If you haven't heard, we lost a very well respected NSF colleague, Dr. Janice Earle, who was program director for many of us over several decades. We and others had wonderful professional relationships with her, and she will be missed.
Over the next several months, CADRE will offer many opportunities for dissemination of ideas, findings, and products from DR K-12 grants, and we're delighted to see strong participation in so many different forums. From May 17-23, we will support the NSF STEM for All Video Showcase, which now has a registration of 182 videos, 40 of which are from the DR K-12 portfolio. Join the conversations any time you are free that week!
For the upcoming June 1-3 PI meeting, we have already reached our registration capacity and received a wide variety of session proposals. We hope that you will find a diverse group of sessions which are interesting and as much as possible, provoke new ways of thinking; acquaint you with new research and development methods; and stimulate new ideas for future professional agendas. We also hope that informal networking opportunities will lead to new collaborations and partnerships.
We want to inform you of conferences where you can meet, greet, and hear about the good work of DR K-12 researchers. We've provided a list of 35 presentations that have been shared with us and hope that you'll connect with these colleagues in the coming weeks. In Newsbites, the most "clicked through" feature of our newsletter, you'll find information about findings, articles, resources, and events from DR K-12 projects and our sister NSF resource networks.
Lastly, we'd like to thank awardees (listed throughout the newsletter) who have served as informal mentors to CADRE Fellows, provided guidance for the PI meeting, presented at the San Francisco STEM Smart meeting, and agreed to serve as facilitators of the Video Showcase. Our very special thanks to PIs of CAREER grants who have shared their experiences and challenges to inform CADRE's future early career initiatives and the design of a pre-session on June 1 at the PI meeting.
Sincerely,
Barbara Brauner Berns
CADRE Principal Investigator
Barbara Brauner Berns
CADRE Principal Investigator
EVENTS
Upcoming Events
2016 STEM for All Video Showcase
May 17-23, 2016
Save the date and join us in May for this year's NSF Video Showcase, where almost 200 projects will share their work in three-minute videos. The DR K-12 Program will be represented by 40 presenters. Even if you aren't contributing a video, we hope you will participate by viewing, commenting, an voting on your favorites. All are encouraged to join this virtual event on the days and times that they're available, so please spread the word to your colleagues!
Thank you to CADRE community members Gerald Kulm, Elissa Milto, Kathy Paget, Jorge Solis, and Jerry Valdez for agreeing to serve as facilitators.
2016 DR K-12 PI Meeting June 1-3, 2016 | Washington, DC
This year's meeting is fast approaching! Thank you to all who contributed to the many session proposals we received. We'd like to thank PIs Doug Clark, Dan Damelin, Jim Diamond, and Emily Moore, who have recently advised us on invited sessions and the Digital Learning Arcade as we continue to develop the agenda. Please visit the PI meeting section of cadrek12.org, where you'll find a draft agenda, answers to frequently asked questions, meeting logistics, poster guidelines, and more.
Important Reminders & Opportunities:
- Registration Waitlist
We now have a waitlist for invited PIs, PI substitutes, and/or second project members to attend the meeting. Please let us know if you registered but can no longer attend so that we can accept waitlisted registrants. - Poster Hall Registration
Registrations for general poster sessions are due on April 15. One poster per registered project is allowed. Poster registration information is included in meeting registration confirmation emails. - Hotel Reservations
Confirmed registrants should make hotel reservations as soon as possible to guarantee a room and rate, using the link provided in their meeting registration confirmation email. - Digital Learning Arcade
This year's meeting will feature an opportunity to learn about and interact with the range of innovative digital teaching and learning resources in DR K-12. Projects that are developing or researching games, simulations, digital assessments, virtual worlds, educational software, social networking tools, or other technologies will soon receive a more detailed invitation to participate. In the meantime, if you are attending the meeting and want your project to be invited, email Amy Busey (abusey@edc.org). - CAREER Awardee Meeting
This year, we will convene a pre-session for CAREER grant PIs to provide an opportunity to network, share knowledge and expertise, and learn more about making the most of their time at the the PI meeting. We have emailed invitations to PIs on active CAREER grants.
For those who aren't able to attend the PI meeting, we plan to share session materials and virtual posters on our website. Stay tuned!
Past Events
February 1, 2016
Educators, administrators, researchers, industry representatives, policy makers, and others gathered at the 9th STEM Smart workshop in San Francisco, CA. This meeting featured NSF-supported research and standards-based instructional resources, with a primary focus on science. Through plenary panels and smaller interactive sessions, participants learned about instructional materials selection and evaluation, resources that align with or can be adapted to the NGSS, the scientific practices of argumentation and modeling, cyberlearning resources, professional development for teachers, and new ways of looking at assessment. Presentation materials from plenary and breakout sessions, as well as a brief on teaching and learning under NGSS, are available on successfulstemeducation.org.
