The CADRE Team
CADRE analyzed findings from open-ended questions included in the 2024 DRK-12 Portfolio survey sent to 309 DRK-12 principal investigators (PIs) (n = 154 total respondents). The survey included questions about project challenges and impacts.* The findings underscore the need for adaptive strategies to address recruitment, retention, and effective virtual engagement, alongside an ongoing focus on measuring long-term outcomes to capture the full impact of these educational initiatives.
Challenges Overview
PIs reported a range of challenges. Recruitment of teachers and students emerged as the most common obstacle, noted by about a quarter of respondents. Participant retention was also a significant issue, sometimes due to teachers changing schools. Another frequently mentioned challenge was the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, cited by one in five respondents. The pandemic caused delays in recruitment, reduced enrollment, and necessitated a shift from in-person to virtual instruction and professional development, often complicating district and school permissions. Competing for teachers' time and attention was a related challenge, also noted by one in five respondents. Additional challenges included virtual communication and training, securing district permissions, and issues related to research design.
Impact Highlights
Many respondents focused on project outputs such as professional development, curriculum creation, and resource dissemination when describing their project’s impact. Development and delivery of professional development for educators emerged as the most commonly cited impact, with about one-third of respondents marking it as a key achievement. Additionally, 17% reported producing instructional materials like curricula and assessment tools for teachers. Some PIs noted positive shifts among teachers, including changes in instructional practices (16 respondents) and attitudes or knowledge (14 respondents), though several are still analyzing data to measure their project's impact fully. About 10% of respondents indicated it was too early to assess impact, while 17 responses lacked enough detail for impact assessment.
*Questions discussed in this blog include: What challenges has your project faced that may limit its impacts? What do you think have been the most significant impacts of your project to date?