eCampus Center Research Fellowship

2027 Research Fellowship

Applications for the 2027 eCampus Center Faculty Research Fellowship will open in fall 2026. This opportunity is now available through the eCampus Center in the Division of Extended Studies. Fellowships will fund faculty to study how innovations impact online student learning. Research Fellows are eligible for a stipend upon project completion for a total of up to $7000. Applicants must be instructors at Boise State University, and their proposal should focus on online settings.

This year, we invite applicants to participate in a Research Fellowship involving studying alternative assessments and other innovations, and their impact with student learning in online courses. During spring of 2027, the fellows will design their research study and submit an IRB. In summer 2027, they will conduct the research, and in fall 2027 they will compile their data. Applicants should address one of the following innovations to positively impact online student learning and engagement:

Using digital simulations such as virtual reality (VR),
Utilizing alternative assessments
Other innovations or evidence based practices pertinent to increasing student learning in online courses.

Application

Applications are due by November 10, 2026 and applicants will be notified of their results by December 1, 2026.

The application form will be posted in September 2026.

To schedule a time to meet with the eCampus Research and Innovation Team, please use this appointment slot scheduling form to find a time convenient for you.

Please direct inquiries about the research fellowship to Amy Vecchione at amyvecchione@boisestate.edu

Learn about the eCampus Center Impact Fellowship.

Learn about the research Boise State faculty have been working on.

Fellowship Details

Fellowship Goals

Support the growth of actionable research into online learning at Boise State.
Create bridges between online faculty and the services of the Research and Innovation Team.
Promote effective assessment of online learning at the course and program levels at Boise State.
Support Boise State online students’ success and retention through evidence-based practices.
Improve and inform Boise State online scholarship and practices.

Fellowship Deliverables and Applications

White papers/reports from fellowship participants documenting their study results.
Presentations from faculty fellows to eCampus Center Staff and Faculty.
Possible presentations at local and national conferences, and/or journal publications.

Project Budgets

Each project will be given up to $5,000 to fund their research fellowship. The proposed amount will be paid out in 3 equal payments via budget transfer according to 3 milestones on the project:

Milestone 1: Submission of Institutional Review Board (IRB) application
Milestone 2: Completion of data collection and submission of a mid-project report
Milestone 3: Completion of white paper/report

In addition, a travel allowance may be available for the faculty member to present their research at a conference (subject to university travel restrictions).

Eligible Participants for the eCampus Research Fellowship

Must be Boise State Faculty, including adjuncts. Graduate students are currently not eligible to receive funding
Participant must indicate a commitment to staying with the institution for the duration of the research fellowship
Research project must be focused on fully online settings (as opposed to hybrid, remote, or technology-enhanced)

Budget

Each proposal should include an itemized budget of how project money will be spent. Sample budgeted items may include:

Compensation for faculty time to conduct research
Funding for research or graduate assistants
Incentives for research participation
Software or equipment for the study

Required Application Components

Information about the principal investigator: name, department, college, contact information, department chair name and contact information)
Any collaborators who will be integral to the project’s success and their intended contributions
Information about the project (title, sponsoring department, sponsoring college)
A statement of the online student-centered problem (research gap) or question the research project plans to address (contextualizing the problem or question within already-existing literature is highly recommended)
The planned method to address the problem or question
Intended project outcomes
A plan for evaluation and measurement of outcomes
A project timeline and budget
A brief statement of support/email from the department head, or equivalent, to participate for the duration of the fellowship

Review Process

The review criteria for the fellowship will include the following components:

How well the proposed work aligns with the goals of the eCampus Center Research Fellows program (found in the fellowship outcomes tab)
Review of required proposal components (found in the previous section) to determine their viability and feasibility