The National Science Foundation (NSF) recently released a new program solicitation on Cyberlearning for Work at the Human-Technology Frontier. The goal of the program is to support research of learning technologies for both educational and work settings. Proposals should utilize current knowledge about how people learn and emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence or virtual reality in order to facilitate lifelong learning. This cross-cutting program is connected with the NSF Directorates for Computer & Information Science & Engineering (CISE); Education & Human Resources (EHR); Engineering (ENG); and Social, Behavioral and Economic Sciences (SBE).
A portion of the program description reads as follows.
This program solicits projects that are exploratory and experimental in nature. These projects should explore proof-of-concept or feasibility of a novel or innovative learning technology. We encourage projects that try out new ideas, especially risky ones.
A primary goal of the program is to investigate innovative technologies for STEM learning and teaching within the educational and work settings, to include pervasive lifelong learning with technology. Within this program, the scope of projects span across:
- Content area: STEM and other foundational areas supported by NSF that enable STEM learning (e.g., self-regulation, literacy, communication, collaboration and social skills).
- Population and context: learners, teachers and workers in formal or informal settings (e.g., workplace, online, classroom, museums); and individual, collective, and collaborative learning across the lifespan.
In the context of work, we encourage projects that: (1) design and develop future learning environments to educate or re-educate workers for new work environments and experiences in collaboration with advanced technology; (2) develop relevant formal and informal learning experiences as well as just-in-time training on the job; (3) support the needs of diverse workers from a broad set of backgrounds and experiences; and (4) support the future work of teachers in classrooms and other related settings.
Approximately $15 million is anticipated to fund proposals for durations of 2 to 3 years and up to a total funding amount of $750,000 per project. Full proposals are due by January 8, 2018.
The Computing Community Consortium (CCC) is also focused on catalyzing the Human Technology Frontier (HTF), with a new task force dedicated to the topic and a panel on AI and Amplifying Human Abilities at the upcoming CCC Symposium.
For more information on this program, please see the program solicitation.
