Transcript NSB second version

Science of Learning Centers
Program Overview
Nanoscale Science and Engineering Grantees Conference
December 7-9, 2009
Soo-Siang Lim Ph.D
Lead Program Director and Chair of Coordinating Committee
Science of Learning Centers Program
How humans, other animals and
machines learn
 Complexity
 Scope and scale
 Cross-disciplinary
 Longitudinal studies
Centers provide enduring intellectual,
organizational and physical infrastructure
Science of Learning Centers
Transformative advances through integrated
research on learning
 Connections to scientific, educational,
technological and workforce challenges
Connecting basic science to
education research and practice
 Stable, long term partnerships of researchers and teachers that:
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Better alignment of research agendas to education issues
Bring teacher input to research - career development
Enable longitudinal studies of learning trajectories
Build capacities of a new generation of scientist educators
 Evaluation over long term and development of standards for quality
control.
Connecting Research and Educational
Practice:
An Implementation Loop
Research
Research
on Learning
Use-inspired Research
on
Learning
Development
Small Scale
Implementation
Dissemination,
Awareness
Strategic Partnerships
Infrastructure
Workforce Preparation
Large Scale
Implementation
Current SLC Portfolio
2004 Cohort
2006 Cohort
 CELEST: Center of
Excellence for Learning in
Engineering, Science and
Technology (Boston U)
 SILC: Spatial Intelligence
and Learning Center
(Temple U)
 LIFE: Learning in Informal and
Formal Environments (U of
Washington)
 TDLC: Temporal Dynamics
of Learning Center
(UC-San Diego)
 PSLC: Pittsburgh Science of
Learning Center (CarnegieMellon U)
 VL2: Visual Language and
Learning Center
(Gallaudet U)
More than Science at SLCs
• Knowledge Transfer and Dissemination
• Educational practice
• Industry
• Integration of Research and Education
• Broadening Participation and Outreach
• Infrastructure
Integration of Research and Education
 Enhanced research and education opportunities
 Center-inspired new coursework CELEST
 Cross-discipline mentoring of students
 Annual SLC Student workshop, visits to other centers, student Wiki
 Enhanced understanding of research connections to societal impacts
 Active engagement of students and faculty in partnerships withK-12
schools and practitioners
 Development of curriculum materials
 Workshops involving K-12 teachers
 Industry Internships (CELEST, LIFE, PSLC)
 Enhancement of career skills
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Proposal for SLC student workshop is student-driven (PSLC, LIFE)
Leadership and organizational skills in active student organizations
Working in cross-disciplinary teams, cyber-enabled research
Entrepreneurship (CELEST)
A new generation of researchers in multidisciplinary science of learning
Broadening Participation
 Science that explores issues that affect participation rates
 VL2 : sign language and literacy, new generation of deaf
scholars
 SILC: low spatial skills and relatedness to gender and low
SES
 LIFE: Bilingual research and education – Spanish/English
 TDLC, CELEST: Improving life chances of disabled
 Female-led Centers
 Women leaders – SILC, LIFE, CELEST
 Outreach to Underrepresented populations
 Partnerships with minority serving public schools, colleges
 CELEST: SACNAS
Infrastructure
 Cyber-enabled learning in classrooms (PSLC,
LIFE)
 Cyber-enabled research on learning (PSLC,
TDLC)
 New tools for research (TDLC, PSLC, LIFE, VL2)
 New resources for standardization and
assessment (VL2, SILC)
 New Tools for education (TDLC, PSLC)
 New Tools for outreach (TDLC)
 New models for collaborative, scientific
integration (TDLC)
Locations of SLC Centers &
Partner Institutions
LIFE
SILC
TDLC
VL2
CELEST
PSLC
SLC Network of Six Centers
Another Level of
Collaboration, Synergy & Synthesis
 Across centers in research, training, knowledge transfer
and dissemination
 Timely exchanges coordinated via a web of:
 30+ academic institutions
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60+ non-academic institutions
More than 300 participants
 PI meetings
 Workshops
 Language Learning and Education
 Science and Engineering of Learning
 Educational Neuroscience
 Art, Creativity and Learning