The Curricular Development Challenge Fund (CDCF) promotes innovative curricular programs and projects at New York University. The Fund helps schools, departments, and individual faculty members create new academic programs and courses, update and expand existing courses, or undertake special projects that will promote curricular developments.*
Because research universities are defined by a commitment to generate knowledge through inquiry, investigation, and discovery, courses that engage students in thinking creatively and analytically are more congruous with the mission of a research university than those that merely transmit information and facts.
Accordingly, taking into account the criteria for selection listedbelow, we seek to use the Fund to support efforts in the classroom that contribute to making research, scholarship, and artistic creation a central component of both undergraduate and graduate education through a movement away from a more traditional lecturing and note-taking approach to a more inquiry- or problem-based collaborative approach in which problem solving, joint projects, teamwork, and cooperative learning are emphasized. Often such inquiry-based approaches are well served by the innovative use of technology and the unique resources of New York City. In 2012-2013, we are especially interested in projects that feature innovative approaches to the assessment of student learning.
Proposals submitted by the December 14, 2012 deadline will be evaluated by the Committee in Spring 2013. Submitted proposals will receive a response by the close of the Spring 2013 semester.
* Curricular Development Challenge Fund grants are not available for faculty research projects. Research Challenge Fund grants are administered by Richard Louth, Director, Office of Sponsored Programs, 212-998-2118.