Xiaoyang Ye, Postdoctoral Research Associate, Brown University, presented work in progress at the Annenberg Institute at Brown University on November 30, 2021. The talk was part of Annenberg’s Education Policy Workshop Series, an hour-long “works in progress” seminar centered on empirical research related to education and education policy. Speakers come from a variety of disciplinary traditions, and the series welcomes faculty, postdocs, graduate students, and research staff from across the university who are interested in empirical research in education.

Katharine Meyer, Postdoctoral Researcher, Annenberg Institute at Brown University, presented work in progress at the Institute on February 23, 2021 in a virtual session. The talk was part of Annenberg’s Education Policy Workshop Series, an hour-long “works in progress” seminar centered on empirical research related to education and education policy. Speakers come from a variety of disciplinary traditions, and the series welcomes faculty, postdocs, graduate students, and research staff from across the university who are interested in empirical research in education.

Professional development and curriculum materials constitute two major vehicles for instructional innovation and improving student outcomes. Following calls in the early 2000s by influential scholars for stronger research into the impact of educational interventions, research portfolios at the Institute for Education Sciences (IES) and the National Science Foundation (NSF) began to reflect a growing interest in research methods that allow causal inference, and in using student outcomes as an indicator of program success. Dollars’ and scholars’ turn in this direction has resulted in a wealth of new studies in the past 15 years that permit rigorous empirical analyses linking program characteristics to student outcomes. Lynch will present a meta-analysis of preK-12 STEM instructional improvement programs, seeking to understand what content, formats, and activities lead to stronger student outcomes. This work is particularly timely, as the Every Student Succeeds Act requires that districts receiving Title I funds must adopt “evidence-based interventions,” including programs and strategies proven to be effective in raising student achievement.

Kathleen Lynch, Postdoctoral Fellow, Annenberg Institute at Brown University, presented “STEM Professional Development and Curriculum Improvement” at the Institute on April 11, 2019.

Alvin Christian, Research Analyst, Brown University, presented work in progress at the Annenberg Institute at Brown University on February 19, 2019. The talk was part of Annenberg’s Education Policy Workshop Series, an hour-long “works in progress” seminar centered on empirical research related to education and education policy. Speakers come from a variety of disciplinary traditions, and the series welcomes faculty, postdocs, graduate students, and research staff from across the university who are interested in empirical research in education.

The talk examined when school funding matters for Black-White inequality in educational achievement. Emily Rauscher, Assistant Professor of Sociology, Brown University, presented “When Does Money Matter? School Funding and Black-White Inequality of Educational Achievement” at the Annenberg Institute at Brown University on October 22, 2019. The talk was part of Annenberg’s Education Policy Workshop Series, an hour-long “works in progress” seminar centered on empirical research related to education and education policy. Speakers come from a variety of disciplinary traditions, and the series welcomes faculty, postdocs, graduate students, and research staff from across the university who are interested in empirical research in education.

As districts, schools, and families navigate a new normal following the abrupt end of in-person schooling this spring, students’ learning opportunities vary enormously across the nation. Access to devices and broadband internet and a secure learning environment are just a few of the many significant barriers to learning students now face.Given these challenges, what can the research evidence tell us about how schools can provide high-quality distance and blended learning during the pandemic?Join us for a lively discussion moderated by Education Week’s Stephen Sawchuk. The panel will draw on the evidence in the new EdResearch for Recovery brief, “Improving the Quality of Distance and Blended Learning.”

This event took place on January 22, 2021 as a virtual session.

The talk examined gangs and student outcomes in a large urban district. Jesse Bruhn, Assistant Professor of Economics, Brown University, presented “Gangs and Student Outcomes in a Large Urban District” at the Annenberg Institute at Brown University on October 25, 2022. The talk was part of Annenberg’s Education Policy Workshop Series, an hour-long “works in progress” seminar centered on empirical research related to education and education policy. Speakers come from a variety of disciplinary traditions, and the series welcomes faculty, postdocs, graduate students, and research staff from across the university who are interested in empirical research in education.

Film Screening at 3pm in the Joukowsky Forum, 111 Thayer Street. Panel discussion at 5pm via webinar, register here. 

The panel discussion will also be projected in the Joukowsky Forum following the screening.

Join the Watson Institute's John F. Kennedy Jr. Initiative for Documentary Film and Social Progress for a discussion with Debbie Lum '91, director and producer of Try Harder!, and two of the film's subjects, Rachael Schmidt '21, a recent Brown grad now pursuing an MD-PhD, and Richard Shapiro, recently retired Physics and AP Physics teacher at Lowell H.S.

