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Barbara Means

Director

Dr. Barbara Means is an educational psychologist whose research focuses on ways in which technology can support students' learning of advanced skills and the revitalization of classrooms and schools. She is regarded as a leader in defining issues and approaches for evaluating the implementation and efficacy of technology-supported educational innovations. Currently, she leads SRI's research and assistance efforts in support of National Technology Activities within the U.S. Department of Education. She is also directing SRI's documentation of the implementation of educational technology in schools participating in the national randomized field trials evaluating the Effectiveness of Educational Technology Innovations for the Institute of Education Sciences. Her published works include the edited volumes Evaluating Educational Technology, Technology and Education Reform, and Teaching Advanced Skills to At-Risk Students as well as the jointly authored volumes Using Technology Evaluation to Advance Student Learning, The Connected School, and Comparative Studies of How People Think. Dr. Means earned her bachelor's degree in psychology from Stanford University and her Ph.D. in educational psychology at the University of California, Berkeley.

Education 

• Ph.D., Educational Psychology, University of California, Berkeley, 1977
• A.B., Psychology, with Distinction, Stanford University, 1971

Professional Experience 

• Co-Director of Center for Technology in Learning, SRI International, Menlo Park, CA (1999-present)
• Vice President, Policy Division, SRI International (1994-1999)
• Member, Board on Testing and Assessment (BOTA) of the National Research Council, National Academy of Sciences (1998-2001)
• Member, Committee on Developments in the Science of Learning (chaired by Ann L. Brown and John D. Bransford) of the Commission on Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education of the National Research Council, National Academy of Sciences (1995-1997)
• Manager, Applied Cognitive Research Program, Human Resources Research Organization, Alexandria, VA (1985-1988)

Research Areas at CTL

Evaluation (Leader)

Current Projects at CTL

• California After School Science Education (Supervisor)
• Developing a New National Educational Technology Plan (Leader)
• Evaluation of the Microsoft Innovative Schools Program (Supervisor)
• Research on Innovative Teaching and Learning (Supervisor)
• Study of Data-Driven Decision Making (Supervisor)
• Study of Online Learning (Project Co-Director)

Past Projects at CTL

• Center for Innovative Learning Technologies (CILT) ended 2003
• Evaluation of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation's National High School Program (Leader) ended 2006
• Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Educational Technology Interventions (EETI) (Leader) ended 2007
• Evaluation of the GLOBE Program (Leader) ended 2006
• National Educational Technology Trends Study (NETTS) (Supervisor) ended 2007
• Principles for Improving Mathematics Learning in High-Poverty High Schools (Leader) ended 2008
• Social Capital for Technology Integration ended 2007
• STEM Academies (Principal Investigator) ended 2008

