Evaluative Research Capacity Building in the Mississippi Delta

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The purpose of this project is to develop an interest in and capacity for evaluative studies of critical STEM issues among faculty at five regional colleges in the Mississippi Delta, including three Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). These colleges were chosen because, although they graduate most of the teachers and administrators working in the Delta schools, the graduates l have not been routinely involved in the comprehensive evaluation of STEM policies and practices. Of particular importance for these personnel are issues surrounding student assessment and performance, especially in light of new stringent assessment guidelines. The project will prepare faculty to investigate large-scale student assessment issues through the development of a faculty professional "learning community" mentored by nationally recognized evaluators/ researchers. These mentors will serve initially as instructors and later as collaborators/consultants to the faculty members as they design and implement research proposals on issues in student learning through current high stakes testing and accountability procedures.