Using an adaptive expertise lens to understand the quality of teachers’ classroom implementation of computer-supported complex systems curricula in high school science

Background: This exploratory study is part of a larger-scale research project aimed at building theoretical and practical knowledge of complex systems in students and teachers with the goal of improving high school biology learning through professional development and a classroom intervention.

Purpose: We propose a model of adaptive expertise to better understand teachers’ classroom practices as they attempt to navigate myriad variables in the implementation of biology units that include working with computer simulations, and learning about and teaching through complex systems ideas.

Sample: Research participants were three high school biology teachers, two females and one male, ranging in teaching experience from six to 16 years. Their teaching contexts also ranged in student achievement from 14–47% advanced science proficiency.

Design and methods: We used a holistic multiple case study methodology and collected data during the 2011–2012 school year. Data sources include classroom observations, teacher and student surveys, and interviews. Data analyses and trustworthiness measures were conducted through qualitative mining of data sources and triangulation of findings.

Results: We illustrate the characteristics of adaptive expertise of more or less successful teaching and learning when implementing complex systems curricula. We also demonstrate differences between case study teachers in terms of particular variables associated with adaptive expertise.

Conclusions: This research contributes to scholarship on practices and professional development needed to better support teachers to teach through a complex systems pedagogical and curricular approach.     

Student performance in Introductory Microeconomics at an African open and distance learning institution

Abstract

Introductory Microeconomics as offered by the University of South Africa (Unisa) is a compulsory module for a Bachelor of Commerce, a Bachelor of Accountancy or a Bachelor of Administration degree. Success or failure in Introductory Microeconomics directly impacts on the number of years students take to complete their degrees, and eventually also on the throughput subsidy to Unisa.

A number of exceptional institutional rules and regulations impact on the teaching of Introductory Microeconomics at Unisa, as an open and distance learning (ODL) institution. Unlike many residential institutions, Unisa does not require Mathematics at school level for registration for Introductory Microeconomics. This article reports on research done at Unisa to determine how student success in Introductory Microeconomics is influenced by variables such as race, home language, whether the students passed mathematics at matriculation level, matriculation exemption1 1. Matriculation (“matric”): In South Africa, the final school exit certificate, which is awarded with or without university exemption (“endorsement”). , gender and the passing of assignments. Although this research confirms previous research that home language and age do impact on student success, it finds that the successful passing of assignments has the greatest impact on student success.     

An Efficacy Study of a Ninth-Grade Early Warning Indicator Intervention

Abstract

Building on previous research showing how well ninth-grade student behaviors predict on-time high school graduation, this experimental study investigates the impact of a ninth-grade intervention on student attendance and course passing. The study, conducted in 41 geographically and demographically diverse high schools within a single state, evaluates the effects of placing a half-time staff member in high schools to implement the Early Warning Intervention (EWI) Team model designed to monitor ninth-grade early warning indicators and provide timely interventions. Analyses based on the pre-specified student outcomes of attendance rate and percentage of ninth-grade course credits earned indicated no statistically significant impact of the intervention. On secondary outcome variables, results indicated that students in treatment schools were significantly less likely than control school students to be chronically absent. The difference between treatment and control school students on dichotomous measures of course failure were not statistically significant. The widespread dissemination of research and best practices related to early warning systems and ninth-grade interventions likely accounted for low levels of contrast between treatment and control school practices and outcomes.     

Predicting Student Growth in Mathematical Content Knowledge

Abstract

Using national longitudinal data, the authors investigated factors related to student learning or growth in statistics, algebra, and geometry in middle school and high school. The authors used hierarchical linear models to model variation in student rate of growth with factors associated with student characteristics and instructional and environmental factors. In addition, the authors designed the study to identify factors that differentially affect student growth at different levels of secondary school (middle school vs. high school) and for different mathematical content areas (statistics, algebra, geometry). Results indicated substantial growth in all 3 content areas in both middle school and high school. Factors related to student learning were identified and found to differ by level of secondary school and content area.     

The Theory of Differential Education as Applied to Handicapped Pupils in the Elementary Grades

ABSTRACT

Research indicates that in traditional public schools the subjective well-being of students and parents varies by gender, race, and special education status. Prior studies suggest that general education students are more satisfied with their schooling than special education students, that female students have greater satisfaction with their schooling than male students, and that Caucasian and Latino students report greater school satisfaction than African American students. No prior research has studied parental and student subjective well-being in a cyber environment. The authors investigate parental and student subjective well-being in a cyber charter school, using a student (n = 269; 53.7% response rate) and parent (n = 232; 48.7% response rate) survey. They find statistically significant differences in subjective well-being across demographic groups of students, and also significantly higher satisfaction among special education students in the cyber school environment. Implications are discussed.     

