Teachers\u27 and Students\u27 Views of Reading Fluency: Issues of Consequential Validity in Adopting One-minute Reading Fluency Assessments

In this study, we investigate assertions that use of one-minute oral reading fluency measures, such as the Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS) Oral Reading Fluency (ORF) assessment and the aimsweb Reading CBM (R-CBM), may generate negative educational consequences, specifically teaching to ORF tests, increased pressure and anxiety for teachers and students, and misuse of ORF measures and results. We present results of a survey designed to gain perspective on teachers’ and students’ views related to these potential negative consequences. Data gained from 77 teachers and 875 students in two districts generally do not support assertions of teaching to the test, but do support some caution with respect to use of ORF measurements and data, and issues of anxiety, particularly from more vulnerable students. This paper provides detailed results across teachers and students, and implications for practice. Since the publication of the National Reading Panel report (2000), increased attention has been paid to assessing oral reading fluency (ORF). Many districts use one-minute ORF measures, such as the Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS) Oral Reading Fluency assessment (Good & Kaminski, 2002) and aimsweb Reading CBM (R-CBM) (NCS Pearson, 2014). However, one-minute ORF measures have garnered intense scrutiny, with critics warning unintended negative effects of their use, such as teaching to the test (Tierney & Thome, 2006), increased pressure and anxiety for teachers and students (Goodman, 2006), and misuse of measures and results (Valencia, Smith, Reece, Li, Wixon, & Newman, 2010). In our search of the literature (Education Full Text, PsycINFO, PsycARTICLES, Science Direct, ProQuest), we found few empirical studies investigating or confirming negative consequences of using one-minute measures. Our study begins to address this void by surveying teachers and students in two districts that mandate one-minute ORF measures to understand their perceptions of the measures, how measures are used in schools, and how teachers engage students in instructional practices related to ORF

Models comparing estimates of school effectiveness based on cross-sectional and longitudinal designs

The primary purpose of this study is to compare the six models (cross-sectional, two-wave, and multiwave, with and without controls) and determine which of the models most appropriately estimates school effects. For a fair and adequate evaluation of school effects, this study considers the following requirements of an appropriate analytical model. First, a model should have controls for students' background characteristics. Without controlling for the initial differences of students, one may not analyze the between-school differences appropriately, as students are not randomly assigned to schools. Second, a model should explicitly address individual change and growth rather than status, because students' learning and growth is the primary goal of schooling. In other words, studies should be longitudinal rather than cross-sectional. Most researches, however, have employed cross-sectional models because empirical methods of measuring change have been considered inappropriate and invalid. This study argues that the discussions about measuring change have been unjustifiably restricted to the two-wave model. It supports the idea of a more recent longitudinal approach to the measurement of change. That is, one can estimate the individual growth more accurately using multiwave data. Third, a model should accommodate the hierarchical characteristics of school data because schooling is a multilevel process. This study employs an Hierarchical Linear Model (HLM) as a basic methodological tool to analyze the data. The subjects of the study were 648 elementary students in 26 schools. The scores on three subtests of Canadian Tests of Basic Skills (CTBS) were collected for this grade cohort across three years (grades 5, 6 and 7). The between-school differences were analyzed using the six models previously mentioned. Students' general cognitive ability (CCAT) and gender were employed as the controls for background characteristics. Schools differed significantly in their average levels of academic achievement at grade 7 across the three subtests of CTBS. Schools also differed significantly in their average rates of growth in mathematics and reading between grades 5 and 7. One interesting finding was that the bias of the unadjusted model against adjusted model for the multiwave design was not as large as that for the cross-sectional design. Because the multiwave model deals with student growth explicitly and growth can be reliably estimated for some subject areas, even without controls for student intake, this study concluded that the multiwave models are a better design to estimate school effects. This study also discusses some practical implications and makes suggestions for further studies of school effects.Education, Faculty ofEducational and Counselling Psychology, and Special Education (ECPS), Department ofGraduat

Peer assessment on presentations of \u27real world\u27 information systems case studies by students

This paper attempted to have students assess the presentation component of \u27real world\u27 information systems case studies by fellow students and present the results of the peer assessment. The results could be of help to those who consider using peer assessment on presentations of \u27real world\u27 information systems case studies by students

