Afterschool in Action: Innovative Afterschool Programs Supporting Middle School Youth

This report, released by Afterschool Alliance in partnership with MetLife Foundation, highlights the work of quality afterschool programs that support children, families and communities across the nation.This compendium is a compilation of four issue briefs examining critical issues facing middle school youth and the vital role afterschool programs play in addressing these issues. This series explores afterschool and: arts enrichment, parent engagement, school improvement and digital learning. The compendium also includes in-depth profiles of the 2012 Afterschool Innovator Award winners, as well as highlights from 2008-2011 award winners.The 2012 MetLife Foundation Afterschool Award winners are:The Wooden Floor, Santa Ana, CALatino Arts Strings & Mariachi Juvenil, Milwaukee, WIKid Power Inc., The VeggieTime Project, Washington, D.C.Parma Learning Center, Parma, IDGreen Energy Technologies in the City, Lansing, M

Charting the Course: Four Years of the Thomas W. Payzant School on the Move Prize

Every spring since 2006, EdVestors (www.edvestors.org) invites Boston Public schools with 4-year rates of improvement on the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) tests that are significantly (50% or more) greater than the district average to apply for a $100,000 School on the Move Prize (SOM). Since the creation of the Prize, the Rennie Center for Education Research & Policy has served as EdVestors' research partner, identifying and documenting lessons from the winning schools. This report draws upon the previous SOM case studies produced by the Rennie Center, along with interviews with school leaders, staff and students. The study identifies common themes across all four winning schools that describe the structures and strategies put in place to better serve students, as well as some of the opportunities and barriers the schools have faced in sustaining their success since winning the award. Finally, the study highlights some key lessons the leaders of these four schools view as critical to implementing the strategies and practices outlined to support students and improve outcomes.Over the past four years, a diverse group of schools have emerged as winners, including two pilot schools -- one a high school and the other an elementary school -- a traditional K-8 school and a small high school occupying one floor of the South Boston Education Complex. These schools also represent the diverse neighborhoods in Boston, including Dorchester, Roxbury, Brighton, and South Boston. Despite differences in structure, governance and grades served, all four winning schools do share some similar characteristics. First, they all experienced significant structural changes in the immediate years prior to winning the SOM Prize that provided an opportunity for reflection and strategic planning. Second, they are all relatively small schools with lower enrollments than most comparable schools with the same grade configurations in the district. Third, they are all led by experienced educators who are strong leaders with deep knowledge of the Boston Public School system. Finally, they all share common practices that have been critical to their success in improving student achievement, including: Shared Leadership -- Shared Learning: Distributed leadership grounded in shared accountability between administrators and teachers toward a goal of instructional excellence and increased student achievement; Data-driven Instruction: Intentional systems to use data to drive decisions about curriculum, instruction and student supports; andAcademic Rigor and Student Support: A student-centered approach that balances high academic expectations with integrated academic and developmental supports targeted to student needs

Procedimientos y ejemplos para examinar la variedad de resultados de aprendizaje a partir de aplicaciones del programa 1:1

Past research has shown one-to-one student computing programs can have a variety of different impacts depending on their context. Using a wide range of data, this paper summarizes the second year implementation results from a newly opened US high school where every student and teacher has a MacBook laptop computer. Measures like attendance, behavior, and course taking patterns are routinely collected by schools but are rarely used in research and evaluation efforts. In the current project, a rich empirical dataset was developed to help better understand the complex relationships between technology practices over time and student outcomes across different student cohorts. It is our hope that the procedures and examples herein will illuminate the potential efficacy and opportunities for examining a wider range of potential quantitative impacts from 1:1 computing programs.La investigación ha mostrado que los programas de un ordenador por niño tienen diferente impacto según el contexto en el que se lleven a cabo. Usando un amplio abanico de datos, este estudio resume los resultados de un año de aplicación en un instituto americano recién inaugurado en el que cada alumno y profesor tenían un portátil MacBook. Se recogen sistemáticamente medidas como la asistencia, el comportamiento y los patrones de realización de los cursos en las escuelas, pero no se suelen usar para investigar o evaluar. En este estudio, se desarrolló una base de datos empírica rica para ayudar a comprender las complejas relaciones entre las prácticas tecnológicas a lo largo del tiempo y los resultados de aprendizaje en diferentes grupos de alumnos. Esperamos que los procedimientos y ejemplos que presentamos iluminen la posible eficacia y otras oportunidades para examinar un abanico más amplio de impactos cualitativos de los programas 1:1.Grupo FORCE (HUM-386). Departamento de Didáctica y Organización Escolar de la Universidad de Granad