Improving quality and equity in schools in socially disadvantaged areas

Background: Recent effectiveness studies have investigated the relationship between two dimensions of effectiveness – namely, quality and equity. Specifically, the question of whether effective schools can also reduce the initial differences in student outcomes attributed to student background factors has been examined. In this context, the Dynamic Approach to School Improvement (DASI) makes use of theory and the research findings of effectiveness studies to try to improve school effectiveness in terms of quality and equity.

Purpose: This study aimed to examine whether the implementation of DASI in primary schools in socially disadvantaged areas in four European countries (Cyprus, England, Greece and Ireland) was able to promote student learning outcomes in mathematics and to reduce the impact of student background factors on student achievement in mathematics.

Design and methods: A sample of 72 primary schools across the four countries was randomly split into experimental and control groups. At the beginning and at the end of the school year, mathematics tests were administered to all students of Grades 4–6 (n = 5560; student ages 9–12 years). The experimental group made use of DASI. Within-country multilevel regression analyses were conducted to evaluate the impact of the intervention and search for interaction effects between the use of DASI and student background factors on final achievement.

Results: In each country, the experimental group achieved better results in mathematics than the control group. At the beginning of the intervention, the achievement gap based on socio-economic status (SES) was equally large in the experimental and the control groups. Only in the experimental group did the achievement gap based on SES become smaller. However, DASI was not found to have an effect on equity when the equity dimension was examined by focusing on the achievement gap based on either gender or ethnicity.

Conclusions: Implications of findings are drawn and the importance of measuring equity in terms of student achievement gaps based on different background factors, rather than only on SES, is emphasised. We propose the evaluation of the impact of interventions on promoting equity by the use of various criteria.     

Variability in Reading Scores on a Given Level of Intelligence Test Scores

ABSTRACT

Previous studies have shown that several key variables influence student achievement in geometry, but no research has been conducted to determine how these variables interact. A model of achievement in geometry was tested on a sample of 102 high school students. Structural equation modeling was used to test hypothesized relationships among variables linked to successful problem solving in geometry. These variables, including motivation, achievement emotions, pictorial representation, and categorization skills, were examined for their influence on geometry achievement. Results indicated that the model fit well. Achievement emotions, specifically boredom and enjoyment, had a significant influence on student motivation. Student motivation influenced students’ use of pictorial representations and achievement. Pictorial representation also directly influenced achievement. Categorization skills had a significant influence on pictorial representations and student achievement. The implications of these findings for geometry instruction and for future research are discussed.     

Work in “value-added” analysys of schools' performance at the National Foundation for Educational Research

Abstract

The article presents a revision of the added value model in school assessment, understood to mean the extent to which the school achieves greater student performance, once other factors have been controlled, such as the socio-cultural context and the initial level of knowledge. Firstly, the evolution of this concept over the last few years is analysed, on account of an advance in three areas: studies on effective schools; performance measures; and changes in educational ideology. In point two there is some reflection on the contributions this model makes towards the most classical assessment approach, but attention is also drawn to the risk which may be run in doing so. Part three presents the assessment and research projects which are conducted by the National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER) within this theoretical framework. Finally, there is an appendix with a guide on taking the necessary decisions for working from the added value approach.     

Teaching Organisational Theory in Undergraduate Management Programmes: An exercise in facilitated theory testing for active experimentation

Significant attention has been paid in recent years to student attrition, and rightly so, since rates are rising and need diagnosing. Little attention seems to have been paid to the converse--the successful student. It is widely believed among academics that high school grades--in the UK, A-levels--are poor indicators of final performance, although we persist in using them as entry criteria in the absence of any other index into a student's potential. This study, conducted in parallel in two traditional (pre-1992) UK universities, focuses on one discipline that has peculiar characteristics in intake, student expectation and entry criteria. We confirm some widely held beliefs, and scotch some others. As with all such studies, the number of confounding factors is large, but we draw conclusions where possible that are of relevance to all disciplines, and discuss how we mean to proceed.     

