From Gatekeeping to Engagement: A Multicontextual, Mixed Method Study of Student Academic Engagement in Introductory STEM Courses.

The lack of academic engagement in introductory science courses is considered by some to be a primary reason why students switch out of science majors. This study employed a sequential, explanatory mixed methods approach to provide a richer understanding of the relationship between student engagement and introductory science instruction. Quantitative survey data were drawn from 2,873 students within 73 introductory science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) courses across 15 colleges and universities, and qualitative data were collected from 41 student focus groups at eight of these institutions. The findings indicate that students tended to be more engaged in courses where the instructor consistently signaled an openness to student questions and recognizes her/his role in helping students succeed. Likewise, students who reported feeling comfortable asking questions in class, seeking out tutoring, attending supplemental instruction sessions, and collaborating with other students in the course were also more likely to be engaged. Instructional implications for improving students' levels of academic engagement are discussed

Meta-analysis of gender performance gaps in undergraduate natural science courses

To investigate patterns of gender-based performance gaps, we conducted a meta-analysis of published studies and unpublished data collected across 169 undergraduate biology and chemistry courses. While we did not detect an overall gender gap in performance, heterogeneity analyses suggested further analysis was warranted, so we investigated whether attributes of the learning environment impacted performance disparities on the basis of gender. Several factors moderated performance differences, including class size, assessment type, and pedagogy. Specifically, we found evidence that larger classes, reliance on exams, and undisrupted, traditional lecture were associated with lower grades for women. We discuss our results in the context of natural science courses and conclude by making recommendations for instructional practices and future research to promote gender equity

Reading in the Disciplines: The Challenges of Adolescent Literacy

A companion report to Carnegie's Time to Act, focuses on the specific skills and literacy support needed for reading in academic subject areas in higher grades. Outlines strategies for teaching content knowledge and reading strategies together

Engaging the 'Xbox generation of learners' in Higher Education

The research project identifies examples of technology used to empower learning of Secondary school pupils that could be used to inform students’ engagement in learning with technology in the Higher Education sector. Research was carried out in five partnership Secondary schools and one associate Secondary school to investigate how pupils learn with technology in lessons and to identify the pedagogy underpinning such learning. Data was collected through individual interviews with pupils, group interviews with members of the schools’ councils, lesson observations, interviews with teachers, pupil surveys, teacher surveys, and a case study of a learning event. In addition, data was collected on students’ learning with technology at the university through group interviews with students and student surveys in the School of Education and Professional Development, and through surveys completed by students across various university departments. University tutors, researchers, academic staff, learning technology advisers, and cross sector partners from the local authority participated in focus group interviews on the challenges facing Higher Education in engaging new generations of students, who have grown up in the digital age, in successful scholarly learning

Reading Next: A Vision for Action and Research in Middle and High School Literacy

Outlines fifteen key elements that educators can use to develop an effective adolescent literacy intervention program. Focuses on elements of interventions that are most promising for students that struggle with reading and writing after third grade

The Relationship Between i-Ready Diagnostic and 10th Grade Students\u27 High-Stakes Mathematics Test Scores Heath Andrew Thompson

Twenty percent of the 2013-2014 sophomore class at a Washington high school was failing high-stakes tests, making these students ineligible to graduate. In an attempt to help students identify their academic proficiency with respect to the Common Core Curricular Standards 9 months before the high-stakes exam, the high school recently introduced the adaptive diagnostic software i-Ready. Cognitive learning theories comprised the framework for this study, which posit that learning is dependent on previous knowledge and central to measuring performance levels. The purpose of this quantitative correlational project study was to examine whether 10th grade students\u27 achievement on i-Ready math scores (N = 220) could predict the subsequent high-stakes mathematics scores on the End of Course Exam while controlling for gender, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status. The i-Ready emerged as a statistically significant predictor of the End of Course Exam scores with β = .64 (p \u3c .001), explaining R2 = .43 of the criterion variance. Gender, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status had no significant moderating influence. The project deliverable as a result of this study was a position paper advising the use of the i-Ready as a predictor for the End of Course Exam at the high school under study. The implications for positive social change include allowing educators to use the i-Ready as an early warning system for students in danger of failing high-stakes exams. This study may help identify students at risk of not graduating who could benefit from instructional support

