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Office of Educational Research

Mission

The Office of Educational Research (OER) in the College of Education (COE) at the University of Florida serves as a champion of COE faculty scholarship. OER supports the COE’s mission of advancing educational outcomes for all learners and advocates for research that addresses critical educational and societal needs. Supporting faculty to pursue external funding is a primary role of OER, and in doing so, the OER team is committed to principles of equity and excellence in the services OER provides.

Research

With progressive leadership, the college continues to enhance its educational research infrastructure to pursue new external funding opportunities for faculty research. The OER successfully fuels research enterprise and external funding by providing pre- and post-award support to faculty. The OER also coordinates interdisciplinary efforts among COE faculty, UF faculty, and other local, regional, and national stakeholders.

Faculty Development

The OER facilitates faculty professional development by managing research- and instruction-based training in areas such as research design, quantitative and qualitative analyses procedures, and project management. The OER also provides support for faculty to disseminate research findings and manages the faculty award process, particularly related to acquiring seed money for external funding.

Capital Needs Form
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Proposal Support

The OER supports the development of grant proposals from start to finish. OER staff help facilitate the submission process through the appropriate mechanisms and serve as liaison to various university offices such as the Division of Sponsored Programs, Contracts and Grants, and Institutional Review Board. OER staff also can assist with project design and budget development, provide feedback on proposal drafts, and prepare tables, figures, reference lists, and appendices.

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Research Communications

This resource is dedicated to keeping our faculty informed and supported in their research endeavors. Stay updated with critical announcements, policy guidelines, and submission procedures to streamline your grant and contract processes. Access valuable tools such as our OER Top Ten Reminders, Capital Needs Form, and regular publications like the Research Bulletin and Funding and Award Opportunities.

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Faculty Development

This curated collection of materials is designed to empower faculty and researchers with tools to enhance their scholarship, navigate research procedures, and craft successful proposals. Explore our training materials, presentations, and handouts to advance your research and contribute to educational innovation.

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About Our Services

The Office of Educational Research (OER) supports and develops research, training, and service activities for faculty as follows:

Identify funding sources and promote research activities

  • Search for and disseminate relevant funding opportunities through OER’s weekly Funding and Award Opportunities and monthly Research Bulletin newsletters.
  • Connect faculty with select funding opportunities aligning with their research agendas.
  • Assist faculty to acquire seed funds for external funding such as the Research Opportunity Seed Fund (ROSF).

Support development & submission of proposals

  • Provide consultation to help guide principal investigators (PIs) through the proposal submission process.
  • Review requests for proposals (RFPs) to assist with funding agency requirements.
  • Meet individually with faculty to discuss the alignment of their research ideas with targeted funding opportunities.
  • Support faculty in responding to inquiries or requests from funding agencies for proposals under review.
  • Provide samples of successful proposals and present suggestions for project design.
  • Assess cost-sharing requests and coordinate sub-contract processes, as needed.
  • Provide support for the development of various proposal components (e.g., budgets)
  • Perform UFIRST uploads.
  • Serve as a liaison with various University offices (e.g., Division of Sponsored Programs, Contracts and Grants, Institutional Review Board, Provost’s Office) and funding agencies.

Build collaborative research teams

  • Develop cross-departmental and cross-university collaborative teams.
  • Establish and sustain strategic partnerships.

Provide research coordination support funded by and for active grants

  • Assist the PI to monitor progress, identify and resolve barriers to progress, and make any necessary adjustments to scope and timeline.
  • Coordinate data collection activities (e.g., help recruit and communicate with research participants, plan for interviews, coordinate survey logistics, create project timelines).
  • Maintain project compliance with regulations and policies (federal, state, university, sponsors) and assist in the creation/renewal of IRB protocols.

Provide faculty professional development (PD) opportunities

  • Encourage faculty participation in both internal and external PD opportunities.
  • Introduce new faculty to COE resources to develop their academic portfolios.
  • Provide training opportunities and resources to support research (i.e., research design, quantitative and qualitative analyses).
  • Facilitate professionalization events (e.g., All Things Pre- and Post-Award, Brown Bag Series, COE’s Endowed Professorship Speaker Series).

Facilitate faculty award, tenure, and promotion processes

  • Provide support for faculty applications to select internal and external awards (e.g., UF Distinguished Professor, Rosser Educator Excellence Award, Kubiak Term Professor).
  • Offer guidance and resources to faculty undergoing faculty processes (e.g., tenure, promotion, post-tenure review).