Archived: Office of Educational Research and Improvement

A r c h i v e d I n f o r m a t i o n

Achieving the Goals--Goal 5- First in the World in Math and Science Technology Resources - November 1996

Office of Educational Research and Improvement

Star Schools Program

The Star Schools Program supports telecommunications partnerships to provide telecommunications equipment and programming to underserved students, including those living in rural and urban areas. Through support from the Star Schools Program, more than 50,000 teachers along with a host of administrators, parents, and policy makers have participated in staff development and community awareness activities produced via satellite, compressed video technology, fiber optics, videodisc, and microcomputer-based networks. Eligible partnerships may take the form of either: (1) A public agency or corporation established for the purpose of developing and operating telecommunications networks to enhance educational opportunities; or (2) a partnership that includes three or more of the following, at least one of which must be an agency as described in (a) or (b): (a) A local educational agency with a significant number of elementary and secondary schools that are eligible for assistance under ESEA Title I funds, or elementary and secondary schools operated or funded for Indian children by the Department of the Interior; (b) a state education agency; (c) an adult or family education program; (d) an institution of higher education or state higher education agency; (e) a teacher training center or academy; (f) a public or private agency with experience or expertise in the planning and operation of telecommunications networks or a public broadcasting entity; or (g) a public or private elementary or secondary school.

Cheryl Garnette, Technology Team Leader
Star Schools Program
Office of Educational Research and Improvement
555 New Jersey Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20208
(202) 219-2116
e-mail: cheryl.garnette@ed.gov

Regional Educational Laboratories

The Department of Education's Regional Educational Laboratories work in partnership with educators and policy makers to test, adapt, and incorporate research findings into improved programs for schools and their students. Several of the regional labs publish resource guides that include information on activities of communities in their region. Some labs have made technology a particular focus; all labs will have access to each others' resources. The labs and resource guides can be an important source for local contacts. For a listing of the Regional Education Laboratories, see Appendix C.

Robert Stonehill
Office of Reform Assistance and Dissemination
Office of Educational Research and Improvement
555 New Jersey Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20208
(202) 219-2088
e-mail: robert.stonehill@ed.gov

The Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC)

ERIC is a national information system designed to provide users with ready access to an extensive body of education-related literature. The ERIC database, the world's largest source of education information, contains more than 850,000 abstracts of documents and journal articles on education research and practice. ERIC can be accessed in a number of ways. It is available online via commercial vendors and public networks, on CD-ROM, or through the printed abstract journals, Resources in Education and Current Index to Journals in Education. Detailed information about accessing ERIC is contained in the U.S. Department of Education On-Line Resources section.

ERIC Clearinghouses select and prepare documents for the ERIC database and produce reports, summaries, digests, and other free and low-cost resources within their subject areas. The clearinghouses are organized around specific subject areas and each can provide specific information about technology in its area of education. A list of the ERIC Clearinghouses by subject area and their toll-free phone numbers is included below. Complete information about the clearinghouses is included in Appendix D.

Adult, Career, and Vocational Education
(800) 848-4815

Assessment and Evaluation
(800) 464-3742

Community Colleges
(800) 832-8256

Counseling and Student Services
(800) 414-9769

Disabilities and Gifted Education
(800) 328-0272

Educational Management
(800) 438-8841

Elementary and Early Childhood Education
(800) 583-4135

Higher Education
(800) 773-3742

Information and Technology
(800) 464-9107

Languages and Linguistics
(800) 276-9834

Reading, English, and Communication
(800) 759-4723

Rural Education and Small Schools
(800) 624-9120

Science, Mathematics, and Environmental Education
(800) 276-0462

Social Studies/Social Science Education
(800) 266-3815

Teaching and Teacher Education
(800) 822-9229

Urban Education
(800) 601-4868

Eisenhower Regional Mathematics and Science Education Consortia

The program supports grants to establish regional consortia that disseminate exemplary mathematics and science instructional material and provide technical assistance in the use of improved teaching methods and assessment tools to benefit elementary and secondary school students, teachers and administrators. The Office of Educational Research and Improvement (OERI) makes at least one award in each area served by the regional education laboratories. Eligible recipients include state educational agencies, school districts, institutions of higher education, regional laboratories and combinations of these entities. OERI currently funds 10 consortia, each of which offers services to schools and districts in a specific geographical area. The current consortia are listed in Appendix E.

