Edvance is committed to helping educators use rigorous research and expert resources to improve student learning and build capacity for making data-driven and evidence-based decisions as they develop strategies and implement programs.  We are also dedicated to providing assistance to all our constituents including policymakers, administrators, business leaders, higher education professionals and parents to locate the best research-based information and access specialized expertise in order to make informed decision.  We provide high-quality technical assistance through a variety of approaches, including:

 

 

Edvance manages several expert networks to efficiently and effectively carry out technical assistance activities.  We  manage a team of technical assistance consultants who support the Afterschool Centers on Education (ACE) grantees across Texas and maintain an ongoing technical working group to provide advice on the design and execution of our large-scale randomized controlled trial studies.

 

As REL Southwest at Edvance Research, we operated Research ReadySource, a service which included expert networking through the Regional Education Laboratories and the National Library of Education, to respond to requests for information from education constituents. 

 

We provide program planning and evaluation support to federal and state education agencies and local school districts.  Program planning involves reviewing background documents, conducting interviews with program leaders, facilitating team meetings, conducting qualitative and quantitative data collection with field-based constituents served by the program, and drafting detailed project objectives, activities and timelines.  The evaluation support Edvance provides includes data identification and clarification, data preparation, data review/approval, data analyses, and drafting interim and final evaluation reports.

 

Program implementation support from our staff is based on the level of need identified by our clients.  Program implementation services include providing research-based academic strategies and best-practice podcasts and webinars, developing on-site training to model exemplary instructional strategies, conducting site visits to review implementation fidelity, facilitating action planning sessions, and providing access to content experts and outside consultants.

 

Edvance designs professional development to meet the needs of adult learners with flexible formats that are cost- and time-effective and provide research-based information to participants.  This can be delivered through conferences, seminar sessions, and direct training—either face-to-face or online.  We have found significant value in the use of electronic delivery methods such as webinars and webcasts, podcasts, online courses, and online professional forums.  Edvance’s online courses are developed through our Moodle platform, which is an open-source tool with a variety of learning, interaction, and collaboration features.