This article describes how combining coaching techniques with mentoring skills can positively impact the quality of grant proposals submitted to the National Science Foundation Advanced Technological Education (NSF ATE). The research findings are based on (1) a foundational pilot study conducted through the National CyberWatch Center that ended in October 2020 and (2) an independent follow-on mentoring project named Fortifying Cybersecurity and Computing Education through ATE Grants (FORCCE-ATE) mentoring project. The FORCCE-ATE model is differentiated from other ATE mentoring initiatives in the method that college faculty mentors are trained with fundamental coaching skills reinforced through multiple practicum sessions (triads). An iterative approach was used to improve the mentor-coach training each year of the project continuously. The mentor-coaches applied their blended mentoring-coaching skills to develop competitive NSF ATE proposals when working with their community college teams. Qualitative data was collected and analyzed by an experienced, independent project evaluator. The evaluator’s results show that training mentors with the coaching skills of careful listening and probing questions improves communication and rapport among mentor-coach and mentee team members.
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Data, Insights, and Solutions to Aid NSF ATE and 2-Year Colleges in Creating and Sustaining "Grant Active" Cultures
The National Science Foundation (NSF) Advanced Technological Education (ATE) program is effective in assisting two-year college (2YC) institutions of higher education to improve the education of technicians in science and engineering, yet grant proposals from 2YCs to ATE (and NSF as a whole) have declined in number over the past decade. The problem of NSF proposals declining in numbers is multifaceted, though data demonstrates that both 2YCs and NSF can reverse or mitigate the decline in ATE proposals through identified measures; 2YCs can change their grants culture through specific institutional changes, and NSF can aid 2YCs to build their capacity to develop competitive proposals through mentoring and professional development sustainably. This article discusses data, insights, and solutions through the lens of two NSF ATE projects: Project Vision (a mentoring project) and Grant Insights (an applied research project).
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- Award ID(s):
- 2202169
- PAR ID:
- 10546309
- Publisher / Repository:
- Zenodo
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Journal of Advanced Technological Education
- ISSN:
- 2832-9635
- Subject(s) / Keyword(s):
- NSF ATE grant mentorship capacity building broadening participation survey findings root cause analysis cluster algorithm computational analytics institutional investments decision-support systems artificial intelligence big data mixed methods applied research
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Right(s):
- Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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