66250 Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 246 / Friday, December 21, 2001 / Notices

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

[CFDA No. 84.305H]

Office of Educational Research and

Improvement (OERI), Cognition and

Student Learning (CASL) Research

Grant Program

ACTION: Notice inviting applications for

new awards for fiscal year (FY) 2002.

Purpose of Program: The purpose of

this program is to improve student

learning by supporting a new program

of research that brings recent advances

in cognitive science and neuroscience to

bear on significant educational

problems. The overarching goal of this

program of research is to establish a

scientific foundation for educational

practice by supporting research on key

processes of attention, memory, and

reasoning that are essential for learning

and that are likely to produce

substantial gains in academic

achievement.

Eligible Applicants: Public and

private agencies, institutions, and

organizations, including for-profit and

non-profit organizations; institutions of

higher education; State and local

educational agencies; and regional

educational laboratories.

Deadline for Receipt of Letter of

Intent: February 5, 2002.

A Letter of Intent is optional, but

encouraged, for each application. The

Letter of Intent is for OERI planning

purposes and will not be used in the

evaluation of the application.

Applications Available: December 21,

2001.

Deadline for Transmittal of

Applications: April 15, 2002.

Estimated Available Funds: Up to

$3,000,000 for the first year of this

program.

The estimated amount of funds

available for new awards is based on the

Administration’s request for this

program for FY 2002. The actual level

of funding, if any, depends on final

congressional action. However, we are

inviting applications to allow enough

time to complete the grant process if

Congress appropriates funds for this

program.

Estimated Range of Awards: $75,000

to $500,000.

Estimated Size of Awards: The size of

the awards will be commensurate with

the nature and scope of the work

proposed.

Estimated Number of Awards: 10.

Note: The Department is not bound by any

estimates in this notice.

Project Period: Up to 36 months.

Page Limits: The application must

include the following sections: title page

form (ED 424), one-page abstract,

research narrative, literature cited,

curriculum vitae for principal

investigators(s) and other key personnel,

budget summary form (ED 524) with

budget narrative, appendix, and

statement of equitable access (GEPA

427). The research narrative is where

you, the applicant, address the selection

criteria that reviewers use to evaluate

your application. You must limit the

research narrative (text plus all figures,

charts, tables, and diagrams) to the

equivalent of 25 pages and the appendix

to 20 pages, using the following

standards:

• A ‘‘page’’ is 8.5′′ x 11′′, on one side

only, with 1′′ margins at the top, bottom,

and both sides.

• Double space (no more than three

lines per vertical inch) all text in the

research narrative, including titles,

headings, footnotes, quotations,

references, and captions, as well as all

text in charts, tables, figures, and

graphs.

• Use a font that is either 12-point or

larger or no smaller than 10 pitch

(characters per inch).

The page limit does not apply to the

title page form, the one-page abstract,

the budget summary form and narrative

budget justification, the curriculum

vitae, literature cited, or the assurances

and certifications. Our reviewers will

not read any pages of your application

that—

• Exceed the page limit if you apply

these standards; or

• Exceed the equivalent of the page

limit if you apply other standards.

We have found that reviewers are able

to conduct the highest quality review

when applications are concise and easy

to read, with pages consecutively

numbered.

Applicable Statute and Regulations:

(a) 20 U.S.C. 6031; (b) The Education

Department General Administrative

Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts

74, 75 (except as limited in 34 CFR

700.5), 76, 77, 80, 81, 82, 85, 86 (part

86 applies only to Institutions of Higher

Education), 97, 98, and 99; and (c) The

regulations in 34 CFR part 700.

Selection Criteria: The Secretary

selects the following selection criteria in

34 CFR 700.30(e) to evaluate

applications for new grants under this

competition. The criteria below will

receive the following percentage

weights.

(a) National Significance (.2)

(b) Quality of the Project Design (.5)

(c) Quality and Potential

Contributions of Personnel (.2)

(d) Adequacy of Resources (.1)

Strong applications for CASL grants

clearly address each of the applicable

selection criteria. They make a wellreasoned and compelling case for the

national significance of the problems or

issues that will be the subject of the

proposed research, and present a

research design that is complete, clearly

delineated, and incorporates sound

research methods. In addition, the

personnel descriptions included in

strong applications make it apparent

that the project director, principal

investigator, and other key personnel

possess training and experience

commensurate with their duties.

Collaboration: We encourage

collaboration in the conduct of research.

For example, major research universities

and institutions may collaborate with

historically underrepresented

institutions, such as Historically Black

Colleges and Universities, HispanicServing Institutions, and Tribal Colleges

and Universities.

