Preservice Educators\u27 Perceptions About Two Types of Vocabulary Progress Monitoring Measures

The purpose of this study was to contrast the use of two types of progress monitoring measures in a university introductory course about special education taught face to face across 15 weeks. Researchers used curriculum-based measurement (CBM; Deno, 1985) methodology to develop vocabulary-matching (see Espin, Busch, Lembke, Hampton, Seo, & Zukowski, 2013) and vocabulary-selection probes. Each alternate form sampled words from the larger pool of 150 special education-related terms from the textbook glossary (Hallahan, Kauffman, & Pullen, 2015). Research questions focused on the examination of participant feedback about the two probe types used during vocabulary assessment activities in the course and participant growth in vocabulary knowledge as well as their knowledge of progress monitoring practices. Survey results indicated that participants preferred (75%) the matching probes to the selection probes (25%) and specified that the matching probes (93%) were good indicators of their knowledge in the course compared to the selection probes (54%). Participants reported that participating in the vocabulary assessment activities helped them understand how progress monitoring tools can be used to assess content area knowledge and thought it would be feasible and beneficial for them to use with their future students. Although more than three-quarters of participants felt the graphs for both types of measures were useful for seeing their progress in course vocabulary knowledge, interestingly, less than a quarter of participants reported that taking the probes and seeing their progress caused them to alter their study habits for the course. General and special education preservice teachers (n = 29) demonstrated improvement in vocabulary-matching and vocabulary-selection measures from beginning probes to last probes. Significant growth was detected on the vocabulary pre-/posttest measure and the CBM knowledge pre-/posttest measure, indicating that students grew in their course-related vocabulary knowledge and their knowledge of CBM across the semester. Additionally, in an extension of this study, a subset of vocabulary matching and vocabulary selection probes were administered to preservice educators during a subsequent section of the same course offered online during a shortened summer term. Participants (n = 11) took vocabulary pre/posttests online as well as four alternate forms of each probe type across the 5-week course. Then, they rated their preferences regarding the probe types. Interestingly, this group preferred the selection probes (100%) to the matching probes, primarily due to its ease in completing the measure online. They also indicated that the selection probes were good indicators of their knowledge in the course compared to the matching probes. Implications for using CBM vocabulary measures in face-to-face and online university coursework are addressed

Enhancing Interactions During Dyadic Learning in Mathematics

This article reviews a research program conducted to examine variables that enhance student interactions during dyadic learning in mathematics. A rationale for focusing on methods to enhance interactions is provided. Then, five studies are described. In the first, student interactions were enhanced via explicit training and practice in facilitating participation between participants. The second study examined the efficacy of preparing students to construct conceptual mathematical explanations. The third study investigated the effects of students’ mathematical ability in promoting learning among very low performing students. In the final two studies, the effects of group compositions were studied within the context of cooperative work on complex mathematical tasks. Implications for research and practice are highlighted. (DIPF/orig.)In diesem Beitrag wird ein Forschungsprogramm vorgestellt, das Bedingungen untersucht, die die Interaktionen zwischen Schülern während des Mathematiklernens in Dyaden fördern sollen. Zuerst behandelt der Artikel Grundüberlegungen zu Methoden der Verbesserung von Interaktionen. Dann werden fünf Studien dargestellt. In der ersten Studie wurden Interaktionen durch explizites Trainieren und Üben von einfachen Formen der Zusammenarbeit gefördert. Die zweite Studie untersuchte, wie wirksam die Schüler darauf vorbereitet werden können, Konzepte für mathematische Erläuterungen zu bilden. Die dritte Studie ermittelte die Wirkung der mathematischen Fähigkeiten der Schüler auf die Leistungsförderung von Schülern mit Lernschwierigkeiten. Die letzten zwei Studien behandeln die Wirkung von Gruppenzusammensetzungen im Kontext kooperativer Arbeit an komplexen Mathematikaufgaben. Folgerungen für Forschung und Praxis werden hervorgehoben. (DIPF/Orig.

Bringing Data-Based Individualization to Scale: A Call for the Next-Generation Technology of Teacher Supports

The purpose of this narrative synthesis of the curriculum-based measure (CBM) instructional utility literature is to deepen insight into the supports required to enrich teachers’ instructional decision-making within curriculum-based measure–data-based individualization (CBM-DBI) in ways that enhance the learning outcomes of students with intensive intervention needs, including students with learning disabilities. We begin by summarizing a recent meta-analysis of CBM-DBI studies focused on academic outcomes. We then reconsider studies from that meta-analysis to further explore the supports required to enrich teachers’ instructional decision-making within CBM-DBI and improve student learning. We next draw conclusions and propose a renewed program of instructional utility CBM-DBI research for capitalizing on technology’s potential to enhance productive instructional decision-making for students who require intensive intervention, fulfill DBI’s potential, and bring CBM-DBI to scale