Professors receive IES grant to train undergraduates in education analytics and data science
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The Institute of Education Sciences awarded Associate Professor June Ahn a five-year, $1.57 million training grant, “Career Pathways for Research in Learning and Education, Analytics and Data Science (CP-LEADS).
The grant will allow Ahn and his research team to recruit and support four 15-student cohorts of UCI juniors, who in turn will learn about education analytics and data science. The students will complete various data analysis projects to gain experience and prepare for successful applications to education doctoral programs. “Our mission is to support minoritized students, as well as those from diverse backgrounds that are currently underrepresented in educational data science and learning analytics fields,” Ahn said. “We will help the cohorts – 60 students total – pursue future pathways beyond their undergraduate years.” |
Associate Professor June Ahn
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Assistant Professor of Teaching Fernando Rodriguez will serve as co-PI on the grant.
Participating students will attend seminars to learn about statistics, R software, data science and learning analytics methods. Additionally, students will learn about the culture and “hidden curriculum” of higher education, including how to conduct and communicate research, seek support networks, and how to prepare for graduate school. Students will receive direct support to apply to graduate programs in their senior year.
Students will be paired with existing research projects that exist in School of Education faculty labs, and with community initiatives through the school’s Orange County Educational Advancement Network (OCEAN), which Ahn also directs. By engaging in such research, the students will be participating on projects that have an impact in education research and the Orange County community.
“Data-focused expertise in learning analytics and education data science are in rising demand throughout schools of education, as well as in social and behavioral science departments,” Ahn said.
“However, if history offers any lessons, students from more privileged backgrounds will likely be better positioned to take advantage of these emerging opportunities. The priorities for this project reflect the critical need to address these inequities by cultivating and developing a strong pipeline of students from underrepresented and minoritized groups, who can successfully join doctoral programs and subsequently improve representation among faculty in education schools and social science departments.”
Ahn’s research focuses on developing inclusive STEM learning environments that support learners' identity development, expertise development and a sense of pursuing future pathways to career and other learning opportunities. Additionally, Ahn is co-PI on a Spenser Foundation grant that is working to improve support for foster and housing insecure youth in Orange County.
Rodriguez trains and mentors School of Education students in data science methodologies. He runs a popular workshop series on the R software package for the School of Education, and collaborates on a variety of research projects in learning analytics and educational data science.
Participating students will attend seminars to learn about statistics, R software, data science and learning analytics methods. Additionally, students will learn about the culture and “hidden curriculum” of higher education, including how to conduct and communicate research, seek support networks, and how to prepare for graduate school. Students will receive direct support to apply to graduate programs in their senior year.
Students will be paired with existing research projects that exist in School of Education faculty labs, and with community initiatives through the school’s Orange County Educational Advancement Network (OCEAN), which Ahn also directs. By engaging in such research, the students will be participating on projects that have an impact in education research and the Orange County community.
“Data-focused expertise in learning analytics and education data science are in rising demand throughout schools of education, as well as in social and behavioral science departments,” Ahn said.
“However, if history offers any lessons, students from more privileged backgrounds will likely be better positioned to take advantage of these emerging opportunities. The priorities for this project reflect the critical need to address these inequities by cultivating and developing a strong pipeline of students from underrepresented and minoritized groups, who can successfully join doctoral programs and subsequently improve representation among faculty in education schools and social science departments.”
Ahn’s research focuses on developing inclusive STEM learning environments that support learners' identity development, expertise development and a sense of pursuing future pathways to career and other learning opportunities. Additionally, Ahn is co-PI on a Spenser Foundation grant that is working to improve support for foster and housing insecure youth in Orange County.
Rodriguez trains and mentors School of Education students in data science methodologies. He runs a popular workshop series on the R software package for the School of Education, and collaborates on a variety of research projects in learning analytics and educational data science.