Pre-Application Meeting: We will

hold a pre-application meeting on

February 19, 2002 to discuss the

funding priority. You are invited to

participate. You will receive technical

assistance and information about the

funding priority. Participants are also

encouraged to use this meeting to

engage in substantive discussion about

prior empirical research and the nature

of high quality research in this new

area. The meeting will be held at the

U.S. Department of Education, Office of

Educational Research and Improvement,

555 New Jersey Avenue, NW., room 101,

Washington, DC, between 1 p.m. and 4

p.m. A summary of the meeting will be

posted on the Internet at: http://

www.ed.gov/offices/OERI

Assistance to Individuals With

Disabilities at the Meeting

The meeting site is accessible to

individuals with disabilities. If you will

need an auxiliary aid or service to

participate in the meeting (e.g.,

interpreting service, assistive listening

device, or materials in an alternate

format), notify the contact person listed

under FOR APPLICATIONS AND FURTHER

INFORMATION CONTACT at least two weeks

before the scheduled meeting date.

Although we will attempt to meet a

request we receive after that date, we

may not be able to make available the

requested auxiliary aid or service

because of insufficient time to arrange

it.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Cognitive

science and neuroscience have been

dynamic areas of research over the past

fifteen years, producing breakthroughs

in our basic understanding of the brain

and behavior. Although this research

has identified key processes of

Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 246 / Friday, December 21, 2001 / Notices 66251

attention, memory, and reasoning that

are essential for learning, it has yet to

be systematically applied to significant

educational problems. Therefore, OERI

is interested in funding research that

builds on these advances and

meaningfully connects them to

profound and pervasive problems in

learning or academic achievement. In

this competition, we focus on cognitive

psychology rather than linguistics,

artificial intelligence, or other areas of

cognitive science. We seek research

proposals on both basic information

processing (problems in encoding,

processing information in working

memory, storage, and retrieval of

knowledge) and higher order cognition

(problems in executive function and

monitoring, inferential and critical

thinking, and verbal and quantitative

reasoning). Ranging from basic to higher

order cognition, the following topics are

illustrative foci for research:

Attention: Research has identified

complex attentional mechanisms at the

neural and behavioral level that govern

information encoding. Little is known,

however, about the encoding of

information presented to students,

notably, how much information is

encoded, how attentional mechanisms

are implicated in failures to encode, and

the degree to which encoding failure

explains academic failure, particularly

among students who would not be

characterized as having attention deficit

disorder. Clearly, the effectiveness of

teaching and learning interventions

depend on whether students process

those interventions, and it may well be

that effectiveness can be improved by

increasing the quality and degree of

student attention. Furthermore,

attentional and related informationprocessing systems undergo significant

development with age and experience,

and such development interacts with

task and contextual variables to affect

cognitive performance. Research is

needed that bridges the gap between

detailed, rigorous models of attention

(and its development) and successful

academic performance.

Memory: Recent research suggests that

memory can be conceived of as a

property of brain systems and as an

outcome of the brain’s processing, rather

than as a distinct item stored in a

specific brain location. Thus, memory is

both a part and a product of

information-processing activities that

are crucial for learning. For example, in

working memory, presented information

is both stored and operated on, as when

students add a series of numbers in their

head (i.e., mental arithmetic). Indeed,

thinking, problem solving,

comprehension, judgment, and longterm retention are related to operations

in working memory; all but the simplest

tasks also recruit executive control in

managing working memory. Although

research has related working memory to

individual differences in test

performance, few process analyses have

been done to either isolate sources of

difficulties in school-related tasks or to

design process-based interventions to

reduce those difficulties. Most recently,

research on memory has focused on

multiple memory systems and processes

in long-term memory, which would be

tapped to different degrees in different

academic tasks. Although theorists

differ about the exact nature of these

multiple memories, research has

demonstrated that learners harbor

memories for presented material that are

elicited with varying success in

different testing environments. Thus,

research might profitably focus on how

to improve retrieval of these implicit

memories for learned material, how

memory systems differ in their support

for reasoning and problem solving, and

how representations in memory can

more accurately reflect what has been

taught.

Reasoning: Although the seeds of

reasoning competence appear to be

planted early in development, logical

and other forms of reasoning continue to

develop significantly into late

adolescence. Rudimentary reasoning is

required for students to comprehend

textbooks, follow class lectures and

discussions, and to write and think

effectively on their own. Research has

distinguished different kinds of

reasoning errors in laboratory tasks,

which can be ameliorated in different

ways. Furthermore, research has shown

that students are not trapped in

cognitive stages until they are ‘‘ready to

learn,’’ but, rather, they can learn to

improve their reasoning at each stage of

development. Research is needed that

links this work on reasoning

development and performance to the

amelioration of reasoning problems in

important academic contexts, such as

high-stakes testing. Students who fail to

master these higher-order reasoning

skills are unlikely to compete effectively

in a fast-moving economy in which new

learning and problem solving are

routinely required.