A longitudinal model for the study of equity issues in mathematics education

The purpose of the present study is to develop appropriate analytical models which simultaneously examine the effects of various equity variables on mathematics achievement and learning. The achievement differences among groups based on race, socioeconomic status and gender have been well documented in the mathematics education literature. However, these equity variables tend to be treated as separate issues and seldom integrated in prior studies although these group memberships are inseparable. This study examines psychological models which integrate the three equity variables and interrelationship among them with a consideration of the effects of different mathematics curricular tracks and relevant affective variables.Furthermore, this study addresses the issues of equity on student learning, which is a primary goal of schooling. Learning is operationally defined in this study as a continuous measure of growth over a specified period of time. Previous studies on equity issues have been usually cross-sectional, and therefore, inferences have been made almost exclusively on student achievement at a particular point in time rather than on student learning over time. This study provides more reliable estimates of student learning which are based on multiple time points--at least three waves of data.The subjects of this study come from the younger grade cohort of the Longitudinal Study of American Youth (LSAY). The primary sample (5-wave data) includes 1385 students. The issues of equity are addressed on grade 9 status (achievement) and rates of growth during grades 7 through 11 (learning). The effects of different curricular tracks at grade 9 and five affective variables are also examined. To accommodate the hierarchical characteristics of educational processes and get more precise estimates of individual growth and group differences, the hierarchical linear model (HLM) is employed in this study as a methodological tool.Previous research findings regarding minority and SES gaps on achievement are supported in this study such that minority, lower SES students are disadvantaged in terms of their achievement. Moreover, this study shows that SES based gap differs between males and females, between minority and non-minority students. However, a general belief that males outperform females in mathematics at secondary schooling is not supported here.This study indicates that inequity among students based on gender, minority status, and SES is of more concern on achievement than on learning because equity variables and their interactions do not explain much about individual differences in learning. As this study shows far larger inequalities among students in different mathematics classes, knowledge about within-classroom organizational structures might help us better understand what makes student learn mathematics. Based on these findings, relevant policy issues and recommendations for further study are also discussed in this study.U of I OnlyETDs are only available to UIUC Users without author permissio

Computing With Coupled Spin Torque Nano Oscillators

This paper gives an overview of coupled oscillators and how such oscillators can be efficiently used to perform computations that are unsuitable or inefficient in von-Neumann computing models. The unconventional computing ability of coupled oscillatory system is demonstrated through Spin Torque Nano Oscillators (STNOs). Recent experiments on STNOs have demonstrated their frequency of oscillation in few tens of gigahertz range, operating at low input currents. These attractive features and the ability to obtain frequency locking using a variety of techniques, make STNOs an attractive candidate for non-Boolean computing. We discuss coupled STNO systems for applications such as edge detection of an image, associative computing, determination of L2 norm for distance calculation, and pattern recognition

Whole school improvement and restructuring as prevention and promotion lessons from STEP and the project on high performance learning communities

We describe two research-tested approaches, the School Transitional Environment Project and its successor, the Project on High Performance Learning Communities, that have contributed to building a developmentally based design for comprehensive school improvement called the High Performance Learning Communities Model. The model seeks to modify the ecology of schools and schooling in order to build the principles of prevention and promotion into whole school change. Findings from a series of studies are presented that show that whole school change efforts, when implemented comprehensively and with appropriate intensity and fidelity, may powerfully influence the prevention of socioemotional, behavioral, and academic difficulties, as well as promotion of the acquisition of the full range of developmental competencies necessary for life success, well-being, and resilience. © 2001 Society for the Study of School Psychology. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. We describe two research-tested approaches, the School Transitional Environment Project and its successor, the Project on High Performance Learning Communities, that have contributed to building a developmentally based design for comprehensive school improvement called the High Performance Learning Communities Model. The model seeks to modify the ecology of schools and schooling in order to build the principles of prevention and promotion into whole school change. Findings from a series of studies are presented that show that whole school change efforts, when implemented comprehensively and with appropriate intensity and fidelity, may powerfully influence the prevention of socioemotional, behavioral, and academic difficulties, as well as promotion of the acquisition of the full range of developmental competencies necessary for life success, well-being, and resilience. © 2001 Society for the Study of School Psychology. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd