Overview: Project-Centered Graduate Training
| Research Apprenticeship |  |
As a vehicle for applying what they are learning through coursework, students join project teams working on research efforts. |
| Project-Centered Coursework | Many courses have a strong project-based emphasis, enabling students to explore and apply principles from current research efforts. | |
| Interdisciplinary Research Methods | Research teams bring a variety of disciplinary approaches to the design of learning and teaching innovations, including ethnographic studies, cognitive analyses of problem solving, studies of social policy and organizational change, analyses of social interactions, technology design and human-computer interaction studies. | |
| Projects Focused on Real-World Challenges | Many research projects are situated in external settings (schools, workplaces) in collaboration with practitioners to develop, implement and study learning and teaching innovations. Collaborations with Chicago Public Schools and other school districts (local and nationwide) provide challenging opportunities for research focused on school reform. | |
| Interactive Learning Community | Individuals associated with different research projects often meet together to foster collaboration and synergy of ideas. Informal seminars and Brown Bag discussions offer frequent opportunities for faculty, PhD and MA students to present and discuss works in progress. | |
| Skill Development | Throughout the program students develop skills in academic writing, presentation, research and learning design. Courses provide opportunities to practice surveying literature, interpreting research, identifying and understanding distinctions among key thought leaders, and applying theory in order to solve problems. Faculty and peers also continually encourage students to challenge one another and develop their own perspectives. |