Moderated by Susanna Loeb, director of the Annenberg Institute for School Reform at Brown University.

About the film:

At Lowell High School, the top public high school in San Francisco, the seniors are stressed out. As they prepare for the emotionally draining college application process, students are keenly aware of the intense competition for the few open spots in their dream colleges. At Lowell—where cool kids are nerds, nearly everyone has an amazing talent, and most of the student body is Asian American—the things that usually make a person stand out can feel commonplace. With humor and heart, director Debbie Lum captures the reality of the American college application process and the intersection of class, race, and educational opportunity as young adults navigate a quintessential rite of passage.

Watch the trailer here.

The John F. Kennedy Jr. Initiative for Documentary Film and Social Progress

Debbie Lum is an award-winning San Francisco-based filmmaker whose projects give voice to the Asian American experience and other unsung stories. SEEKING ASIAN FEMALE, her feature-length directing debut premiered at SXSW, aired on PBS' Independent Lens and won numerous awards, including Best of Fest (Silverdocs), Best Feature Documentary (CAAMFest) and Outstanding Director (Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival). It was also profiled on PRI’s This American Life. The film was a “fan favorite” on PBS and alongside its broadcast premiere, Lum launched theyreallysobeautiful.com, a companion website and 5-part short video series about race and dating.

Previously she worked as a documentary editor; her editing credits include A.K.A DON BONUS (winner, National Emmy), KELLY LOVES TONY (nominee, IDA Best Documentary), which she also co-produced and TO YOU SWEETHEART, ALOHA (winner, Audience Award, VC LA Film Festival). She has also written and directed several short comedies, CHINESE BEAUTY, A GREAT DEAL! and ONE APRIL MORNING, which screened at the San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival among many others. She has an M.F.A in Cinema from San Francisco State University, a B.A. in Religious Studies from Brown University and completed the CPB Producer’s Workshop at WGBH.

Rachael Schmidt graduated from Lowell High School (‘2017). At Lowell, she was a member of Shield and Scroll honor society, and an editor-in-chief for the school newspaper “The Lowell.” While attending a high school summer program at Harvard, she developed a passion for biology. In 2021, she graduated with honors from Brown University with a Bachelor of Sciences in biology. She is currently working as a neuroscience research associate at UCSF and hopes to pursue an MD-PhD.

Richard Shapiro taught math and science in the San Francisco unified school district from 1985, and Physics and AP Physics at Lowell high school from 1990 to 2021. At Lowell he initiated a computer-based laboratory program, got accreditation for Lowell’s AP Physics courses, and co-founded in 2010, with his former student, Julia Ye, the Lowell Science Research Program at UCSF. Over 1000 students have participated in this collaboration with UCSF, with a select number performing science research at UCSF, and receiving National recognition for their research. He has been nominated for teacher of the year for Northern California and for San Francisco. He is eternally grateful to his students and colleagues at Lowell who have provided for him the most rewarding, creative and meaningful professional experience imaginable.

Debbie Lum, director and producer of Try Harder!, with moderator Susanna Loeb, Director of the Annenberg Institute, presented “Try Harder! Screening and Panel Discussion” at the Annenberg Institute at Brown University on April 27, 2022.

Jonathan Collins, Assistant Professor of Education, Brown University, presented work in progress at the Annenberg Institute at Brown University on October 6, 2020 in a virtual session. The talk was part of Annenberg’s Education Policy Workshop Series, an hour-long “works in progress” seminar centered on empirical research related to education and education policy. Speakers come from a variety of disciplinary traditions, and the series welcomes faculty, postdocs, graduate students, and research staff from across the university who are interested in empirical research in education.

In July 2020, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine released the report Reopening K-12 Schools During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Prioritizing Health, Equity, and Communities. This webinar explores what we are learning about health and epidemiological issues as schools reopen for in-person education. Join the Board on Science Education and the Standing Committee on Emerging Infectious Diseases and 21st Century Health Threats as we consider emerging research and build deeper understanding of how COVID-19 is impacting schools and districts around the country.

Invited speakers include:

Preeti Malani, Infectious Diseases and Geriatric Medicine, University of Michigan

Nathaniel Schwartz, The Annenberg Institute, Brown University

Christina Silcox, Margolis Center for Health Policy, Duke University

Neeraj Sood, Schaeffer Center for Health Policy and Economics, University of Southern California

Event page

The sponsor of this webinar is the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response

This event took place on November 9, 2020 as a virtual session.