Centering the voices, knowledge, and skills of Black and Latinx educators in educational research
Invitation to apply! Educators and researchers are invited to participate in the design and implementation of an innovative equity-focused research process that positions Black and Latinx educators as research leaders.
Why do we need to shift power in educational research and development?
Black and Latinx educators must be better supported to lead conversations about improving educational practice, in particular for Black and Latinx youth. Their experiences, points of view, challenges, and curiosities must be centered in any research conducted to inform practice, policy, and innovation.
In contrast, however, educational research is typically driven by the needs and objectives of (largely White) researchers who bring their questions, gather data, and leave with the learnings. Too often, those learnings do not return to serve the very educators and students who informed the research.
Shifting Power in Educational Research and Development (Shifting Power) aims to shift these traditional power dynamics that are inherent in many research and development (R&D) infrastructures. By providing connections, resources, and a platform, Black and Latinx educators will be positioned to directly influence local R&D in education. As we learn together, this process will hopefully inform equity-centered R&D processes nationwide.
Invitation to Educators and Researchers to Apply
Shifting Power is a collaborative initiative between Remake Learning and the University of Pittsburgh School of Education funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Beginning in August 2020, the initiative will pair 20 Black and Latinx educators with 20 researchers across institutions in Western Pennsylvania. Together, these teams will co-develop and implement research projects in the educators’ learning spaces. With the support of their research partner and a deeply place-based, emancipatory R&D infrastructure (based on the work of Dr. Temple Lovelace), participating educators will be positioned to lead and solve their own problems of practice.
Educators:
Any Black or Latinx educator who provides ongoing direct educational service to children in grades PreK-12 in either a school or out-of-school setting is invited to apply. This includes classroom teachers, paraprofessionals, homeschooling parents, year-round after-school providers, teaching artists, and youth workers. Educators must be local to the greater Pittsburgh region. Educator participants will receive a stipend of $5,000 (taxable income). Please review the application materials for more details.
Researchers:
Any researcher of teaching and learning in grades PreK-12 is invited to apply. This includes university-based researchers and learning scientists, employees of research organizations, members of non-profit organization research teams, and individual researchers who have the ability to engage with an educator partner through a research and practice lens. Please review the application materials for more details.
Applications are due Friday, July 31, 2020.
More Information
Learn more by reviewing these application materials:
Contact Allyce Pinchback-Johnson at allyce@remakelearning.org with any questions.