IES Research Training Program Surveys

IES Fellows Exit Survey

Thank you for taking this survey. Your responses are extremely important to us as we seek to ensure that the IES Education Research training programs are meeting their goals of providing high-quality, rigorous training in education research. The results of the survey will be used to both improve the training programs as well as to provide information on the program to policymakers, practitioners, and the public. Please note that responses are voluntary and all information is kept confidential except as required by law.

Information collected from this survey is subject to the confidentiality and data protection requirements of the Institute of Education Sciences (The Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002, Title I, Part E, Section 183). Information that could identify an individual or institution will be separated from the survey responses submitted, kept in secured locations, and destroyed as soon as they are no longer required. Survey responses will be used only for research purposes. The reports prepared from the survey will summarize findings across individuals and institutions and will not associate responses with a specific district, school, or person.

I. Respondent Information

1. Name (Optional) [open field: 200 characters]

2. Alternative email address (Optional) [open field: 200 characters]

3. [For Predocs only] Have you completed your doctoral program?

No Yes

[If “Yes”, skip to II.1]

4. [For Predocs only] When do you expect to receive your doctoral degree?

a) Within one academic year

b) Within two academic years

c) More than two academic years

d) Leaving without completing a doctoral degree (e.g., leaving with an MA)

5. Did you have any physical, cognitive, developmental, or sensory limitations that required accommodations to succeed in your training program?

No Yes Choose not to answer

[If “No”, skip to II. 1

5. Did you receive accommodations from your training program?

No Yes Choose not to answer

II. Activities During the Fellowship Training

1. Please list any courses or workshops that you took during your fellowship that you found especially useful, and briefly describe why:

2. Please check the types of professional activities/roles you engaged in as part of your fellowship.

 Conference presenter

 Grant reviewer for a research funding agency

 Key personnel on an education research grant

 Key personnel on a non-education research grant

 Peer-reviewer for a conference

 Peer-reviewer for a journal

 Direct service provider (e.g., psychologist, social worker, speech therapist)

 Teacher of a course, seminar, or workshop

 Teaching assistant

3. Please check the types of opportunities you had to work directly with education stakeholders (students, teachers, administrators, policymakers) during the course of your fellowship:

• Planning or designing a study to address a problem or issue of interest to the stakeholders

• Gathering primary data in schools or other authentic education settings (e.g., classroom observations, conducting interviews or focus groups, administering surveys)

• Presenting research findings and/or discussing the implications of research for education policy or practice to key stakeholders (e.g., parents, teachers, practitioners, policymakers)

3. Briefly describe any activities you found to be particularly helpful to your professional development: [Open field: limit 500 words]

3. [For Postdocs only] How would you describe the nature of the research you conducted during your fellowship:

a) Based primarily on work I was doing during my doctorate program/dissertation

b) Based primarily on existing projects of my mentor(s)/trainer(s)

c) Based primarily on new work that emerged during the fellowship period

III. Satisfaction with Training Experience

How satisfied are you with the education research training you received during your IES Predoctoral/Postdoctoral [Special] Education Research Training fellowship? Please rate below.

Scale: (1) Very Dissatisfied, (2) Somewhat Dissatisfied, (3) Neither Satisfied nor Dissatisfied,
(4) Somewhat Satisfied, (5) Very Satisfied

1. Training in an [special] education content area that is of interest to you (e.g., early learning, adult and postsecondary education, STEM education)

2. Training in education research methodology & statistics

3. Training in writing for researcher audiences

4. Training in writing for practitioner/policymaker audiences

5. Opportunities for meaningful independent research in [special] education

6. [Predocs only] Opportunities for meaningful education research outside of your home

7. [Predocs only] Opportunities for meaningful education research with faculty or researchers other than your primary mentor

8. Opportunities to collaborate with researchers outside of your university

9. Opportunities to collaborate with education policymakers, practitioners, and other education stakeholders

10. Opportunities to publish

11. Opportunities to present at conferences

12. Opportunities to learn grant writing

13. Overall preparation for obtaining future employment in [special] education research

14. Overall satisfaction with quality of mentoring received from primary advisor/mentor

15. Overall satisfaction with quality of training received

IV. Employment Information

1. Have you secured employment that will begin or has begun following completion of your IES [Special] Education Research Training Program?

No Yes

[If “Yes”, skip to question IV.5]

2. Are you seeking employment?

No Yes

[if “No”, skip to question V.1]

2. What type of institution would you like to work for most?

College or University

State Education Agency or Local Education Agency

Other government agency (federal, state, or local)

Nonprofit organization or agency (e.g., foundation, advocacy group, community-based group)

Research firm (nonprofit or for-profit)

Community-based health agency (e.g., hospital, clinic, mental health center)

Other

2. What type of position would you like to have most?

Full-time faculty

Postdoctoral fellow

Research associate/scientist (primarily research only)

Education administrator (e.g., superintendent, principal) or teacher

Direct service provider (e.g., psychologist, social worker, speech therapist)

Other

[Skip to question V.1]

5. What type of institution are you currently employed in or will you be employed in?

College or university

State Education Agency or Local Education Agency

Other government agency (federal, state, or local)

Nonprofit organization or agency (e.g., foundation, advocacy group, community-based group)

Research firm (nonprofit or for-profit)

Community-based health agency (e.g., hospital, clinic, mental health center)

Other

5. What type of position do you currently hold or will you hold?

Full-time faculty, tenure track

Full-time faculty, non-tenure track

Lecturer

Postdoctoral fellow

Research associate/scientist (primarily research only)

Education administrator (superintendent, principal) or teacher

Direct service provider (e.g., psychologist, social worker, speech therapist)

Other

7. If your employment involves or will involve research activities (e.g., conducting research, analyzing data), what is the focus of the research? Select all that apply.

