Message from the Dean

I knew there was a tremendous amount of innovative work going on in the Graduate School of Education, but I was amazed when I recently reviewed the complete list of sponsored research projects underway here. 71 active research and outreach projects are currently in progress, with another 28 grant proposals pending. All this with only 35 tenure-track faculty in the School! It's a tribute to the faculty's and students' hard work and national visibility.

Our faculty's current projects are at the crest of educational change, and they range from studying school restructuring, examining the ripple effects of charter schools, investigating scientific representations in pictures, improving science learning through the Internet for scientists and students, to determining how to "detrack" the urban high school.

But even this surge of intellectual electricity may seem calm as we anticipate a rush of new energy from Sacramento to make education the #1 priority in the governor's office. While much groundwork has been laid, the need for new concepts for educational theory and practice, strong evaluation tools, and seasoned policy advice will undoubtedly keep us all moving at breakneck speed. The landscape of education is shifting rapidly and we are pleased that Berkeley's campanile remains one of the most visible beacons during these changes.

Eugene E. Garcia