Engineering & Physical Sciences Research Council

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The Research Councils

EPSRC

~ £500m

Office of Science and Technology

BBSRC ESRC MRC NERC PPARC CCLRC

DTI

AHRB

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EPSRC Role

5 key objectives

› supporting world class research in engineering and physical sciences, addressing the challenges facing the UK economy and society

› developing talented scientists and engineers

› supporting the knowledge economy

› public engagement with research

› effective and efficient operations

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Responsive Mode Funding

› 70% of all EPSRC research funding by responsive mode and supports unsolicited proposals from academic community

› Whole spectrum of research from blue skies to applied that is focused on the EPSRC remit.

› Key criteria for success – research quality.

› Inherently flexible mechanism – any duration and level of funding possible and includes funding for:

(Standard) Research Projects Networks – to develop new research areas often across disciplines Workshops to develop new and emerging areas Visiting Fellowships and Overseas Travel Grants

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Managed Activity

› Managed mode programmes (~ 30% of funding). Developed in partnership with other funding bodies or government departments, with a view to sponsoring research under pre-specified themes

› Ideas developed in partnership with academia and outside partners

› Reasoning: Facilitate and provide opportunities for multi/interdisciplinary

research that will enable partners to learn from one another and thereby foster creative thinking/problem solving

applying and/or developing research ideas to provide solutions to particular nationally important problem domains

ensuring/maintaining a lead in areas of research where the UK has strength

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Funding Landscape for Learning Technologies

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EPSRC

Currently supported through responsive mode in areas such as:

Information and Knowledge Management Human Computer Interaction Networks and Distributed Systems Artificial Intelligence Cognitive Science and its Applications Multimedia User Interface Technologies …

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Other funders/players

› ESRC (Economic and Social Research Council) - sponsored a number of relevant research activities including ‘Teaching and Learning Research Programme’. TLRP is not heavily focused on the role of ‘ICT in Teaching and Learning’, but there are funded projects that address this topic.

› EU – IST supports research in areas such as advanced interaction techniques and context-aware knowledge handling in applications domains that include learning.

› NESTA (National Endowment for Science Technology and the Arts) – 106 of the 353 awards made to ‘Learning’ that supports research and tests on creative approaches to learning and teaching.

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Other funders/players

› JISC (The Joint Information Systems Committee) - strategic guidance, advice and opportunities to use ICT to support teaching, learning, research and administration.

› BECTA (British Educational Communications and Technology Agency) - supports the transformation of education through the integration of ICT into learning and teaching, educational institutions and systems. Supports all four UK education departments in their development and delivery of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) and e-learning strategy for schools and the learning and skills sector.

› Industry – SUN, Microsoft, Games companies etc.

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PROBLEM?

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Possibly?

› Ad-hoc project based support, replication of research, lack of joined up thinking and working in the UK research community

› Structural and ‘cultural’ issues - absence of collaboration between the designers of educational technologies, educational researchers and practitioners(?)

› Lack of coordination and connectivity with the problem owners

› Missing out on influencing EU funding (?)

› Not addressing the unique UK climate(? – OU, public service broadcasters etc.) reliant on others.

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Recent Activities

› Joint workshop held last year

› Dr. Josie Taylor commissioned to undertake a consultation activity to further develop the research agenda by EPSRC, ESRC and e-Science programme

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Consultation

› Aim to identify fundamental research questions in relevant areas of computer science and engineering, education, cognitive science, sociology, psychology, design, business and other disciplines

› Articulating these in terms of: opportunities for multi/interdisciplinary research that will

enable partners to learn from one another and thereby foster creative thinking/problem solving

applying and/or developing research ideas to provide solutions to particular nationally important problem domains

ensuring/maintaining a lead in areas of research where the UK has strength

will enable the RCs to decide whether there is a case for ‘intervention’

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Consultation

› Stage 1 (workshop) completed on June 23rd

› Stages 2 and 3 requires participation of all interested parties to further develop and add to themes identified in the first stage

› PLEASE Get Involved – a MAJOR OPPORTUNITY to influence future funding and we need your help!

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Key points to bear in mind

› A grounding on ‘user’ needs, excitement and potential impact of the research

› Impact on other disciplines – e.g. 3-D visualisations to help train medical students or using haptic feedback to train vets

› Identifying defining characteristics of the UK scene and strengths, which will benefit

› New research opportunities that have been/will be created by working at this interface?

› Barriers to progress

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Potential benefits to EPSRC and supported community

› Connectivity – fundamental research and problem space. IMPACT – research, economic, social and political

› Broadening research horizons and underpinning/developing core disciplines by promoting linkage with other disciplines and users

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Future?