The GSE has unique capacity―as a graduate school embedded in highly effective and innovative K-12 schools―to bridge the worlds of theory and practice, of scholarship and action. GSE faculty and students conduct scholarly research, share their work with academic and professional audiences, and support innovative practice in the larger education community. The Center for Research on Equity and Innovation serves as a hub for these efforts, which fulfill four interconnected functions:
Integrating theory and practice
GSE research is grounded in the lived experiences of students, educators, schools, and communities. We merge professional practice and craft knowledge with diverse theoretical perspectives to explore and expand each. GSE faculty and students put theory to practice, and in doing, empower educators to contribute to the growing knowledge base of teaching, learning and leading as both practitioners and theory-builders.
Supporting equitable and engaging learning environments
The GSE is committed to scholarly work and practice that supports the creation of equitable, engaging learning environments for both young people and adults. The High Tech High K-12 schools are widely recognized for approaches to teaching and learning that emphasize personalization, connect to the world beyond school, and offer access and challenge to all learners. The GSE provides resources and support for educators and policymakers to create such environments, throughout the country and around the world.
Serving schools and communities
The GSE aims to develop understandings of teaching and learning that are actionable and of value to the communities we serve. In studies of learning environments and communities, we espouse an ethic of mutual vulnerability wherein researchers and participants engage as collaborators in the pursuit of deeper understanding. GSE faculty and students share their evolving understandings with research participants, invite participants to co-construct meaning, and facilitate dialogue that leads to constructive action.
Engaging scholars and practitioners
As scholars engaged in communities of practice, GSE faculty and students share our work with both professional and academic audiences, and seek opportunities for collaboration with educators and scholars from other institutions. Furthermore, the GSE serves as a convener of critical conversations, hosting residencies for educators from around the world and publishing UnBoxed, a peer-reviewed journal of adult learning in schools.