Apply Now: AERA-GSU Conference on Professional Development Schools Research
The American Educational Research Association (AERA) Professional Development School Research Special Interest Group (SIG) in partnership with Georgia State University (GSU) has received a Research Conference Grant Award from AERA. The purpose of the grant award is to support a three-day conference in September of 2021 on advancing PDS research and creating a collaborative national research agenda. Researchers, scholars, scholar-practitioners and doctoral students from different regions of the country, representing diverse perspectives, and varied domains of inquiry will be invited to present their visions, views, theories, research and research approaches. The conference will be in-person at GSU and remote for a number of individuals starting on Friday, September 17 through Sunday, September 19.
The overarching goal of this groundbreaking conference is to explore and begin to articulate a national research agenda that will not only foster greater collaboration and coordination among researchers and practitioners but also lead to improved quality research in and on PDSs as a subset of school-university partnerships. In addition to articulating an initial national research agenda, the intended outcomes of the conference will include a book, a review of a new partnership inventory instrument, and a recorded interview with a nationally acclaimed scholar or researcher. The individuals who are invited to participate in the conference will be offered opportunities to participate in research project(s) that will be conducted after the conference.
We encourage all interested parties to peruse the “call” for more specific information and application requirements. Also, we encourage applications from individuals representing traditionally marginalized groups. We seek to form a rich mixture of researchers and scholar- practitioners representative of different disciplines, levels of experience, race, gender, ethnicity and geography. We also ask that you distribute this announcement and call to any of your colleagues who may be interested in applying as a participant for this pioneering conference. The application deadline has been extended April 2, 2021.
AERA-GSU PDS Research Conference Committee:
Susan Ogletree, PhD (PI)
Georgia State University
Gwen Benson, PhD (CoPI)
Georgia State University
Rebecca West Burns, PhD (CoPI)
University of South Florida
William Curlette, PhD (CoPI)
Georgia State University
Janna Dresden, PhD (CoPI)
George Mason University
Joseph Feinberg, PhD (CoPI)
Georgia State University
Linda A. Catelli, EdD (CoPI)
City University of New York/Queens College
Eligibility: Individuals applying must have –
- At least a master’s degree in a discipline, field or some area of study in education, or an area related to education.
- Conducted a research or action research/inquiry study in or on a PDS partnership, or any other type of collaboration, e.g., Community-School Partnerships.
- Working knowledge of one or more types of research (e.g., quantitative; qualitative) or research methodologies and approaches (e.g., designed-based research; longitudinal).
- Participated in a SUP or PDS partnership or other collaborative arrangements (e.g., Research-Practice Partnerships).
Expectations: Individuals applying must commit to:
- Participate in a three-day (September 17-19, 2021) in-person or remote research conference held at GSU. There will be 25 individuals selected from the pool of applicants who will be invited to partake in the conference as a “participant” in either an in-person or remote mode. All other applicants are invited to attend the conference in a remote mode.
- Prepare and present (if selected as a participant) a paper/presentation for a plenary session that represents the individual’s vision or views, along with any theory, research or research approaches for advancing partnership research. Note – A limited number of papers will be selected for publication in a book.
- Read, prior to the conference, two to three common readings, along with a set of prepared papers/presentations that will be given by participants during “plenary” and “working seminar” sessions of the conference.
- Collaborate with other participants in a team arrangement during working seminar sessions to build capacity and create an initial collaborative national research agenda.
- Participate with others in an agreed-upon research project(s) after the conference.
Financial Support: There are limited funds available for travel and/or other expenses for those individuals who are selected to participate in-person at the three-day conference at GSU.
The application deadline has been extended to April 2, 2021 and successful applications will be announced on Monday, May 3, 2021. Apply now.
Rebecca Burns is associate professor, University of South Florida and president-elect of National Association of Professional Development Schools (NAPDS).