Teacher Professional Development and Student Reading Achievement: A Meta-Analytic Review of the Effects

Abstract

Research-based instruction is necessary to support students’ reading development, and professional development (PD) is a critical avenue to ensuring high-quality instructional practices. To date, there has been no comprehensive review focused on the effects of teacher PD on student reading achievement. As such, the purpose of the present meta-analysis was to examine the impact of teacher PD on reading outcomes for students in kindergarten through 8th grade. A secondary aim was to determine whether study, program, or participant characteristics were potential moderators of these effects. A comprehensive search of published and unpublished research between 1975 and 2017 resulted in 28 studies that met prescribed criteria. Results indicate that teacher PD has a moderate and significant, positive average effect on reading achievement. However, moderator analyses did not explain the variance in the effects of PD on student outcomes. Primarily, studies represented typically-developing students in the elementary grades, with only three studies including middle school students and four studies including reading outcomes of students with or at-risk for reading disabilities. Recommendations for improved study designs that allow for more in-depth investigation of the characteristics of effective PD and mechanisms of change in student outcomes are discussed.     

Interpreting Research on Parent Involvement and Connecting it to the Science Classroom

As part of a larger project, we found that there are very few articles focusing on the relationship between parent involvement and student achievement in science. Furthermore, most studies are quantitative in nature (based on large-scale surveys). Despite the gaps identified, there are many consistent findings across various studies that could be transferred to the science-learning context, for example, the significant effect of parents' aspirations/expectations on student achievement. To better present the findings from our review of the literature, we proposed a model for organizing the various categories of parent involvement at school into three dynamic dimensions: home environment, parents and school/community, and students and school/community. We feel that this model provides a framework for recognizing the roles that parents and their children may be already playing (agency) in triggering involvement at home, at school, and/or with community organizations.     

The nature of teacher engagement at an online high school

Little research has examined the critical components of successful K‐12 online schools, due in part to the theoretical focus of current frameworks on higher education rather than characteristics of K‐12 online learners and environments. Using K‐12 online research, this paper examined teaching presence as explained by the Community of Inquiry framework and identified additional teacher roles that needed stronger emphasis. We termed the new construct teacher engagement. Teacher engagement was shown to be helpful in describing and identifying effective teacher practices at the Open High School of Utah (OHSU), a successful online charter school. Through a series of 22 interviews with over half of the OHSU faculty, it was found that teachers worked to improve student outcomes by (1) designing and organizing learning activities, (2) facilitating discourse with students and parents, (3) providing students with one‐on‐one instruction, (4) nurturing a safe and caring learning environment, (5) motivating students to engage in learning activities and (6) closely monitoring student behavior and learning. These six elements describe the core of teacher engagement.     

Perceived Competencies of Elementary and Special Education Teachers

Abstract

With a renewed emphasis on student achievement, school improvement, and shared decision making, and in an effort to create and maintain effective schools, researchers try to delineate those characteristics that positively affect student learning and behavior. In exploring the different views that persons have regarding the characteristics of effective schools, the authors reviewed research studies to identify factors considered to be determinants of an effective school. Specific topic areas examined were the views of teachers, parents, and administrators regarding effective schools, as well as an examination of the related research literature. Consistent across the 4 areas was the importance of a positive school climate and strong leadership. Implications for educational leaders are provided.     

Curriculum coherence as perceived by district-level stakeholders in large-scale national curriculum reform in Finland

Abstract

It has been suggested that curriculum coherence is crucial in successful educational reform. However, empirical research on the topic is still scarce. This study explores how the stakeholders involved in curriculum development at the district level perceived curriculum coherence. Survey data (n?=?550) were analysed using structural equation modelling. A confirmatory factor analysis showed that curriculum coherence consists of three complementary components: consistency of the intended direction; an integrative approach to teaching and learning; and alignment between objectives, content and assessments. Moreover, the results showed that curriculum coherence contributes to the expected impact of the reform on the school level development. The study adds to the research on curriculum reform by showing that curriculum coherence is a central determinant of the reform taking root at the school level, and by introducing a scale for measuring perceptions of curriculum coherence within the context of large-scale national curriculum reform.     

Characterizing the Decision Process Leading to Enrollment in Master's Programs: Further Application of the Enrollment Process Model

ABSTRACT

As part of an ongoing market research function, the administration at a private university's business school implemented a project to better understand the composition of its master's students. This research was an extension of a similar study conducted for the school's doctoral programs. Like the earlier study on doctoral students, a behavioral approach that employed a theoretical model of the decision process leading to enrollment was applied to master's students. This enrollment process model was utilized to guide the implementation of a survey that sampled the school's current students. Application of this model to questionnaire development procedures is also presented. Based on the information collected, the decision process leading to enrollment in the master's business programs was characterized. Quadrant analysis was applied to selected data derived from the enrollment process model in order to develop a two dimensional profile of students. In practice, this depiction provided insight to student perception of ideal versus actual program characteristics. The usefulness and applicability of the enrollment process model in achieving enrollment management objectives is also discussed.     

