About ORG

Welcome to the Occupational Research Group. We are a research and service branch of the College of Education at The University of Georgia in Athens, Georgia. The Occupational Research Group provides educational research, curriculum development, and program evaluation services at the state, national, and international level.

Dr. Dorothy Harnish, Associate Research Scientist and Co-Director, Occupational Research Group

Dr. Richard L. Lynch, Professor and Co-Director, ORG

Mission

Our mission is to work collaboratively with state, national, and international agencies in the development and continuous improvement of education, focusing on workforce preparation, lifelong learning, and connections between education and economic development. We conduct applied research and evaluation activities and provide curriculum development, technical assistance, program evaluation, and information analysis services to a broad audience of educational decisionmakers and practitioners. Our research intent is to provide a knowledge base for educational practitioners and policy makers to assist them in understanding complex issues and making recommendations for actions.

Our approach to research is collaborative, client-centered, and interdisciplinary, and uses multiple modes of inquiry. We actively seek partnerships with schools, state agencies, and other organizations interested in collaborating on the design and conduct of research into critical issues in Georgia, with a focus on preparing a globally competitive, solidly educated, and flexible workforce appropriate for the 21st century.

Staffing and Resources

Our research, development, and evaluation activities are conducted by full- and part-time professional staff of the Occupational Research Group, working cooperatively with diverse, nationally recognized faculty members and consultants at the University of Georgia and elsewhere.

ORG program specialists and faculty have professional backgrounds and expertise in educational practice, industry applications, educational research, curriculum development, and evaluation assessment. University administrators, faculty, and graduate students work as research associates, technical consultants, and project team leaders, providing research design expertise and support for ORG projects.

Funding sources include university contracts, grants, and agreements with state, national, and international education agencies and other client organizations.

Capabilities

Research and Evaluation
- Focus group, survey, case study, on-site observation, experimental, and interview research and evaluation on topics related to educational change and preparation for work
Review, synthesis, and reporting of literature on education and work force issues
Collection, analysis, and reporting of quantitative and qualitative data
Curriculum Development
- Development, evaluation, and revision of secondary and post secondary occupational/technical curricula programs, and instructional materials responsive to the needs of business and industry and the appropriate educational level of the learner.
- Identification of occupational skill standards for career and technical education, based on business and industry input
Information Dissemination
- Creation of research briefs, newsletters, publications, and presentation software summarizing critical issues in education and the workforce
- Use of computer networks and electronic communications for database management and distribution of information

Areas of Expanding Involvement

Appropriate Assessment of Student Skills and Knowledge
Business and Industry Partnerships with Education
Connections between Learning and the Workplace
Contextual Teaching & Learning
Distance Learning and Alternative Educational Delivery Systems
Evaluation of School Improvement Initiatives
Implications of Technology for Work and Learning
Industry-driven Occupational Skill Standards
Integration of Academic and Technical Education
Multicultural Diversity Issues in Education and the Workplace
Professional Development of Educators
Program Planning and Development for Technical Education
Responses to At-Risk Learners
School-to-Work Transition Models and Issues
Situated Learning for Problem-Solving Skills
Tech Prep, Youth Apprenticeship, Cooperative Education
Work-based Learning Models
Work Ethics and Work Attitudes
Workforce and Workplace Issues and Trends