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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Examination of Identification and Placement Decisions Made for K–12 English Learners
Authors: Ahyoung Alicia Kim, Daniella Molle, Jason Kemp, H. Gary Cook October 2018, 25 pp. Abstract: High-stakes decisions are often made for English learners in the K–12 context based on their performance on English language proficiency assessments. Although states…
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Exploring the Situated and Cultural Aspects of Communication in the Professions: Implications for Teaching, Student Employability, and Equity in Higher Education
Authors: Matthew T. Hora, Bailey B. Smolarek, Kelly Norris Martin, Lee Scrivener October 2018, 39 pp. Abstract: One of the problematic features of the increasingly influential discourse of student employability in higher education is the widespread conception of “skills”…
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Where’s the Crisis? How Undergraduate Enrollment Patterns Influence Growth in Student Debt
Authors: Jaymes Pyne, Eric Grodsky August 2018, 18 pp. Abstract: When planning for college, students face a range of constrained choices governed in part by variation between institutions. What are the economic consequences of those decisions and constraints both…
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Inequality and Opportunity in a Perfect Storm of Graduate Student Debt
Authors: Jaymes Pyne, Eric Grodsky August 2018, 32 pp. Abstract: Recent efforts to understand aggregate student loan debt have shifted the focus away from undergraduate borrowing and toward dramatically rising debt among graduate and professional students. We suggest educational…
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The Role of Career Services Programs and Sociocultural Factors in Student Career Development
Authors: Mun Yuk Chin, Chelsea A. Blackburn Cohen, Matthew T. Hora June 2018, 29 pp. Abstract: Existing research on the effectiveness of college career services centers (CSCs) has primarily focused on students’ utilization rates and their satisfaction with the…
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Skilled Non-College Occupations in the U.S.
Author: Matías D. Scaglione June 2018, 47 pp. Abstract: This paper presents a new approach to identifying relatively skilled occupations that do not typically require a bachelor’s degree for entry. I call this group of occupations Skilled Non-College Occupations…
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College Attendance Among Low-Income Youth: Explaining Differences Across Wisconsin High Schools
Authors: Noah Hirschl, Christian Michael Smith April 2018, 19 pp. Abstract: Nationally and in Wisconsin, economically disadvantaged high school graduates attend college, especially baccalaureate colleges, at much lower rates than their more advantaged peers. Schools play an important role…
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Hiring as an Experiment: Reframing the Skills Shortage
Author: A. Nelse Grundvig February 2018, 12 pp. Abstract: “Skills shortage” is often used to describe the difficulty that can arise when trying to match a ready supply of qualified applicants to open positions. To believe the term accurately…
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Social Networks and Skills Instruction: A Pilot Study of STEM College Educators and Employers in Wisconsin and New York
Authors: Ross J. Benbow, Changhee Lee, Matthew T. Hora January 2018, 17 pp. Abstract: Research indicates that teamwork, communication, self-directed learning, and problem-solving skills are strongly linked to individual academic and professional success, yet little is known regarding how…
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Supply and Demand for Public School Teachers in Wisconsin
Authors: Peter Goff, Bradley Carl, Minseok Yang January 2018, 56 pp. Abstract: This report presents findings on key features of the Wisconsin teacher labor market, including mobility, attrition, supply, and demand. We use data from multiple sources (state staffing…
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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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