Student voice in an age of ‘security’?

ABSTRACT

As student voice has become popularised as a school reform strategy, it has been critiqued as another instrumental strategy that schools may use to govern students’ speech, bodies and subjectivities. What necessitates further analysis is the relation between student voice and regulatory modes of governance entwined with geopolitical attention to security in and beyond disciplinary institutions. In this article, ethnographic accounts from students at a comprehensive coeducational public secondary school where student voice was adopted as a school reform strategy are read with and through a policy context concerned with security (in particular, the Australian Government’s Schools Security Programme and the Living Safe Together policy strategy), and Foucault’s problematisations of ‘security’ in lectures published in Security, Territory, Population. It is argued that student voice is entwined with contemporary security policies and practices; securing the material borders of the school is inextricable from limits placed on the discursive articulation of feeling in and beyond school gates.     

A preliminary study of multiple college admission criteria in Taiwan: the relationship among motivation,standardized tests,high school achievements,and college success

ABSTRACT

A new college admission policy will be implemented in Taiwan in 2022. The purpose of this study was to understand the relationship between admission criteria and college success. Data was obtained from the Taiwan Higher Education Database; a sample size of 8443 students from 156 universities was used in this study. By using the structural equation model, this study tested a research model that included factors such as motivation, standardized test scores, high school achievements, and college success. The findings revealed that the General Scholastic Ability Test scores (in Chinese, English, Social Studies) and high school average academic grades are significantly associated with college success. A student’s motivation to complete a certain major can significantly predict the quality of student effort and influence college success. These findings highlight the importance of some admission criteria and provide practical implications for educational policy-makers, school administrators, students, and parents.     

Professional Development in 'Healthy' vs. 'Unhealthy' Districts: Top 10 characteristics based on research

Professional development is a requirement of every reform effort. Most states in the USA mandate a certain number of days in the school calendar to be allocated for professional development. Other nations often fund professional development for teachers to accompany an initiative to improve student performance. Although assumptions about why and how professional development should be conducted are shared, empirical evidence is relatively slim. Recent research generally focuses on the role of professional development in school reform. This study investigates the characteristics of involvement in professional development at the level of the district-the umbrella organisation for a geographic collection of schools. As part of a larger study, this research examines the professional development activities in school districts in relationship to overall district health. How do healthy and unhealthy districts differ in their approaches to professional development? What is the relationship between district health and student achievement? While confirming some of the assumptions about what makes effective professional development, this study provides research-based evidence for what districts can do to ensure district-wide impact and to bring about and sustain change. Furthermore, it illustrates the close association of district health and student achievement.     

School Size Effects on Achievement in Secondary Education Evidence from the Netherlands,Sweden and the USA 1

ABSTRACT

In this article the results of an investigation into the relation between school size and achievement are reported. The findings relate to mathematics achievement in Dutch, Swedish and American secondary education and to science achievement in the Netherlands. The analyses sought to provide an answer to the following questions:

(1) Is school size related to achievement independently of student background characteristics such as sex, achievement motivation, socio‐economic status and cognitive aptitude? (2) Is the effect of school size related to any of the aforementioned background characteristics? (3) Does the effect of school size on achievement differ between the educational systems of the Netherlands, Sweden and the USA? (4) Is the effect of school size the same for different measures of student achievement (mathematics versus science)?

It was hypothesized that school size would be most strongly related to achievement in the USA. The analyses, however, revealed little empirical evidence for the existence of school size effects on achievement in any of the three countries, possibly because school size and curriculum comprehensiveness are not strongly related in these countries.

Because the investigations involved the analysis of five separate datasets, the research outcomes revealed some useful additional information with respect to the robustness of the detected relations between the five covariates and student achievement.

     

Effective Schools and Home‐School‐Community Partnership Roles: A Framework for Parent Involvement

The increased interest in parent involvement as a strategy for school reform stems from two bodies of parent involvement research. One set of studies examined family learning environments; the other investigated the impact on student learning of school‐initiated parent involvement programs. This article reviews these two bodies of research, which have influenced current discussions about home‐school partnerships, shows the relationship between practices of successful home‐learning environments and effective schools research, and uses this relationship to propose a typology of home‐school‐community partnership roles and activities. When the research on effective family practices is combined with effective schools research and placed within a typology of partnership roles, schools have a framework for examining current parent involvement practices and exploring strategies that will enhance student learning both at home and at school.