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 rigorous education research to determine what works, for whom, under what circumstances. 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.
Digital learning platforms (DLPs) can transform educational research by serving as infrastructure that bridges the gap between practice and research. This white paper examines the progress of DLPs in SEERNet, a multi-year initiative funded by the Institute of Education Sciences (IES), which aims to advance research infrastructure. Through coordinated efforts among platform developers, researchers, and practitioners, SEERNet members have addressed both expected and emerging challenges. The paper seeks to support others who are seeking to share platform data with researchers by clarifying the range of requirements. Some requirements were expected; others were emergent. Expected requirements, such as enhancing platform data capabilities, enabling experimental research designs, and protecting data privacy, have focused on technical improvements to support scalable and rigorous research. Emerging needs included the creation of standardized workflows, development of researcher outreach strategies, and establishment of templates for institutional review board (IRB) approvals and data-sharing agreements. In addition, fostering a peer review community attuned to the unique affordances and constraints of DLP-based research has emerged as a shared priority. This working paper reflects on lessons learned from SEERNet’s efforts, highlighting innovations in data documentation, experimental workflows, and collaborative relationship building.
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.
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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.