EDC Divisions and Centers
EDC projects are organized into divisions and centers of various sizes. The centers address specific challenges and build upon collaborations among staff members and between EDC and its partners. This center-based structure provides EDC with the flexibility to respond quickly to new opportunities and to meet a variety of complex challenges.
Divisions
- Applied Research and Innovation
- Education, Employment, and Community Programs
- Health and Human Development Programs
- International Education Systems Division
- Mathematics Learning and Teaching
Centers
- Center for Applied Ethics
- Center for Children & Families
- Center for Educational Resources and Outreach
- Center for Family, School, and Community
- Center for Leadership and Learning Communities
- Center for Science Education
- Global Learning Group
Applied Research and Innovation (ARI)
Directors: Bob Spielvogel
The work of ARI responds to the following critical needs in education: (1) the need for rigorous research that can inform decisions about educational policies and practices; (2) the need to develop, implement, and evaluate, innovative education approaches to that take advantage of the potential of information and communications technologies; (3) the need to support states, districts, schools, colleges of education, and other educational organizations in developing their own capacities to implement and evaluation educational innovations.
ARI consists of three major components:
Center for Children and Technology (CCT)
Director: Shelley Pasnik
Deputy Director: Cornelia BrunnerCCT investigates the roles technology can play in improving teaching and learning. Center staff conduct basic, applied, and formative research and technology development in collaboration with educational, corporate, and research institutions. The work covers a broad range of activities, from prototype design of technology applications, to professional development for teachers, to strategies for ensuring equitable access to technology resources.
Web site: http://cct.edc.org/
Center for Online Professional Education (COPE)
Director: Bob Spielvogel (acting director)
COPE promotes student learning, improves teaching practices, and provides districts with capacity-building solutions through the use of innovative educational practices and technologies. COPE provides: (1) support to states and districts to help them develop effective policies and programs; (2) professional development programs, delivered online and face-to-face, for educators and administrators at the school, district, state, and university levels; (3) innovative curriculum materials and professional development resources; and (4) research into effective and innovative educational practices.
Web site: www2.edc.org/COPE
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Regional Educational Laboratory Northeast and Islands (REL-NEI)
Directors: Jill Weber, Project Director, Operations and Katherine Culp, Director of Research
Established in 2006 as one of ten regional education labs funded by the Institute of Education Sciences, REL-NEI conducts applied research, along with technical assistance and dissemination activities, designed to further the use of evidence-based decision making in education. Toward this goal, REL-NEI conducts both large-scale randomized-control-treatment studies on major educational programs and fast response research reviews and data analyses to directly inform decisions about educational policies and programs.
Education, Employment, and Community Programs (EEC)
Director: Vivian Guilfoy
Guided by the belief that equity and excellence are inseparable, EEC works with communities to enhance economic and social well-being for all. Public and private sector partnerships result in creative learning environments where learners achieve, workers advance in their careers, and people improve their communities. EEC believes that diversity is a strength, technology helps people address issues that are important in their lives, and innovation results from the integration of research and practice.
Web site: http://eec.edc.org
Community Development
Director: Vivian Guilfoy (contact)
Working side by side with groups and organizations, EEC helps disadvantaged people—those facing mental illness, substance abuse, poverty, homelessness, and reintegration into society—surmount barriers to career development, literacy, and health care.
Community, Technology, and Learning
Director: Tony Streit (contact)
EEC provides technical assistance, curriculum design and development, and training to improve the quality and impact of community technology programs. With our partners, we work to improve program design and develop comprehensive research and evaluation plans.
Gender, Diversities, and Technology
Director: Maria-Paz B. Avery (acting director)
With young people and adults of different races, backgrounds, and abilities, EEC conducts research, works with individuals and groups across disciplines and within formal and informal settings, and develops user-centered and technology-based education.
Literacies in Education and Health
Director: Maria-Paz B. Avery
EEC aims to enhance school improvement efforts, boost student performance, develop education programs, and promote access to health information and high-quality services that are culturally and linguistically appropriate.
Workforce and Human Development
Director: Joyce Malyn-Smith
Collaborating with schools, communities, and employers, EEC builds public-private partnerships, designs systems, and constructs standards-based programs and curricula that cultivate talents, build skills, and contribute to the evolving global information community.
Adult Literacy Media Alliance (ALMA)
Director: Iliana Delgado and Lora Myers
ALMA creates innovative, educationally sound, and entertaining television-based teaching materials and cultivates community networks to support ALMA learners. TV411, ALMA's magazine-format television series is aired on more than 100 stations nationwide.
Web site: www.tv411.org
Health and Human Development Programs (HHD)
Director: Cheryl Vince Whitman
EDC’s Health and Human Development Programs, comprising six EDC centers, promotes health and justice across the life cycle and in a variety of settings. HHD embraces a broad view of health as physical, mental, and social well-being, not merely the absence of disease. Guided by the belief that the health and safety of a nation’s people are an integral part of its overall success, the centers also address underlying factors—such as socioeconomic status, gender, race, and the environment—that affect human development.
