Applications open for the 2024 LASER Institute
We are excited to share that the NSF-funded Learning Analytics in STEM Education Research (LASER) Institute (go.ncsu.edu/laser-institute) is now recruiting for the 2024 annual cohort! The LASER Institute is a professional development program funded by the National Science Foundation that aims to increase the capacity of early- and mid-career scholars to leverage new data sources and apply computational methods (e.g., network analysis, text mining, machine learning, and knowledge tracing) to support their research.
The LASER Institute is a year-long program consisting of two core components:
Summer Workshop: An intensive 5-day training program consisting of learning labs, planning sessions, and community-building activities.
Online Community: An online community of practice for ongoing networking and support throughout the year.
A reimbursement allowance of $1500 will be provided for travel, lodging, and evening meals (breakfast and lunch will be provided each day) to support participation. LASER Institute activities that take place during the academic year will be fully online and offer flexibility to accommodate your schedule.
The primary goal of the LASER Institute is to increase the number of education researchers capable of leveraging advanced research methods to understand and improve student learning. To accomplish this goal, participants in the LASER Institute will:
Learn from knowledgeable instructors with deep expertise in Learning Analytics and associated research methods.
Teach colleagues or students at their home institutions using curriculum materials developed for the LASER Institute.
Participants in the LASER Institute are expected to commit to the following:
Attend the in-person Summer Work from July 22-26 (virtual options are not available) held on the campus of NC State University in Raleigh, NC;
Develop and implement an instructional plan for teaching colleagues or students at their home institutions using LASER Institute curriculum materials;
Attend virtual monthly meetings August - December for progress check-ins and community-building activities.
Participants who will benefit most from the LASER Institute are scholars who:
Are currently engaged in research in STEM education contexts;
Need guidance on how new data sources and computational techniques can support their research;
Have access to a dataset or study population of interest in which they can apply learned skills;
Are interested in and able to teach a webinar, workshop, or course using LASER Institute curriculum materials;
Can dedicate time throughout the year to continue their skill development and implement a teaching plan at their home institution;
Have a basic understanding of probability and statistical analysis;
Have experience using statistical software programs for data cleaning and analysis (e.g. R, Python, Stata, SAS).
Applications are due by March 31st with notification of acceptance by April 30th.
Follow this link to learn more about the program and to apply: go.ncsu.edu/laser-institute