The Office of Assessment, Evaluation, and Research Services (OAERS) is a division of the Department of Educational Research Methodology (ERM) at UNC Greensboro. OAERS delivers valuable research and evaluation support to organizations while providing a rich training ground for the next generation of leaders in the fields of assessment, program evaluation, and data analysis.
The purpose of OAERS rests at the intersection of two goals: to provide graduate students in ERM extensive applied experiences to support their training and professional growth, and to offer exceptional consulting services and technical resources in relevant areas. These areas include research methodology, data analysis, assessment and measurement, and program evaluation to individuals and organizations in the Piedmont Triad, North Carolina, and beyond.
Within the past five years, OAERS has produced a surge in grant and contract activity. In 2018-2019, OAERS secured more than $800,000 in funding. OAERS evaluation clients include National Science Foundation-funded projects at North Carolina Central University, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, University of Indiana Bloomington and Purdue University.
Remaining OAERS funding sources originate from a diverse collection of organizations: the U.S. Department of Education, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and the Cemela and Edward M. Armfield, Sr. Foundations, the NC Department of Public Instruction, and private testing organizations. OAERS also provided methodological, research, and evaluation support to half a dozen UNCG initiatives, projects, and sponsored research activities. Consulting services offered by OAERS are led by a team of researchers that include ERM faculty members, staff, and graduate students.
OAERS houses and supports a comprehensive internship matching program that matches internship opportunities of professional organizations with ERM graduate students seeking practical experience in assessment, program evaluation, or research methodology. Their internship matching program has been met with fantastic success, and is rapidly expanding to include a wide range of professional organizations with internship opportunities that are both national and international.
We are excited to see how OAERS grows in the coming years, and are thrilled to witness their continued support from UNC Greensboro, the School of Education, and beyond!
Learn more about OAERS here.
