RESEARCH CENTERS
Center for Education Research and Policy Studies
The Center for Education Research & Policy Studies (CERPS) was established to support education researchers in the UTEP College of Education in proposal development and sourcing of extramural funding. In partnership with STEM Research Associates, the CERPS team has a strong record of leading, participating in, and evaluating governmental and private grants, especially those with an emphasis on Hispanic student success in STEM. Other areas of expertise are in social science research using qualitative and quantitative methods and collective impact efforts. Kim and Villa serve on the Data Management Team in the Backbone of the National Science Foundation-funded Computing Alliance for Hispanic-Serving Institutions (CAHSI) national alliance.
ABC Learning Lab
The Advanced Biotechnologies and Computing for Teaching and Learning Research Lab is a research group led by Justice Walker (@JusticeToshiba), Learning Scientist and Assistant Professor of STEM Education in the Teacher Education Department in the College.
With a central focus on pre-college STEAM + C education, the lab develops tools and activities to engage diverse learners in learning experiences that leverage next century technologies for teaching and learning life science and computing.
The lab leverages interdisciplinary learning science perspectives in constructionism, literacy in science, and knowledge building to inspire learning experiences that are meaningful, culturally responsive, and that have impact on youth—and principally those who are traditionally marginalized or who face persistent inequality.
Research topics: #biomaking #syntheticbiology #biodesign #bdc #minecraft #making #syntheticbiologyeducation #computerscienceeducation #engineeringeducation #datascience #CS4ALL #communitybio #STEMeducation #STEAM #STEM+C #codinglikeadataminer #argumentation #scienceliteracy #socialjustice #constructionism #socialconstructivism #culturallyrelevantpedagogy #knowledgebuilding #learningsciences
The Paso del Norte Partnership for Education Research
The Paso del Norte Partnership for Education Research is a network of partnerships between the College of Education, K-12 school districts, and area non-profits that work together to positively affect student outcomes for the diverse communities in El Paso and Hudspeth Counties.
Ethnography of Languages, Literacies, and Learning Lab (EL3 Lab)
Under the direction of Katherine Mortimer, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Teacher Education, this research and teaching laboratory provides technology and space to support
Hopper-Dean Center of Excellence for K-12 CS Education
The UTEP College of Education is grateful to the Hopper Dean Family Foundation for their generous endowment to establish the Hopper-Dean Center of Excellence for K-12 Computer Science Education. This endowment would not have been possible without the tireless work of CSforAll to find donors to establish similar centers/institutes in other Colleges of Education to advance computer science education
Center for Counselor Training and Research
The mission of the Center for Counselor Training and Research (CCTR) is to provide a laboratory-based setting in which graduate-level counseling students are provided an opportunity to develop and practice the use of skills necessary to provide counseling services to children and adults. Similarly, the CCTR supports opportunities to develop skills necessary to administer and interpret cognitive and achievement tests for diagnosticians. Additionally, the CCTR offers a setting for conducting research related to counselor and diagnostician training.
Center for Research on Employment, Work-integrated learning and Study (CREWS)
The Center for Research on Employment, Work-integrated learning and Study (CREWS) is a center positioned in the College of Education. CREWS collaborates closely with the UTEP Career Center as well as with the departments of Education Leadership and Foundations, Teacher Education, and the College of Engineering and its CREATE lab. The Center conducts research on issues of student employment and work-integrated learning, such as industry experiences and research experiences, in higher education and its impact on students and workforce development. We study the benefits and challenges of combining work and education and their impact on the macro (Borderplex region and beyond), meso (institution, programs), and micro levels (student and faculty/staff, and employers’ experiences).
Most of our UTEP students work to finance their studies, and/or support their families. These jobs might be on campus or off campus. Many students at UTEP participate in work-integrated learning experiences, such as internships, undergraduate research opportunities, co-ops, and residencies. Combining studying with employment brings benefits and challenges for students, their employers, and their colleges.
