Project Proposals

Who is eligible to propose an FSCI 396 project?

Instructors who teach courses in any McGill BSc program are able to submit project proposals. While students may not directly submit a proposal, they are invited to approach an instructor to collaborate on a project proposal. Questions about potential projects should be directed to the tamara.western [at] mcgill.ca (subject: Question%20about%20FSCI%20396%20%2F%20397%20%2F%20398) (FSCI 396 Course Coordinator).

What commitment is required by an instructor wishing to supervise an FSCI 396 project?

Similar to running any undergraduate project, supervisors are expect to meet weekly with their FSCI 396 student to discuss project development and support them in data collection and analysis, as well as preparation of reports and presentations. They will be responsible for collaborating with the coordinator on grading of student submissions, and are expected to attend the end-of-term symposium (they are welcome to attend any other FSCI 396 event).

What research support is there for Instructors supervising an approved project?

The FSCI 396 coordinator will meet with Instructors to discuss their project and provide any necessary support for applications for research ethics approval based on the needs of the project. Students taking an FSCI 396 project will participate in weekly cohort meetings run by a coordinator from the Office of Science Education that include workshops and discussions of pedagogical literature and student project status. Workshops are taught by experts and topics include pedagogy, literature searching, social science research methods, and science communication. Support for project development provided by the coordinator, who reviews student progress and proposals, as well as an graduate student fellow with education experience.

How are projects selected?

Proposals are reviewed by an FSCI 396 Project committee composed of members of the Office Science Education, including the FSCI 396 coordinator, a graduate student Science Education Fellow, and at least one former FSCI 396 student. Assessment criteria include:

• Is the project sufficiently interesting/open that it counts as research?
• Does the project involve a substantial amount of teaching and learning-related research to lead to deeper student learning, understanding or engagement?
• Does the student performing the project have a substantial role in designing and running the project? (i.e. not just performing rote data analysis)
• Is this project something that can be plausibly completed in one semester (two semesters for FSCI 398)?

Am I restricted to propose projects related to the annual theme?

No. While an annual theme will be announced with the call for proposals, instructor-proposed projects can be on any topic.

The 2023-2024 themes are "Authentic Assessment" and "Collaborative Learning".

What needs to be included in a proposal submission?

A complete submission requires the following components:

1. The Instructor’s name, department, and email address.
2. Project title
3. The length of the project (1 or 2 term)
4. A project description of 150-250 words including:
   1. The context and goal of the project
   2. The methodology to be undertaken
   3. The role of the FSCI student in the project
5. Other project information, if applicable.
   1. Other people to be involved (e.g. a co-supervisor)
   2. An existing student partner
   3. Special prerequisites for the FSCI student, if any, and justification.

Proposals should be submitted through the FSCI 396 Proposal Form. Instructors may submit up to two project per academic year.