The George Lucas Educational Foundation Announces New Program Officers to Advance Research on Project-Based Learning

SAN RAFAEL, Calif., Sept. 23, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Lucas Education Research, a division of the George Lucas Educational Foundation, has announced a new team of Program Officers. They will focus on building an evidence base for transformative practices in K-12 classrooms and schools, starting with rigorous project-based learning.

"Educator interest in project-based learning has never been higher, yet gold-standard research to prove its effectiveness is lacking," said Kristin De Vivo, Executive Director, Lucas Education Research. "Our team of accomplished Program Officers will collaborate with university-based researchers to design and evaluate rigorous models for project-based learning."

"To engage students and impact deeper learning, project-based learning seems to hold great potential… but educators deserve to have proof. Our research team's role is to put it to the test with rigorous studies," explained Steve Arnold, co-founder and vice chairman of the Foundation.

Three new Program Officers have joined the Foundation:

• Dr. AnnMarie Baines – An expert in adolescent development and secondary education, Baines was previously an assistant professor at San Francisco State University. With Lucas Education Research, she will support design-based implementation research with partners at the University of Washington, focusing on high school advanced placement (AP) project-based courses.
• Dr. Angela Haydel DeBarger – Recently a senior research scientist at SRI International, DeBarger has deep expertise in science assessment and classroom instruction. At the Foundation, she will lead our partnership with Stanford University's SCALE researchers, focusing on 6^th grade science and mathematics programs with curriculum-embedded performance assessment.
• Dr. Nathan Warner – A seasoned educator, Warner was founding faculty at Washington Heights Expeditionary Learning School (WHEELS), a New York City public middle school implementing project-based learning. At the Foundation, he will support research on teacher development, leadership, and school culture across all initiatives.

Lucas Education Research, previously named GLEF Research, conducts rigorous research in collaboration with university partners, research firms, and leading educators to identify and evaluate replicable K–12 practices at the student, teacher, and school level that profoundly and positively impact the course of learning and lifelong achievement.

About The George Lucas Educational Foundation

The George Lucas Educational Foundation is dedicated to transforming kindergarten through 12th-grade (K–12) education so all students can acquire and effectively apply the knowledge, attitudes, and skills necessary to thrive in their studies, careers, and adult lives. Founded by innovative and award-winning filmmaker George Lucas in 1991, the Foundation takes a strategic approach to improving K–12 education through two distinct areas of focus: (1) Edutopia, which uses digital media and interactive technology to increase knowledge, sharing, and adoption of what works in K–12 education, and (2) Lucas Education Research. A nonprofit, nonpartisan 501(c)(3) private foundation that is operated for educational purposes, we welcome all who are devoted to improving education. For more information, please visit edutopia.org.

SOURCE The George Lucas Educational Foundation