Grants in pK-12 Education Innovation, 2022

The Abdul Latif Jameel World Education Lab (J-WEL) is an initiative that addresses three core demographics and levels of education through collaboratives for each domain: pK-12, Higher Education, and Workforce Learning. Each collaborative organizes its efforts on focus areas identified as keys to transformative change in education. In each area, the collaboratives sponsor research at MIT and develop programs that bring together educational innovators at MIT with J-WEL members to address member educational opportunities and challenges.

Objectives for Grants in pK-12 Education Innovation 

We seek a wide range of innovative projects and research (see list of grantees here for past/existing funding projects). This year we are targeting the following priorities. 

We are particularly interested in the following (Projects should include as many of these as appropriate.):

• Solutions to challenges due to or exacerbated as a result of the COVID pandemic.

• Innovative strategies and programs, including online and blended, for building teacher credentials. The target population may include educators who teach in non-traditional settings, outside the classroom, and at scale. 

• Vocational and technical education addressing the future of work. 

• New or existing pilot programs that benefit populations in need. We are particularly interested in ways to accelerate the learning process for students who have limited access to education.

Successful proposals will identify a real issue or problem in the target population and include information and data as evidence of this issue. Proposals should provide metrics for success and descriptions of how these will be measured, both locally and in diverse global settings. Please think about the global impact to pK-12 educators and learners and those from high-needs populations. Consider the use of technology to solve problems where appropriate. This may include the use of digital solutions to address inequities in education experienced around the globe. Employ learning strategies that will be inclusive of learners across socioeconomic class and geographic location and learners of all abilities and disabilities. If possible, integrate findings from learning sciences into the design and connect to relevant framework(s) or sets of standards, which can potentially allow a variety of audiences to adopt the work. We encourage collaboration among faculty members and partnerships with global organizations.
 

Requirements 

• Proposal must be submitted and overseen by one or more MIT faculty members.
• Learning outcomes must be transferable both within MIT and to colleagues in other institutions.
• Lead faculty member(s) should participate throughout the project, though development and teaching may also involve students, postdocs, and others.
• Lead faculty members will participate in semi-annual grantee meetings and present at J-WEL events and/or other forums.
• Faculty must be willing to release content under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
• The lead faculty member(s) must submit a report that summarizes specific results on student learning and other findings, including the results of their defined project metrics within two months of the project end date.
• Grantees must acknowledge funding from MIT Abdul Latif Jameel World Education Lab in all presentations and publications and products/services related to this project.
• A letter of support from the department head must accompany the proposal.
   

Proposal Preparation and Submission

To prepare your proposal, please download and complete the following documents prior to submitting online via the “Apply Now” button.

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• Budget overview
• Budget template

Consultation meetings are available with J-WEL staff to help you prepare your proposal, with particular emphasis on research design. Please contact jwel-pk12-grants@mit.edu to request a meeting. Appointments are available on a first-come, first-served basis--we anticipate being fully booked as the submission deadline approaches.

Award Information

Awards for the J-WEL Grants in pK-12 Education Innovation range from $20,000 to $80,000 and will be for up to 12 months in duration, ending in Spring 2023.  Awardees may reapply in subsequent years.

Please look at the list of projects that have bee supported by past J-WEL Grants.

For additional questions or clarification, please contact JWEL-pK12-Grants@mit.edu.

Key Dates

• February 14, 2022: Call for Proposals released

• February 14 to March 4, 2022: Optional individual meetings with J-WEL staff

• March 14, 2022: Proposals due

• April 29, 2022: Decisions announced to grantees

• Spring 2022: Work on projects begins

• October 2022: J-WEL Connections 

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