EDIE was established as a nonprofit organization in 1996 and approved by the IRS as a tax-exempt charity under Section 501(c)(3). EDIE has no commercial or government ties. Its sole mission is to encourage and enable educators to base more of their decisions on scientific evidence. Far too many educational decisions are based on personal bias, political agendas, antiquated regulations, and compelling sales pitches. There is much more evidence available for educational decision-making than is presently used. EDIE amasses, integrates, and interprets the evidence and publishes it in easy-to-understand language for the benefit of educators and others involved in education.
The Handbook on Effective Instructional Strategies, published in 1998, was our first effort to bridge the gap between research and practice. It describes 15 effective instructional strategies and presents from 50 to over 200 research studies to confirm the efficacy of each strategy in enhancing academic achievement. Commonly used instructional strategies that research shows do not work are also described.
In addition to making evidence available, the Institute makes every effort to facilitate its application to improve educational practice. Toward this end a companion Instructor's Manual and Student Guide were prepared for the Handbook to facilitate its adoption and use as a textbook for workshops and courses in pre-service and in-service teacher education. College courses are offered to teach the 15 effective instructional strategies to practicing and aspiring teachers.
A second resource book, Ensuring Student Success, was published in 2000. It too bridges the gap between research and practice by describing educational practices shown by research to be effective in maximizing student success in school. Much more can be done to reduce the large number of our youth who fail to receive a high school education.
Our third resource book, Educators' Handbook on Effective Testing, was published early in 2003. It provides guidance educators need to satisfy the No Child Left Behind Act and state accountability laws. This Handbook includes evaluations of many tests used extensively in education and guidelines that show educators how to select, construct, and defend the tests they use.
Our fourth resource book, No School Left Behind: How to Increase Student Achievement, was published in 2005. It is written for parents and other citizens involved in education. The book summarizes in plain English educational practices shown by research to work. "After reading your publication parents and others will have a good understanding of what makes schools effective": Dr. Anne Bryant, Executive Director, National School Boards Association. "Friedman backs up his advice with research and offers parents and teachers simple, sound advice on helping children to learn": Vanessa Bush, for Booklist, American Library Association.
Our fifth resource book, Effective Instruction: A Handbook of Evidence-Based Strategies was published in 2006 to update, expand, improve, and replace the Handbook on Effective Instructional Strategies. It describes instructional practices shown by research to work, as well as commonly used practices proven not to work "I believe the book should be very beneficial to administrators and staff development personnel. It pulls together in one place all the instructional strategies that are supported by research evidence." Robert Stevens, Ph. D., Associate Professor of Educational Psychology, Penn State University.
Education benefits every time evidence from our resource books is used to make decisions.
Briefly About EDIE Executives
President: Charles W. Hatch, Ph.D. is President of CWH Consulting Co. Inc. Newberry, SC. Dr. Hatch conducts guaranteed workshops across the Southeast, primarily for the PRAXIS test required of teachers and teacher candidates in many states. The company website is www.praxisprep.com. Dr. Hatch received his B.A. degree from the University of South Carolina, his M.A.T. from Johns Hopkins, and his Ph.D. from the University of South Carolina. He is the author of Pass That Test, a publication offered by EDIE and he is a contributing author to Educator’s Handbook on Effective Testing, which also is offered by EDIE. Dr. Hatch has taught various grade levels in public schools in four states. He also has taught graduate and undergraduate courses for the University of South Carolina, Coker College and Limestone College.
Vice President: Sam F. Drew, Ph.D. is the Retired Executive Director of the National Dropout Prevention Center at Clemson University. His career in education spanned 42 years with positions at the local, state and federal levels. Dr. Drew held positions as teacher, principal, and superintendent in South Carolina school systems. He worked as a special assistant in the United States Department of Education and as Deputy Director of Education in the South Carolina Governor’s office. He worked eight years as State Director of Adult Education in South Carolina and then worked with the Adult Literacy Media Alliance in New York as Director of State Partnership Development. His tenure with the National Dropout Prevention Center spanned ten years. Dr. Drew serves on numerous regional, state and national boards and advisory groups. He conducts workshops nationally and internationally on dropout prevention, school leadership, Service Learning, and interagency collaboration. Dr. Drew holds a B.S. degree in Psychology, a M.Ed. degree in Elementary Education and a Ph.D. in Educational Administration from the University of South Carolina.
Treasurer: Marvin Efron, Ph.D. earned his master's and doctorate degrees at the University of South Carolina in Psychological Services in Education with an emphasis on reading. Dr. Efron holds a Doctor of Optometry degree earned from the Southern College of Optometry. He has received a number of awards for his vision research, and the techniques he developed have been adopted internationally. He is Executive Director of the South Carolina Chapter of Partners of the Americas and has received thirteen distinguished awards for his civic contributions. He wrote a vision-screening manual for the Peace Corps and has been sent by the U.S. Government to underdeveloped countries to establish treatment programs for their many visually impaired citizens.
Secretary: Betty McDowell Friedman ,the widow of Myles Friedman and a native South Carolinian, received her B.A. degree from Duke University and a M.Ed. degree from the University of South Carolina. She has taught in high school and middle school, but most of her 31 years in public schools of North Carolina, Louisiana, and South Carolina have been spent with second and third graders. Betty is retired and lives in Columbia, SC
Founding EDIE Executives
Former President: Myles I. Friedman, Ph.D. Dr. Friedman earned his master's and doctorate degrees in Educational Psychology and Research at the University of Chicago. He taught at Northwestern and the University of California at Berkeley before serving as a chaired professor at the University of South Carolina for over 25 years. He established the Educational Research Program and served as director of the Head Start Evaluation and Research Center there. He has authored 10 major professional books including Rational Behavior, Teaching Reading and Thinking Skills, Improving Teacher Education, Human Nature and Predictability, Teaching Higher Order Thinking Skills to Gifted Students, The Psychology of Human Control, Taking Control: Vitalizing Education, Improving the Quality of Life, Handbook on Effective Instructional Strategies with Steven Fisher, Ensuring Student Success, and coauthored and edited Educators' Handbook on Effective Testing. His interest was in perfecting human capability.
Former Secretary: John E. King Jr., Ph.D. Dr. King earned his master's degree in Educational Administration at the University of Arkansas and his doctorate in Rural Education at Cornell University. In addition, he received honorary doctorates from the College of the Ozarks and Northern Michigan University. He served as President of Emporia University and the University of Wyoming at Laramie, and also as provost of the University of Minnesota at Duluth. He was named Teacher of the Year by Southern Illinois University where he chaired the Department of Higher Education. In recognition of his expertise in education he was appointed by President Kennedy to the National Citizens Advisory Committee on Vocational Rehabilitation and by President Johnson to the Committee on Employment of the Handicapped.
Treasurer: Marvin Efron, Ph.D. is also a founding member.