Issue 24, Spring 2003

William A. McEachern, Editor

Funding for Active Learning

Myles Boylan, Program Director of the National Science Foundation's Division of Undergraduate Education, spoke at the ASSA meetings on "NSF Programs to Support Undergraduate Education in Economics." He said the NSF is funding the development of novel course materials and technological innovations to improve active learning, especially software based improvements such as experimental economics. Grants are also available for the adaptation of high-quality materials and effective practices developed elsewhere. Just-in-time teaching (discussed next) is an example. Dr. Boylan said that the NSF receives few grant applications about teaching from economics (last year only two were submitted), and he would like more. There is also funding available for professional development workshops, where three or four grants a year of up to $1 million are awarded. NSF has yet to make such an award in economics. He mused that those who complete funded projects often follow in the footsteps of Miss America. They go around the country, say what they have been doing, then others say, "Gee, I would like to be like you." For further information, go to http://www.ehr.nsf.gov/due/awards/.

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