Linda Jones, Team Leader
Eisenhower Federal Activities Program
555 New Jersey Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20208-5645
(202) 219-2153
Fax: (202) 219-2053
e-mail: linda.jones@ed.gov

Eisenhower National Clearinghouse for Science, Mathematics and Technology

OERI's Eisenhower National Clearinghouse (ENC) collects, catalogues and disseminates K--12 curriculum materials and resources in mathematics and science. Its catalogue is available online through a toll-free number, (800) 362-4448, as well as through the Internet ( enc.org. via Telnet or http://www.enc.org via WWW). ENC provides teachers with a variety of additional services, including a technical help desk and reference services, print publications, and 12 demonstration sites located throughout the nation. ENC collaborates with the Eisenhower Regional Consortia for Mathematics and Science Education.

Len Simutis, Director
Eisenhower National Clearinghouse for Science and Mathematics and Technology
The Ohio State University
1929 Kenny Road
Columbus, OH 43210-1079
(800) 821-5785 or (614) 292-7784
e-mail: simutis@enc.org

National Center for Education Statistics Survey on School Connectivity

The first national survey of school access to broad-band telecommunications and the Internet was completed in the fall of 1994. A second national survey began in October 1995. The next report will document the progress being made to connect schools and classrooms to the Internet.

Judy Carpenter
Office of Educational Research and Improvement
555 New Jersey Avenue, SW, Room 410-C
Washington, DC 20708-5651
(202) 219-1333
e-mail: judy_carpenter@ed.gov

Research and Development

Among other priorities, the Department's Office of Educational Research and Improvement (OERI) addresses the issues of technology's impact on teaching and learning, and in an interagency collaboration, has identified four high-priority areas. These are: research on learning and cognitive processes to improve the understanding of the learning process and how technology can best support that process; new models for evaluating learning and learning productivity; development of high-quality, affordable learning tools and environments for use in a variety of settings including schools, work places, and homes; and demonstrations of innovative technology and networking applications on how the National Information Infrastructure (NII) can be used for advanced instructional systems. Appendix F contains a listing of Research and Development Centers.

Carol B. Lacampagne, Senior Research Associate
Office of Educational Research and Improvement
555 New Jersey Avenue, NW, Room 513C
Washington, DC 20202
(202) 219-2064.
e-mail: carol.lacampagne@ed.gov

Ready-To-Learn Television

Ready-To-Learn Television supports development of educational television and instructional video programming for pre-school and elementary school children and their parents in order to promote the achievement of the National Education Goals. This grant to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting will develop new video programs for children with support materials for parents.

Joe Caliguro
Office of Educational Research and Improvement
555 New Jersey Avenue, NW, Room 508A
Washington, DC 20202
(202) 219-1496
e-mail: joseph.caliguro@ed.gov

Telecommunications Demonstration Project for Mathematics

This national telecommunications-based project is designed to improve the teaching of mathematics and to help elementary and secondary teachers in preparing all students for achieving state content standards. Approximately 2,100 teachers of grades K--5 will participate through 69 public television stations in 34 states. Additional support is also given to develop local programs for technical support for Mathline teachers.

Adria White
Office of Educational Research and Improvement
U.S. Department of Education
555 New Jersey Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20202
(202) 219-2181
e-mail: adria.white@ed.gov

Teacher Networking Projects

The Technology Education Program is designed to enhance curricula, classroom teaching and teacher professional development through online use of electronic teacher networks and shared knowledge. The teacher networks link teachers with curriculum and instruction specialists who can help teachers improve their teaching skills and knowledge of subject matter.

Tawanna Colbert
Office of Educational Research and Improvement
555 New Jersey Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20202
(202) 219-2143
e-mail: tcolbert@inet.ed.gov

Fund for the Improvement of Education

The program provides funds to conduct nationally significant programs to improve the quality of education, assist all students to meet challenging state content standards, and contribute to the achievement of the National Education Goals. Such funds may be used to fund technology projects or program elements.

