Discovery Center for Evaluation, Research, & Professional

Learning

Miami University • Fall 2015

NEW CENTER ESTABLISHMENT….

The new Discovery Center for Evaluation, Research, & Professional Learning was established in 2015 through the formal merger of two reputable and long-standing Ohio-based Centers (the Discovery and Ohio’s Evaluation & Assessment Centers).

HISTORY OF CENTER WORK….•  Since 1991 – iDiscovery (Discovery) PD has served over 20,000 teachers.

• Since 2003, Ohio’s E & A Center has served over 160 state- and federally-funded math and science project or programs.

• Cumulatively – the Centers have dedicated 24 years toward improving math and science teaching and learning.

WHY OUR CENTERS MERGED….

The Discovery and E & A Centers share staff and facilities (at Miami Univesity in Oxford), as well as a commitment to three principles related to their work —

Collaboration - The Center’s commitment to collaboration enables broad outreach and impact across education stakeholder groups.

Advocacy - The Center’s commitment to advocacy promotes equitable opportunity and outcomes for all learners

Strategic Innovation - The Center’s commitment to strategic innovation ensures the relevancy and impact of their work on practice and policy

CENTER VISION…. • The Discovery Center for Evaluation, Research, and Professional Learning serves as Ohio’s only comprehensive center for research, evaluation, and professional learning in science, mathematics, technology, computer science, and engineering education, dedicated to collaboration, advocacy, and continuous improvement.

CENTER MISSION….

• The Discovery Center for Evaluation, Research, and Professional Learning provides comprehensive, high-quality research, evaluation, assessment, and professional development services to improve teaching and learning and promote equity in opportunity, access, and outcomes for all learners.

RECENT CENTER WORK….• State-wide Eval. of

Ohio’s Resident Educator (RE) Program.

• NSF ADVANCE Project Evals. for MSU, Purdue, UC.

• NSF Math and Science Partnership Project (MSP) Evals. for PENN, CUNY, and U at Buffalo.

• Improving Teacher Quality (ITQ) Project Evals. and State-wide Ohio MSP Program Eval.

• Eval.of Miami’s DHHS Statewide Mental Health First Aid Capacity project.

• Comprehensive analysis of progress and impact of DPS education programs.

• Instrument development and administration for Brown University.

• Funding research/grant writing for YWCA (Hamilton).

• Over 30 math/science workshops and trainings for 650 teachers.

OVERVIEW OF SERVICES• Comprehensive - Collaboration or

assistance in developing a project or program proposal for external funding and/or designated services for funded initiatives, for example:

Development or co-development of proposals for funding.

Development and/or implementation of evaluation, assessment, or research plans (proposed or funded).

Design and/or implementation of virtual and/or face-to-face math and science teacher PD experiences.

OVERVIEW OF SERVICES• Technical Assistance – Subaward or

contract agreement to perform specific technical services for proposed or existing project or program, for example:

Online data collection or collection of interview/focus group or observation data.

Sophisticated qualitative and/or quantitative data analyses. Instrument development/modification, validation, and

psychometric testing.Design of research or evaluation methodology or expert review

and/or validation of evaluation, assessment, research, and PD plans, products, and/or findings.

OVERVIEW OF SERVICES• General Support – In-kind (Miami) or case-

by-case contract agreement (non-Miami) to perform specific support services for proposed or existing project or program, for example:

Review or assistance developing supplemental and/or budgetary materials for proposals.

Workshops or trainings on a variety of evaluation, assessment, research, and professional learning topics.

Consultation, training, or tutorials for using research or statistical software (e.g., SPSS, NVivo, SAS, R, Qualtrics).

Editorial review of proposals, professional publications, or academic documents.

BEYOND PROVIDING SERVICES…

One of the Discovery Center’s major goals is not just to provide evaluation, assessment, research, and professional learning services, but also to broaden the collective knowledge about each of these subjects, through resource and knowledge sharing. We like to ask our own challenging questions about STEM education, but also strive to provide helpful information for the teaching and learning initiatives of others.

BEYOND PROVIDING SERVICES…

What’s the differencebetween evaluation vs. assessment?

How can I create an effective research or evaluation plan?

How can I design/implement effective math/science PD experiences?

What type of statistical analyses is most appropriate for analyzing my data?

How can I test if my data collection instruments valid and/or reliable?

How do I appropriately budget for my project or program’s proposed activities?

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CENTER STAFF…(HOW WE DO WHAT WE DO)• The Center includes a staff of 18-20

employess with knowledge/experience in:

• Advanced Statistics• Instrument psychometrics• Qualitative/quantitative data collection,

analyses, and reporting• Mathematics and science education

(teaching and learning) • Educational leadership, administration,

and policy

EXECUTIVE & SUPPORT TEAM...• The Center’s Executive/Support Team leads and manages all

Center activities and are responsible for fiscal and day-to-day operations of the Center.

RESEARCH, EVALUATION, & PROFESSIONAL LEARNING TEAMS...• The Center’s research/evaluation/PD teams manage and

execute projects in their areas of expertise and carry out day-to-day activities for assigned projects and programs.

OPPORTUNITIES AT THE CENTER…The Center offers an EHS Research Computer Space (408 McGuffey Hall):• PC computers with quantitative and

qualitative statistical software (e.g., Nvivo, HLM, Lisrel, Winsteps, SPSS, Amos).

• Facilities and consultancy for using software are available to all Miami University faculty, staff, and students.

OPPORTUNITIES AT THE CENTER…The Center offers a Discovery Center Fellowship Program:• Extended to all Miami University faculty (with

continuing appointments) and emeritus faculty.• Two key areas of inquiry:

(1) Pre-K-20+ teaching and learning related to science, mathematics, technology, engineering, and computing education (STEM-C), and

(2) Equity in education opportunity, access, and outcomes across disciplines and fields.

LOCATION & CONTACT INFO…

The Discovery Center for Evaluation, Research, & Professional Learning

Miami University210 E. Spring St.408 McGuffey Hall Phone: (513) 529-1686discoverycenter@MiamiOH.edu

Updates coming soon to the

Discovery Center Website.