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Here are answers to questions frequently asked questions by applicants about the HP Technology for Teaching Grant Initiative:
For K-12 Schools
For Higher Education Institutions
If our K-12 school receives the grant, how much time can we expect to spend per week on the grant project work and professional development?
This is difficult to predict, since it depends both on your team's specific project, and the choices that the teachers make from their options for professional development. Teachers will work with their mentors to identify the PD options (online courses, books and other media, web-based resources, etc) that best fit each teacher's needs, and they can choose from those options. Two to four hours per week is probably a good general estimate during the most active periods of September through November and January through March.
When will the professional development for K-12 recipients begin and end?
The self-assessment, mentoring and action research planning will start in June 2008, and the professional development activities will begin in September 2008 and end in April of 2009. Over the course of the 9 months of professional development, there will be two 3-month periods during which participants are immersed in the professional development of their choice, whether that be a facilitated 6- or 8-week online course, a self-paced CD for implementing some lessons in their classes, a book group that is reading and applying the same materials in their class and working with a mentor to sharpen that application, or other PD opportunity.
Can teachers receive credit for the Professional Development associated with the grant?
For the professional development offered directly by ISTE to the team members, there is no graduate credit given. However, ISTE can provide documentation about the activities and level of effort required for those participants wishing to apply in their district for Continuing Education Units. During the individualized learning activity phases of the overall program, if a teacher selects an online course or other professional development offered by such providers as ASCD or PBS who do offer the option to receive graduate credit for an additional cost, individual participants can make those arrangements directly with the provider.
We have more than five teachers that want to participate in this project-will that change the award?
The grant program is designed to support teams of five teachers with technology tools, stipends, and professional development services. If the team members associated with the project wish to share what they are learning through the grant program with others, they are welcome to do so. However, it is not possible to include additional team members in formal grant activities.
Can K-12 stipends be used to purchase additional equipment/software?
The cash award is intended to serve as a stipend for the project team as a form of compensation for their work on the project. HP does not direct how the PI or teachers should use these funds.
What are the models for each component of the equipment award?
The model numbers for the equipment packages have not yet been determined because they will be based on availability at the time that the grant awards are made. We have examples of the features that will come with the award packages, but we do not have the exact product numbers posted. Access the K-12 product details here.
Can we select a different award of the same value?
No. The award packages have been predetermined and no substitutions can be made. Should you choose to purchase additional or different equipment, please visit the HP Public Sector, Health, and Education website to learn more about possible discount opportunities.
Why is it a requirement to be a public school to apply for the K-12 version of the HP Technology for Teaching Grant Initiative?
HP's K-12 education grants focus on K-12 public schools in US because our hope is that our grants will ultimately result in systemic change. Because a vast majority of the K-12 students in the US are in public schools, we focus our efforts to encourage systemic change in the public education system.
Do you have any programs to support private K-12 schools?
There are two ways that HP supports private K-12 schools. Through our Employee Giving program, HP employees can contribute a gift of equipment to the school of their choice and HP has outlined a policy of matching gift funds. To learn more about this opportunity, please visit http://www.hp.com/hpinfo/socialinnovation/us/employee_giving.html.
In addition, HP provides government and education customers with special offers on IT products and services. For more information, please visit http://government.hp.com/index.asp.
Can for-profit institutions apply for this grant opportunity?
No. The grant award is given by HP as a philanthropic gift, so only not-for-profit institutions are eligible to apply.
Can an institution that only offers courses online receive the grant, or can the grant project focus on an online course?
No. The grant provides equipment and other resources to impact students in a classroom setting, or in other face-to-face learning environments.
Is my school limited to submitting only one proposal?
No. You are not limited to one proposal. We will accept multiple proposals from a school, but a maximum of one award will be granted per school.
Could a team of teachers from multiple schools in the same school district submit a single proposal for the K-12 award?
No. For the K-12 version of the grant, teams need to consist of 5 teachers from one school. The only exception is for small schools that do not have a total of 5 teachers. If your school does not have 5 teachers on your campus, then please use the link below to submit a request for an exception.
I am a teacher at a public K-8 school. Do I qualify for the K-12 award?
Yes. The K-12 grant targets all public schools in the US and Puerto Rico that serve students Kindergarten through grade 12.
Who qualifies to be on the team of teachers?
The team must be composed of five full-time, certified teachers (or working under an emergency credential) who are employees of a single school and spend the majority of their work time leading class instruction directly with students (not one-on-one or tutorial interaction). Note: Since the activities of the grant project must be focused on using technology to teach, rather than on teaching students to use technology, the team may include no more than one technology teacher.
I am a certified teacher, but I am not teaching in a classroom at this time. Can I be on a team?
No. This grant program is designed to support practicing teachers, so each team member must spend at least 50% of their work time leading class instruction directly with students (not one-on-one or tutorial interaction).
Can the project lead for the K-12 effort be someone other than one of the five teachers on the team? I am the technology integration specialist and I would like to join my school's team.
No. The Project Lead must be one of the five teachers on the team.
A school in my district won last year. Is my school eligible to apply?
