Research Initiatives

Faculty and staff in the College have a variety of research interests. Below is a sampling of research initiatives currently under way. For more information, please contact the project director(s) identified.

Research and Analysis of National Postsecondary Datasets
Collaborative Research Project—Coalition of Rural and Appalachian Schools (CORAS) and the College of Education
Science and Technology Enrichment for Appalachian Middle-schoolers (STEAM)
"Bringing Schools into the Twenty-first Century"— A Book Project
Mathematics Instruction and Rural Community

Research and Analysis of National Postsecondary Datasets
The Center for Higher Education holds restricted licenses for longitudinal and cross-sectional data collected and maintained by the U.S. Department of Education. Licensed datasets include:

National Postsecondary Student Aid Study (NPSAS)
Beginning Postsecondary Students Survey (BPS)
Baccalaureate and Beyond (B&B)
National Study of Postsecondary Faculty (NSOPF)

For more information about accessing these datasets, please contact:
Dr. Valerie Martin Conley
Principal Investigator
conleyv@ohio.edu

Collaborative Research Project—Coalition of Rural and Appalachian Schools (CORAS) and the College of Education

To answer the research question, "What processes and effective strategies do cooperating teachers use to assist novice teachers in developing professional competence?” the research team is conducting a qualitative study of cooperating teachers and their student teachers. Data sources include reflective journals from and interviews with cooperating teachers and their student teachers, as well as observations of student teachers. The research will take place in three phases. Phase 1 is currently being funded by CORAS, the College of Education, and Ohio University. Phases 2 and 3 are contingent upon securing outside funding.

For more information, please contact:

Dr. Dianne Gut
Principal Investigator
gut@ohio.edu

Dr. Guofang Wan
Researcher
wang1@ohio.edu

Dr. Larry Burgess
Researcher
burgessl@ohio.edu

Professor Pam Beam
Researcher
beamp@ohio.edu

Erin Young
Undergraduate Research Assistant
ey157306@ohio.edu

Science and Technology Enrichment for Appalachian Middle-schoolers (STEAM)

The STEAM (Science and Technology Enrichment for Appalachian Middle-schoolers) project, funded by the NSF GK-12 program, aims to broaden graduate education for engineering students at Ohio University and improve science learning of students at are middle schools. The project represents a collaborative venture between the Russ College of Engineering and Technology and the College of Education. Each year, STEAM Graduate Fellows work with local school teachers to create and deliver digital curricular content that can produce engaged learning among students in grades six through eight. The STEAM fellows use their computer programming skills to develop interactive educational games. This project also helps enhance partnerships between Ohio University and local Appalachian schools. Six middle schools in the Appalachian region are currently involved with STEAM: Alexander, Federal Hocking, Athens, Miller, Belpre and Roseville.

For more information, please contact:
Dr. Teresa Franklin
Principal Investigator
franklit@ohio.edu

"Bringing Schools Into the Twenty-first Century"

Technology is changing the face of society, and Guofang Wan and Dianne Gut are asking questions about what this change means to education. Their new book project for Springer Publishing Company calls for conversations about what society, schools, educators and education systems can do to adapt to the 21st century. Wan and Gut are currently examining what skills students will need to become successful and productive in the working world and the many different ways to meet those needs, including making school curricula more rigorous and creating digitally relevant learning environments.

For more information, please contact:

Dr. Guofang Wan
Co-author
wang1@ohio.edu

Dr. Dianne Gut
Co-author
gut@ohio.edu

Mathematics Instruction and Rural Community

Our team is conducting a qualitative study of rural public schools and districts where teachers of mathematics and in some cases science may be making connections between the math curriculum and the surrounding community. Sites were nominated by over 60 national experts in place-based, experiential, environmental, and outdoor education. The seven sites selected from among the nominations are scattered across the nation and enjoy varied cultural, political, and economic circumstances.In general, the study is visiting places where connections between community and school are said to be strong. Our overall aim is to use interviews, observations, and document analysis to describe what's happening in these schools as well as why it seems to be happening and with what risks and difficulties. The study was conceived and supported by the National Science Foundation via ACCLAIM (the Appalachian Collaborative Center for Learning, Assessment, and Instruction in Mathematics), whose research initiative has been hosted by OU. Data collection has been completed, and data analysis is in progress as of mid-September 2008.

For more information, please contact:

Dr. Craig Howley
Co-principal-investigator
howleyc@ohio.edu

Dr. Aimee Howley
Co-principal-investigator
howley@ohio.edu