Publications

• Means, B., Padilla, C., DeBarger, A., & Bakia, M. (2009). Implementing Data-Informed Decision Making in Schools--Teacher Access, Supports and Use. Report prepared for U.S. Department of Education, Office of Planning, Evaluation and Policy Development. Prepared by SRI International, Menlo Park, CA.
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• Means, B., Toyama,Y., Murphy. R., Bakia, M., and Jones, K. (2009). Evaluation of Evidence-based Practices in Online Learning: A Meta-analysis and Review of Online-learning Studies. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of Education.
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• Gallager, L., Means, B., & Padilla, C. (2008). Teachers' Use of Student Data Systems to Improve Instruction: 2005 to 2007. Report prepared for U.S. Department of Education, Office of Planning, Evaluation and Policy Development, Policy and Program Studies Service. Prepared by SRI International, Menlo Park, CA.
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• Haertel, G.D., Means, B., & Penuel, W. (2008). Technology tools for collecting, managing, and using assessment data to inform instruction and improve achievement. In L. Smolin, K. Lawless, & N., Burbules (Eds.), NSSE yearbook 2007, Information and communication technologies: Considerations for teachers and teacher education. Chicago: National Society for the Study of Education.
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• Means, B. (2008). Levers for Improving Mathematics Learning in High-Poverty High Schools. Menlo Park, CA: SRI International.
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• Means, B. (2008). Prospects for transforming schools with technology-supported assessment. To appear in R. K. Sawyer (Ed.), The Cambridge handbook of the learning sciences. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.
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• Shear, L., Means, B., Mitchell, K., House, A., Gorges, T., Joshi, A., Smerdon, B., & Shkolnik, J. (2008) "Contrasting Paths to Small School Reform: Results of a 5-year Evaluation of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation’s National High Schools Initiative." Teachers College Record, 110(9), p. 1986-2039.
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• Dynarski, M., Agodini,R., Heavisude, S., Novak, T., Carey, N., Campuzano, L., Means, B., Murphy, R., Penuel, W., Javitz, H., Emery, D., & Sussex, W. (2007). Effectiveness of reading and mathematics software products: Findings from the first student cohort. Report to Congress. NCEE 2007-4006. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of Education.
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• Gallager, L., Means, B., & Padilla, C. (2007). Teachers' Use of Student Data Systems to Improve Instruction. Report prepared for U.S. Department of Education, Office of Planning, Evaluation and Policy Development, Policy and Program Studies Service. Prepared by SRI International, Menlo Park, CA.
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• Hilberg, S., Joshi, A., & Means, B. (2006). Washington State Achievers Scholarship Program Case Study: Final Report. Presented by invitation to The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Research Advisory Council, Seattle, WA.
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• Means, B. (2006). Technology’s role in curriculum. To appear in F. M. Connelly, M. F. He, & J. Phillion (Eds.), Sage handbook of curriculum and instruction. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
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• Means, B., Murphy, R., Shear, L., Gorges, T., Hu, P., & Sussex, W. (2006). Implementing Reading and Mathematics Software. Menlo Park, CA: SRI International.
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• Means, B. (2005). Evaluating the impact of implementing student information and instructional management systems. Background paper commissioned by the Policy and Program Studies Service, U.S. Department of Education.
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• Means, B., & Penuel, W. R. (2005). Scaling up technology-based educational innovations. In C. Dede, J. P. Honan, & L. C. Peters (Eds.), Scaling up success: Lessons from technology-based educational improvement. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
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• Rhodes, D., Smerdon, B., Burt, W., Evan, A., Martinez, B., & Means, B. (2005, July). Getting to results: Student outcomes in new and redesigned high schools. Washington, DC: American Institutes for Research and SRI International.
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• Means, B., & Haertel, G. D. (Eds.) (2004). Using technology evaluation to enhance student learning. New York: Teachers College Press.
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• Means, B., Murphy, R., Javitz, H., Haertel, G., & Toyama, Y. (2004). Design Considerations for Evaluating the Effectiveness of Technology-Related Teacher Professional Development. Menlo Park, CA: SRI International.
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• Means, B., Roschelle, R., Penuel, W., Sabelli, N., & Haertel, G. (2004). Technology’s contribution to teaching and policy: Efficiency, standardization, or transformation? In R. E. Floden (Ed.), Review of Research in Education (Vol. 27). Washington, DC: American Educational Research Association.
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• Penuel, W. R., & Means, B. (2004). Implementation variation and fidelity in an inquiry science program: An analysis of GLOBE data reporting patterns. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 41(3), 294-315.
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• Cook, T., Means, B., Haertel, G., & Michalchik, V. (2003). The case for using randomized experiments in research on newer educational technologies: A critique of the objections raised and alternatives. In G. Haertel and B. Means (eds.) Evaluating Educational Technology: Effective research designs for improving learning. New York: Teachers College Press.
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• Haertel, G. D., & Means, B. (2003). Evaluating educational technology: Effective research designs for improving learning. New York: Teachers College Press.