Thank you to the following DR K-12 PIs, Co-PIs, and project members who presented their work: Jody Bintz, Leema Berland, Jennifer Chiu, Samantha Daley, Christopher Harris, Sara Heredia, Sybil Kelley, Joseph Krajcik, Marcia Linn, Suzanna Loper, Jacqueline Miller, Barbara Nagle, Jonathan Osborne, Cynthia Passmore, Kathy Perkins, Gillian Puttick, Brian Reiser, Steven Schneider, Bethany Sjoberg, Craig Strang, Jessica Thompson, and Dilafruz Williams.
Special appreciation also goes to NSF's Janice Earle, who was a driving force in the conceptualization, vision, and implementation of this workshop series that has engaged so many in STEM education communities across the country. While we continue to see the impact of her work, her contributions to the field will be greatly missed.
2016 CAREER Program Webinar
March 15, 2016
This informational session provided an overview of NSF's CAREER program with perspectives from the NSF and PIs on active CAREER grants. Barbara Berns moderated the presentation and Q&A session, and presenters included Michelle Cirillo, Karen King, Melissa Luna, and Bill Zahner. The slides from this year's event and a recording from the 2015 webinar, featuring Karen King, Alicia Alonzo, Tina Grotzer, and Gloriana González Rivera, are available for those who could not attend or would like a refresher.
The CAREER Program Webinar materials are part of a larger collection of resources available in our Spotlight on Early Career in STEM Education R&D, including:
- Brief on Early Career Researchers and Developers in the DR K-12 Program: Needs, Supports, and Recommendations
- Professional and funding opportunities
- Information on the CADRE Fellowship
RESOURCES
New Brief on Broadening Participation
CADRE is pleased to share a new brief as part of our Broadening Participation in STEM Spotlight. Partnership Building as a Broadening-Participation Strategy: Helping Researchers and Developers Bridge the Gaps in STEM Education examines the continued underrepresentation of different populations; explains the benefits of collaboration around broadening participation; and offers guidance on building partnerships as a strategy for bridging gaps in STEM education.
Many thanks to the members of the DR K-12 community who contributed to the development of this resource: Maritza Macdonald, Ayana McCoy (2015-16 CADRE Fellow), M. Alejandra Sorto, and Jakita Thomas.
PROJECTS & PEOPLE
CADRE Fellowship Update
In January, Fellows began exploring the topic of writing for publication in a three-part webinar series. In the first webinar, Carrie Allen, a 2014-15 CADRE Fellow, led a discussion about publishing early in one's career. She used examples from her own work, including her most recent article (Studying Teachers' Sensemaking to Investigate Teachers' Responses to Professional Development Focused on New Standards), and offered advice on navigating the writing process. In the second webinar, PIs Cory Buxton, Sharon Lynch, and Christine McWayne shared their experiences as both writers and editors, and provided practical tips for traversing the publications process successfully, including choosing the right journal, writing for different audiences, and understanding the review process.
Fellows recently completed writing activities related to drafting manuscripts, preparing conference proposals, reviewing manuscripts in progress, and researching journals. During the third and final webinar in this series, they shared their results and discussed insights gained.
In the coming months, the Fellows activities will focus on the proposal development process, culminating in a mock proposal review prior to the upcoming PI meeting.
Project Websites, Publications, and Presentations
Thank you to everyone who completed CADRE's survey on upcoming presentations, recent publications, and project websites. We've compiled the results in Excel files (available below) as well as on cadrek12.org: publications have been added as searchable resources; DR K-12 awardees who are presenting have been listed on event pages in the calendar; and project websites have been added to project pages. We continue to welcome your updates and will add new information to our website as we receive it.
Attending conferences this month? Be sure to find and connect with your DR K-12 colleagues who are presenting!
We're pleased to share this quarter's news from DR K-12 projects as well as our sister resource networks who serve other NSF funding programs (ARC, CAISE, CIRCL, MSPnet, and STELAR). In addition to our newsletter digest, we disseminate your news items on our website and social media. Let us hear from you!
