Opportunity Information: Apply for 10 610
Apply for 10 610
- The National Science Foundation in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Discovery Research K 12" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 47.076 Education and Human Resources.
- This funding opportunity was created on Sep 7, 2010 and posted on Sep 7, 2010.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jan 6, 2011 Letter of Intent (required) (due by 5 p.m. proposers local time) November 05, 2010 Full Proposal January 06, 2011. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $55,000,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 75 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Unrestricted (i.e., open to any type of entity above), subject to any clarification in text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility.
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Opportunity Summary:
The National Science Foundation's Discovery Research K-12 (DR K-12) program is a research-focused grant opportunity designed to produce meaningful improvements in how preK-12 students learn STEM subjects and how teachers teach them. The core idea is that funded projects should start with a clear research question or testable hypothesis about improving STEM learning or teaching, and then move beyond theory by developing, implementing, and studying the effects of innovative educational resources, instructional models, or technologies. In other words, the program is not just about creating new materials or tools; it is about generating credible evidence on what works, for whom, and under what conditions, with an emphasis on outcomes that matter in real classrooms and learning environments.
A major theme of DR K-12 is forward-looking innovation grounded in prior evidence. NSF is explicitly interested in proposals that respond to immediate challenges in STEM education as well as proposals that anticipate what STEM learning may need to look like 10 to 15 years from now, when expectations, roles, and available resources could be very different. The program encourages applicants to challenge established assumptions about learning and teaching within a single STEM discipline or across multiple disciplines, and to explore genuinely new approaches that could reshape practice. At the same time, proposals are expected to be informed by existing research and practical experience from all relevant fields (for example, education research, learning sciences, discipline-based education research, cognitive science, and educational technology), and they should focus on STEM concepts and skills that are central rather than peripheral.
While the program is primarily concerned with formal education (traditional school settings, schedules, and structures), it also recognizes that learning does not only happen in classrooms. When it makes sense for the research goals, DR K-12 encourages projects to incorporate insights and methods from out-of-school and informal learning contexts, such as museums, afterschool programs, clubs, online communities, and other nontraditional learning environments. The intent is to leverage what is known about learning across settings, especially when those settings can inform how students build understanding, motivation, and identity in STEM.
A key requirement that runs through the solicitation is national relevance and a pathway to scale. Even when a project is exploratory and focuses on a specific problem, grade band, or STEM topic, the proposal must explain how the work could ultimately lead to successful adoption of findings or products within the broader preK-12 education enterprise at a national scale. This does not necessarily mean immediate nationwide rollout, but it does mean the project should be designed with dissemination, usability, feasibility, and adoption barriers in mind, so that the results can travel beyond a single district, curriculum, or pilot site.
Another strong emphasis in this opportunity is the transformative potential of advanced learning technologies. NSF highlights an agency-wide priority to better harness information and communications technologies to catalyze new approaches to STEM learning for all students and to support workforce development, while also enabling deeper study of the learning process itself. In line with that priority, DR K-12 seeks to foster a new generation of STEM education resources, models, and tools that take full advantage of modern technology capabilities. This includes, for example, technology-enhanced curricula, digital platforms, data-driven instructional supports, simulations, intelligent tutoring approaches, collaborative learning environments, and other innovations where technology is not an add-on but a meaningful driver of new learning possibilities.
DR K-12 accepts multiple project types to match different stages and needs of research and development. Applicants may propose exploratory projects (often used to develop and test early-stage ideas), full research and development projects (larger efforts that build and rigorously study more mature interventions), and synthesis projects (which integrate and interpret existing bodies of knowledge to guide the field). The program also supports conferences and workshops that align with its mission, recognizing that field-building and coordinated research agendas can be important for progress.
From the funding and administrative details provided, this opportunity (NSF Publication 10-610; Funding Opportunity Number 10-610) was offered as a discretionary grant program within NSF's Education and Human Resources area under CFDA 47.076. The estimated total funding amount was $55,000,000, with an expected 75 awards and no cost-sharing or matching requirement. Eligibility was listed as unrestricted, meaning it was broadly open to many types of applicant organizations, subject to any additional eligibility clarifications in the full solicitation. Key dates in the posted announcement included a required Letter of Intent due November 5, 2010 (by 5 p.m. local time), and a full proposal deadline of January 6, 2011. For access or submission issues, the notice referenced NSF Grants.gov support at grantsgovsupport@nsf.gov.
FAQs: NSF Discovery Research K-12 (DR K-12) Program (NSF 10-610)
What is the NSF Discovery Research K-12 (DR K-12) program?
DR K-12 is a National Science Foundation grant program focused on research that leads to meaningful improvements in how preK-12 students learn STEM subjects and how teachers teach STEM. Projects are expected to produce credible evidence about what works, for whom, and under what conditions, with outcomes that matter in real classrooms and learning environments.
Is DR K-12 mainly a research program or a curriculum/materials development program?
