School Research Lead

What is a School Research Lead?

The School Research Lead (SRL) is a staff member (e.g., classroom teacher, assistant principal, counselor) who works with Character Lab to coordinate research activities throughout the year. SRLs receive training, support, and compensation for their critical work in conducting research activities with fidelity.

In this role, the SRL is also a liaison, providing valuable feedback to improve our work and guiding Character Lab professional development opportunities for teachers at their schools.

What are the benefits of being a School Research Lead?

SRLs get to participate in Character Lab’s exclusive professional development opportunities, share their voice and experience in the research process by previewing upcoming research activities, and contribute ideas and feedback for Character Lab teacher resources and the future direction of the Research Network.

All SRLs are also paid and trained by Character Lab for their time.

What responsibilities does a School Research Lead have?

To prepare for each round of research activities (fall, winter, and spring), SRLs create a facilitation plan and test research activities. They choose the dates, times, and class periods for school participation. They also test the specific research activities matched to their school to make sure they work on school computers.

During the activity round, SRLs help facilitate research activities and schedule makeups. They are the liaison between school staff and Character Lab for any troubleshooting and work to find make-up times for students who missed the all-school facilitation dates.

After each round, SRLs complete a feedback survey to help improve the process for the next round.