Using partial least squares approach to predict factors that contribute to the impact of e-folios on pre-service teachers\u27 learning

Teacher-education programs have the responsibility to prepare their future teachers by instilling in them the desire, confidence, and ability to be reflective practitioners, lifelong learners who continues to grow and develop professionally after graduation (Klenowski, 2000). In an effort to fulfill this responsibility, Teacher-education programs are beginning to make reforms to adhere to national standards, which prompt them to create alternative means for assessing pre-service teacher\u27s performance and the success of the teacher-education program. One such alternative is the electronic portfolio. This study investigated the use of Louisiana colleges and universities\u27 electronic portfolio system known as PASS-PORT. The purpose of this study was to predict the factors that contribute to the impact PASS-PORT\u27s working portfolios have on pre-service teachers\u27 learning of constructivist practices, confidence using technology, and technology skills. To analyze survey data, the researcher used the Partial Least Squares (PLS) approach to Structural Equation Modeling (SEM), which is a method for estimating the likelihood of the success of PASS-PORT given information about other factors that influence the use of PASS-PORT. (Falk & Miller, 1992). Of the most important findings, the research suggests that pre-service teachers\u27 success of learning outcomes, as mentioned above, can be predicted by their infused use of PASS-PORT. In order to achieve infusion they must follow through the levels of use-frequency, routinization, and infusion. As pre-service teachers use PASS-PORT more often it will become a part of their routine and eventually lead to their use of the program to its maximum potential. Other contributing factors are explored

Toward a Systematic Evidence-Base for Science in Out-of-School Time: The Role of Assessment

Analyzes the tools used in assessments of afterschool and summer science programs, explores the need for comprehensive tools for comparisons across programs, and discusses the most effective structure and format for such a tool. Includes recommendations

Predicting the Probability for Adopting an Audience Response System in Higher Education

Instructional technologies can be effective tools to foster student engagement, but university faculty may be reluctant to integrate innovative and evidence-based modern learning technologies into instruction. It is important to identify the factors that influence faculty adoption of instructional technologies in the teaching and learning process. Based on Rogers\u27 diffusion of innovation theory, this quantitative, nonexperimental, one-shot cross-sectional survey determined what attributes of innovation (relative advantage, compatibility, complexity, trialability, and observability) predict the probability of faculty adopting the audience response system (ARS) into instruction. The sample for the study consisted of 201 faculty who have current teaching appointments at a university in the southeastern United States. Binary logistic regression analysis was used to determine the attributes of innovation that predict the probability of faculty adopting the ARS into instruction. The data indicated that the attributes of compatibility and trialability significantly predicted faculty adoption of ARS into instruction. Based on the results of the study, a professional development project that includes 3 full days of training and experiential learning was designed to assist faculty in adopting ARS into instruction. Because the current study only included the faculty at a single local university, future studies are recommended to explore a more holistic view of the problem from different institutions and from other stakeholders who may contribute to the process of instructional technology adoption. The project not only contributes to solving the local problem in ARS adoption, but it is also instrumental in promoting positive social change by fostering evidence-based teaching strategies and innovations that maximize student learning

A Framework for Pre-Laboratory Instructional Design to Support Student Inquiry in High School Chemistry

High school chemistry laboratory experiments offer a context-rich environment for learning chemistry. However, the complexity of the lab environment can also complicate the learning experience. This capstone explores the question: How can a pre-laboratory instructional framework help high school chemistry students independently design experiment procedures in order to transform inquiry experiments into an effective tool for content learning? The literature review explores how four instructional approaches (science writing heuristic, writing-to-learn strategies, pre-laboratory instruction, and demonstrations) impact learning outcomes. Using that research as a foundation, the capstone proposes an instructional framework utilizing a teacher-led demonstration to engage prior knowledge and teach laboratory skills followed by guided analysis questions that ask students to model the system, connect with prior knowledge, and hypothesize potential results. This sequence prepares students to design an experimental procedure and engage with practical and theoretical aspects of chemistry. The capstone concludes with a personal reflection including the role of simplicity when designing experiments and the further work needed to expand this framework through the final stages of the inquiry process