Into the Labyrinth : A PhD Comprehensive Portfolio

Funding Applications

     I applied for support for my PhD studies to both the Social Sciences SSHRC and the Ontario Graduate Studies (OGS) program in both 2018 and 2019 (see Appendix C for full application details). Both funding proposals written and submitted for two years have been unsuccessful, but I have learned much by going through the process. Working within the constraints and expectations of funding bodies is a scholarly consideration for all who work in academia. The technologies of power (Foucault, 1988) “determine the conduct of individuals and submit them to certain ends or domination” (p. 18) requiring training, skills, attitudes, and experiences associated with power dynamics within research funding. By completing these funding proposals, I strengthened my ability to handle these scholarly technologies of power. Prior to preparing these annual funding proposals I took time to revisit the outlined requirements and directions found on the SSHRC and OGS websites. I also reviewed the listing of funded projects from previous years to see what trends and directions these projects had taken. In this way, I discovered a gap in the SSHRC funding in the area of teacher education generally, and in open educational practices specifically. I share my 2019 SSHRC funding proposal here.



     Skills I acquired include being persistent in my efforts, being organized and planning ahead, being attentive to details such as timelines and due dates, and ensuring that I provide sufficient timely information to others. By reflecting back and rereading my funding proposals, I notice the commonalities that remind me of the grounded elements that are true to my ontological and epistemological purpose in this research work. The differences remind me that I will continue to iterate and shift my research to better frame and reflect my ontology, epistemology, and my research questions. Despite the disappointment of not achieving a funded status, these funding proposals are testament to my ability to follow protocols and procedures for future funding, as well as seeking critical feedback as I did in these submissions, and will continue to do for future applications. Applying for funding through the SHRCC and OGS funding process has taught me to be succinct, direct, and to write for an audience not familiar with my field of study or my proposed line in inquiry.

     While my funding proposals for these large granting foundations have not been successful, I have achieved success in some funding applications which I would like to bring to light here. First, I was a recipient of an inaugural fellowship from eCampus Ontario in the area of open education. This provided funding for me to attend and present at the Canadian Innovation in Education (CNIE) conference in Sudbury in May, 2018, where I presented a session titled Lost and found: Course designs that map-it-out using UDL and wayfinding which is linked into this comprehensive portfolio in Appendix B. This fellowship also allowed me to attend and co-present at the Open Education (OEGlobal) conference held in Delft, Netherlands in April 2018 in a session titled Forging an open path: eCampusOntario OER fellows.  Second, I received a full scholarship to cover costs of attendance at the OER20 conference in London, England (which was subsequently moved to an online format due to the COVID-19 pandemic). Third, I have confirmation for funding from the Canadian Association for Teacher Education (CATE) to support conference travel to CSSE to present two sessions of interest to teacher educators and graduate students in teacher education. (This conference was subsequently cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic). Finally, I have recently been successful in my application for funding through the CNIE – AMTEC Trust Awards. Each of these minor funding applications required me to succinctly share a story about my work as an educator and the research I plan to conduct.

 

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