Beverly Farrar
Office of Educational Research and Improvement
Department of Education
555 New Jersey Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20208-5654
(202) 219-1301
e-mail: beverly.farrar@ed.gov

Library Education and Training

The Library Education and Training program assists institutions of higher education and library organizations and agencies in the training or retraining of persons in areas of library specialization, particularly in areas of critical need, and establishes, develops and expands programs in new techniques of information acquisition, transfer and communication technology.

Louise Sutherland
Discretionary Library Programs Division
Office of Educational Research and Improvement
U.S. Department of Education
555 New Jersey Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20202-5571
(202) 219-1315
e-mail: louise.sutherland@ed.gov

Library Research and Demonstration

This program awards grants and contracts for research and/or demonstration projects in areas of specialized services intended to improve library and information sciences practices. Prospective projects may include the promotion of economical and efficient information delivery, cooperative efforts related to librarianship, and developmental projects. These should also lead to the improvement of education in library and information science; the use of new technologies to enhance library services; and the dissemination of information derived from such projects.

Neal Kaske
Discretionary Library Programs Division
Office of Educational Research and Improvement
U.S. Department of Education
555 New Jersey Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20208-5571
(202) 219-1871
e-mail: nkaske@inet.ed.gov

Improving Access to Research Library Resources

This library program promotes research and high-quality education throughout the United States by providing financial assistance to help major research libraries: (1) maintain and strengthen their collections and (2) make their holdings available to individual researchers and scholars outside their primary clientele and to other libraries whose users have need for research materials.

Chris Dunn
Office of Educational Research and Improvement
U.S. Department of Education
555 New Jersey Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20208-5571
(202) 219-1315
e-mail: chris.dunn@ed.gov

Interlibrary Cooperation and Resource Sharing

The Interlibrary Cooperation program provides funds to plan and take steps leading to the development of cooperative networks; and to establish, expand, and operate local, regional, and interstate networks of libraries. These will provide for the systemic and effective coordination of the resources of school, public, academic, and special libraries and special information centers for improved services of a supplementary nature to the clientele served by each type of library or center. They will also develop the technological capacity of libraries for interlibrary cooperation and resource sharing and allow for the development of a statewide preservation plan.

Robert Klassen, Library Programs
Office of Educational Research and Improvement
U.S. Department of Education
555 New Jersey Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20208-5571
(202) 219-1303
e-mail: robert_klassen@ed.gov

Public Library Services

Public Library Services provides formula grant funding for thirteen categories of public library assistance, two of which pertain to technology: making library services more accessible to individuals who, by reason of distance, residence, disability, age, literacy level, or other disadvantage, are unable to receive the benefits of public library services; and increasing public library services or access to these services through effective use of technology.

Robert Klassen, Library Programs
Office of Educational Research and Improvement
555 New Jersey Avenue, NW
U.S. Department of Education
Washington, DC 20202-5571
(202) 219-1303
e-mail: robert.klassen@ed.gov

Public Library Construction and Technology Enhancement

Provides grants to states for facilities and technology enhancements to improve the provision of public library services. States may approve local projects for construction, remodeling, or alteration of existing buildings. Funds may also be used for technology enhancement purposes apart from any construction project. Contact your state library administrative agency for further information.

Donald Fork
U.S. Department of Education
Office of Educational Research and Improvement
555 New Jersey Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20208
(202) 219-1312
e-mail: donald.fork@ed.gov

Small Business Innovation Research Program (SBIR)

Seeks to help meet federal research and development needs and to stimulate technological innovation in small businesses, while requiring private sector commercialization of developed products. The Department of Education's SBIR program has focused on the development of products such as software programs that use computers and other high- tech equipment for teaching and learning basic skills, science and foreign languages. It also provides the physically disabled with opportunities to function more easily in society.

John Christensen
Office of Educational Research and Improvement
555 New Jersey Avenue, NW, Room 602F
Washington, DC 20202
(202) 219-2065
e-mail: john_christensen@ed.gov
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[Office of Elementary and Secondary Education (OESE)]

[Office of Postsecondary Education (OPE)]