November 2019

The AERA Grants Program, supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF), has announced the AERA Institute on Statistical Analysis: Development of Mathematics Competencies in Early Childhood. This professional development and research capacity–building activity is directed to advanced graduate students and early career scholars.

The institute is designed for researchers who are interested in studying mathematics learning and education in early childhood using large-scale federal and state data sets from the National Center for Education Statistics and other federal or state agencies. Led by a team of senior faculty who are experts in mathematics, statistics, and early childhood education and development, the selected participants will engage in hands-on working sessions focusing on the development of mathematics skills in early childhood, as well as statistical methods and techniques for causal inference.

For nearly three decades, the AERA-NSF Grants Program has developed and implemented training initiatives in quantitative methods for education research. The institute aims to strengthen the statistical and methodological skills of graduate students and early career scholars who are using large-scale data sets in their research. The focus on mathematics in early childhood will expand and generate new knowledge around mathematics skills during this crucial period of a child’s development. Participants will be selected through a competitive application process aimed at identifying emerging scholars who are poised to conduct research around mathematics learning and education in early education.

“We are excited about offering this statistics institute on mathematics education. It reflects AERA’s commitment to building the capacity of the next generation of scholars, who will produce new and relevant research. These efforts have become a hallmark of AERA and the longstanding AERA-NSF Grants Program,” said Felice J. Levine, AERA executive director and principal investigator.

The institute aims to enhance participants’ quantitative research skills and competencies and to develop studies that will be competitive for support from this program and other funders. Levine anticipates that some institute participants will be interested in applying to join a future STEM learning working group for early career scientists focused on early childhood education using large-scale data sets.

The institute will be held on February 23–27, 2020, in Laguna Beach, Calif. Participants will receive support covering the institute fees, transportation, lodging, and group meals. The application deadline is Wednesday, December 18, 2019 (11:59 p.m. Pacific Time). Please see the Call for Applications for further information.