Category: Market Research

To help clients determine the marketplace value of their products or services, Rockman conducts usability studies, focus groups to review products or services, and customer surveys. Drawing on our broad understanding of the education market, we capture reactions of the users of products and services, identify new markets for existing materials, and help for-profit companies—and not-for-profit agencies—position their efforts in a competitive environment.

Audience Study for Science Video Project Through surveys and interviews of people participating in science-related educational programs and lecture series, Rockman et al sought to better understand the needs of the target audience and their potential interest in a new, high-level, science video series... more» Client: Undisclosed Funding Agency: Undisclosed Topic: Informal Learning

Brokers of Expertise In partnership with WestEd and AIR, REA is contributing to a statewide assessment of the need for professional development training and resources among California educators. REA is leading the development of a statewide survey of California educators and conducting focus groups with educators across the state in order to get a broad, as well as in-depth picture of the needs of California educators. more» Client: WestEd Funding Agency: Cal State Sacramento Topic: School Reform, Web Sites, Technology and Education

Center for Interactive Learning and Collaboration: Vistas Project REA completed a two-year study of the Lake Coastal Waters Project, a partnership with schools in the Lake Coastal Waters of northern Indiana funded by the Indiana Department of Natural Resources. Rockman also completed a study of the Center for Interactive Learning and Collaboration (CILC)/Indianapolis Public Schools (IPS) Career Development Project, an initiative that engaged students in four Indianapolis Middle Schools in career inquiry and exploration. more» Client: Center for Interactive Learning and Collaboration (CILC) Funding Agency: Center for Interactive Learning and Collaboration (CILC) Topic: Assessment, Instructional Materials/Programs, Community Outreach, Technology and Education, Distance Learning

Digital Photo Web Site Focus Group Research Rockman et al conducted ten focus groups on digital photography Web site content and formats in four regional locations across the U.S. to help the client understand the different reactions of novice, intermediate, and experienced photographers. more» Client: A large consumer IT company Funding Agency: Topic: Web Sites

Evaluation of the Student Friendly Services Web Site The Intersegmental Coordinating Committee (ICC) contracted with Rockman et al to perform an in-depth assessment of the Student Friendly Services Web site. The goals of the study were to give the ICC insights about users’ thoughts and opinions on the site’s navigation, appeal, content, and application in order to inform decisions on improving the site, attracting new users, and meeting the needs of current users. more» Client: Intersegmental Coordinating Committee (ICC) Funding Agency: Topic: Web Sites, Community Outreach

Exploring Evolution/Evolution All Around Us (EE/EAAU) Rockman et al conducted a thorough, multi-component evaluation of University of California Museum of Paleontology's (UCMP) Understanding Evolution Web site. more» Client: University of California Museum of Paleontology (UCMP) Funding Agency: National Science Foundation and Howard Hughes Medical Foundation Topic: Assessment, Instructional Materials/Programs, Museum, Web Sites, Technology and Education

Focus Group Study for Edutopia REA conducted a series of focus groups for the George Lucas Education Foundation (GLEF) to support and extend the work associated with its Mott Foundation grant that produced the New Day for Learning report. more» Client: George Lucas Education Foundation (GLEF) Funding Agency: Charles Stewart Mott Foundation Topic: Instructional Materials/Programs, Web Sites, Technology and Education, Informational Media

Partners in Learning Rockman et al is serving as the external evaluator of the multi-year, Microsoft Partners in Learning Mid-Tier program. The focus of the program is to explore how technology initiatives can come to scale to better understand the processes and outcomes of various types of scaling. more» Client: Microsoft Funding Agency: Microsoft Topic: Technology and Education

School Improvement Media Rockman et al worked with the George Lucas Education Foundation and Vulcan Productions to conduct an evaluation of school improvement media resources for various educational audiences. more» Client: George Lucas Educational Foundation and Vulcan Productions Funding Agency: George Lucas Educational Foundation and Vulcan Productions Topic: School Reform

Science Fiction Museum During the first part of 2004, Rockman et al conducted a series of research activities for the Science Fiction Museum that were designed to identify potential museum visitors’ perceptions of the relationship between science fiction and science... more» Client: Experience Learning Community (ELC) Funding Agency: National Science Foundation Topic: Informal Learning, Museum

Seeing in the Dark Seeing in the Dark, a documentary film about stargazing directed by Timothy Ferris, is based on Ferris' book (of the same name) that was named by The New York Times as one of the 10 best non-fiction books of 2002. Rockman et al is conducting a formative and summative evaluation of the project's media components, including the appeal and educational value of the film itself, as well as its accompanying Web site. more» Client: Tim Ferris Funding Agency: National Science Foundation (NSF): Informal Science Education (ISE) Program Topic: Informal Learning, TV/Radio, Web Sites, Informational Media

Staff Development Study In 1999, APEX was considering entering the arena of online educational professional development, credentialing, and certification in collaboration with several institutional partners. APEX needed to define its market, identify the features and attributes of its offerings, position its courses and services against a growing set of competitors, and explore the pricing, marketing, and distribution of the products to teachers and school administrators. more» Client: Apex Learning Funding Agency: Apex Learning Topic: Professional Development, Distance Learning, Informational Media