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Back to Research RPPforCS Spotlight: Rutgers Computer Science Teaching and Learning Collaboratory Perspectives from Cynthia L. Blitz, Vivian Allen, Ria Galanos, Terri Evans, Nicole Norfles, & Frances P. Trees The Rutgers Computer Science Teaching and Learning Collaboratory (CS-TLC) spotlight presents a research practice partnership designed to address underrepresentation and disparities in computer science education. The NSF-funded project, launched in 2018, partnered with school districts in New Jersey and Pennsylvania with the core belief that supporting teacher capacity through professional learning and collaborative partnerships would enable educators to better meet the needs of their diverse student bodies. The project emphasized involving both teachers and administrators to ensure sustainable change beyond individual classrooms, and during 2020, it pivoted to focus more on engaging all students in remote computer science education in response to the pandemic. The project implemented a comprehensive support system including monthly research practice partnership meetings, online discussion boards, asynchronous professional development modules based on CSTA standards, and annual summer institutes. Through extensive data collection including teacher and administrator surveys, key informant interviews, and regular feedback sessions, the project sought to identify best practices for increasing CS educator capacity, facilitating productive relationships among educators across districts, and understanding sustainable mechanisms for knowledge sharing. The spotlight concludes with three key strategies for CS education: bringing administrators to the table as valuable partners, providing professional development at teachers' own pace, and remaining curriculum-agnostic to complement existing CS resources rather than creating restrictive learning experiences. September 2021 RPPforCS Spotlight | SageFox Consulting Group A spotlight on the CS-TLC, an NSF-funded researcher-practitioner partnership (RPP) formed to address persistent disparities in student participation and performance in computer science education. Citation Blitz, C. L., Allen, V., Galanos, R., Evans, T., Norfles, N., & Trees, F. P. (2021, September 17). RPPforCS Spotlight: Rutgers Computer Science Teaching and Learning Collaboratory (CS-TLC). RPPforCS, SageFox Consulting Group . https://www.sagefoxgroup.com/rppforcs-resources View Online Download PDF Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link

Back to Resources Adolescent Depression Screening: Exploring Barriers and Facilitators of Implementation in School Settings Findings from a review of factors to inform policy and practice This brief explores barriers and facilitators to adolescent depression screening in schools, highlighting stakeholder attitudes, resource needs, and strategies to improve implementation and equity. Suggested Citation Adolescent Depression Screening: Exploring Barriers And Facilitators Of Implementation In School Settings. (2022). Project ASPEN. New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University. Retrieved from https://cesp.rutgers.edu . Rates of depression spike dramatically during adolescence. Despite broad scientific consensus that early detection and treatment are key to preventing negative, long-term effects of adolescent depression, current screening rates among this population remain extremely low. A broad review of key barriers and facilitators to school-based depression screening was conducted with the goal of informing policy and practice. This paper details key findings and recommendations from the review. Prevention and early detection of adolescent depression is a national health priority. Current guidelines recommend routine screening for depression in children and adolescents and subsequently linking those in need to additional evaluation and care. Early detection through school-based screening has considerable potential to identify at-risk adolescents for referral to effective therapeutic services but significant barriers stand in the way of widespread implementation and sustainment. Thus, successful implementation of adolescent depression screening in a school-based setting should prioritize: (1) establishing positive attitudes toward mental health and depression; (2) securing sufficient financial and human resources; and (3) tailoring screening systems to account for individual school context. Project ASPEN, 2022 - Adolescent Depression Screening, Exploring Barriers and Facilitators .pdf Download PDF • 733KB Project ASPEN is a collaboration between a team of researchers from Rutgers University and the National Alliance on Mental Illness New Jersey (NAMI-NJ) to improve policy decision-makers’ access to credible and timely research evidence regarding different aspects of formulating and implementing sound youth mental health policies. The project is funded by a grant from the William T. Grant Foundation. Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link

Back to Research Community-Engaged Pedagogy by Design: Practical Strategies for Promoting Transformative Learning Cynthia L. Blitz, Itzhak Yanovitzky, & David J. Amiel Community-engaged pedagogy offers a rich, authentic, and motivating context for learning that stimulates personal and academic growth of both students and instructors. By studying and addressing real-world problems facing communities whether related to health, the environment, or social justice student learning is transformed from a passive to an active form of engagement that is not only complex and challenging, but also highly relevant. Such competency-focused learning provides space for impactful service to learners' communities and rewarding and grounded experiences. This contribution describes the practical decisions involved in planning, designing, and executing community-engaged pedagogy, which differs from service learning given its emphasis on the co-production of knowledge. Different models of community-engaged pedagogy exist, but studies that compare them are virtually non-existent. Moving to close this gap, two distinct models of high-quality, community-engaged pedagogy are explored in terms of their learning outcomes, learning experience, and benefit to the community. A community-based model seeks ad-hoc opportunities for individual classes to collaborate with a community partner on solving a problem that is relevant to that community; this model often builds on existing relationships between individual instructors and community groups to introduce students to problem-based learning opportunities. A partnership-based model, in contrast, builds on institutional infrastructure and an educational vision that promote the system-level integration of community-engaged pedagogy into the learning experience of students by building and maintaining robust, long-term partnerships within communities. The factors and conditions needed to support each of these two models are discussed, along with recommendations regarding the broader application of each model in practice, including areas in need of greater development, testing, and investment. July 2023 15th International Conference on Education and New Learning Technologies (EDULEARN) Palma, Mallorca, Spain DOI: 10.21125/edulearn.2023.1382 This exploration of two models of community-engaged pedagogy reviews learning outcomes, learning experiences, and community benefits as well as practicalities of planning, designing, and executing. Citation Blitz, C. L., Yanovitzky, I., & Amiel, D. J. (2023). Community-Engaged Pedagogy by Design: Practical Strategies for Promoting Transformative Learning. Proceedings of the 15th International Conference on Education and New Learning Technologies , 5270–5275. https://doi.org/10.21125/edulearn.2023.1382 View Online Download PDF Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link

