Current Projects

Learning Leadership: Kernel Routines for Instructional Improvement
The Learning Walk routine, developed by the Institute for Learning (IFL) at the University of Pittsburgh, is a form of “walkthrough” or “learning walk” practice in which school leaders conduct brief classroom visits on a regular basis for the purpose of observing classroom instruction.  The purpose of this research is to assess the efficacy of The Learning Walk routine, structured by IFL as a strategy for developing school leaders that centers on developing leadership practice through the structured and scaffolded implementation of a kernel organizational routine. Funded by the National Center for Education Research (2010-2014, Co-PI: Richard Correnti).

Algebra: A Challenge at the Crossroads of Policy and Practice
This project is an investigation of (a) the policy demands within which the call for early algebra is rooted; (b) the ways in which the problem is currently being addressed by states, districts, schools and teachers; and (c) the effect on students’ opportunities to learn algebra of the activities that are continually being put into place to deal with the problem. Despite scores of policy documents and increasing numbers of studies on early algebra, a clear and useful synthesis of where we are and what needs to be done next is not available. The purpose of this project is to assess and report what is known and what needs to be known about the "Algebra Problem" in order to mount an effective response to this challenge. Funded by National Science Foundation (2010-2011, PI: Mary Kay Stein).

Assessing Instructional Content and Interactions ’At-Scale’
This project examines the relationship between teacher instructional quality, student achievement, and the distribution of learning opportunities. Instruction will be measured through the content of daily logs and the ratings of assignment quality. These instructional measures will be used to predict differences in student achievement and learning outcomes. Project funded by the Spencer Foundation and the W.T. Grant Foundation (2008-2011).

21st Century Center for Cognition and Science Instruction (CaSE)
CaSE will apply recent innovations in the cognitive science of learning to systematically improve both hands-on science curricula and textbook curricula. Impact of these modifications will be assessed both on a small scale looking at the micro-structure of classrooms and on a large scale through a random-control trial involving 180 middle schools in three states. Project funded by the Institute for Education Sciences (2008-2012).

Cohesive Leadership System Study
This study is designed to understand and assess factors associated with the development of cohesive school leadership programs. The project will document the development and implementation of cohesive leadership systems in 10 states and 15 districts within those states. Project funded by the Wallace Foundation.

Content-Focused Coaching for High Quality Reading Instruction
This project is a longitudinal randomized controlled trial designed to investigate the effect of a literacy coach training program on reading comprehension instruction and student learning in the upper elementary grades. Project funded by the Institute of Education Sciences (2006-2010).

Scaling Up Mathematics
The purpose of this study is to identify the learning demands on teachers of various standards-based elementary mathematics curricula and to examine the relationship between those demands and district strategy, teacher human and social capital, instruction, and student achievement. Project funded by the National Science Foundation (2003-2008).

Meta-Study of the Relationship Between Research and Practice
The MetaStudy focuses on ways in which the relationship between research and educational practice can be productively reconfigured. The approach is to empirically study nationally visible research-and-development projects that embody promising integrations of research and practice (e.g., the National Writing Project, Success for All, Lesson Study) and to extract lessons that can guide policymakers, funders and researchers. Project funded by the MacArthur Foundation.

Implementing Standards Based Accountability
A longitudinal study in California, Pennsylvania, and Georgia is being conducted in order to assess the impact of standards-basedaccountability (SBA) on math and science instruction and achievement.This project seeks to identify factors that enhance implementation ofSBA, foster positive changes in school and classroom practice, andpromote improved student achievement. Project funded by the Interagency Education Research Initiative (IERI).

City as Learning Lab (CaLL)
CaLL is a unique research and development community that will study three related robotic technology learning programs. This project willdevelop research findings and a set of design resources that will help informal learning organizations create and sustain programs that userobotic technologies to facilitate fluency in public program audiences.Project funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF).

Educational Ecology of Pittsburgh
This is an exploratory study examining how connections between the formal educational system and informal non-system actors shape educational priorities and practices in the region. A strategic set of case studies are used to assess the structures, connections, and policies that define the relationship between formal and informal actors. Project funded by the Learning Research and Development Center (2008-2010).

Not Kid Stuff Anymore? Institutional Change in Kindergarten Education
This study explores the extent to which kindergartens have shifted from a development model emphasizing social skills and play to a year of formal academic instruction. It illuminates how shifting conceptions of appropriate kindergarten education and state and local policies influence kindergarten teachers instructional practices. Project funded by the Spencer Foundation (2006-2007).

Regional Education Indicators
This project was established in order to develop a viable set of education indicators for the greater Pittsburgh region. The project will collect information on 130 school districts in southwestern Pennsylvania, 8 school districts in West Virginia, and 15 school districts in Ohio. The education indicators will include traditional input/output variables such as school finances and achievement scores, but also process variables. Process variables address the daily work of teachers and students inside schools and classrooms as well as decisions regarding how and what resources become available. This project will yield a rich source of data among schools and districts that can be explicitly used by educators and policy makers to enact beneficial change. Project partnership with Pittsburgh Today.