News from DR K-12 Projects
- 2016 RHSU Edu-Scholar Public Influence Rankings
Awards & Recognition | Several current DR K-12 PIs were recognized as university-based scholars in the U.S. who are doing the most to influence educational policy and practice, including Barbara Schneider, Okhee Lee, and Heather Hill. - President Obama Honors Early Career Scientists with Top White House Award
Awards & Recognition | Congratulations to DR K-12 PIs Jakita Thomas and Kristen Wendell for receiving the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE) award. - Digital Mapping Unlocks Students' STEM Knowledge
In the Press | Illinois State University's Redbird Scholar featured the Promoting Students' Spatial Thinking in Upper Elementary Grades using Geographic Information Systems project and the impact it has on students' higher-level reasoning and ecological awareness. - Science Curriculum Tailored to English Language Learners Boosts Student Achievement
In the Press | NSF's News From the Field recently featured findings from Promoting Science Among English Language Learners (P-SELL), a large-scale study involving more than 6,000 fifth graders. The project found that its innovative science curriculum had a positive impact on science learning for students with different levels of English proficiency. - Teaching Science Teachers
In the Press | The New York Times highlighted An Innovative Approach to Earth Science Teacher Preparation: Uniting Science, Informal Science Education, and Schools to Raise Student Achievement in a video feature on their website. This project is developing, implementing, and researching a five-year pilot Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) program in Earth Science. - Next Generation Alliance for Science Educators Toolkit
Project Update | The Next Generation Alliance for Science Educators Toolkit (Next Gen ASET) project is preparing to launch its Network Improvement Community of researchers and practitioners to promote long-term scaling and continuous improvement of NGSS tools that support faculty working with pre-service teachers. Next Gen ASET was also selected by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching at Stanford to serve as one of six national inaugural STEM-focused Improvement Science pilot sites. - Challenges to Using the Regression Discontinuity Design in Educational Evaluations: Lessons From the Transition to Algebra Study
Publication | This article describes the use of regression discontinuity design to evaluate the impact of a supplemental algebra-readiness curriculum, Transition to Algebra, on students' mathematics outcomes. - Mathematics Curriculum, Teacher Professionalism, and Supporting Policies in Korea and the United States: A Workshop Summary Report
Publication | On July 15-17, 2012, the DR K-12 funded United States National Commission on Mathematics Instruction and Seoul National University held a joint Korea-U.S. workshop that addressed questions and issues related to math teaching and curriculum. This report summarizes the workshop's presentations and discussions. - Visualizing Oceans of Data: Ocean Tracks - A Case Study
Publication | This report, based on the work of DR K-12's Oceans of Data and Ocean Tracks projects, discusses the design and development of a data interface for students and reflects on the design guidelines from Visualizing Oceans of Data: Educational Interface Design in light of students' and teachers' experiences. - Foundation Science Website
Resource | The Foundation Science curriculum, which includes full-year, high school introductory courses in physics, chemistry, biology, and earth science, is now featured on a new website. The site also offers recent papers and publications, information on the prototype digital teacher guide developed by the Electronic Teacher Guide project, and information on Universal Design for Learning. - Model My Watershed 2.0
Resource | The Model My Watershed project recently launched an expanded version of their web app, which allows users to analyze real geo-data, model storms, and compare conservation or development scenarios in any watershed in the United States.
Email cadre@edc.org to share news from your project.
News from NSF Networks
- Coding, Sharing, and Reusing Video Data with Databrary
Event | On Friday, April 29, webinar presenters and participants will discuss issues, strategies, and tools related to sharing and using recordings of children's behavior for research. Register here to participate. - Evaluation Models Aligned to Research Types
Event | In this April 7 webinar, moderated by Emma Espel, John Sutton will discuss evaluation of educational research, including how the evaluation of research differs from impact evaluation. Request an invitation to register here. - ITEST Data Brief: ITEST in Action
Publication | This data brief provides information on the composition of ITEST project participants, what activities they engage in, in what settings, and what projects feel contributes to their project's success. - Posters from 2016 AISL PI Meeting
Resource | Visitors to informalscience.org can now view posters presented at the 2016 AISL PI Meeting, held February 29-March 2.
Upcoming Opportunities
The following funding and publication opportunities, listed by deadline, may be of interest to you or your DR K-12 colleagues.
Funding
- April 4 - NSF Science of Learning: Collaborative Networks (SL-CN)
- April 5 - DARPA Young Faculty Award
- April 5 - IES Regional Educational Laboratory (REL)
- April 15 - NSF Inclusion across the Nation of Communities of Learners of Underrepresented Discoverers in Engineering and Science (INCLUDES)
- May 1 - IMLS STEM Expert Facilitation of Family Learning in Libraries and Museums (STEMEX)
- May 5 - IES Research and Research Training Grant Programs
- June 14 - NSF Science Learning+ Partnership Grants
Publication
For other opportunities, see CADRE's List of STEM Education Publications (PDF).
- June 30 (Manuscript) - Connected Science Learning | Theme: Professional Development - Building the Capacity of STEM Educators to Enhance Collaboration Between In-School and Out-of-School Environments
- July 15 (Letter of Intent) - International Journal of Science and Mathematics Education (IJSME) | Special Issue: STEM for the Future and the Future of STEM
Share with DR K-12 Colleagues
If you are PI or Co-PI on a DR K-12 grant, we encourage you to share this newsletter with your colleagues. Many of our news items, resources, and events may be of special interest to others on your project team, e.g., early career researchers and developers, evaluators, communication specialists, etc. We welcome all as part of our DR K-12 community and invite them to subscribe to this newsletter, join us on social media, and create an account on the CADRE website.
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