This is the agenda and handout for the PolicyOptions Pilot Project conference calls scheduled for the week of February 9, 2009. We'll discuss how campuses are organizing and supporting their students' issue brief research.

1. PolicyOptions.org | Local Pilot Project Initiative
Conference Call Agenda
February 9th @ 2 pm & February 11th @ 3 pm
hosted by Robert Hackett, Bonner Foundation — rhackett@bonner.org
Sunday, February 8, 2009

2. Goals for this call
1. Learn how:
✓ Issue brief topics are being identified
✓ Issue briefs are being incorporated into courses or internships
✓ Students are being supported during the research process
✓ The PolicyOptions wiki is or could be used for collaborative research
✓ the national network might provide additional help
2. Determine key implementation/research issues that should be addressed in
future conference calls or through other means
Sunday, February 8, 2009

3. Conference Call Agenda
• Quick introductions
• Quick update on recent & upcoming activities
- Wiki updates
- Grantee meeting April 18-20 in Princeton, NJ
• Discussion
- Determining issue brief topics
- Fitting issue briefs into courses/internships
- Supporting student research
- Using the wiki for collaboration
Sunday, February 8, 2009

4. See policyoptions.pbwiki.com/Local-PolicyOptions-Pilot-Projects
Participating Campuses 18 pilot projects in 15 states
Sunday, February 8, 2009

5. Update — Wiki
Sections of the wiki have been
improving slowly...
Sunday, February 8, 2009

6. How to Use This Wiki
• Screencasts and simple
explanations
• What else would be helpful?
Sunday, February 8, 2009

7. Research Guide
• Research Guide being revised
• We need contributions to this
from everyone
• We especially need examples
Sunday, February 8, 2009

8. Faculty Guide
• Your course implementation
profiles will inform this guide
Sunday, February 8, 2009

9. Information Sources
• We are building a reference
library for future researchers
• Organized by location, sub-
divided by issue area
• Your students should add to
this as they do their research
Sunday, February 8, 2009

10. Update — Grantee Meeting April 18 - 20 @ ETS in Princeton
Sunday, February 8, 2009

11. Discussion
Sunday, February 8, 2009

12. Determining topic(s)
• Who has chosen your initial
issue brief topic(s)?
• Does it matter?
• What are the challenges your
facing with topic selection?
• What advice would you give
others?
Sunday, February 8, 2009

13. Course Fit
• Is the issue brief research
assignment the major focus of
the course or just one
assignment?
• Is the course a public policy
course?
• Does it matter?
• What advice would you give
others?
Sunday, February 8, 2009

14. Supporting Research
• How did you explain the
PolicyOptions project to your
students?
• What instructional &/or support
material have you provided
your students to help them
research the issue brief itself?
• What questions do you have?
• What advice would you give
others?
Sunday, February 8, 2009

15. Using the Wiki
• Have you tried the wiki yet?
• Have you considered having
students begin drafting their
issue briefs on the wiki?
• We will likely have common
topics across multiple
campuses/communities, so we
might think about ways to
encourage collaboration.
Sunday, February 8, 2009

16. Key Questions to Pursue ? Topis for calls/emails/guides
Sunday, February 8, 2009