WCER Working Papers
The WCER Working Paper Series shares research in progress, early findings, and methodological developments from WCER researchers. These papers are intended to support timely dissemination and encourage discussion among researchers, practitioners, and policymakers.
This series reflects WCER’s commitment to advancing knowledge and supporting evidence-informed decision making.
WCER accepts submissions from UW–Madison researchers with a connection to the WCER mission.
Browse the WCER working papers below, dating back to 2020, covering a wide range of topics investigated by WCER researchers and others at UW–Madison advancing education research.
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Games and Simulations for Diabetes Education
Authors: Nathan Patterson, Moses Wolfenstein, Susan Millar, Richard Halverson, Kurt Squire February 2011, 22 pp. Abstract: This paper highlights the thinking of the Education Research Challenge Area (ERCA) of the Morgridge Institute for Research on developing games and simulations…
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Games and Simulations in Informal Science Education
Authors: Kurt Squire and Nathan Patterson December 2010, 25 pp. Abstract: Video games and simulations have emerged as an important cultural — and increasingly, educational — medium. The goals and contexts of informal science education make it a natural…
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Conservative Dual-Criterion Method for Single-Case Research: A Guide for Visual Analysis of AB, ABAB, and Multiple-Baseline Designs
Authors: Christopher M. Swoboda, Thomas R. Kratochwill, Joel R. Levin December 2010, 25 pp. Abstract: Analyzing data visually from single-case designs can be challenging for researchers because there is often a lack of agreement among judges. Statistical analysis, by…
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Cyberinfrastructure and Scientific Collaboration: Application of a Virtual Team Performance Framework with Potential Relevance to Education
Authors: Sara Kraemer, Christopher A. Thorn October 2010, 23 pp. Abstract: This paper presents a preliminary framework for the analysis of virtual team performance and the use of high throughput computing (HTC). This area of research may have potential…
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Making Sense of Time as Context: Theoretical Affordances of Chronotopes in the Study of Schooling and School Success
Author: Catherine Compton-Lilly September 2010, 38 pp. Abstract: This theoretical essay argues that time is a critical dimension of the contexts in which people make sense of their worlds and themselves. Drawing from the work of Bakhtin, the theoretical…
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The Epistemography of a Journalism Practicum: The Complex Mechanisms of Developing Journalistic Expertise
Authors: David Hatfield and David Williamson Shaffer July 2010, 29 pp. Abstract: As bloggers and mobile phone eyewitnesses increasingly supplement the “news,” understanding how professional journalists develop their expertise is more important than ever. This paper examines the learning…
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Enhancing Middle School Students’ Representational Fluency: A Classroom-Based Study
Authors: Mitchell J. Nathan, Martha W. Alibali, Kate Masarik, Ana C. Stephens, Kenneth R. Koedinger July 2010, 29 pp. Abstract: The present study examined middle school students’ (N = 82) representational fluency, the ability to reason with and between…
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Epistemography of an Urban and Regional Planning Practicum: Appropriation in the Face of Resistance
Author: Elizabeth Bagley May 2010, 26 pp. Abstract: Preparing citizens to address the complex problems inherent in cities requires changing society to embrace a new kind of education. One way to train people to think about complex problems is…
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Hand Matching vs. Propensity Score Matching: An Empirical Comparison of Results From a Quasi-Experiment
Authors: Natalie A. Tran, Alan B. Nathan, Mitchell J. Nathan May 2010, 10 pp. Abstract: This paper illustrates how propensity score matching (PSM) can provide a robust estimate of a program treatment effect on student learning outcomes. A quasi-experimental…
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Factors Influencing Change Initiatives to Improve K–20 STEM Education at California State University, Dominguez Hills: Final Case Study of SCALE Activities
Author: Matthew T. Hora April 2010, 66 pp. Abstract: The System-Wide Change for All Learners and Educators (SCALE) project — funded by a grant from the National Science Foundation Mathematics and Science Partnership program — sought to effect change…
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Browse more publications from WCER researchers, including journal articles, books, and chapters focused on evidence-based education research.
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