternative assessments and exams (e.g., moving away from online or face-to-face proctored exams); experiential learning online (e.g., how to do hands-on or lab work online); and digital literacies
- Open educational practices (OEP), including implementing open assignments and activities and the impact of OEP on teaching and learning in post-secondary education
- Indigenization and decolonization in B.C. post-secondary teaching and learning
- Trades education in B.C. post-secondary teaching and learning
- Equity, diversity, and inclusion in B.C. post-secondary teaching and learning
A combination of two or more areas of focus is strongly encouraged.
Eligibility
To be eligible, applicants must be a student at a B.C. public post-secondary institution. Candidates who have been BCcampus grant recipients in the previous two years are not eligible.
Proposal Expectations
Proposals should address one or more of the areas of research focus listed above. Proposals will be reviewed by an adjudication committee that will evaluate on the basis of the following:
- Student leadership: A requirement of this program is that projects are student-led. Please identify your program of study in the application.
- Student learning and experience: Projects that ultimately seek to understand and improve student learning outcomes and experiences in B.C. post-secondary education are a key goal of this program. There are many potential pathways, but this should be a clear goal of all projects.
- Clarity and feasibility of the research plan: The research plan should include articulation of a clear research problem, focus or questions, methodology, and a reasonable time line.
We aim to support research and collaboration across the B.C. post-secondary system; therefore, proposals that also include the following will be more strongly considered:
- Researchers and/or research sites located in Northern, rural, and remote regions of B.C.
- Collaborations between roles, departments, and institutions
- Researchers in equity-deserving groups and under-supported roles, including part-time and contract instructors as well as student researchers
Appointment Terms
- Appointments will be 18 months, beginning December 1, 2021, with projects expected to be completed by June 30, 2023.
- Each Fellow will receive a stipend to support the research project as outlined in your proposal.
- Where possible, materials created as part of this project will be shared under a Creative Commons Attribution licence (CC BY).
Fellows will:
- Conduct research according to an approved research plan, outlined in the application form.
- Present their research from this project at one or more BCcampus-organized events, e.g., Educational Technology Users Group (ETUG), Symposium, Cascadia.
- Author two posts for the BCcampus blog related to their research.
- Attend periodic research fellow check-ins with BCcampus
- Publish the results of the research in an open format on the BCcampus website and optionally in a suitable academic journal (preferably open access) in a relevant discipline.
- Acknowledge BCcampus as a funder for the research in all papers, publications, and presentations.
How Funding Should Be Used
- To provide technical, pedagogical, and/or research support for the project (e.g., data collection, transcription)
- To cover travel, accommodation, and other expenses related to research activities and/or presenting at a minimum of one BCcampus-sponsored event
- To provide honoraria, protocol, and gifts
- To pay open-access publishing fees
EDI Statement
BCcampus is committed to inclusion. From the workplace to our learning spaces, we value diversity and are actively working to decolonize our organization and the ways in which we collaborate with others. We believe that a more diverse team will help us better support the individuals and communities we work with. Please find the BCcampus definitions of equity, diversity, and inclusion on our website.
Important Dates
| Call opens | June 1, 2021 |
| Application deadline | October 31, 2021 |
| Adjudication of proposals | November 1–12, 2021 |
| Notifications to successful applicants | November 15, 2021 |
| BCcampus Fellows appointment starts (runs for 18 months) | December 1, 2021 |
| Midpoint check-in | September 30, 2022, at the latest |
| Presentation(s) by Fellows | To be determined, but usually BCcampus hosts events in spring and fall each year (e.g., ETUG, Symposium) |
| Final research reports due | June 30, 2023 |
How to Apply
Please complete the BCcampus Research Fellows Application and submit it by 11:59 p.m. PST on October 31, 2021, to LTproposals@bccampus.ca. Submissions will be confirmed by an email reply, and we will notify you of the results of your submission by November 15, 2021.
Contact Us
If you have questions, please email LTproposals@bccampus.ca