Web site: www.hhd.org
Center for College Health and Safety
Directors: William DeJong and Cheryl Vince Whitman (acting director)
This center assists colleges and universities in developing, implementing, and evaluating prevention policies and programs that address a broad range of health and safety issues at institutions of higher education. The center also conducts research to expand current knowledge about effective strategies in promoting health and preventing alcohol, tobacco, and other drug use; violence and injuries; and high-risk sexual activity.
Center for Research on High Risk Behaviors
Director: Lydia O'Donnell
Associate Director: Alexi San DovalViolence, substance abuse, unprotected sex, and related risky behaviors take a major toll on both the lives of individuals and the vibrancy of communities. This center works with families, schools, community-based organizations, and health services and conducts extensive research to better understand why people engage in risky behaviors and what can be done to create supportive environments that reduce risk-taking and promote health and resiliency. Center staff have special expertise in the prevention of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections and in addressing the links between multiple risk and problem behaviors.
Center for School and Community Health Programs
Director: Deborah Haber
Associate Directors: Christine Blaber, Tim Dunn, and Sue VargoWorking to improve the lives of children, adolescents, and school staff, this center develops comprehensive health and mental health initiatives in schools and communities. Projects enhance the capacity of state and local education agencies to work with professionals who provide health education and direct services to children and youth.
Center for the Study and Prevention of Injury, Violence, and Suicide
Director: Lloyd Potter
Associate Director: Anara Guard, David Litts, and Christine MiaraThe center works to understand the causes of intentional and unintentional injuries and to develop strategies to prevent them. Major projects include the Children's Safety Network Resource Center and the Suicide Prevention Resource Center. Other initiatives include efforts to promote child passenger safety, develop transportation safety materials for Latinos, and promote safety for young workers.
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CSAP's Northeast Center for the Application of Prevention Technologies (NECAPT)
Director: Tania García
Associate Director: Chelsey Goddard and Deborah McLean LeowThe NECAPT strengthens the capacity of state and local agencies to implement evidence-based alcohol, tobacco, and other drug prevention policies, programs, and strategies for youth and their families in 11 northeastern states. Using information and communication technologies, the NECAPT augments face-to-face professional development so that states and local communities can put new research evidence into practice. Materials and technical assistance are also available through the center.
HHD Global Programs
Director: Cheryl Vince Whitman
Associate Director: Carmen Aldinger and Scott PulizziIn partnership with the World Health Organization, UNICEF, Education International, and country partners primarily in Africa, Southeast Asia, and the Caribbean, this center promotes and implements policies and research-based programs that improve the health of children, adolescents, and families worldwide.
International Education Systems Division (IES)
Director: Mike Laflin
IES, based in EDC’s Washington, D.C., office, provides services to education sector partners in developing countries. Its staff of approximately 370 international and local employees currently work in 25 countries on the development of education systems at the national level as well as on initiatives with limited scope and very specific purposes, such as small community-based learning systems.
IES primarily focuses on improving teaching and learning, particularly in the areas of basic literacy and numeracy for children and adults. In addition, IES works to build life skills for orphans and other vulnerable children and to educate about HIV/AIDS and improve systems that address its consequences.
IES staff are leaders in the appropriate use of technology to address issues of access and quality—such as using online learning portals and digital video to improve the exchange of skills and information, and using radio to deliver interactive instruction in areas where school systems have broken down or never existed.
Web site: http://ies.edc.org
IES consists of four regional centers:
The Anglophone Africa Regional Center
Director: Kent Noel
The Nairobi-based Center manages projects in Ghana, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia, providing formal or non-formal education to children, educators, and adult populations, many without access to conventional education institutions. Initiatives focus on basic education, teacher training, education management and adult literacy as well as the Sudan Radio Service.
The Asia Regional Center
Director: Steve Anzalone
The Asia Regional Center is implementing a large-scale, multi-year project to improve teaching and learning in Indonesia. It collaborates with the governments of India, Pakistan, and Macedonia to improve teaching and learning systems through applications of digital technologies. The Center also manages USAID’s dot-EDU digital technology for learning initiative, which includes projects and pilot activities in more than 15 countries.
The Latin American, Caribbean, and Horn of Africa Regional Center
Director: Kit Yasín
This Center focuses on delivering basic education to marginalized and conflict-affected groups in Haiti, Colombia, Somaliland, Somalia, and Ethiopia. Basic education is integrated with civic education and information that promotes good governance and reconciliation.
The Middle East and Francophone Africa Regional Center
Director: Helen Boyle
This Center focuses on strengthening classroom teaching, instructional supervision, and parental involvement in schooling through a variety of delivery methods. Initiatives include basic education projects in Guinea, Egypt, Mali, Madagascar, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Yemen, as well as USAID’s multi-country basic education initiative (Assistance to Basic Education).
