NASA Goddard Space Flight Center LTPO is offering this grant to research and evaluate MMOGs and Virtual Worlds for STEM Education

The LTPO MMOG Research and Evaluation CAN will consider proposals that communicate the required approach and skills to:
•Contribute to NASA, other Federal Agencies, private industry and academia’s research initiatives to improve STEM content and delivery approaches that promote the development of our Nation’s future workforce, workforce applications and missions.

•Provide experiences and activities that are grounded in education research or utilize evidence-supported approaches, techniques, and tools; and

•Stimulate linkages and connections to and from secondary education and higher education and informal education communities using NASA content within a gaming context.

It is anticipated that one award of up to $350,000 annually will be made to partner with LTPO and the MMOG developer to infuse educational content and design into the NASA MMOG for up to three years. One award of up to $100K annually is planned to award an independent evaluation effort for up to three years and one award of up to $100K annually is planned to conduct broad-based research of the applicability of educational gaming to diverse institutions and people. NASA expects to award the Cooperative Agreements under this CAN pursuant to the authority of 1260.12(d) of the NASA Grant and Cooperative Agreement Handbook.

Upon its release date,this CAN will be available electronically through the NASA Solicitation and Proposal Integrated Review and Evaluation System (NSPIRE) and trough Grants.gov. It is anticipated that the CAN will be available the second week of June 2009.

Proposals should be submitted electronically via NASA’s proposal data system, NASA Solicitation and Proposal Integrated Review and Evaluation System (NSPIRES) (http://nspires.nasaprs.com ) or through Grants.gov.

Organizations interested in collaborating with NASA to conduct this exciting research are invited to submit proposals. Only one funding category can be awarded for any organization. Under this CAN we are soliciting proposals from domestic higher education institutions, nonprofit organizations, or consortia of organizations and institutions serving students. Partnerships with these institutions and/or organizations which insure the participation of underserved, underrepresented minority populations in STEM and minority higher education institutions are required.

Electronically submitted Notices of Intent to propose are requested.

Proposal due date is August 10, 2009 at noon Eastern Standard Time (EST). The electronic submission of each proposal’s Cover Page, Proposal Summary, and Budget Summary is required by the due date for proposal submission.

This solicitation leading to the award of a Cooperative Agreement is issued pursuant to title 14 CFR Part 1260 for educational and nonprofit institutions.

Notwithstanding the posting of this opportunity at FedBizOpps.gov, Grants.gov, or at both sites, NASA reserves the right to determine the appropriate award instrument for each proposal selected pursuant to this announcement.

Direct questions specifically regarding this solicitation to:

James L. Harrington, Jr.
Learning Technologies
Mail Stop 606.3
Goddard Space Flight Center
Greenbelt, MD 20771
Email: James.L.Harrington@nasa.gov
301-286-4063