Eduventures Schools of Education Learning Collaborative

The Eduventures Schools of Education Learning Collaborative (SOE-LC) is a member-based research consortium designed to help schools of education leaders address ongoing challenges for reform regarding standards, curriculum, funding, and other areas. Eduventures understands the importance of assisting schools of education leaders to establish benchmarks, create transparency, and demonstrate the impact of their programs. Eduventures provides insight and direction to identify best management practices; benchmark performance; and improve core processes through research, analysis, and networking opportunities.

The SOE-LC provides Collaborative Research, Custom Analysis, Annual Member Meetings, and other opportunities for interactions with our analysts as well as decision-makers at peer institutions. Research is organized into four themes: serving students, recruiting and retaining faculty, demonstrating accountability, and streamlining operations.

Each year, the Schools of Education Learning Collaborative (SOE-LC) undertakes two major Collaborative Research investigations to examine issues of importance to the entire membership. These member-driven investigations are developed and executed among the membership, with SOE-LC members may also assist in these projects by providing survey lists, benchmark data, and best practices examples.

Recent and upcoming Collaborative Research topics include:

Common Indicators for Schools of Education
This study reviews state and federal policies that impact schools of education, school of education characteristics, and outcomes measures in use or being developed – all with the purpose of understanding the impact that the regulatory environment and institution characteristics have on student outcomes. The findings of this study will help SOE members understand how their state policy environment differs from other states, how their program offerings, faculty, and students fit into the national context, and to identify innovative outcomes measures, assessments, and processes. By providing an in-depth examination of these issues, this research will enable SOE members to influence policy-makers, benchmark against other peers, and consider the utility of various outcomes measures.

Assessing Effective P-12 Partnerships
This case analysis project focuses on examining members’ partnerships with local P-12 schools. The investigation assesses the impact of members’ programs on pupil performance at their partner schools and describes how data on pupil performance can be used to improve members’ programs. The results of this investigation are designed to assist members in identifying promising practices for achieving increased pupil performance and in demonstrating the impact of programming to university leaders, policy-makers, and other external constituencies.

Some examples of topics covered by Custom Analysis include:

Serving Students

• Creating Professional Development Offerings to Serve Regional School Districts
• Assessing Student Demand for an Online Master’s Degree in Education

Recruiting and Retaining Faculty

• Common Indicators and Benchmarks of Faculty Productivity

Streamlining Operations

• Identification of Best Practices in Marketing, Enrollment, and Recruiting
• Structuring Research Support Services for Faculty and Students

Demonstrating Accountability

• Measuring Teacher Success – A Review of the Field
• Alumni Success in the Workplace – How are We Doing?