Applicants must focus on research

that has the potential to produce

substantial gains in academic

achievement. Dependent variables may

include: measures of cognitive

processes, such as conceptual

understanding; performance on

problems from textbooks, homework

exercises, and other ordinarily and

widely assigned school tasks; items

such as those customarily given on

standardized tests (e.g., SATs, NAEP);

and other measures of learning or

cognition that are demonstrably relevant

to academic achievement.

Priority

This competition focuses on projects

designed to meet the following absolute

priority. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3) we

consider only applications that meet the

priority.

Absolute Priority

Despite their relevance to learning,

recent advances in cognitive science

and neuroscience have remained

virtually untapped in education. This

program of research on Cognition and

Student Learning seeks to establish a

scientific foundation for educational

practice by building on these theoretical

and empirical advances and applying

them to significant problems in learning

or academic achievement. Specifically,

proposals are solicited that address

either 1 or 2 below.

1. Mechanisms of basic information

processing, such as the following, and

their relation to significant problems in

learning or academic achievement.

a. Attention.

b. Working memory.

c. Learning processes: Acquisition

and retention.

d. Storage in and retrieval from longterm memory.

e. Interference and inhibition.

2. Mechanisms of higher order

cognition, such as the following, and

their relation to significant problems in

learning or academic achievement.

a. Executive function and monitoring.

b. Metamemory/memory strategies.

c. Meaning extraction (literal and

figurative) for words, sentences,

discourse, and complex events.

d. Inference and critical thinking:

derivation of semantic, logical, and

pragmatic inferences, situation models,

and other mental representations.

e. Similarity, categorization, and

analogical reasoning.

f. Non-verbal reasoning (e.g., spatial,

scientific, quantitative reasoning).

g. Conceptual development (e.g.,

biology, music, calculus).

h. Judgment and decision-making.

Proposed research must be motivated

by a specific conceptual framework and

relevant prior empirical evidence, both

of which must be clearly articulated.

The research must have the potential to

advance fundamental knowledge that

bears on solving important problems in

learning or academic achievement. The

proposal must indicate method and why

the approach taken optimally addresses

the research question. Any approach

66252 Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 246 / Friday, December 21, 2001 / Notices

must incorporate a valid process that

allows for generalization beyond the

study participants. Proposals must

indicate which of the following

approaches is to be used:

1. Experiment (control group;

randomized assignment—both

required).

2. Quasi-experiment (comparison

group, stratified random assignment,

groups comparable at pretest, statistical

adjustment for comparability).

3. Correlational study (simple,

multiple/logistic regression, structural

equation modeling, hierarchical linear

modeling).

4. Other quantitative (e.g.,

simulation).

5. Descriptive study using qualitative

techniques (e.g., ethnographic methods;

focus groups; classroom observations;

case studies; single subject designs).

The design of studies should be clear:

Independent and dependent, or

predictor and criterion, variables should

be distinguished. Proposed research is

expected to employ the most

sophisticated level of design and

analysis that is appropriate to the

research question. For research

questions that cannot be answered using

a randomized assignment experimental

design, the proposal should spell out

the reasons why such a design is not

applicable and why it would not

represent a superior approach

(compared to the selected design).

Waiver of Proposed Rulemaking

Under the Administrative Procedure

Act (5 U.S.C. 553) the Department

generally offers interested parties the

opportunity to comment on proposed

regulations. However, in order to make

timely grant awards in FY 2002, the

Secretary has decided to issue this

application notice without first

publishing a proposed priority for

public comment. These regulations will

apply to the FY 2002 grant competition

only. The Secretary takes this action

under section 437(d)(1) of the General

Education Provisions Act.

OERI is conducting this grant

competition under the national research

institutes authority for the purpose of

funding projects that will establish a

new stream of research bridging basic

cognitive science and educational

application. Cognitive science,

including studies of learning, memory,

decision making, language acquisition,

higher order thinking skills, as well as

the brain mechanisms underlying these

abilities, has shown explosive growth in

the last 25 years. Indeed, along with

genomic science, many believe that the

cognitive and brain sciences have

generated the greatest scientific progress

of the late 20th century. Basic research

within the disciplines of psychology,

linguistics, and neuroscience has

generated new and important

fundamental knowledge on how people

learn. However, most of this research

has been conducted in laboratory

settings, with samples of convenience,

and with tasks that are artificial.