Special education research

General education research

Other research (i.e., education outcomes are not primary outcomes of interest)

V. Grant Activity Information

1. During your fellowship, did you submit a proposal for research funding to any government agency, foundation, professional association, or other organization (e.g., university funding)?

No Yes

[If “No”, skip to question V.6]

2. To which funding sources did you submit a research proposal? [Open field: limit 500 words]

3. Have you submitted or been on a team that submitted an Education Research
   (84.305A) or Special Education Research (84.324A) grant application to IES during your fellowship?

No Yes

[If “No”, skip to question V.5]

4. If you have submitted or were on a team that submitted an Education Research or Special Education Research grant application to IES during your fellowship, please check topic areas and research goals to which you have applied. [NOTE: the names of these may change over time and would need to be updated.]

84.305A Education Research Topics:

	Cognition and Student Learning
	Early Childhood Programs and Policies
	Education Leadership
	Education Technology
	Effective Teachers and Effective Teaching
	English Learners
	Improving Education Systems: Policies, Organization, and Management
	Mathematics and Science Education
	Postsecondary and Adult Education
	Reading and Writing Education
	Social and Behavioral Context for Academic Learning

84.324A Special Education Research Topics:

	Autism Spectrum Disorders
	Cognition and Student Learning in Special Education
	Early Intervention and Early Childhood Special Education
	Families of Children with Disabilities
	Mathematics and Science Education
	Reading, Writing, and Language Development
	Professional Development for Teachers or Related Services Providers
	Social and Behavioral Outcomes to Support Learning
	Special Education Policy, Finance, and Systems
	Technology for Special Education
	Transition Outcomes for Secondary Students with Disabilities

Research Goals

	Exploration
	Development and Innovation
	Efficacy and Replication
	Effectiveness
	Measurement

5. Below is a list of other IES research grant programs. If you have submitted or were on a team that submitted an application to any of these during your fellowship, please mark the the competition (If none, leave blank.)

[NOTE: the names of these may change over time and would need to be updated.]

	Early Career Development and Mentoring
	Evaluation of State and Local Education Programs and Policies
	Low-Cost, Short-Duration Evaluation of Education Interventions
	Low-Cost, Short-Duration Evaluation of Special Education Interventions
	Methods Training for Education Research
	Researcher-Practitioner Partnerships in Education Research
	Small Business Innovation and Research
	Statistical and Research Methodology

5. Do you plan to submit a grant proposal to IES as either PI or Co-PI in the future?

No Yes

[If “No”, skip to VI.1]

5. If you plan to submit an Education Research (84.305A) or Special Education Research (84.324A) grant application in the 3 years, please check topic areas and research goals to which you may apply. [NOTE: the names of these may change over time and would need to be updated.]

84.305A Education Research Topics:

	Cognition and Student Learning
	Early Childhood Programs and Policies
	Education Leadership
	Education Technology
	Effective Teachers and Effective Teaching
	English Learners
	Improving Education Systems: Policies, Organization, and Management
	Mathematics and Science Education
	Postsecondary and Adult Education
	Reading and Writing Education
	Social and Behavioral Context for Academic Learning

84.324A Special Education Research Topics:

	Autism Spectrum Disorders
	Cognition and Student Learning in Special Education
	Early Intervention and Early Childhood Special Education
	Families of Children with Disabilities
	Mathematics and Science Education
	Reading, Writing, and Language Development
	Professional Development for Teachers or Related Services Providers
	Social and Behavioral Outcomes to Support Learning
	Special Education Policy, Finance, and Systems
	Technology for Special Education
	Transition Outcomes for Secondary Students with Disabilities

Research goals:

	Exploration
	Development and Innovation
	Efficacy and Replication
	Effectiveness
	Measurement

5. Below is a list of other IES research programs. Please check programs to which you may apply. (If none, leave blank.)

[NOTE: the names of these may change over time and would need to be updated.]

	Early Career Development and Mentoring
	Evaluation of State and Local Education Programs and Policies
	Low-Cost, Short-Duration Evaluation of Education Interventions
	Low-Cost, Short-Duration Evaluation of Special Education Interventions
	Methods Training for Education Research
	Researcher-Practitioner Partnerships in Education Research
	Small Business Innovation and Research
	Statistical and Research Methodology

VI. Additional Information

1. What do you feel was the most valuable element of your training program? And why?

2. What suggestion(s) do you have for improving your particular training program?

3. Do you have any recommendations on how IES might improve its overall training programs?

4. Is there anything else you would like to tell IES about your fellowship?

THANK YOU FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION IN THE IES FELLOWS SURVEY!

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