Mathematics Learning and Teaching (MLT)
Director: Wayne Harvey
MLT brings together a staff of more than 50 educators, researchers, mathematicians, and curriculum developers who work in collaboration with schools, school districts, institutions of higher education, business and community organizations, policymakers, and other researchers and developers to address the critical issues of educational reform facing our country. MLT’s project work focuses on mathematics content, classroom pedagogy and assessment, district and state standards, and effective roles for technology in mathematics education. We create materials; design professional development approaches and systems for teachers, administrators, and other leaders; and inform the field through our research, development, evaluation, and capacity-building activities.
Web site: www2.edc.org/MLT/
Project work is organized into two centers within MLT:
Center for the Development of Teaching (CDT)
Director: Barbara Scott Nelson
This center works to transform elementary mathematics teaching so that all students can develop more conceptual and flexible mathematical knowledge. Projects address teachers' beliefs and enhance their knowledge about mathematics and learning, improve teachers' classroom practice, and deepen administrators' and parents' understanding of standards-based mathematics education.
Web site: www2.edc.org/MLT/CDT.asp
Center for Mathematics Education (CME)
Director: Al Cuoco
Associate Director: June MarkThis center promotes high-quality mathematics education for all through research-informed improvements in curriculum, teacher education, and policy. Work includes K-16 curriculum development, implementation, and related research; teacher education and professional development; and building collaborations among various communities in mathematics education.
Web site: www2.edc.org/MLT/CME.asp
Center for Applied Ethics (CAE)
Director: Mildred Z. Solomon
The proliferation of biomedical knowledge and new technologies has brought enormous gains for millions of Americans. Yet, many of these advances raise important questions about their wise and equitable use. CAE staff are experienced in conducting research to better understand the clinical, psychological, organizational, cross-cultural, and ethical complexities associated with advances in medical knowledge and technology. Based on that research, CAE designs educational programs and other interventions aimed at improving clinical practice, health care decision-making, and, ultimately, patient and family well-being.
Web site: http://caepp.edc.org/
Center for Children & Families (CC&F)
Director: Joanne P. Brady
CC&F improves the lives of children by supporting the organizations and institutions that serve them and their families. Projects combine research and practice, promote professional development and systemic change, forge community links, and influence policies that affect the lives of children. The center’s partners include state agencies, nonprofit organizations, schools, local child care and Head Start programs, universities, and national associations.
Web site: http://ccf.edc.org
Center for Educational Resources and Outreach (ERO)
Director: Ilene Kantrov
ERO improves teaching and learning by enhancing the quality of learning materials and information available to students, educators, parents, and the public. Center staff—including more than a dozen experts in curriculum, technology, training, and core subjects—work with our collaborators to strengthen links between schools and communities, promote community involvement in schools, produce quality curricula, expand learning through technology, and publicize the best research and materials.
Web site: www2.edc.org/ero/
Center for Family, School, and Community (FSC)
Director: Cindy Mata Aguilar (acting director)
Associate Directors: Catherine Cobb Morocco, David Riley, and Judith Zorfass
FSC’s areas of expertise include comprehensive school reform, middle-level education, literacy development, and the tools and strategies that promote success for students with disabilities. One of the center’s primary goals is to strengthen schools and school systems in order to foster learning and development for all students. Working with state and local education agencies across the country, including many in major cities, center staff provide technical assistance, design intensive professional development programs, enhance the leadership capacity of district and school administrators, engage families in their children’s education, and assist with community-building efforts.
Web site: www2.edc.org/FSC
Center for Leadership and Learning Communities (CLLC)
Directors: Mark Driscoll, Brian Lord, and Barbara Miller
The key to encouraging student learning lies in supporting the continuing education of the adults in the school. This belief forms the foundation of the center’s work in designing professional development for educators, and influences the paths we set in education research, evaluation, and materials development.
Web site: http://cllc.edc.org
Center for Science Education (CSE)
Director: Barbara Berns (acting director)
CSE supports science education improvement in school districts across the United States. CSE researches and evaluates education programs, and creates instructional materials for in-school and out-of-school science (pre-K–12). We design professional and technical assistance programs, products, resources, and online courses for leadership and capacity development. In addition, CSE develops programs that help young people and adults learn about science-based occupations and career paths, and assist them in obtaining the required education and training to enter these fields. A priority of CSE’s work is ensuring that all students have a high-quality science education, one that is research-based and meets rigorous learning and teaching standards.
Web site: http://cse.edc.org/
Global Learning Group (GLG)
Director: Ronald C. Israel
Associate Director: Cornelia Janke
GLG supports human development efforts around the world. The center pursues its mission in three ways: by drawing on indigenous and global knowledge to strengthen the capacity of organizations that design and deliver social services, by developing and disseminating prototype materials that address the learning needs of targeted populations, and by cultivating global knowledge-sharing.
Web site: www2.edc.org/GLG/