A Correlational Study on Components of Hybrid Course Delivery and Student Success in Introductory Statistics

Hybrid course delivery has become a popular course design in general education large enrollment courses. While the benefits of hybrid course design are detailed in many studies, little research has been conducted on the contribution specific components make toward student success. In this quantitative research study, a correlational design with a multiple regression technique was used to examine the relationship between average weekly quiz grade, number of weekly quiz attempts, weekly lab attendance, weekly time spent in class with the professor and student conceptual understanding in the introductory statistics course. This research study was conducted at a private university located in the eastern United States with 15,000 residential students. The sample was taken from twelve sections of an introductory general education statistics class. This research study found that the average weekly quiz grade had a significant positive correlation with conceptual understanding in an introductory statistics class. The multiple regression analysis indicated that the average weekly quiz grade was the only independent variable to make a statistically significant contribution to the prediction of the CAOS score. Further research on the specific components of hybrid course delivery could add to the core knowledge about the hybrid course format and help future course redesigns maximize student conceptual understanding as well as identify students in need of remediation

The Role of End-of-Course Exams and Minimum Competency Exams in Standards-Based Reforms

[Excerpt] Educational reformers and most of the American public believe that most teachers ask too little of their pupils. These low expectations, they believe, result in watered down curricula and a tolerance of mediocre teaching and inappropriate student behavior. The result is that the prophecy of low achievement becomes self-fulfilling. Although research has shown that learning gains are substantially larger when students take more demanding courses2, only a minority of students enroll in these courses. There are several reasons for this. Guidance counselors in many schools allow only a select few into the most challenging courses. While most schools give students and parents the authority to overturn counselor recommendations, many families are unaware they have that power or are intimidated by the counselor’s prediction of failure in the tougher class. As one student put it: “African-American parents, they settle for less, not knowing they can get more for their students.

Teachers' perceptions of the block schedule

Includes bibliographical references

The Development of Student Personal Education Plans into Portfolios through the Use of the Pathway Model

The purpose of this project was to create a Personalized Education Plan and portfolio system to support secondary students in quest for successful skill development and job employment upon graduation. The project was specifically designed for freshmen students and the teaching staff at Auburn High Schooi in Auburn, Washington

Integrating Technology With Student-Centered Learning

Reviews research on technology's role in personalizing learning, its integration into curriculum-based and school- or district-wide initiatives, and the potential of emerging digital technologies to expand student-centered learning. Outlines implications

Afterschool in Action: How Innovative Afterschool Programs Address Critical Issues Facing Middle School Youth

With support from MetLife Foundation, the Afterschool Alliance presents this compendium, containing a series of four issue briefs examining critical issues facing middle school youth, schools and communities, and the vital role afterschool programs play in addressing these issues. The four issue briefs featured in this publication address: the importance of aligning afterschool with the school day, bullying awareness and prevention, service-learning opportunities and literacy education. Each brief combines relevant statistics, comments from experts and community leaders, and examples of outstanding afterschool programs. The compendium also includes profiles of successful programs and a discussion of the MetLife Foundation Afterschool Innovator Award.The 2011 MetLife Foundation Afterschool Innovator Award winners are:Kids Rethink New Orleans Schools - New Orleans, LAHigher Achievement - Washington, D.C.Urban Arts/Project Phoenix - Oakland, CA21st Century PASOS - Gettysburg, PAAmerica SCORES - Chicago, I