Georgia State University and Spelman College have been awarded highly competitive “First in the World” innovation grants from the federal government to test and develop strategies to keep more students in college and help them graduate.
Georgia State was awarded almost $9 million to further its work with data-driven advising and interventions to improve students' outcomes. The college, which serves a large number of minority, low-income and first-generation students, has received national recognition for its work keeping students on track and improving its graduation rates.
The major grant will allow Georgia State to lead the first national study of its predictive analytics work with thousands of students at 11 of the country’s largest schools, including Arizona State and Ohio State universities, said Tim Renick, Georgia State’s vice provost in charge of student success.
Spelman received about $2.7 million to incorporate new teaching and learning strategies into its curriculum. The nationally ranked, private, historically black women’s college will train faculty and peer tutors on “metacognitive learning.” The goal is to help students thoroughly engage with the material they are learning, Spelman president Mary Schmidt Campbell said Monday during a U.S. Department of Education conference call about the grants.
Beginning next fall, Spelman students will have instructors available in their first-year classes to help develop this higher level of learning, and make students aware of the practices and habits, such as re-reading class materials, that aren’t always beneficial in mastering the information. Trained peer tutors will also be available to students as they engage in independent study.
This is the Obama administration's second round of First in the World Grants. There were more than 300 applicants for the $60 million awarded in this year's two First in the World competitions: development grants to fund and evaluate previous innovations, and validation grants to test interventions supported by significant evidence.
Too many students have been left behind by institutions that cost too much or don’t have the tools to help them succeed, U.S. Education undersecretary Ted Mitchell said Monday. These types of grants help with the administration’s goal of improving college access and affordability, he said, and can help the country reach Obama’s goal of once again having the highest proportion of college graduates in the world by 2020.
Nine of the 17 institutions awarded funding were institutions serving minorities, like Georgia State, including three historically black colleges and universities, like Spelman. The total funding for this group was more than $30 million. Obama has requested $200 million for First in the World Grants, but Congress’ current budget proposals would eliminate the higher education grant program, according to the federal education department.
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