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IES Partnership Taps Educator Perspectives to Help Inform National Research AgendaWASHINGTON, Oct. 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- IES, in partnership with the Jefferson Education Exchange (JEX), a nonprofit organization committed to helping educators make better informed decisions about education technology, today announced the launch of an initiative designed to expand the role of educators in helping shape the national education research agenda. "When it comes to understanding the needs of students, and developing research-driven solutions to practical classroom challenges, teacher voices are critically important," said Maddie Fennell, NBCT, Executive Director of the Nebraska State Education Association and JEX Board Member. "We are excited to create new opportunities for educators around the country to engage with, and help shape, our national education research agenda." Later this month, the Jefferson Education Exchange will begin to bring together more than 200 K-12 educators through two field research convenings, organized in partnership with the Institute of Education Sciences (IES), the independent research arm of the U.S. Department of Education. The events will inform a research study of educator perspectives on the types of research most likely to support the improvement of educational outcomes. Participating educators will receive a $200 stipend from the Jefferson Education Exchange. "All too often, decisions about which education programs, policies, technologies, and pedagogies are researched overlook the perspectives of teachers and school leaders that should be central to our national research priorities," said Bart Epstein, CEO of the Jefferson Education Exchange. "A key purpose of education reearch is to support educators, which means their voices must carry weight in determining which research to invest in and which questions to answer. This is an important first step in fostering more transparent, effective dialogue between the research community and educators around the country." The first convening will take place in Omaha, NE on Saturday, October 27. The second convening will take place in Raleigh, NC on November 3. These field research convenings with individual teachers, principals, and administrators will be followed by a day-long meeting on Tuesday, November 27 in Washington, D.C. The November convening will bring together leaders from more than 40 professional educator associations whose members are expected to participate in a survey of educator perspectives, developed by JEX under the auspices of the University of Virginia's Institutional Review Board (IRB), to better understand educator perspectives and needs concerning education research. "This initiative was born from the need to support and promote research that is informed by educators themselves," said Mark Schneider, Director of the Institute of Education Sciences. "Direct and frequent engagement is critical to ensure that our work reflects the challenges and priorities of students, teachers, and administrators across the country, as well as policymakers and others who rely on robust education research." About JEX About IES View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ies-partnership-taps-educator-perspectives-to-help-inform-national-research-agenda-300731758.html SOURCE Jefferson Education Exchange; IES |