2011 NERA GSIC Conference Sessions

The Graduate Student Issues Committee has planned a lot of great events for the upcoming annual conference. In addition to the Graduate Student Social on Wednesday evening, we also have two great conference sessions planned. Graduate students also have an opportunity to meet with a mentor to discuss their research. For more information, click here.

GSIC IN-CONFERENCE SESSION I

Early Careers in Educational Research

This session is an interactive, panel-based format where recent graduates will describe their experiences as new educational researchers in a diversity of areas such as policy, industry, and academia. Topics covered will include finding a job in the current market, the transition from graduate school to employment, potential pitfalls, and general advice. Audience questions will be taken at the end of the session as well.

Presenters:
Tia Sukin, Measured Progress
Peter Swerdzewski, Regents Research Fund
Abigail Lau, Emmanuel College
Aryn Karpinski, Kent State University

GSIC IN-CONFERENCE SESSION II

Promoting the Integration of Educational Research and Policy

Description: This session will feature an interactive discussion about the intersection of policy and research in education. A panel of researchers will describe their real-world experiences in communicating with policy makers and stakeholders about the relevance of research findings to important educational issues.

Presenters:
Ellen Forte, EdCount, LCC
Cathy Wendler, Educational Testing Service
Luz Bay, Measured Progress

BEST PAPER AWARD

We would like to congratulate Jason P. Kopp from James Madison University on winning the Best Paper by a Graduate Student Award for his paper entitled: "I Can't Believe She Gave Me a C!": Measuring Entitlement in Higher Education (co-authors: Tracy E. Zinn. Sara J. Finney, and Daniel P. Jurich)

Abstract Researchers have increasingly focused on entitlement related to education, but a measure with adequate construct validity evidence has yet to be created. Construct validity evidence was gathered for a newly created measure of academic entitlement, the Academic Entitlement Questionnaire (AEQ). After a review of the entitlement literature, focusing on the various facets of entitlement, items were written to cover the breadth of the academic entitlement construct. Reponses from two samples of college students resulted in an eight-item, unidimensional measure. Theoretically-based a priori hypotheses were empirically supported, which included a positive relationship with external locus of control and a negative relationship with mastery achievement goal orientation. Thus, the AEQ shows promise as a useful measure of academic entitlement. (For the full paper, click here.)

We had 6 reviewers review 14 papers and would like to thank them for taking the time to select our winner: Craig Wells, University of Massachusetts; Carol Barry, The College Board; Whitney Zimmerman is at Pennsylvania State University; Christine DeMars, James Madison University; Josh Goodman, Pearson; and Becca Marsh, James Madison University.

2011 BEST PAPER BY A GRADUATE STUDENT AWARD

If you are the first author on a paper you present at NERA, please consider submitting your paper for the Best Paper Award. The recipient of the award will be given $250 for travel to NERA the following year. If you want to be considered for the award, papers must be submitted by Monday, October 31st, so start preparing those papers now!