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Directorate
for Education and Human Resources
Division of Research, Evaluation, and Communication
The Division of Research, Evaluation,
and Communication (REC) seeks to:
- advance research on science, technology, engineering, and
mathematics (STEM) education and improve evaluative research on STEM
education programs;
- increase the capacity of the field to conduct high-quality,
innovative, useful, and credible STEM education evaluation or research
studies; and
- increase the capacity of STEM education researchers and
STEM education program evaluators to communicate the results of their
research.
 For
More Information
Write to the Division of Research, Evaluation, and Communication (REC),
National Science Foundation, 4201 Wilson Boulevard, Room 855, Arlington,
VA 22230; or contact the division by telephone, 703-292-8650; or by e-mail, REC@nsf.gov;
or visit the REC home page, http://www.ehr.nsf.gov/EHR/REC.
1. Research on Learning and Education (ROLE)
The ROLE Program supports research across a continuum that includes
(1) the biological basis of human learning; (2) behavioral, cognitive,
affective, and social aspects of human learning; (3) science, technology,
engineering, and mathematics (STEM) learning in formal and informal educational
settings; and (4) changing educational systems to improve STEM learning.
ROLE aims to advance the knowledge base within and across the intersections
of these multidisciplinary areas.
2. Evaluative Research and Evaluation Capacity Building (EREC)
The EREC Program supports projects that offer unique approaches to
evaluation practice in the generation of knowledge for the science, technology,
engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education community, and for broad
policymaking within research and education enterprises. EREC also supports
projects to increase the capacity of the field to conduct high-quality,
innovative, useful, and credible STEM education evaluation studies.
3. Crosscutting Programs and Activities
REC participates in several of NSF’s crosscutting activities,
including interdisciplinary programs, programs that are supported by
multiple NSF Directorates, international activities, and programs jointly
supported by NSF and other federal agencies. The primary REC crosscutting
activities are listed alphabetically below.
- Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER)—The CAREER
Program recognizes and supports the early career development activities
of those teacher-scholars who are most likely to become the academic
leaders of the 21st century. CAREER proposals are welcome in the research
areas identified in the unified EREC-ROLE program announcement, available
through the NSF Online Document System at http://www.nsf.gov/pubsys/ods/getpub.cfm?nsf03542.
CAREER proposals may also address the research questions or areas of
interest identified by other EHR Divisions and programs. Frequently
asked questions about CAREER can be found at http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2003/nsf03031/nsf03031.htm.
For more information, visit the CAREER Program Web site, http://www.nsf.gov/home/crssprgm/career/start.htm.
- Information
Technology Research (ITR)—Information technology
(IT) today is an essential ingredient in research, technology, education,
and other societal endeavors. REC’s share of the multi-NSF Directorate/multi-federal
agency Information Technology Research (ITR) Initiative focuses on support
for basic research to advance knowledge for education and workforce development.
For more information, visit the ITR Initiative Web site, http://www.itr.nsf.gov.
- Interagency
Education Research Initiative (IERI)—The
goal of IERI—supported jointly by the Institute of Education Sciences,
the National Science Foundation (represented by REC), and the National
Institute of Child Health and Human Development—is to support scientific
research that investigates the effectiveness of educational interventions
in reading, mathematics, and the sciences as they are implemented in
varied school settings with diverse student populations. For more information, see NSF's IERI program solicitation at http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2004/nsf04553/nsf04553.htm; or visit the Department of Education's Web site, http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ies/index.html.
- Small Business Innovation
Research (SBIR)—SBIR is government-wide
program intended to stimulate technological innovation; use small-business
concerns to meet federal research and development (R&D) needs; foster
and encourage the participation of minority and disadvantaged persons
in technological innovation; and increase the commercialization by the
private sector of innovations resulting from federal R&D. The primary
objective of the NSF SBIR Program is to increase incentive and opportunity
for small firms to undertake cutting-edge, high-risk, high-quality scientific,
engineering, or science/engineering education research that would have
a high potential economic payoff if the research is successful. For more
information, visit the SBIR Program Web site, http://www.eng.nsf.gov/sbir.
4. Technical Assistance Contracts for Assessment, Evaluation and Communication
of EHR’s Programs and Activities
REC funds contracts that analyze the development, implementation, and
impact of programming across the EHR Directorate and coordinates with
other federal agencies engaged in similar science, technology, engineering,
and mathematics education program or project evaluation. The Directory
of Evaluation Contractors Home Page lists contact information for current
prime and subcontractors and is available on the Evaluation and Communication
Program Web site, http://www.ehr.nsf.gov/rec/programs/evaluation.
Contracted activities include program assessment, improvement, accountability,
and generation and systematization of knowledge to benefit NSF. NSF’s
Contracts Branch is responsible for planning, solicitation, negotiation,
award, and administration of all such contracts. Interested outside organizations,
including for-profit businesses, universities, and other nonprofits and
professional associations, should monitor monthly postings to the NSF’s
Contracting Opportunities page.
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