Dr. Katharine Strunk, an assistant professor in the Rossier School of Education, is hiring 5 undergraduate researchers to assist with a study entitled "The Impact of Teachers' Unions on Student Achievement in California." The study will explore the important and under-researched relationships between teachers' unions and student performance in California. Results from this study will be helpful to national, state and district policymakers as well as to teachers' unions as they work together to efficiently utilize scarce resources and improve student outcomes.
The undergraduate research assistants will learn a great deal about education policy as it relates to collective bargaining agreements and teachers' unions in California. In addition, the research assistants will become familiar with qualitative content analysis research strategies. The RAs will have the following research responsibilities:
- Receive training in content analysis techniques necessary for the project
- Analyze the content and code California teachers' union collective bargaining agreements
- Meet with the research team at regular intervals to report on progress and share learnings
- Work together with the research team to provide an overview report of the frequency of individual contract regulations in California school districts.
The ideal candidate must be detail-oriented and have an analytic approach to research. The RAs must be at least somewhat familiar with Excel. In addition, the ideal candidate will have some basic statistics background (introductory level) and familiarity with at least one statistical software (Excel, SPSS, Stata). This familiarity with statistics is preferred, but not required. The position is open to work study applicants as well as to students who are not on work study.
We are seeking two undergraduate researchers who can consistently work 15-20 hours/week during the remainder of the spring 2011 semester. These students will be paid $10/hour. For interested students, there will also be the opportunity to continue on the project during the summer. The position will begin immediately.
To apply for the position or request further information, please contact Professor Strunk at kstrunk@usc.edu
Katharine O. Strunk
Assistant Professor of Education & Policy
Rossier School of Education and School of Policy, Planning and Development
kstrunk@usc.edu
(213) 740-2190
