As an incubator for new ideas and collaborations, our center supports programs that foster community engagement, co-design of practices, tools, and technologies with communities, schools, and families, and learning opportunities such as practice-based or research experiences for students.
Learning Studio
An important part of the center’s mission is to provide opportunities to implement and evaluate innovative curricula, tools, technologies, and practices in partnership with communities. Our new Learning Studio program provides match-making between community organizations and center researchers, offering support for time-limited projects.
Current Learning Studio Projects
- Curriculum Development for Urban Farming
In collaboration with Detroit farmers and educators Candi and Mark Fentress, we are developing curricular materials, lessons and activities focused on urban gardening, environmental justice, food justice, and sustainability. This curriculum aims to enhance high school students' academic skills through hands-on, project-based learning experiences in urban farming.
- Community Partners: Candi and Mark Fentress of Corn Wine Oil Farms in Detroit
- Faculty: Leslie Rupert Herrenkohl
- Student Fellow: Jess Bautista
- Performing Relational Histories by Embodying an Imagined Otherwise: Examining How Youth Amplify Justice in and through Shakespeare in Detroit
This project examines the arts’ role in learning, communication skills, and sense of belonging through a summer youth conservatory program. It also enhances the organization’s capacity to evaluate their programming and outreach in Detroit K-12 schools.
- Community Partner: Shakespeare in Detroit
- Faculty: Jon Wargo
- Student Fellow: Sara Batool
- Digital Asset Development for Online Courses
This innovative project aims to develop and integrate AI-generated avatars as dynamic learning tools, sparking insightful discussions on their applications and impacts within educational design.
- Faculty: Rebecca Quintana, Chris Quintana
- Student Fellow: Annie Zhou
Requests can come from community organizations seeking to create, test, or assess practices or tools for learning, or from center-affiliated faculty members. Generally, projects are short-term and require alignment of goals and expertise between the organization and center faculty. Additional guidelines are forthcoming. Inquiries can be sent via email to [email protected].
Student Programs
- Learning Sciences Student Fellowship
The Learning Sciences Student Fellowship Program connects students with the Center for the Learning Sciences, fostering community through learning, professional development, and research integration. The program provides fellows with hands-on research or practical experiences and facilitates growth in the learning sciences.
- Student fellows are matched with a faculty project and appointed for one semester or academic year, with options to extend into the spring/summer.
- Open to undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral students, with preference for Marsal students.
- Research Engagement: Up to 5 hours/week on center-supported projects with faculty guidance.
- Additional activities include: Orientation, Bi-semester Learning Sciences Lunch Hours for community and skill-building, and an End of Year Showcase & Celebration
- Fellows may earn either academic credit or an honorarium, and are eligible to apply for funds to support conference travel or additional training related to their work with the center.
Opportunities are announced throughout the year. Sign up for our email list to be notified of student opportunities. Questions can be directed to [email protected].
- Learning Levers
The James A. Kelly Learning Lever Prize Program is run collaboratively between the Center for the Learning Sciences and the Center for Education Design, Evaluation, and Research (CEDER).
The competition is designed to challenge University of Michigan students to invent digital tools with the potential to significantly improve student learning. This prize encourages a culture of innovation in education, and rewards the creative, interdisciplinary work of University of Michigan students.
Connect with us
ADDRESS
University of Michigan – Marsal Family School of Education
Eileen Lappin Weiser Center for the Learning Sciences
610 East University Ave, Suite 1323
Ann Arbor, MI 48109