Translations of this research into

educational practice have either not

occurred or have not gotten further than

abstract statements of principles.

The new program of research

sponsored by OERI is intended to move

research in the cognitive and brain

sciences into schools, expanding the

knowledge base to school settings, and

to develop new programs and

interventions that take advantage of that

knowledge base.

Thus for the first time OERI is

soliciting applications that will address

the lack of substantial interplay between

the applied problems of schools and

learners, and the cognitive and brain

sciences.

In a separate Federal Register notice

to be published in the near future, the

Assistant Secretary will ask for public

comment on this priority for the

purpose of designing and conducting

future grant competitions for this

research.

Pilot Project for Electronic Submission

of Applications

In FY 2002, the U.S. Department of

Education is continuing to expand its

pilot project of electronic submission of

applications to include additional

formula grant programs and additional

discretionary grant competitions. The

Cognition and Student Learning

Research Grant Program (CFDA

84.305H) is one of the programs

included in the pilot project. If you are

an applicant under the CASL program,

you may submit your application to us

in either electronic or paper format.

The pilot project involves the use of

the Electronic Grant Application System

(e-APPLICATION, formerly e-GAPS)

portion of the Grant Administration and

Payment System (GAPS). We request

your participation in this pilot project.

We shall continue to evaluate its

success and solicit suggestions for

improvement.

If you participate in this eAPPLICATION pilot, please note the

following:

• Your participation is voluntary.

• You will not receive any additional

point value or penalty because you

submit a grant application in electronic

or paper format.

• You can submit all documents

electronically, including the

Application for Federal Assistance (ED

424), Budget Information—NonConstruction Programs (ED 524), and all

necessary assurances and certifications.

• Within three working days of

submitting your electronic application,

fax a signed copy of the Application for

Federal Assistance (ED 424) to the

Application Control Center after

following these steps:

1. Print ED 424 from the eAPPLICATION system.

2. Make sure that the institution’s

Authorizing Representative signs this

form.

3. Before faxing this form, submit

your electronic application via the eAPPLICATION system. You will receive

an automatic acknowledgement, which

will include a PR/Award number (an

identifying number unique to your

application).

4. Place the PR/Award number in the

upper right hand corner of ED 424.

5. Fax ED 424 to the Application

Control Center at (202) 260–1349.

We may request that you give us

original signatures on all other forms at

a later date.

You may access the electronic grant

application for the CASL Program at:

http://e-grants.ed.gov.

Due to software upgrades, it is

anticipated that the e-Application

software will be unavailable for several

days in mid-January. The tentative dates

for this system down time are January

11–21, 2002. Please check this site for

future updates on system availability.

We have included additional

information about the e-APPLICATION

pilot project (see Parity Guidelines

between Paper and Electronic

Applications) in the application

package.

FOR APPLICATIONS AND FURTHER

INFORMATION CONTACT: Valerie Reyna,

Office of Educational Research and

Improvement, U.S. Department of

Education, 555 New Jersey Avenue,

room 600, Washington, DC 20208.

Telephone: (202) 219–1385 or via

Internet: Valerie.Reyna@ed.gov.

If you use a telecommunications

device for the deaf (TDD), you may call

the Federal Information Relay Service

(FIRS) at 1–800–877–8339.

Individuals with disabilities may

obtain this document in an alternative

format (e.g., Braille, large print,

audiotape, or computer diskette) on

request to the program contact person

listed under FOR APPLICATIONS AND

FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.

Individuals with disabilities may

obtain a copy of the application package

in an alternative format by contacting

Valerie Reyna. However, the

Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 246 / Friday, December 21, 2001 / Notices 66253

Department is not able to reproduce in

an alternative format the standard forms

included in the application package.

Electronic Access to This Document

You may view this document, as well

as all other Department of Education

documents published in the Federal

Register, in text or Adobe Portable

Document Format (PDF) on the Internet

at the following site: http://www.ed.gov/

legislation/FedRegister.

To use PDF you must have Adobe

Acrobat Reader, which is available free

at this site. If you have questions about

using PDF, call the U.S. Government

Printing Office (GPO), toll free, at 1–

888–293–6498; or in the Washington,

DC area at (202) 512–1530.

Note: The official version of this document

is the document published in the Federal

Register. Free Internet access to the official

edition of the Federal Register and the Code

of Federal Regulations is available on GPO

Access at: http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/

index.html.

Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 6031.

Dated: December 18, 2001.

Grover J. Whitehurst,

Assistant Secretary for Educational, Research

and Improvement.

[FR Doc. 01–31503 Filed 12–20–01; 8:45 am]

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