It is primarily a research-focused program. While projects may develop innovative educational resources, instructional models, or technologies, the central expectation is that the work goes beyond creating products and rigorously studies their effects to generate defensible evidence.
What kind of project idea fits DR K-12 best?
The strongest fit is a project that starts with a clear research question or testable hypothesis about improving STEM learning or teaching, then develops and implements an innovation, and then studies the results in ways that can support credible claims about effectiveness and conditions for success.
Do proposals need to be grounded in prior evidence?
Yes. A major theme is forward-looking innovation that is grounded in prior evidence. Proposals are expected to be informed by existing research and practical experience across relevant fields such as education research, learning sciences, discipline-based education research, cognitive science, and educational technology.
Does NSF encourage long-term, future-oriented STEM learning designs?
Yes. DR K-12 is interested in proposals that address immediate STEM education challenges and proposals that anticipate what STEM learning may need to look like 10 to 15 years in the future, when expectations, roles, and resources may be different.
Are projects allowed to challenge established assumptions about STEM teaching and learning?
Yes. The program explicitly encourages applicants to challenge established assumptions within a single STEM discipline or across multiple disciplines and to explore genuinely new approaches that could reshape practice.
Does the program focus on certain STEM concepts or skills?
Yes. Projects should focus on STEM concepts and skills that are central rather than peripheral.
Is the program limited to traditional school settings?
DR K-12 is primarily concerned with formal education settings (traditional school schedules and structures), but it recognizes that learning also happens outside classrooms and allows projects to incorporate out-of-school and informal learning contexts when it makes sense for the research goals.
What counts as an out-of-school or informal learning context under this program?
Examples mentioned include museums, afterschool programs, clubs, online communities, and other nontraditional learning environments.
Why does DR K-12 care about learning across settings (school and out-of-school)?
The intent is to leverage what is known about learning across settings, especially when those settings can inform how students build understanding, motivation, and identity in STEM.
What does "national relevance" mean in this solicitation?
Projects are expected to have national relevance, meaning the proposal should explain how the work could ultimately lead to adoption of findings or products within the broader preK-12 education enterprise at a national scale, even if the initial work is focused on a specific topic, grade band, or location.
Does "pathway to scale" mean the project must roll out nationwide during the grant?
No. The solicitation emphasizes that pathway to scale does not necessarily mean immediate nationwide rollout. It does mean the project should be designed with dissemination, usability, feasibility, and adoption barriers in mind so results can travel beyond a single district, curriculum, or pilot site.
What role do advanced learning technologies play in DR K-12?
Advanced learning technologies are a strong emphasis. NSF highlights an agency-wide priority to harness information and communications technologies to catalyze new approaches to STEM learning for all students and to support workforce development, while also enabling deeper study of the learning process.
What kinds of technology-driven innovations are encouraged?
Examples include technology-enhanced curricula, digital platforms, data-driven instructional supports, simulations, intelligent tutoring approaches, collaborative learning environments, and other innovations where technology is a meaningful driver of new learning possibilities rather than an add-on.
What project types does DR K-12 accept?
The program accepts multiple project types aligned to different stages of work: exploratory projects (often for early-stage ideas), full research and development projects (larger efforts for more mature interventions with rigorous study), and synthesis projects (integrating and interpreting existing knowledge to guide the field).
Does DR K-12 support conferences or workshops?
Yes. The program supports conferences and workshops that align with its mission, recognizing that field-building and coordinated research agendas can be important for progress.
What is the funding opportunity number and NSF publication number for this solicitation?
The opportunity is listed as NSF Publication 10-610 with Funding Opportunity Number 10-610.
What NSF area and CFDA listing is associated with this opportunity?
It was offered within NSF's Education and Human Resources area and listed under CFDA 47.076.
How much total funding was estimated for this opportunity, and how many awards were expected?
The estimated total funding amount was $55,000,000, with an expected 75 awards.
Is cost-sharing or matching required?
No. The announcement indicates no cost-sharing or matching requirement.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility was listed as unrestricted, meaning it was broadly open to many types of applicant organizations, subject to any additional eligibility clarifications in the full solicitation.
What were the key submission dates listed in the announcement?
The announcement listed a required Letter of Intent due November 5, 2010 (by 5 p.m. local time) and a full proposal deadline of January 6, 2011.
Was a Letter of Intent required?
Yes. The announcement states that a Letter of Intent was required, with the due date specified.
What time was the Letter of Intent due?
The Letter of Intent was due by 5 p.m. local time on November 5, 2010.
Who should applicants contact for NSF Grants.gov access or submission issues?
For access or submission issues, the notice referenced NSF Grants.gov support at grantsgovsupport@nsf.gov.
Is this described as a discretionary grant program?
Yes. The opportunity was offered as a discretionary grant program within NSF.
What is the core expectation for evidence and outcomes?
The core expectation is to generate credible evidence on what works, for whom, and under what conditions, with an emphasis on outcomes that matter in real classrooms and learning environments.
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