About Our Mission:
The UMSL Charter School Translational Fellows Grant (UMSL-CTSF) supports careers dedicated to improving K-12 education in St. Louis by addressing the schools’ instructional needs with evidence-based practices. This $4 million, six-year grant (Fall 2023–Summer 2029), awarded to the College of Education, employs an inquiry-based model that integrates learning science principles and data analytics to foster asset-based classroom experiences. Learning science examines how people learn and how to apply those insights of how people learn in classroom settings. The grant facilitates continuous improvement by incorporating and monitoring its implementation of evidence based practices and learning principles in schools.
The UMSL-CTSF grant provides 17 postdoctoral fellow the opportunity to collaborate with K-12 public education partners to address real-world challenges through a cycle of inquiry. Fellows receive mentorship and training to enhance instructional effectiveness, promote asset-based instruction, and improve student learning outcomes.
Who is Our Funder?
The UMSL Charter School Translational Fellows Grant is funded by the James S. McDonnell Foundation, which invests in organizations and initiatives that improve economic conditions in St. Louis. The foundation focuses on addressing severe disparities in the St. Louis region by supporting research and practices that reduce economic disparities. For more information about the James S. McDonnell Foundation, follow this link: James S. McDonnell Foundation
About Our Work
Postdoctoral fellows under this grant will serve public K-12 educational sites in St. Louis to address K-12 instructional needs. The postdoctoral fellows will utilize translational research to address these instructional needs identified by the education sites. Transactional research is a type of work that attempts to bridge the gap between basic research and the world of practice. It allows research that is conducted to be applied to the everyday practice of professionals. Some key activities of transactional research include: reviewing existing research, disseminating findings, engaging in the wider community, collaborating, and measuring impact.
The Approach Taken
Postdoctoral fellows in this grant engage in cycles of inquiry that are focused on addressing problems of practice—issues that, if better understood, could lead to meaningful improvements in education. Using an evidence-based framework, fellows identify a problem, develop a plan for change, and analyze data to guide their approach.
The cycle of inquiry process enhances fellows' proficiency in data acquisition, management, and visualization, equipping them to inform educational practice and policy decisions. This framework fosters collaboration, as teachers examine data together to refine instructional strategies. Ultimately, the goal is to improve instructional practices and enhance student learning outcomes through a data-driven, evidence-based approach.