Amita Chudgar, an assistant professor of educational administration, has been selected as a National Academy of Education/Spencer Foundation Postdoctoral Fellow for the 2010-11 academic year.
The program is intended to support scholars who are working on critical areas of education research early in their careers.
Chudgar will use the two-year, $55,000 grant to study how relying on contract teachers affects student learning in developing countries.
Many developing countries currently face severe shortages of educational resources, including teachers, as millions of new children enroll in schools under Education for All initiatives. In response, significant proportions of teachers – who are underpaid and underprepared – are being hired on a contract basis.
Chudgar plans to use data from eight French-speaking countries in Africa to explore how the practice affects learning outcomes for children, and what local or national responses may be available to mediate the situation.
The National Academy of Education (NAEd), whose members are elected on the basis of outstanding contributions to the field, is committed to supporting high-quality education research and its impact on policy and practice. The NAEd fellowship program was established with a grant from the Spencer Foundation.