WordFarmers Associates Information

WordFarmers Associates LLC provides R&D services to education organizations at all levels (local, state, federal): evaluation, curriculum development, instructional design, and research. WordFarmers helps clients meet their project goals and grow their capacity. WordFarmers takes on two organizational roles depending on client needs: (1) external program evaluator and (2) internal program partner. The firm cannot play both roles in a single program. In its evaluation work WordFarmers helps clients change how organizations (schools, districts, state agencies) do things. And this means that our clients try to change minds about what needs to be done. This difficult work requires conversation, many meetings, and systematic documentation (data and reports) about how clients can do their work better. As program partner WordFarmers typically creates products: modules, podcasts, webinars, workshops, books, and (more rarely) research studies. The firm sometimes conducts training activities, usually as part of product development. Being a program partner also often involves a role in program planning. Dr. Aimee Howley is president and Dr. Craig Howley is senior researcher. The Howleys worked in universities and non-profit organizations from 1982 until their retirement from Ohio University in 2013. Aimee was a senior faculty member in the Educational Studies Department and served many years as Associate Dean. Craig directed an ERIC Clearinghouse and an NSF-funded research effort, the latter at Ohio University. Twenty associates (more or less) provide the firm with research, design, and management capacity. The associates bring a wide range of experience and expertise to roles as varied as data analyst, writer, instructional designer, audio and video engineer, and program manager. WordFarmers is a woman-owned small business.