Calling All PreK-12 Changemakers! Join Us as We Map the Education Research and Development Field!
Update as of November 1, 2022: Read more about Our Emerging Ecosystem Map on Education R&D and collaborate here.
There are multitudes of educators, researchers, developers and others across the education sector identifying core principles of how students learn and under what conditions. They are working to translate that knowledge into practices, approaches, and tools for practical use in PreK-12 learning contexts. Unfortunately, these leaders are often operating in separate cohorts or contingents, or even in silos. Today the Advanced Education Research and Development Fund (AERDF) is launching a survey that will help us connect the sector in a whole new way.
The purpose of this survey is to gather input that allows us to co-create a first-of-its-kind map of the education R&D ecosystem in the United States that will outline who is working in the ecosystem, where they are working, and what they are working on. Information collected through this survey will be used to generate the map and deepen our shared understanding of the ecosystem.
We aim for the map to be an inclusive and comprehensive tool available for public use that will help to increase our collective impact on student learning by avoiding duplicative efforts, bridging gaps, opening opportunities to find others doing complementary work, and identifying new areas to begin new work.
The survey will be open until June 24. At the conclusion of the survey, we’ll go through multiple rounds of insight gathering, feedback collection, and drafting of maps before we get to a final published version. Building the map is an iterative process, and there will be opportunities for you to engage and share your perspective along the way.
AERDF is leading the co-creation of this map with stakeholders across the field. We are grateful to the thought partnership and guidance of a diverse team of Pre-K12 education leaders serving on an Ecosystem Mapping Council. Council members bring deep and varied expertise across the field and are acting as advisors to AERDF throughout the ecosystem mapping process. Additionally, the Starfish Institute are trusted partners in this process.
As we’ve engaged the Council in this effort, they have elevated ideas, concerns, and hopes for what will emerge from this project. Below two of our Ecosystem Mapping Council Members weigh in about why they joined the Council, what excites them most about the map, and how the map can be used across sectors:
“I saw this as an opportunity to assist in creating a way for educational practitioners and supporters to navigate the wide and overwhelming landscape of research and application services out there. As someone in the field, supporting schools in finding resources and vetting research that aligns with various school models and specialties, I can understand the necessity and use of the education research and development ecosystem map.” Velia Soto, Senior Director of Curriculum and Assessment at Accelerate Institute
“At the end of the day, we as humans are all connected. In a similar way, I think it would be highly beneficial to understand how all the orgs are connected. Particularly in the last few years where we’ve had to be home for a long time, this is a great way to exchange ideas and learnings from one another.” Rahul Kalita, Co-Founder of Tutored by Teachers
Contribute to the ecosystem map by sharing the work you are doing in education R&D through this survey.
