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Research Spotlight: Melissa Mariani

Q & A with Melissa Mariani, Ph. D., Associate Professor in the School of Human Development and Organizational Studies in Education

What research are you currently working on?

I recently completed an American School Counselor Association (ASCA) Research grant that examined the impact of improving counselor-to-student ratios in high-need, Title I schools. This study, conducted through a partnership between at my prior university and a large, neighboring school district, analyzed de-identified, retrospective student data in schools where bilingual/bicultural (ESOL/ELL) counselors who completed school counseling degrees between 2001 to 2019 were placed. The findings revealed that lower counselor-to-student ratios were associated with significant improvements in student attendance, behavior, and academic achievement. The results will be published in an ASCA Research Report by the end of the year, and further analysis is planned for submission to a peer-reviewed journal.

Read more →

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Calling all Social and Behavioral Scientists: Accelerating Research through International Network-to-Network Collaborations Funding Opportunity

Accelerating Research through International Network-to-Network Collaborations (AccelNet) is a program in the National Science Foundation’s (NSF) Office of International Science and Engineering that funds international networking and research coordination activity to advance progress on grand research challenges in any scientific discipline funded by existing NSF programs. The program is particularly interested in receiving proposals from social science and educational fields. Virtual office hours will be held in May 2024. Full proposals are due the third Monday of September annually, with the next deadline being September 16, 2024. For more information, please visit the AccelNet program page.

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EDU 2024 Spring Advisory Committee Meeting

The EDU 2024 Advisory Committee Meeting will be held from May 29-30, 2024. The theme of this year’s meeting centers rural and remote communities with a specific examination of how STEM education and workforce opportunities can be unleashed. This two-day conference will include six breakout sessions including but not limited to sessions addressing rural STEM education and workforce development and the impacts of EDU investments. The meeting will be held in person at the NSF Headquarters or virtually via Zoom. To register for this year’s conference, please visit the registration link.

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Announcing the Launch of an RFI on AI-Powered Innovations in Mathematics Teaching and Learning

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is launching a Request for Information (RFI) on AI-Powered Innovations in Mathematics Teaching & Learning. Specifically, this RFI seeks to (1) highlight innovative AI approaches in K-12 mathematics teaching and learning, and (2) help leaders in K-12 education better understand AI in education. Please submit ideas through this RFI link by May 20, 2024, and direct any questions to Math.AI@gatesfoundation.org.

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New Training Requirement for NSF Investigators

Effective May 20, 2024, the National Science Foundation (NSF) populations that are required to be trained in the Responsible and Ethical Conduct of Research (RECR) is expanded to include faculty and other senior/key personnel (PAPPG 24-1). More information regarding the required trainings are as follows:

  1. Training will be offered through CITI, take approximately 4- 6 hours to complete, and may be completed in multiple sessions. To access CITI, follow the instructions on this site: https://research.ufl.edu/rcr/rcr-training/citi-rcr-training/.
  2. Beginning June 1, 2024, NSF Senior/Key Personnel who are supported by NSF but who have not completed the training will receive an email reminder of this training requirement and links to CITI.
  3. Beginning October 1, 2024, the Division of Sponsored Programs will not set up an NSF-funded award until all UF Senior/Key Personnel have completed the required training. The training completion date for each person will automatically populate in UFIRST.

All processes regarding NSF-supported undergraduate students, graduate students, and postdoctoral researchers (for whom the training requirement has been in effect for over a decade) will continue, and notifications related to those training requirements will continue uninterrupted.

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From the IES Director: Statistically Significant Doesn’t Mean Meaningful

American Statistical Association Releases Statement on Statistical Significance and p-Values.

The American Statistical Association (ASA) has released a statement on statistical significance and p-values, outlining six principles of proper use and p-value interpretation. For example, p-values and tests of statistical significance do not determine the size of an effect or whether a difference is educationally meaningful. The ASA releases this guidance on p-values to improve the conduct and interpretation of quantitative science and to inform the growing emphasis on the reproducibility of scientific research. For additional information, please contact Brian Gill (bgill@mathematica-mpr.com) to discuss how Bayesian statistics can lead to better understanding of recent National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) results while moving the field away from the p<.05 bright line that leads to misinterpretations.

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Invitation to Participate in the 2024 COE Research Symposium – Inspiring Innovation in Education Research

Dear UF College of Education students, faculty, and staff, the upcoming College of Education Research Symposium is set to take place on March 28, 2024 from 2:00 PM – 6:00 PM in the COE Conference Center. This year’s theme will be “Inspiring Innovation in Education Research: Exploring Creative Approaches and Novel Solutions,” aiming to spark critical conversations and innovative scholarly ideas among students, faculty, and practitioners. We welcome submissions in the form of papers, posters, or roundtable presentations from any UF College of Education Student.

Submission Formats: Paper, poster, or roundtable presentations

How to Submit: Access the proposal call via tinyurl.com/COEresearchsymposium or the QR code in the attached poster

For any questions, comments, or assistance, please contact Gabriella Haire at gabriella.haire@ufl.edu or Katharine Harris-Walls at harris.katharine@ufl.edu

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OER events for Spring 2024

Library Support for Researchers

Trey Shelton, Chair of Academic Research & Consulting Services (ARCS)

George A. Smathers Libraries 

Tuesday, March 19 from 12:00noon-1:00pm 

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All Things Pre- & Post-Award Administration

Thomasenia Adams, Associate Dean for Research & Faculty Development

& Rosabel Ruiz, Associate Director, Research Administration 

Tuesday, March 26 from 12:00noon-1:00pm 

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All Things Tenure & Promotion

Thomasenia Adams, Associate Dean for Research & Faculty Development

Tuesday, April 2 from 11:00am-1200noon

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All sessions will be held in the Rosenberg Room ~ 2021 Norman Hall

Light refreshments will be served.

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Please direct any questions about these events to Ana Puig: anapuig@coe.ufl.edu

We hope to see you there!

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