Research
A School Culture Framed by Research
Although research is central to Falk ’ s mission as a laboratory school , it often takes a back seat to progressive learning experiences and teacher training . Over the last year , however , research has gained significant momentum , as Falk Lab School director Jill Sarada and Katrina Bartow Jacobs , Falk ’ s research coordinator , have worked to develop a new approach . They have worked with faculty and staff to incorporate research into multiple functions of the school , from teacher-led research to ways of addressing day-to-day concerns that use research tools and draw from improvement science .
As she completed her doctorate in education at the University of Pittsburgh School of Education , Sarada came to understand how the tools she was learning about , specifically from the domain of improvement science , provided a vital missing piece to the puzzle of balancing research with Falk ’ s other missions . For research to be meaningful , she concluded , it must be structured in ways that are context specific , easy to use , and that provide immediately useful information .
22 EN AVANT | FALL 2023
Teacher-driven Research
While Falk has long functioned as a host of external research , teacher-driven research and collaborations among faculty and with Pitt colleagues have been more limited , with many teachers feeling that they lacked both the time and knowledge to delve into their own inquiries in a systematic manner .
That has begun to change as Bartow Jacobs ’ role as research coordinator has taken shape . Bartow Jacobs , an associate professor of practice in the University of Pittsburgh School of Education ’ s Department of Teaching , Learning , and Leading , has continued her work of serving as a conduit and matchmaker between Falk and other researchers , both within and outside Pitt .
But she also has added a new initiative , the Falk Research Fellows program , to grow and nurture the research done by Falk faculty and staff . The program invites faculty and staff to propose their own research inquiries , with guidance and support from Bartow Jacobs as they conduct background reading , attend conferences , and plan and conduct experiments , among other activities .
Using the Tools of Improvement Science
Research tools and improvement science also have offered Falk Lab School leadership powerful ways of reflecting on and addressing a range of challenges , from day-to-day concerns to improving how food is provided and charting a course for Falk ’ s future .
Even when these approaches are not full-blown research projects , the growing shared familiarity with research approaches and tools has supported the school ’ s ongoing work to improve its practice and support the community . And along with initiatives like the Research Fellows program , the embrace of these kinds of tools has helped to foster a schoolwide culture of research and inquiry .