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

Summary of Recommendations

Goal: Priorities Are Set and Activities Are Problem-Centered

1. Student achievement — The priority for research in education must be a high level of achievement for all students, and, within that domain, the initial emphasis should be on reading and mathematics achievement.

2. Reading, second language learning, and mathematics — Recent reports from the National Research Council, Preventing Reading Difficulties in Young Children, and Improving Schooling for Language-Minority Children: A Research Agenda, synthesize strong bodies of research knowledge. A similar study on mathematics is currently under way. In each case, research is needed now to analyze how the results of our knowledge can be implemented in school programs and what factors lead to success or to difficulties. In reading, research is needed on how students become facile at reading complex text as they transition to advanced academic subjects such as history, social science, mathematics, and science. Research in both short- and long-term effects of specific education interventions for English language learners is needed, as well as techniques of assessment to measure competence, and transition points, from the first oral language to English; from oral language to literacy; and from literacy to the academic discourse of specific disciplines. In mathematics, research is needed on why students have so much trouble making transitions (e.g., from concrete objects to more abstract ideas), understanding formal representations, multiplicative reasoning, and essential mathematical and statistical concepts, such as chance, randomness, and probability.

3. Organization for learning out of school — To take advantage of different learning environments in which children from impoverished backgrounds often display more competence than in school settings, research is needed to design and test different models of after-school and summer programs to motivate, engage, and benefit children of low-income families. Work is also needed on types and features of after-school opportunities that most effectively motivate academic achievement and positive self-estimations; and how to design and test different models of collaboration between schools and community groups dedicated to providing strong learning environments for poor children.

4. Organization for learning in school — Retention, pull-out remediation, tracking, and segregated special education programs that stratify by race, class, and gender opportunities to learn do not result in high achievement for all students. A more complete inventory of knowledge about effective practices for teaching academically challenging curricula with groups is needed, both for school populations in general, and for heterogeneous groups in particular. Research is needed on questions of time for children to master challenging curricula, supportive school structures, and expectations for the breadth and depth of content. Within each of these is the question, do students from middle-income families, as well as from low-income, ethnic, and linguistic minority backgrounds, benefit from each organizational practice? An important area of inquiry is whether there are academic benefits to classroom diversity—does diversity improve subject-matter learning?

5. Linking changes in teaching practice with improved student learning — Information is needed that can guide teachers and institutions who want to change their educational practice, particularly to reduce inequities in the opportunities of students who differ in socioeconomic status, ethnic background, and gender to learn successfully. This is especially important regarding the achievement of deep intellective competence advocated in current educational reforms. Such research would examine fundamental issues about the nature of teaching and learning, including, but not limited to, the importance of the skills and knowledge of teachers. We need to expand our knowledge and understanding of teaching practices, including teaching tools, such as assessment, that are successful with students who bring different cultural resources to their own and others' learning. Research would examine, much more so than in the past, issues of what it takes to do effective and successful teaching with diverse populations of students.

6. Linking teachers' professional development and teaching practices — Research is needed to understand what effective teachers do and how they do it. Successful teaching involves not only the exercise of skills and application of knowledge but also flexible improvisational adaptation in the classroom. Research is needed to understand the roles of increased knowledge and comprehension of subject-matter concepts and methods, the role of thorough understanding of the curriculum in the subject both at the level one is teaching and in relation to other disciplines and grade levels, as well as the role of understanding students' learning in improving teaching practice. Research should also investigate how the structure of teachers' work supports or hinders their "on-the-job" learning and what kinds of abilities are learned in particular situations that can transfer to other settings.

7. Understanding and supporting successful professional development — There is need for a better understanding of teachers' development as "professional learning," and of teaching as a "learning profession." The model of learning how to teach, which is prevalent today, namely, that knowledge goes in during teacher education or professional development and then comes out in the teachers' own classrooms, does not account for the engagement of teachers themselves in improving the practice of their profession. What teachers need to learn to put reforms in place is not separable from their actual teaching practices or from the development trajectories of their careers. Research needs to examine ways in which people of diverse cultural, ethnic, and socioeconomic backgrounds are attracted to careers in teaching. How can professional development resources help support diversity in the teaching profession as well as improve practice? Further research on teachers' communities of practice is needed, building on findings that norms of responsibility and collegial efforts at professional problem solving are the most critical factors in improvement of teaching and learning.

