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ACTFL Research Priorities Project (Phase II) - Request for Research Partnerships

The purpose of Phase II of the ACTFL Research Priorities Project is to support empirical research on five priority areas that are critical to improving foreign language education:

  • Research Priority Area #1: FL Teacher Preparation Model Programs: Documentation, Implementation, and Outcomes
  • Research Priority Area #2: Profiles of High-Performing FL Teachers in K-16 Settings
  • Research Priority Area #3: Language Use in the Community
  • Research Priority Area #4: Mentoring K-16 FL Teachers & Classroom Discourse
  • Research Priority Area #5: High-Leverage Teaching Practices

Phase II consists of two stages:

  1. A Request for Research Partnerships (RRP) (submission deadline March 1, 2013)
  2. A Request for Proposals (RFP) (submission deadline May 20, 2013)

Stage 1: Request for Research Partnerships (RRP). In this pre-proposal stage, ACTFL invites two groups of participants to express their interest in establishing a research partnership that would potentially lead to submission of a full proposal in Stage 2. (Note: If you are a researcher who already has a research site, you should skip Stage 1 and proceed directly to Stage 2):

  • Group 1: Researchers (individuals or professional organizations with experience in empirical research)
  • Group 2: Site Partners (schools, school districts, universities)

Who should apply?

If you are a) a researcher in need of a site to conduct a research study, or b) a representative of a school district/university whose students and/or teachers would serve as research participants, please complete and submit Form A or Form B below, as applicable.

When is the deadline?

The deadline for RRP Stage 1 is March 1, 2013. Please submit proposals to research@actfl.org.

What will happen next?

The Research Priorities Task Force will review requests for partnerships. Selected applicants will be given access to a list of approved researchers and research sites to explore research possibilities and, ultimately, to establish research partnerships. These newly formed research teams will be eligible to submit a full research proposal for review in Stage 2 (deadline May 20, 2013). Details regarding the application process for Stage 2 will be announced on the ACTFL website by early March. Selected projects will receive modest funding from ACTFL to defray some of the research costs.

If you are an experienced researcher (faculty member, teacher, professional organization) with an idea for a project for Phase II of the ACTFL Research Priorities Project and you need a research site, please complete RRP Form A.

If you represent a school, school district, or university that would like to serve as a research site partner for Phase II of the ACTFL Research Priorities Project, please complete RRP Form B.

RRP Form A: Researchers (faculty members, teachers, representative of a professional organization)

The project description should include:

  • justification for the project
  • brief statement on theoretical framework that supports the research
  • research question(s) (no more than 3)
  • anticipated participants and/or desired type of research site
  • estimated duration of project
  • contribution of the study to the research priority area.

RRP Form B: Site Partners (P-12 schools, school districts, universities)

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The description of your research setting should include:

  • Location
  • Participants
  • Relevant information on pedagogical approaches used in your program/classroom
  • Description of the support of your school administration for participation in this project and how participation might benefit your program
  • Description of any previous research that has been conducted in your classroom or school
  • Any data you already have that might be pertinent to one or more of the research priority areas you checked above (please specify).