Yes. K-12 schools that won the K-12 HP Technology for Teaching Grant Award or a Leadership Award in 2005, 2006, or 2007 are not eligible to win this grant award. However, other schools in the district are eligible to win. Review the list of schools not eligible to apply for the 2008 HP Technology for Teaching grant initiative here.
If preference is given to schools with high free and reduced lunch for the K-12 award, how can we find out if our number is considered high?
We do not have a predetermined percentage in mind to define "high" free and reduced lunch rates. The evaluation made will be relative to the applicant pool, and relative to your state and district averages.
I would like to submit information for consideration in addition to my online application. Where can I send this information?
HP will not accept any information in addition to your online application. If you reference a url in your application for additional information about your project, the url will be removed prior to the commencement of the review process.
In the K-12 RFP you refer to "action research". What is "action research"?
Action research is the process of gathering data and information about your work and regularly studying that information and data to identify needed improvements and to select your approach to making those improvements. This can vary in complexity and thoroughness. In the activities of this professional development, some of the most frequent types of information gathered are: peer observations of another teacher's classroom, mentor reviews of lesson plans, pre- and post-assessments of student work. At regular intervals, participants examine this kind of evidence of classroom activities and impact and work with their team and mentor to address any gaps and/or make improvements.
I have an idea for a project. Can you tell me if it will be an acceptable project?
In order to keep the process fair for all applicants, it is our practice and policy not to comment on projects prior to the review cycle of the grant program. However, to learn more about projects that have received funding in the past, please visit here and use the navigation window on the right to view details about projects that received funding for a second year as part of the Leadership Award program for HP Technology for Teaching grant recipients.
Does our proposal have to be submitted in English?
Yes. Only proposals submitted in English through the online application process will be considered.
Do all of the teachers from our team need to be from the same grade level or discipline?
No. A team of teachers can be formed in any way that supports the proposed project.
We would like to have more than 5 teachers on our K-12 project team. Is that possible?
The grant program is designed to support teams of five teachers with technology tools, stipends, and professional development services. If the team members associated with the project wish to share what they are learning through the grant program with others, they are welcome to do so. However, it is not possible to include additional team members in formal grant activities.
If you have additional questions that aren't addressed in this FAQ, please contact us here.
Can the High-Ed Cash Award be used to purchase additional equipment/software?
The cash portion of the higher education grant is for the Principal Investigator to use to support the work of the project. For example, these funds can be used to:
- To cover faculty time, offsetting the normal course load, or to share with other faculty and/or interns supporting the project;
- Purchase additional project materials or software
- Cover the costs of a campus celebration event or reception at the beginning and/or conclusion of the first year of the project
- Cover miscellaneous travel expenses related to attending the HP Technology for Teaching Worldwide Higher Education Conference.
NOTE: The cash portion of this grant comes to the institution as an unrestricted cash award. HP will not allow the cash award to be used to finance indirect costs.
What are the models for each component of the equipment award?
The model numbers for the equipment packages have not yet been determined because they will be based on availability at the time that the grant awards are made. We have examples of the features that will come with the award packages, but we do not have the exact product numbers posted. See the Higher Education product details here.
Can we select a different award of the same value?
No. The award packages have been predetermined and no substitutions can be made. Should you choose to purchase additional or different equipment, please visit the HP Public Sector, Health, and Education website to learn more about possible discount opportunities.
Is my institution limited to submitting only one proposal?
No. You are not limited to one proposal. We will accept multiple proposals from an institution, but a maximum of one award will be granted per campus. For large institutions where separate campuses have separate degree programs but share the same institution name (e.g. Penn State, University of California, University of Wisconsin), each campus will be considered separately.
May I apply if the course I am proposing to redesign is not an “eligible discipline”? No – unless you are jointly submitting a proposal with a colleague who is proposing a course redesign project for an eligible course. At least one course should be eligible.
I teach a Math Methods course in a school of education. Is this course eligible? No. This year the eligibility is focused on courses whose credits may be applied toward a four year bachelor’s degree in engineering, science, information systems, or computer science.
A professor on my college/university campus won this award in 2007 or 2006. Am I eligible to apply?
No. Two- and four-year colleges or universities that received the HP Technology for Teaching grant award in 2007 or 2006 are not eligible to win this year. Review the list of schools not eligible to apply for the 2008 HP Technology for Teaching grant initiative here.
I would like to submit information for consideration in addition to my online application. Where can I send this information?
HP will not accept any information in addition to your online application. If you reference a url in your application for additional information about your project, the url will be removed prior to the commencement of the review process.
I have an idea for a project. Can you tell me if it will be an acceptable project?
In order to keep the process fair for all applicants, it is our practice and policy not to comment on projects prior to the review cycle of the grant program. However, to learn more about projects that have received funding in the past, please visit www.hp.com/go/hpteach-hied or visit our blog, “Teaching, Learning and Technology in Higher Education.”
Does our proposal have to be submitted in English?
Yes. Only proposals submitted in English through the online application process will be considered.
May we have more than one Principal Investigator? Yes, but one person needs to be designated as the primary contact for grant-related emails from HP.
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