Grant-supported researchers hope to
help educators
from across the nation
May 4, 2009
Faculty, from left: Mike Trevisan, Brian French, David Feldon
By Yesenia Amaro, Staff writer
Moscow-Pullman Daily News
WSU professor Michael Trevisan believes the new Learning and Performance Research Center at Washington State University will help improve education in America.
"There are many educational problems that are real challenges for us in the United States in particular," Trevisan said. "We have the expertise to bring to bear on those problems for possible solutions."
He said the newly established research center, which is housed in the College of Education, will be self-supported. Each faculty member involved has his own research program and funding.
Trevisan, associate professor Brian French and assistant professor David Feldon are co-directors of the research center. The three combined currently have $7,705,445 in grant support and pending grant proposals.
All participating faculty members teach in the department of educational leadership and counseling psychology, which was recommended for "growth and investment" during WSU's Academic Prioritization Process, Trevisan said.
The center will provide educational and psychological research.
"We work with a variety of other faculty and sometimes clients to work on a variety of basic and applied problems in education," Trevisan said.
For example, he has a contract with the State Department to evaluate Washington's after-school programs. He said the center also has money from the National Science Foundation for a variety of research endeavors, such as looking at student retention in engineering education.
Even though the center has not formally opened, "the substance of the work has already started," Trevisan said.
French said having the Learning and Performance Research Center is great opportunity, especially when educators across the nation are dealing with achievement-testing accountability issues.
It's helpful "to have a center that is focused at looking at those issues and try to improve practice," French said.
WSU graduate student Chad Gotch is working with French on a project related to developing better testing practices.
Gotch said he has so far enjoyed working with French and others at the center.
"I like having the space here for nurturing a collaborative environment and being able to consult with different people who have different skills and insights," he said, adding that it will be a valuable experience for him after he graduates.
Trevisan hopes the research center will help attract not only more graduate students, but also more external money for the university.
He also expects to see positive changes from the services the center will help provide.
"We expect to have a real impact, both in the state and the nation," he said. "We are poised to do it."
Reprinted with permission. Yesenia Amaro can be reached at (208) 882-5561, ext. 237, or by e-mail at yamaro@dnews.com .