From the National Center for Education Research (NCER)

FY 2008 Awards Announced

On March 26, NCER announced a series of new research program grant awards. This list of awards is for cycle I only and is as follows:

Cognition & Student Learning

Guided Cognition for Unsupervised Learning of Mathematics
Fordham University, William Whitten

Improving Children's Numerical Understanding
Carnegie Mellon University, Robert Siegler

Efficacy of Earobics Step I in English Language Learners and Low SES Minority Children
University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Jason Anthony

The Diagnostic Geometry Assessment Project
Boston College, Michael Russell

Early Childhood Programs and Practices

Closing the SES Related Gap in Young Children's Mathematical Knowledge
University of California, Prentice Starkey

Increasing the Efficacy of an Early Mathematics Curriculum with Scaffolding Designed to Promote Self-Regulation
State University of New York at Buffalo, Doug Clements

Education Policy, Finance, and Systems

Catholic School Prices, Private School Attendance, and Student Outcomes
National Bureau of Economic Research, Susan Dynarsky

Creating an Integrated Resource Information System to Assess Student, Teacher, Classroom, and School Effects on Value-Added Student Learning Gains and to Support More Cost-Effective Budgeting
University of Wisconsin, Robert Meyer

Education Technology

Studying the Potential of Virtual Performance Assessments for Measuring Student Achievement in Science
Harvard University, Christopher Dede

High School Reform

The Consequences for High School Students of Failing State Exit Exams: Evidence from Massachusetts
Harvard University, Richard Murnane

A Curriculum Engagement: Micro-process Interventions in Middle and High School to Improve Attendance, Behavior, Achievement and Grade Promotion for At-Risk Ninth Graders
Johns Hopkins University, Nettie Legters

Mathematics and Science Education

A Longitudinal Study of Gender and Mathematics Using ECLS-K Data
University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, Sarah Lubienski

Bringing Cognitive Tutors to the Internet: A Website that Helps Middle-School Students Learn Math
Carnegie Mellon University, Vincent Aleven

A Randomized Controlled Study of the Effects of Intelligent Online Chemistry Tutors in Urban California School Districts
WestEd, Steven Schneider

Early Learning in Mathematics: Efficacy in Kindergarten Classrooms
Pacific Institutes for Research, Scott Baker

Multilevel Assessments of Science Standards (MASS)
WestEd, Edys Quellmalz

Research Training Institute Presentations Available Online

NCER established the first IES Summer Research Training Institute in 2007, and videotaped presentations from the Training Institute are now available to researchers online. The 2007 Training Institute was held at Vanderbilt University, and faculty consisted of leading researchers with extensive experience in statistical analysis and implementation of cluster randomized trials. The course sessions provided intensive training on planning, implementing, and analyzing data from a cluster randomized trial in education. Course sessions were videotaped, and some of those sessions are now available online. Interested researchers can access the PowerPoint presentations and videotaped sessions using the link provided here: Presentations.

For information about the 2008 summer training institute, visit Conference calendar.