A comparison of conventional linear regression methods and neural networks for forecasting educational spending

This study presents an application of neural network methods for forecasting per pupil expenditures in public elementary and secondary schools in the United States. Using annual historical data from 1959 through 1990, forecasts were prepared for the period from 1991 through 1995. Forecasting models included the multivariate regression model developed by the National Center for Education Statistics for their annual Projections of Education Statistics Series, and three neural architectures: (1) recurrent backpropagation; (2) Generalized Regression; and (3) Group Method of Data Handling. Forecasts were compared for accuracy against actual values for educational spending for the period. Regarding prediction accuracy, neural network results ranged from comparable to superior with respect to the NCES model. Contrary to expectations, the most successful neural network procedure yielded its results with an even simpler linear form than the NCES model. The findings suggest the potential value of neural algorithms for strengthening econometric models as well as producing accurate forecasts. [JEL C45, C53, I21]     

Facilitators and barriers to African American high school students' self-determination skill expression

We conducted four focus group interviews with 24 high school youth to examine facilitators and barriers to African American high school students' expression of various self-determination skills (e.g., choice/decision making, self-advocacy, goal setting, and attainment etc.). The majority of our research participants were African American, with one student identifying as multiracial (African American and White). Key findings revealed that personal (e.g., desire to graduate from school) and contextual factors (e.g., school counselor and teacher support) influenced the participants' expression of multiple self-determination skills. We also found that some of the participants' motives for utilizing or not utilizing specific skills were influenced by what they perceived as racist, punitive, and restrictive school practices (e.g., teachers holding negative perceptions about African American students and school counselors restricting their access to advanced courses). Findings from this study support ongoing calls for educators to consider students' cultural backgrounds and lived experiences when promoting their expression of self-determination skills.     

How Students Combine Resources to Make Conceptual Breakthroughs

Research in Science Education - We use the framework of cognitive resources to investigate how students construct understanding of a complex physics topic, namely, a photovoltaic cell. By observing...     

Yet Another 'Crisis' in Primary Education? Anatomy of an Aborted Unpublished Enquiry 1948–1951

In the period since 1944 English primary education has been subject to recurring criticism. Official enquiries, surveys of attainment, individual causes-célèbres and the pronouncements of pundits have drawn attention to purported 'rises' The paper discusses the background, procedures and findings of the earliest of the post-war official enquiries – an unpublished and previously uncited investigation by the Central Advisory Council for Education (England).     

Effectiveness of Explicit Phonological‐Awareness Instruction for At‐Risk English Learners

This article examines the effects of intensive phonological‐awareness (PA) instruction for kindergarten English learners. One intact kindergarten class was provided 300 minutes of intensive instruction in PA. Results indicate that students who received intervention made significant growth in word reading when compared to a cohort of kindergarten students who received general kindergarten instruction. The article also discusses ability‐group differences in performance among high‐, middle‐, and low‐performing students and the implications of these findings for instructional practice.