   Goal: High Standards of Quality Are Created and Upheld

8. Standing panels — Standing panels should be established to review proposals for each OERI institute. These would be comprised of 25 to 30 members, but with some overlapping membership, so that problems that cross boundaries can receive informed attention and that members of one panel with special knowledge could be invited to serve on another.

9. Panel membership — Panels should represent a broad range of perspectives. They must include members with strong disciplinary and methodological expertise. Across OERI panels, gender, race, ethnicity, and geographic diversity must be respected. Panel members should generally be nationally recognized figures.

10. Standards for panelists — The Board continues to support peer review standards adopted by OERI, with Board approval, which stipulate that all reviewers meet three criteria: demonstrated expertise, including training and experience in the subject area of the competition; in-depth knowledge of policy or practice in education; and in-depth knowledge of theoretical perspectives or methodological approaches in the subject area of the competition.

11. Distinguishing between field-initiated and directed competitions — OERI should distinguish between field-initiated competitions and those that are directed, rather than trying to combine the two.

12. Funding for peer review — The allowable percent of funds to support peer review should be increased so that the necessary standing panels and logistical support can be provided.

13. Definitions — The term "research" should be more narrowly defined than it is in the 1994 law so that the boundaries of focused competitions for research can be limited. Research should emphasize basic research in education as well as investigations, experiments, and inquiry to develop new knowledge or apply tested knowledge. It should exclude development, planning, and demonstrations. The term "national significance" needs to be clarified through regulations or in legislative language so that reviewers understand that it includes research opportunities, not only important problems identified by educators.

    Goal: Work Is Collaborative and Rigorous

14. Collaboration across federal agencies — The Assistant Secretary for OERI should extend efforts to join with other federal agencies, and perhaps foundations, to collaborate on common agendas.

15. Coordination of research within the U.S. Department of Education — The Secretary should encourage, and the Assistant Secretary for OERI should provide special attention to performing a visible and constructive role in collaboration and coordination of education research within the Department.

16. Linking ongoing research and practice-related efforts — The Assistant Secretary should develop constructive means through which OERI, the Research and Development Centers, and the Regional Educational Laboratories can function closely together to maximize their collective impact.

17. Synthesis activities — OERI should support synthesis activities across all-important fields of educational research, summing up progress continually and drawing implications for policy and practice.

18. OERI staff — The Assistant Secretary needs to determine the responsibilities most appropriate to accomplish the research functions of OERI, both to advance its work and to attract, retain, and continuously nurture staff with the requisite training and opportunities.

19. Collaborative problem-solving research and development — OERI should begin development of a new design for research that would focus explicitly on solving specific current problems of practice and at the same time be accountable for developing and testing general principles of education that can "travel" to locations beyond those in which the research is done The central idea is to develop a system of support for projects in which professional researchers and professional educators share in the accountability for achieving success in improving educational practices and outcomes. These projects may also include program developers, curriculum specialists, or policy specialists. Initially, this effort might be launched through a "working group" to assist in designing specific parts of the priority research agenda for which this model would be best suited, the role of OERI and outside contractors or grantees, coordination across multiple sites, expectations as to scale and length of commitment and the like.

    Goal: Mission Is Congruent with Resources

20. Funding research in education — Funding for educational research must be increased dramatically. An interim target should be to reach the level of 0.5 percent of our nation's expenditure for elementary and secondary education, about $1.5 billion annually, which was the amount proposed by the President's Committee of Advisors on Science and Technology. It would be feasible to reach this target over a 5-year period.

21. Aligning resources and mission — Over the next 5 years, OERI should work to make the resources and missions better aligned. The missions must be matched with money.

22. Research supervision — Some focal point should be created by Congress for research leadership that can span across administrations.

23. Allocation requirements — The allocation provisions for institutes and for types of support in the Educational Research, Development, Dissemination, and Improvement Act of 1994 should be removed.

[Foreword]

[Introduction]