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Events Upcoming: Previous CLAS-network Major funding provided by: Roche Supplemental support provided by: HSBC Bank Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation The Hyde and Watson
Foundation |
Overview The Curriculum, Learning, and Assessment Studies (CLAS) Project is an integrated framework for K-16 research and professional development in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Through an on-line network, annual regional conference and workshop, and peer-reviewed journal, sponsors for the project seek to bring together educators in order to create a community of evidence-based best practices. As a forum for ideas offered by students, teachers, researchers, administrators, and policy makers, the project is informed by seven thematic areas: · Accreditation and accountability: Theme 1 addresses those aspects of curriculum learning, and assessment connected to the process of accreditation and its relationship to the measurement of the educational attainment; · Assessment systems and evaluation: Theme 2 emphasizes assessment frameworks as they are integrated in the service of student learning and its measurement; · Assessment in urban education settings: Theme 3 focuses on the urban environment and the unique opportunities it yields for evidence-centered curricular design; · STEM curricular design: Theme 4 centers on activities related to curricular design in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics; · Student learning assessment. Theme 5 attends to the design, implementation, reporting, and consequential validity of educational measurement; · Technology and assessment. Theme 6 treats the design, implementation, reporting, and consequential validity of technology-enabled assessments. · Writing, cognition, and STEM. Theme 7 integrates writing as a vehicle for those cognitive processes associated with the content areas of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. As the program grows in capacity, associates will provide a forum for in-depth discussion on the integration of instruction and assessment. The concept of a learning assessment system –an integrated vision education that obviates value dualisms that divide students, teachers, researchers, administrators, and policy makers—is at the center of a project that aims to place the student at the center of the urban educational experience. The CLAS project is unique in three ways: · The integrated vision ensures that the on-line network, annual regional conference, and peer-reviewed journal will be distinct due to its seven thematic areas. While many efforts at evidence-based curricular design and reform are often drawn from university researchers, the CLAS Project is centered on students as the object of attention. Embracing the concept of a teacher-researcher, those associated with the project will become committed to strengthening the distinct voice of urban educators so that useful findings can be adopted at specific institutional sites. ·
Within the CLAS integrative
framework, a wide variety of partners will be invited to participate in the
project. While Rutgers-Newark and UMDNJ are presently involved in
collaborative educational initiatives with NJIT, the Steering Committee will
also explore future partnerships with ·
·
Perhaps most
important, the project will use on-line, open source platforms for
collaboration among shareholders so that busy working professionals can
participate in asynchronous forums for their ideas. This on-line network will
be enhanced by the regional conference that will yield, over time, a
significant peer-reviewed journal—the Journal of Curriculum, Learning, and Assessment Studies—hosting
both print and new media research reporting frameworks. The unique combination of
vision, shareholders, and technology will provide a promising model for
conceptualizing 21st century learning assessment systems for urban
K-16 students. Steering Committee and Daily Operations To launch this model, we seek colleague with a known
dedication to research-based instruction that is student centered. The planned steering
committee of the project is listed below: ·
Jeffrey
R. Backstrand (Director of Research, Newark Schools
Research Collaborative) ·
Robert
Barat (Professor of Chemical Engineering, NJIT) ·
Joel
Bloom (President, ex officio, NJIT) ·
Bruce
Bukiet (Associate Professor of Mathematical
Sciences; PI, C2PRISM Project, NJIT) ·
Levelle
Burr-Alexander (Associate Director, K-20 Partnership, Center for ·
John
Carpinelli (Professor Electrical and Computer
Engineering; Director of the Center for ·
Fadi P. Deek (Acting Provost, NJIT;
Dean of the ·
Perry
Deess (Director, Institutional Research and
Planning, NJIT) ·
Norbert
Elliot (Chair, NJIT Self Study for Middle States Commission on Higher
Education; Professor of English) ·
Mary Fowles
(Principal Assessment Designer in the Assessment Division of Educational
Service, Educational Testing Service). ·
Blake
Haggerty (Assistant Director, Instructional ·
Emily
Isaacs (Associate Professor of English, Director of First-Year Writing, ·
Carol
Johnson (Associate Professor of English; Chair, Department of Humanities,
NJIT) ·
Jiyeon Lee (Instructional ·
James
Lipuma (Teacher Education Program Coordinator, NJIT) ·
Arthur
Powell (Associate Professor of Mathematics Education; Chair, Department of
Urban Education, Rutgers-Newark) ·
Alan
Sadovnik, (Professor of Education, Distinguished
Service Professor, Co-Director, Newark Schools Research Collaborative,
Rutgers-Newark) ·
Davida Scharf (Director of Reference,
Van Houten Library, NJIT) ·
Joelle J. Tutela,
(Director of the Urban Teacher Education Program, Department of Urban
Education, Rutgers-Newark) ·
Keith Williams (Instructional Designer, NJIT) |