7/29/2019 Abstract - Old Training Grant Proposal

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Training Researchers to Solve Complex Problems in Education

One of the main limitations of current graduate programs in education is that typically those who

enter into such programs have limited mathematical knowledge and expertise, making it difficult

for them to conduct high quality educational research. It is this limitation that our training grant

would address.

The training program proposed here aims to attract capable students into this field by focusing on

recruitment. Students would be recruited for this training program locally, regionally, andnationally. To recruit locally and regionally, students from Wisconsin and the surrounding areas,

who have demonstrated success in statistics and mathematics related coursework, would be

recruited to apply for fellowships. To recruit nationally, information about the program wouldbe mailed to Departments of Statistics across the country. Furthermore, information about the

program would be posted on list-serves and advertised on websites such as the American

Statistical Association, and the National Council of Measurement in Education.

The proposed multidisciplinary training program would consist of a collaborative effort betweenthe Department of Educational Psychology at the University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee and the

Department of Mathematical Sciences, which naturally attracts strong quantitative students. It isenvisioned that students would receive a doctorate in either Educational Psychology, with a

specialization in Research and Evaluation and a minor in mathematics, or a doctorate in

Mathematics, with a specialization in Statistics and a minor in education.

Both Departments currently have courses in place to support this training grant. The Department

of Mathematical Sciences offers courses in Mathematical Statistics, Non-parametric Statistics,Multivariate Statistics, Estimation, and Probability. The Department of Educational Psychology

offers coursework in Experimental Design, Structural Equation Modeling, Item ResponseTheory, Categorical Data Analysis, and Advanced Psychometrics. However, the two

departments typically work in isolation. What would be unique about this training program is

that students from both departments would come together in courses and seminars to focus oncomplex problems in Education.

Funding for faculty would be used to contribute to recruitment planning and implementation, as

well as to develop special seminars for fellowship students. These seminars would focus oncurrent topics in educational research, as well as supplement the current coursework with

additional methodological courses, such as Hierarchical Linear Modeling and Factor Analysis.

Due to the urban focus of our institution and the relationships we have established with the

Milwaukee Community, students would also be provided with the opportunity to consult with

various local entities on topics of educational importance. These entities include the MilwaukeePublic School District, the Consulting Office for Research & Evaluation, and the Office of

Charter Schools. This would provide them with hands on experience solving problems of

importance to educational policy makers in an urban district.

It is expected that students completing this fellowship program will have both the competency

and the training necessary to solve problems and conduct high quality research in education.