Digital Literacy Request for Proposals
Deadline: Friday, May 3, 2024
Proposal Application Form (accessible .docx)
Introduction
University Information Technology, Academic Technology and Outreach (ATO) and the Office of Academic Affairs and Provost at Montana State University invite proposals for the 2024-2025 academic year to enhance classroom digital literacy skills.
The platform the Digital Literacy Integration Team suggests for this RFP is Adobe Express, a web-based suite of creative tools designed to introduce students to content creation, web design, and video editing. Additionally, these tools enhance digital literacy and career readiness across campus. With this in mind, ATO is seeking applications from faculty for funding of $2000 to support either:
A) Revising an existing course assignment to include student use of one or more Adobe Express tools. A sample of multimedia assignment ideas include:
- English - Write an original poem and recite it in Express Video.
- History - Create a museum event poster using Express Post.
- Chemistry - Document a lab experiment using Express Video.
- Management - Roleplay a conflict resolution scenario in Express Video.
- Marketing - Build a webpage to present a marketing campaign in Express Page.
- Education - Create a meme-style class announcement in Express Post.
- Online Courses - Record and post a personal introduction in Express Video.
B) Student development of ePortfolios using one or more Adobe Express tools. ePortfolios allow students to introduce themselves, express their educational and extracurricular engagement, and demonstrate their skills and experiences. Visit ATO's ePortfolio page for more information on our existing ePortfolio efforts.
Contact
If you have questions about the application process or if you have a project idea relating to Adobe tools that goes beyond the scope of this request, please contact
Tess Meacham
eLearning Support Manager
tess.meacham@montana.edu
(406) 994-6635
Award Information
Funding is available for ten proposals at $2000 each. Funding for any proposal is one-time only, and awardees should not expect ongoing funding. Funds must be spent during the 2024-2025 fiscal year (now through June 30, 2025) and used to support the adoption of an Adobe Express assignment that promotes digital literacy initiatives in your course.
The appropriate MSU department, college, or unit will receive and manage the funds in accordance with MSU and State of Montana policies. Requests to use funds for additional compensation must follow the Additional Compensation approval process.
Timeline
- Submission Deadline: May 3, 2024
- Award Announcements: May 31, 2024
Eligibility & Requirements
All faculty may apply regardless of program, college, or FTE status. The goal is to distribute funding across diverse disciplines and departments representing a broad range of academic areas. Members of the Digital Literacy Advocacy Committee will review applications.
There are a few requirements throughout the RFP course semester:
- Faculty will receive required pre- and post-assignment surveys to gather quantitative and qualitative feedback from students related to their experience completing the assigned digital media project.
- Awardees will schedule an in-class (live or online) session with Digital Literacy coaches. This session can cover a number of things including an introduction to the Adobe Creative Suite, a specific product demo, or the required Digital Literacy mini module (see below).
- Awardees will share their experience via survey and student work samples when requested at the end of the semester.
- The Digital Literacy Integration Team will provide a digital literacy mini module to all faculty; awardees can choose whether to present the module themselves or request that the Digital Literacy Integration Team present it.
Project Support
Visit express.adobe.com and log in with your NetID and password. You can choose a blank project from the Express homepage based on standard sizes (Instagram post, letter, etc.) or customize a pre-populated template. You are encouraged to explore the options available while you draft your proposal.
Faculty Support
Digital Literacy Integration Team
The Digital Literacy Integration Team is available to help you navigate these tools and to inspire ideas for this project. They are also available to make technology recommendations, answer questions, and help fine-tune the details of your proposal. We invite all interested faculty to contact us at diglit@montana.edu or (406) 994-6635 for assistance with your project ideas.
Q & A Session
We will host a Q&A session for interested faculty on Friday, April 19th, from 12:00 pm to 3:00 pm in the Teaching and Learning Technology (TLT) Studio located in Barnard 127. We are happy to answer any questions and review your proposal before submission. We will also provide an online meeting link through either Zoom or Webex if you want to attend remotely. If you are interested in attending this session, please email diglit@montana.edu to RSVP and include what time you plan on stopping by and whether you will be in person or online.
TLT Studio
Faculty, staff and students all have access to the newly updated Teaching and Learning Technology (TLT) Studio located in Barnard 127. This space includes a learning glass lecture capture suite, a video green screen, a conference space, and an audio recording room. You can schedule time in the studio on the TLT Studio's website; we will also host our Q&A session and our orientation for awardees in the studio to familiarize everyone with this dynamic space.
LinkedIn Learning
Montana State University also provides all faculty access to LinkedIn Learning, where you can watch instructional videos or complete self-paced tutorials on any Express tool. Before submitting your proposal, you must have a basic understanding of the types of media (video, image/document, webpage) and how you will support your students in this project.
Express in the Classroom
Additionally, faculty are highly encouraged to complete Express in the Classroom. This 3-hour self-paced course will introduce you to the Adobe Express suite and sample projects created by fellow educators.
Student Support
Awarded faculty must schedule at least one in-class (live or online) session with a Digital Literacy Coach to assist your students and introduce them to this support channel. These coaches are skilled students that can provide an introductory demo, Q&A session, or interactive workshop. In addition, the Digital Literacy Integration Team will host weekly office hours; students can drop by with their technology questions. We will notify faculty of our office hours and post them on the Digital Literacy website.
Submission Instructions
The proposal application form (below) should be submitted to diglit@montana.edu by midnight on Friday, May 3. A committee consisting of ATO and the Office of the Provost members will review the applications.
- Submission Deadline – May 3, 2024
- Award Announcements – May 31, 2024
If you have questions or would like to discuss using Adobe Express in classes at MSU, please get in touch with Tess Meacham by emailing diglit@montana.edu or calling 406-994-6635.
Proposals should include a cover page, follow the proposal outline linked below, and be three pages or less in length. Please submit proposals as a single PDF via email attachment.
Proposal Review Criteria
- Does the proposed assignment incorporate digital media in a way appropriate for the course's goals and level?
- Will creating the multimedia assignment submission enhance the learners' digital literacy and career readiness?
- Is the faculty member familiar with the basics of their chosen tool and media type (video, image, webpage)?
- Does the proposal outline the faculty's plans to support learners in completing this assignment throughout the semester?
- What outcomes will the faculty measure by the end of the project year? Have these outcomes been connected to digital literacy?