Back to Resources Adolescent Depression Screening Instruments: A Review of Existing Instruments to Screen for Adolescent Depression An in-depth comparison of eight mental health screening instruments Explore psychometric properties of depression screening instruments along with a detailed comparison of eight frequently used adolescent mental health screeners, including the Beck inventories, PHQ-A, and MFQ. Suggested Citation Adolescent Depression Screening Instruments: A Review of Existing Instruments to Screen for Adolescent Depression (2022). Project ASPEN. New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University. Retrieved from https://cesp.rutgers.edu/ . A review of the most prevalent and recommended screening instruments was conducted to better inform policy and practice concerning the selection of the appropriate adolescent depression screening instrument. This paper details key findings from the review. Prevention and early detection of adolescent depression is a national health priority and a key recommendation of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF). Despite current guidelines that recommend conducting routine screening for depression during teen years, policymakers, school administrators, caregivers and other stakeholders express concerns about the implementation and sustainability of school￾based screening programs. Of particular concern is the identification and selection of the appropriate screening instrument that can effectively, efficiently, and safely identify students in need of mental health services. Several screening instruments have been developed and validated for school settings (Bernaras et al., 2019; Forman-Hoffman et al., 2016), making the task of instrument selection feasible. Project ASPEN, 2022 - Adolescent Depression Screening Instruments .pdf Download PDF • 862KB Project ASPEN is a collaboration between a team of researchers from Rutgers University and the National Alliance on Mental Illness New Jersey (NAMI-NJ) to improve policy decision-makers’ access to credible and timely research evidence regarding different aspects of formulating and implementing sound youth mental health policies. The project is funded by a grant from the William T. Grant Foundation. Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link

Back to Research Advancing Women in STEM: Assessment and Evaluation of Programs Cynthia L. Blitz The diversity gap in STEM presents both a challenge and opportunity for higher education. Despite high interest from first-generation students, women, transfer students, and marginalized groups, these populations remain underrepresented in science and technology fields. This presentation at the Big Ten Academic Alliance Summit Series on Advancing Undergraduate Women in STEM by research professor Cynthia L. Blitz, titled “Advancing Women in STEM – Program Survey Results,” documented program offerings and best practices at the alliance universities across themes of the Summit and as found in the data from the completed surveys. This included the identification and analysis of barriers to and facilitators of broadening participation. The presentation recommended a roadmap for the alliance universities to perform their own evaluations of individual strengths and weaknesses. A post-presentation plenary discussion further detailed setting program goals and implementing evaluation tools. This presentation was part of the series launch at Rutgers University–New Brunswick. June 2019 Big Ten Academic Alliance Summit Series on Advancing Undergraduate Women in STEM New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA This presentation reviews university-based programs and best practices and offers evidence-based assessment frameworks for initiatives promoting female participation and success in STEM fields. Citation Blitz, C. L. (2019, June 6). Advancing Women in STEM: Assessment and Evaluation of Programs [Invited presentation]. Big Ten Academic Alliance Summit Series on Advancing Undergraduate Women in STEM, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA. https://bigtenstemsummit.rutgers.edu/conferences View Online Download PDF Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link

Back to Our People Shreya Adupa Research Assistant e : p : cesp@gse.rutgers.edu (732) 564-9100 x10 Download CV Education : B.S., Computer Science/Finance; Rutgers University [anticipated] Affiliations : Biographical Highlights Shreya Adupa is a Research Assistant at Rutgers CESP, where she contributes to projects aimed at enhancing educational methodologies and outcomes. She is pursuing a double major in Finance and Computer Science at Rutgers University, integrating analytical and technical skills to address complex challenges. In addition to her research role, Shreya has been recognized for her teaching contributions. She received the Excellent TA Award from the Rutgers Computer Science Department for the 2023–2024 academic year, acknowledging her effectiveness as a Teaching Assistant. This award highlights her ability to convey complex concepts clearly and engage students effectively. Shreya also has experience in web development. She completed a summer internship at Contentstack, where she developed valuable skills in this area. Her interest in web technologies complements her academic background, allowing her to create content that supports learning in web development and education.