UTEP is uniquely positioned to study these topics in its wider context: 49% of our students are first generation students , and 95% of our students are Hispanic students. Hispanic students have the highest levels of employment among fulltime undergraduate students, namely 43%, and among parttime undergraduate students, namely 74% according to NCES (2022).
Funded projects by the center:
- UTEP Research Excellence Program (funded): RAISE - Research Academic-Work Integration in STEM Education 2024 – 2027 (Budget request: $775,897, 2024-2027. Submitted on Sep 29 (phase 1), Dec 11 (phase 2), 2023; Jan 25 (phase 3), 2024. Team: M. Van den Bogaard (PI), P. Golding, P.-L. Hsu, D. Golding, J. Strobel, G. Gandara, B. Castro.
- Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é of Texas at El Paso College of Education Venture Fund (funded): “EmpowerED for Success- Latinas in Engineering Education”. Budget request $8000.00. Granted Dec. 2023. Team: M. Van den Bogaard (PI), D. Golding.
Members are:
- Maartje Van den Bogaard, Ph.D., F.SEFI
- Pei-Ling Hsu, Ph.D.
- Jesus Cisneros, Ph.D.
Collaborative Hub for the Elevation of Education Research in STEM
The Collaborative Hub for the Elevation of Education Research in STEM was established to provide a collaborative working space for researchers on the intersection of education research and STEM disciplines including engineering, geosciences, chemistry, biology, medical and mathematics education. We conduct fundamental research, DBER (discipline-based education research) and support SOTL (Scholarship of Teaching and Learning). What we share is a strong grounding in educational and learning theory, the use of sophisticated methodological frameworks and tools, the working closely with and within our communities and the drive to positively impact education for all. The team has a strong record of leading and participating in education grants from NSF, U.S. Department of Education, and private and public foundations. We are an open group; You are welcome to join. Send an email to: mvdbogaard@utep.edu .
Members at UTEP
College of Education: Maartje van den Bogaard, Ph.D., Associate Professor, STEM Education, (Coordinator), Johannes Strobel, Ph.D., Professor, STEM Education, Pei-Ling Hsu, Ph.D., Associate Professor, STEM Education, Diane Golding, Associate Professor of Practice, Teacher Education, Olga Kosheleva, Associate Professor, STEM Education.College of Science: Elizabeth (Liz) Day, Assistant Professor, Chemistry and Biochemistry (Chemistry Education).College of Engineering: Peter Golding, Professor, Engineering Education & Leadership.
College of Education MAKERSPACE
Located in room #201 of the Education Building, the College of Education
Project LEAP UP
The grant objective is to increases the number of highly qualified English as a Second Language and Dual Language/Bilingual Education teachers in West Texas schools.
LEAP UP will seek to recruit current teachers to pursue a Bilingual Education/Dual Language or ESL Graduate Certificates and, ultimately, gain the skills and knowledge necessary to teach more effectively in dual language, bilingual education and English as a Second Language (ESL) K-12 classroom settings.
The LEAP UP grant is a collaboration between multiple partners, including the Texas State Education Agency, the Texas Association for Bilingual Education, the Center for Applied Linguistics, Head Start and Early Head Start El Paso, Education Service Center Region 19, as well as the Canutillo, El Paso and Ysleta independent school districts.
The Wiltshire Lab for Teachers and Children
Under the direction of Cynthia A. Whiltsire, Ed.D., Assistant Professor of Early Childhood Education in the Department of Teacher Education, we investigate early childhood education teacher well-being and what effects teacher well-being may have on child outcomes in academic and socioemotional development.
Early Childhood Mathematics Learning Lab (ECML)
The Early Childhood Mathematics Learning Lab, led by Robyn K. Pinilla, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Early Childhood Education in the Teacher Education Department, was established to connect teaching practices with research on early mathematics learning. We focus on how early childhood and elementary teachers identify as mathematics teachers, incorporate play into their classrooms, and teach a broad range of mathematics domains, especially spatial reasoning, through integrated instruction. Research projects are field-based, and often field-initiated in response to the experiences of early grades teachers in the Paso del Norte region, approaching teaching and learning from a situated perspective of collaborative learning.