Center for Research on Education, Diversity & Excellence
Project Descriptions
Professional Development
This group of projects examined the characteristics, careers, pre-service education, and in-service professional development of educators of bilingual and culturally diverse at-risk students. The research projects sought ways to help teachers adapt their instructional methods to meet their students' needs, and become more familiar with their students' backgrounds, culture, and language. Research was also conducted on effective professional development of school leaders within the context of school reform. The program represented a comprehensive view of professional development, closely tied to actual practice, and of the major issues in the field, from the characteristics of teachers through the processes of development to the policies that will enable reform.
A National Study of Effective Preservice Teacher Education for Diverse Student Populations
Leonard Baca and Kathy Escamilla , BUENO Center, University of Colorado, Boulder
Priscilla Walton, University of California, Santa Cruz
This national definitive study investigates a sample of 352 bilingual teacher education programs' structure, curriculum content, and process, focusing on how programs increase teachers' capacity to teach linguistically and culturally diverse students effectively.
Learn more on the CREDE Web site hosted by UC Berkeley.
Expanding the Knowledge Base on Teacher Learning and Collaboration: A Focus on Inner-City Chinese American LEP Students
Ji-Mei Chang, San José State University
This project field tested a professional development model involving Chinese bilingual education teachers, ESL teachers, and LD resource specialists working together to enhance the language and literacy development among Chinese and Asian American English language learners who are LD or at risk of school failure.
Learn more on the CREDE Web site hosted by UC Berkeley.
Latino Paraeducators as Teachers: Building on Funds of Knowledge to Improve Instruction
Robert Rueda, Michael Genzuk, Reynaldo Baca, and Guilbert Hentschke, University of Southern California
This project assessed the nature and use of existing funds of knowledge of bilingual Latino paraeducators. Funds of knowledge are language, social norms, and other cultural and linguistic community and family resources, such as social history, and bodies of knowledge that are essential to a household's functioning and well-being. The project studied candidates entering the teacher training program at the University of Southern California and recent graduates of the training program.
Read the digest developed from this project.
Leading for Diversity: Professional Development for School Leaders
Rosemary Henze, San José State University
Additional Contacts: Edmundo Norte, Anne Katz, and Sau-Lim Tsang, ARC Associates; Reynaldo Contreras, San Francisco State University
Responding to the needs of principals seeking solutions to racial and ethnic conflict at their schools, this study is examining the characteristics and processes of exemplary leadership in fostering school unity rather than divisiveness. The study documents how school leaders create and maintain this unity as members of the school community engage in school reform.
Learn more on the CREDE Web site hosted by UC Berkeley.
