Research Assistant, Early Childhood Classroom Observer (Greater Detroit, Michigan Area)

The Marsico Institute for Early Learning is housed in the Morgridge College of Education (MCE) at the University of Denver. We have dedicated ourselves to improving learning environments and outcomes for children, birth to age 8. We identify the best in early learning research, practice, and policy, and we deliver that information at just the point it will be useful to academics, practitioners, policymakers, and parents — the people who can create and implement changes to improve the lives of young children. The quality of relationships and learning opportunities that young children experience can set the stage for what they will be able to accomplish throughout the rest of their lifetimes.  

Position Summary

The Marsico Institute is accepting applications for Classroom Observers who will work as part of a team for an efficacy research study implementing and evaluating an early math intervention under the direct supervision of the Principal Investigators and Project Director. They will use a standardized observation tool, the Classroom Observation of Early Mathematics—Environment and Teaching (COEMET), to collect observational data on preschool classroom mathematics instruction. 

This position involves driving or commuting to sites in and around Oakland and Wayne counties in Michigan, collecting and entering teacher observation data, including videotaping classroom instruction, and possibly conducting follow-up teacher interviews.  All candidates will be required to fully participate in multiple in-person and/or virtual training sessions, fidelity work, inter-rater reliability training and observation sessions, and classroom-based and/or virtual observations in pre-kindergarten classrooms in Wayne and/or Oakland counties in Michigan.  

This is a temporary, grant-funded position to begin work on or after March 24, 2025 through June 6, 2025, or until all observations have been collected. Each classroom observation takes approximately three consecutive hours to complete, with an additional 1-1.5 hours to complete observation forms and upload videos. Classroom Observers must be available to travel to classrooms at multiple school sites in Oakland and Wayne Counties in Michigan and observe in the classroom between 7:00 am to 3:00 pm at least 3 days a week Monday through Thursday (access to vehicle and adherence to DU Driving Procedures, including the successful completion of a driving background check and online driving safety course required).  

Required training for observers will take place at a TBD location in the Greater Detroit Area at the following dates and times. Observers must fully attend all training sessions; failure to attend any sessions in their entirety may result in immediate separation. 

• Required Training Sessions: March 27-28, 2025; 8:30am – 4:30pm ET; virtual attendance with video required 

• Required Certification Session: TBD, within one week of training, to be scheduled with an on-site observer at a local school site; Greater Detroit Location TBD 

To continue in this position, following training sessions, observers will be required to pass a certification process demonstrating they are able to reliably collect required information with fidelity to the instrument. The successful candidate must attend an in-person certification session at a local school site with an already-certified observer and accurately gather 100% of the required information and data points outlined in the observation protocol and upload all required information precisely as outlined in the protocol. Candidates will have up to two attempts to complete the certification process outlined above. If certification is not achieved after two rounds, the candidate will not be permitted to move forward in this role. 

This is a temporary, non-benefited position not to exceed 1,000 hours in a calendar year.

Essential Functions

• Conduct classroom observations, including videotaping of classroom instruction, following strict protocols. 
• Enter and verify data collected into Excel or a similar format.