Division H - Research, Evaluation, and Assessment in Schools
Division H - Main Website
Many divisions within AERA are focused on a specific topic such as curriculum or history. Division H is different. Our focus is not on a specific topic, but the broad range of work done by educational researchers in applied PreK-12 settings. Program evaluations, student assessment programs, school reform, institutional research, and work published for use in PreK-12 systems constitutes much of our members’ work. Our members come from a wide range of organizations. These settings range from school districts to state and federal education agencies; from institutions of higher education to research groups such as Westat, RAND, and Association for Institutional Research (AIR); and from non-public to public education groups. Division H actively seeks the involvement of graduate students. Current activities for graduate students include:
Dr. Faith Connolly, Division H Vice President
Brad is a doctoral student at the Department of Education, Measurement, and Statistics at the University of Maryland. He earned his B.A. in Computer Science at Messiah College and his M.A. in Quantitative Research, Evaluation, and Methodology at the Ohio State University. A first-generation college graduate, Upward Bound alumnus, and former Upward Bound academic advisor, Coverdale is interested in research that will help promote post-secondary educational opportunities for all students regardless of socioeconomic status. Currently he is investigating effects of proprietary education and models that predict student success in a post-secondary environment. In his free time Brad likes to read, watch movies, play European-style board games, and go sightseeing with his wife.
Marisa is a doctoral student in School Psychology at the University of Connecticut and a graduate assistant for the School of Education’s Office of Assessment. Her research interests include issues of educational access for culturally and linguistically diverse students. In particular, she is interested in literacy development, assessment, instructional approaches, and service delivery for ELL students. Previously, delCampo taught middle school reading, math, and science for five years in Broward County, Florida.
Update from the 2010 Annual Meeting
This was a very eventful year for division H graduate students.
The Early Career Mentorship Program continues to award up to $750 for students to spend 3 – 5 days with a mentor in their field. This year, we also created the “Coffee Mentorship Program,” which paired 13 students with division H members and provided $20 for them to use toward coffee or food. Each pair arranged a meeting time during the week of AERA, and we hope that these partnerships can inspire more long-term mentorship.
Another new initiative for 2010 was a graduate student poster session. Eight division H students presented posters, and a discussant gave individual feedback to each student.
Our fireside chat covering international perspectives on assessment was another highlight of this year’s program. Members of the panel included Lorrie Shepard (UC, Boulder), David Berliner (ASU), Zollie Stevenson (U.S. Department of Ed), Anne Davies (Classroom Connections, Inc., BC, Canada), Sarah Maughan (NfER, England), and Val Klenowski (Queensland University of Technology). We would also like to introduce our new Junior Representative, Bradley Coverdale of the University of Maryland. Please visit our website for more information. You may also email us at [email protected] if you would like to be added to our listserv.