Back to News Welcome to the CESP Team: Solangel Troncoso Mixed-methods researcher joins Rutgers CESP as Research Associate, bringing expertise in equity, gender, and adolescent development We’re excited to welcome Solangel Troncoso to the team. A published scholar whose work spans gender, adolescence, and resilience, Solangel brings experience in qualitative research and community engagement to CESP's applied research, outreach, and resource development work. By Anna Lasek, Communications Assistant at Rutgers CESP We are excited to welcome Solangel Troncoso as a Research Associate at Rutgers CESP! In this role, Solangel is a mixed-methods researcher with expertise in both qualitative and quantitative approaches to studying equity and access in education. At CESP, Solangel contributes to research and community-engaged initiatives aimed at advancing educational excellence for all learners. She focuses on resource curation, development, and high-quality technical assistance within the BRIDGE initiative. A published scholar, her peer-reviewed work explores gender, adolescent development, and the resilience factors that contribute to academic success. Solangel earned her Ph.D. in Psychology and Women’s and Gender Studies and an M.S. in Psychology from the University of Michigan, after completing a B.A. in Psychology and Women’s and Gender Studies at Rutgers University. Outside her research at CESP, Solangel loves going on walks and taking her two daughters to the park. She also enjoys listening to a variety of podcasts and audiobooks. Solangel looks forward to seeing how her research translates into practice and the impact it can have on educators. Please join us in giving Solangel a warm welcome to the Rutgers CESP team! Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link

Back to Our People Maria Salinas Founder & CEO e : p : Download CV Education : Affiliations : Biographical Highlights Maria Salinas is an experienced project manager and dissemination practitioner. Over the past 20 years, she has led dissemination and community engagement for various multi-year projects funded by the U.S. Department of Education, HHS, CDC, pharmaceutical, and energy efficiency clients. Her dissemination and project management skills include oversight of multiple projects with cross-functional, distributed teams. She has been particularly adept at leading and coordinating multi-agency resources and establishing effective communication between clients, subcontractors, grantees, and related stakeholders for maximum program effectiveness. She has assisted local and national programs develop goals, implementation plans, communication and dissemination plans, and integrate research and evaluation findings into program development.

Back to Research An In-Depth Exploration of Mathematics Teaching Tools: Practical Insights for Educators Jennifer Vradenburgh, Cynthia L. Blitz, & David J. Amiel In an era where digital technology has transformed mathematics education, particularly accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic, educators face the challenge of selecting and implementing effective online learning tools. This comprehensive research presents findings from an in-depth exploration of five widely used mathematics teaching platforms: ALEKS, Beast Academy, DreamBox, IXL, and Khan Academy. Conducted by seasoned educators and educational researchers, the study combines systematic information gathering with educator-informed analysis to provide practical guidance for classroom integration. The research covers both logistical considerations such as pricing, technical requirements, and accessibility, as well as instructional design elements including scope and sequence, lesson formats, and assessment strategies. Each platform is examined through a structured framework that facilitates direct comparisons while highlighting unique features and strengths. The study reveals how these tools support blended learning environments through various approaches to adaptivity, student engagement, and personalized instruction. ALEKS emphasizes AI-driven diagnostics and frustration-free learning, while Beast Academy uses a graphic novel format for younger students. DreamBox focuses on gamified standards-aligned instruction, IXL provides comprehensive skill-building with real-time diagnostics, and Khan Academy offers free video-based instruction across all grade levels. The paper emphasizes that effectiveness depends significantly on matching tools to specific classroom goals, contexts, and student populations, providing educators with valuable perspectives for both selecting new resources and optimizing tools already in use. June 2025 17th International Conference on Education and New Learning Technologies (EDULEARN) DOI: 10.21125/edulearn.2025.1577 A comprehensive exploration of five widely used mathematics teaching tools providing educators with practical insights for selecting and integrating digital resources effectively. Citation Vradenburgh, J., Blitz, C. L., & Amiel, D. J. (2025). An In-Depth Exploration of Mathematics Teaching Tools: Practical Insights for Educators. Proceedings of the 17th International Conference on Education and New Learning Technologies , 6415–6420. https://doi.org/10.21125/edulearn.2025.1577 View Online Download PDF Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link

Back to Resources CS Professional Learning: A Ready-To-Use Component Library These professional development resources – slides, facilitator notes, and ready-to-implement materials – are designed for those who are teaching and training others to deliver computer science education. Suggested Citation Computer science professional learning: A ready-to-use component library . Rutgers University Center for Effective School Practices. (2023, March). https://cesp.rutgers.edu/resource/cs-video-library A comprehensive repository designed to support educators, STEM coordinators, and professional development providers, this collection of materials – the Computer Science Education Professional Development Component Library, produced by the Rutgers Center for Effective School Practices – can be tailored to create enriching educational experiences. Whether the need is to present a short workshop or a full-term course, this collection offers a suite of presentation slides, facilitator notes, and ready-to-implement materials that streamline the development and delivery of professional learning sessions. Empowering educators to deliver high-quality computer science education and enhancing the accessibility and effectiveness of professional learning in this vital field are the main objectives of the Computer Science Education Professional Development Component Library. Getting Started jijijijij Click Me ijijij ojioijoijoij Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link