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• Means, B., & Penuel, W. (2003). Research to Support Scaling-Up Technology-Biased Educational Interventions. Paper commissioned for the Scaling Up Success Conference, Harvard Graduate School of Education, March 20-31, 2003.
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• Smerdon, B., Garet, M., O'Day, J., Miller, L., Means, B., & Mitchell, K. (2003, April). Charting a course: Evaluation design of the National School District and Network Grants Program. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association, Chicago.
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• Yarnall, L., Penuel, W. R., Ravitz, J., Murray, G., Means, B., & Broom, M. (2003). Portable assessment authoring: Using handheld technology to assess collaborative inquiry. Education, Communication, Information, 3(1), 7-55.
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• Penuel, W.R., Kim, D., Michalchik, V., Lewis, S., Means, B., Murphy, R., Korbak, C., Whaley, A., & Allen, J.E. (2002). Using technology to enhance connections between home and school: A research synthesis. Prepared for the Planning and Evaluation Services, U.S. Department of Education. Menlo Park, CA: SRI International.
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• Means, B., & Haertel, G. (2001). Technology supports for assessing science inquiry. Paper commissioned by the National Academies, Board on Testing and Assessment. To appear in Proceedings of the Workshop on Technology and Assessment.
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• Means, B., Penuel, B., & Quellmalz, E. (2001). "Developing Assessments for Tomorrow's Classrooms." In W. Heinecke & L. Blasi (eds.), Research Methods for Educational Technology. Volume One: Methods of Evaluating Educational Technology. Greenwich, CT: Information Age Press.
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• Means, B., Penuel, W. R., & Padilla, C. (2001). The connected school: Technology and learning in high school. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
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• Means, B., Penuel, W. R., Crawford, V. M., Korbak, C., Lewis, A., Murphy, R. F., Shear, L., Villavicencio, C., Vinson, E. Y., & Yarnall, L. (2001). GLOBE Year 6 evaluation: Explaining variation in implementation. Menlo Park, CA: SRI International.
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• Means, B., Penuel, W. R., Korbak, C., & Kantor, R. H. (2001). Silicon Valley Challenge 2000: Longitudinal case study report. Menlo Park, CA: SRI International.
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• Murphy, R., Penuel, W., Means, B., Korbak, C., Whaley, A. (2001). E-DESK: A Review of Recent Evidence on the Effectiveness of Discrete Educational Software. Menlo Park, CA: SRI International.
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• Means, B., & Coleman, E. (2000). Technology supports for student participation in science investigations. In M. J. Jacobson & R. B. Kozma (Eds.), Innovations in Science and Mathematics Education (pp. 287-319). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc.
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• Means, B., Korbak, C., Lewis, A., Michalchik, V., Penuel, W. R., Rollin, J., & Yarnall, L. (2000). GLOBE Year 5 evaluation: Classroom Practices. Menlo Park, CA: SRI International.
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• Penuel, W. R., Coleman, E. B., Means, B., Fenton, J., Jennings, P., Murray, F. G., & Chung, M. (2000, April). Measuring students’ environmental awareness and skill in data analysis and interpretation: Designing Web-based assessment for the GLOBE program. Paper presented at the AERA Conference, New Orleans, LA.
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• Penuel, W. R., Means, B., & Simkins, M. B. (2000). The multimedia challenge. Educational Leadership, 58, 34-38.
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• Roschelle, J., Pea, R., Hoadley, C., Gordin, D., & Means, B. (2000). Changing how and what children learn in school with computer-based technologies. The Future of Children, 10(2), 76-101.
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• Means, B., Coleman, E., Baisden, K., Haertel, G., Korbak, C., Lewis, A., McGhee, R., Penuel, W. R., & Valdes, K. (1999). GLOBE Year 4 evaluation: Evolving implementation practices. Menlo Park, CA: SRI International.
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• Pea, R.D., Tinker, R., Linn, M., Means, B., Bransford, J., Roschelle, J., Hsi, S., Brophy, S., & Songer, N. (1999). Toward a learning technologies knowledge network. Educational Technology Research and Development, 47, 19-38.
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• Means, B. (1998). Melding authentic science, technology, and inquiry-based teaching: Experiences of the GLOBE program. Journal of Science Education and Technology, 7(1), 97-105.
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• Means, B., Coleman, E., & Lewis, A. (1998). GLOBE Year 3 evaluation: Implementation and Progress. Menlo Park, CA: SRI International.
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• Means, B., Coleman, E., Lewis, A., Quellmalz, E., Marder, C., & Valdes, K. (1997). GLOBE Year 2 evaluation: Implementation and Progress. Menlo Park, CA: SRI International.
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• Means, B., Middleton, T., Lewis, A., Quellmalz, E., & Valdes, K. (1996). GLOBE Year 1 evaluation: Findings. Menlo Park, CA: SRI International.
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• Middleton, T., Means, B., & Lewis, A. (1996). Using information technology for delivering education in the United States: A status report. Menlo Park, CA: SRI International.
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• Schlager, M. S., Poirier, C., & Means, B. M. (1996). Mentors in the classroom: Bringing the world outside in. In H. McLellan (Ed.), Situated learning perspectives, Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Educational Technology Publications.
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