Higher Education

Several EDC projects are carried out in partnership with university faculty. Our specific areas of focus in higher education are strengthening pre-service education of future teachers; building a pathway from K-12 education to college to careers, with a special emphasis on community colleges; and the prevention of alcohol and other drugs on college campuses.

New York Comprehensive Center (NYCC)

The New York Comprehensive Center (NYCC) is one of 16 regional comprehensive centers that are federally funded to implement the mandates of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB). In doing so, NYCC engages the New York State Education Department in using research-based findings and rigorous evidence. The Center provides technical assistance services to meet the Department’s priority needs and further the key initiatives of the US Department of Education. Additionally, the NYCC works with the State on emerging needs based on new statutes and policy mandates.

New England Comprehensive Center (NECC)

The New England Comprehensive Center (NECC) is one of 16 regional comprehensive centers that are federally funded to implement the mandates of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB). The NECC engages state education leaders in using research and best practice to meet the goals of NCLB. Our purpose is to design and deliver technical assistance services that meet education leaders’ priority needs, further the key initiatives of the U.S. Department of Education, and have the greatest potential for building states’ capacities to help districts and schools improve.

Higher Education Center for Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse and Violence Prevention

The Center helps college and community leaders develop, implement, and evaluate programs and policies to reduce student problems related to alcohol and other drug use and interpersonal violence. In order to produce enduring, large-scale changes that will make students’ social and cultural environment healthier and safer, the Center supports a comprehensive approach to prevention, grounded in environmental management strategies that address the institutional, community, and public policy factors related to these problems.

Boston Science Partnership

The Boston Science Partnership is a five-year NSF-funded Math and Science Partnership project designed to improve science teaching and learning in Boston’s middle schools and high schools, to enhance university-level teaching by STEM faculty, and to ensure the university partners’ continued support for and faculty involvement in science education. The Partnership involves the Boston Public Schools, the University of Massachusetts/Boston, and Northeastern University as the principal partners. Harvard Medical School and the College Board participate as supporting partners.

Support for NSF's Discovery Research K-12 (DR-K12) Program Grantees

This project provides logistical and substantive support to the IMD, TPC, and DR-K12 grantees funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF). Working collaboratively with the principal investigators and NSF program officers over a five-year period, EDC has coordinated four of five annual Principal Investigators conferences and is establishing a knowledge-transfer network that includes developing print and Web-based resources to ensure ongoing, high-quality dialogue and sharing among grantees.

Campus Substance Abuse and Violence Prevention

We assist colleges and universities create safer and healthier campus communities through an environmental approach. Our support services include consultation, resources and materials, face-to-face and online trainings, strategic planning, and support developing, implementing and evaluating proven programs and policies that address heavy drinking, tobacco and other drug use, violence, hate crimes, and high-risk sexual practices among college students.

Information Technology Across Careers (ITAC) Phase III

With community colleges across the country, EDC is developing a common curricular framework for teaching basic information technology (core) applications in career and academic programs at community and technical colleges. Project resources include innovative approaches to instruction and assessment, including “Rubrics to Assess Basic IT User Skills,” lesson templates that interconnect the use of the “IT Core Applications” with program content for eight of the most commonly used IT applications, and a library of problem-based scenarios for each of the clusters/program areas.

dot-EDU (Digital Opportunity through Technology and Communication Partnerships-Learning Systems)

dot-EDU was an information and communication technology (ICT) intervention mechanism for USAID Missions seeking to improve education systems in their respective countries. dot-EDU sought to assist developing countries in strengthening learning systems that improve quality, expand access, and enhance equity through carefully planned applications of digital and broadcast technologies. The dot-EDU mission had two foci. First, dot-EDU provided training and technical assistance to support USAID Missions in developing and implementing technology-assisted applications.

Guidance Counselor Online Course Development

This project is developing a series of online professional development modules for school counselors—middle grades, high school, and postsecondary student service professionals—that focus on career counseling and college preparation. The modules use a learning community approach where school counselors will participate in the project as a cohort and engage in structured online discussions with their colleagues and the instructor during each of the module sessions.

Community for Advancing Discovery Research in Education (CADRE)

CSE, through a cooperative agreement with the NSF, is establishing and maintaining the Discovery Research K–12 learning resource network, known as CADRE. The goals are to advance the state of research and evaluation in STEM education and to move forward the goals of the DR-K12 program. CADRE provides support services to grantees from the DR-K12 program, which enhances student and teacher learning of the STEM disciplines through the development, implementation, and study of resources, models, and technologies.