Temporary Field Researcher needed at Harvard Grad School of Ed

Do you have experience working with elementary or middle school students

and do you enjoy research?

A SERP (Strategic Education Research Partnership) team that includes members of Harvard University and Wheelock College is conducting a five-year Reading for Understanding study supported by the Institute of Education Sciences. The grant is titled Catalyzing Comprehension through Debate and Discussion (CCDD) and targets improving reading comprehension among students in the middle grades. The project involves partnerships with multiple school districts, and the implementation and evaluation of two programs, Word Generation-Enhanced and STARI (Strategic Adolescent Reading Intervention). The position of Temporary Field Researcher involves assisting with the assessment of students using a variety of tests, and the gathering of implementation data and student outcome data in 4th through 8th grade classrooms in the Boston and Everett Public Schools.

SERP and the Harvard Graduate School of Education are seeking several candidates to help with the following tasks full and part-time beginning the week of September 3rd through late October 2012. Some RAs may be invited to work beyond October on post-assessment work.

Responsibilities

* Visit schools to assess their technological readiness for administering two computer-based tests

* Assist in the delivery, administration, and returning of a series of assessments in schools

* Help schedule make-up tests

* Help coordinate RAs for a testing event (we will rotate who “leads” each event)

* Videotape classes engaged in debates or discussions

* Other tasks as needed include: delivering curriculum to schools, preparing assessments, etc.

Requirements

* A bachelors degree

* Must have experience (and be comfortable with) working with students in grades 4-8

* Ability to work well under pressure

* Strong interpersonal and organization skills

* Ability to work collaboratively and independently

* Strong verbal skills and comfort working with a variety of people (students, teachers, school administrators, etc.)

* Travel required, access to a car extremely helpful

* Must be willing to commit to working 20-40 hours weekly from September-late October

* Must be willing to submit to background check (CORI)

* Must be available to attend a mandatory training session on August 29th and 30th

Pay is hourly and commensurate with experience and education (range is $20-$23/hr). Work will occur mainly during regular school hours, weekdays between 7:30-3:30. Short-term work, no benefits offered. Please send your resume and a description of your interest in the work to Jennifer Winsor, CCDD Assistant Project Director, at jwinsor@serpinstitute.org by Friday, August 17th.