REAL Lab

The Race in Education Analytics Learning Lab (REAL Lab) opens opportunities for students in the School of Education to produce knowledge about the role of race in education.

While graduate programs provide foundational knowledge, deepening the understanding also requires the skill to identify often-overlooked racial inequities through the use of data. The REAL Lab engages students in quantitative and mixed methods research projects that allow them to critically examine systems, policies, and practices as they seek change within their various professional contexts. The objective is not necessarily to publish, though it may be possible, but rather to support future advocacy efforts by helping students to be well-positioned to make data-informed decisions and influence change.

The REAL Lab engages students in:

Accessing data to critically examine the role of race in education systems, policies, and practices
Data-informed advocacy and change efforts across the K-20 continuum

In the REAL Lab, Latinx and Black students:

Conduct and participate in quantitative and mixed methods research projects
Participate in hands-on workshops using analytic tools
Reflect on how their own racial identities shape their experiences through affinity groups