SEERNet is a network of platform developers, researchers, and education stakeholders working together to create and expand the capacity of digital learning platforms (DLPs) to enable equity-focused and rigorous education research. SEERNet is funded by the Institute of Education Science, with a deliberate intention to fund both DLPs and researchers, as well as a growing network connecting DLPs, researchers, and practitioners. It is called “SEERNet” in reference to IES’s SEER principles, a set of aspirations for educational research.
The five SEERNet digital learning platforms (DLPs) present unique opportunities for researchers by offering tools, processes, and infrastructure to make research more efficient, scalable, and relevant. However, conducting research within a DLP may require a shift in a researcher’s orientation or mindset in how they think about potential research questions, study samples, available data, and planning study logistics. We encourage researchers to think flexibly about how they might adapt their ideas to the specific learning platform and consider iterating toward a more comprehensive understanding of their hypotheses. We illustrate some of the potential mindset shifts and offer key considerations at stages of the research process.
One of SEERNet’s aims is to enable alignment of research on digital learning platforms to practitioner needs. Office Hours: A Conversational Series was SEERNet’s first initiative to convene practitioners and researchers in identifying problems of practice relevant to digital learning platforms (DLPs) and co-designing research questions. Participants discussed their experiences, goals, challenges, and vision related to DLP use. The conversations were synthesized and feedback from the participants led to refined research questions. In addition, we asked the participants to reflect on the value of the Office Hours process.
The goal of the Statistical and Research Methodology in Education (Stats/Methods) grant program (ALN 84.305D) is to provide a wide range of methodological and statistical tools that will better enable applied education scientists to conduct rigorous education research. Through this grant program, IES invites applications to develop new methodological approaches, to extend and improve existing methods, and to create other tools that can enhance the ability of researchers to conduct high quality, scientific education research.
The IES research centers host virtual office hours to provide technical assistance for grant applicants interested in open funding opportunities. More information is available here.
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NCER awards new grants from its FY 2024 Education Research Grants program competition.
This project is supported by the Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education, through Grant R305N210034 to Digital Promise. The opinions expressed are those of the authors and do not represent views of the Institute or the U.S. Department of Education.