Instructors
Kenneth Frank, Michigan State University
Guanglei Hong, University of Chicago
Stephen Raudenbush, University of Chicago
Yanyan Sheng, University of Chicago
Kaitlin Torphy, Michigan State University
About the Workshop
The overall goal of this webinar is to inform participants of a wide range of significant research questions, data
structures, and advanced analytic techniques in the context of theory-driven and data-informed rigorous empirical investigations of STEM education, especially concerning under-represented groups. Cutting-edge methods are essential to study student and teacher
experiences with STEM education programs developed, implemented, and evaluated in a complex environment that outstrips what can be rendered by conventional statistical techniques. To illustrate major methodological considerations, instructors will use a stylized
case that evaluates the potentially differential impacts of curricular innovations representing the Next Generation Scientific Standards (NGSS) on instructional practices, student engagement, and science achievement. Key methodological issues will be discussed
in six inter-related modules:
(1) Design: How to select the sample of schools and teachers and whether to adopt an experimental or a quasi-experimental
design suitable for causal inference of the effects of the curricular innovation.
(2) Measurement: How to construct theoretically grounded instruments with strong psychometric properties to measure
student engagement, student learning, teacher practices, etc.
(3) Social network analysis: How to represent and model teachers’ interactions with one another as they adapt and implement
the new curriculum.
(4) Multilevel modeling: How to represent and model the student, teacher, and school level factors that affect the
implementation and outcomes of the curriculum.
(5) Causal mediation analysis: How to examine instructional practices as a mediator of the effects of the curriculum
on student outcomes.
(6) Computational methods: How to account for teachers’ and students’ engagement with one another and educational resources
on-line.
Each module will consist of a 10-20 minute presentation followed by 5 minutes of Q&A. Some of the instructors will
remain after the session for further conversation. Participants are encouraged to visit
https://voices.uchicago.edu/nsf-siarm/
for information about a 3-year training initiative led by the team of instructors.
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The workshop will broadcast live on Zoom.
ASL interpretation and captioning will be provided.
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