THIS WEEK'S EDUCATION RESEARCH REPORT
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A new study by Case Western Reserve University’s social work school found that children’s readiness in language, math and logic improved significantly by the programs offered at 24 pilot universal prekindergarten pilot program (UPK) sites in Greater Cleveland.Specifically, researchers discovered that children at the lowest achievement levels when the study began made the greatest gains and exceeded expectations, narrowing the gap between at-risk children and higher achievers.The Cuyahoga County’s Office of Early Childhood/Invest in Children initiative, created in 1999 to serve the needs of you
The lack of interest in math or natural sciences is one of the most frequently voiced causes for concern in the debate surrounding education, at least in Germany. It has been seen time and again that pupils lose their enthusiasm for physics, chemistry and math once they reach eighth or ninth grade. But is this inevitable? And if not, how can teachers steer a different course?Education researchers from TUM have been investigating classroom dialog – the way that teachers and pupils communicate with each other. "Studies have shown that most math and science teachers use a rigid style of comm
Poorer outcomes for youth labeled with learning disabilities (LDs) are often attributed to the student’s own deficiencies or cumulative disadvantage; but the more troubling possibility is that special education placement limits rather than expands these students’ opportunities. Labeling theory partially attributes the poorer outcomes of labeled persons to stigma related to labels. This study uses data on approximately 11,740 adolescents and their schools from the Education Longitudinal Survey of 2002 to determine if stigma influences teachers’ and parents’ educational expectations for students
DEC 05
Education, Not Fertility, Key for Economic Development in Developing Countries
A new study published in the journal Demography shows that improvements in education levels around the world have been key drivers of economic growth in developing countries that has previously been attributed to declines in fertility rates.The study, by IIASA researchers and colleagues at the Wittgenstein Centre for Demography and Global Human Capital, a collaborative center including IIASA, Vien
New WWC Quick Review on "Are Tenure Track Professors Better Teachers?"
What is the study about?The study examined whether taking a course with a tenured/tenure track professor versus a non-tenured/tenure track professor for first-term freshman-level courses (e.g., introductory economics) was associated with whether students enrolled and performed well in future classes in the same subject. The study used data from 15,662 students who entered Northwestern University i
DEC 04
Art could help create a better 'STEM' student
Science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) have become part of educational vernacular, as colleges, universities and other institutions strive to raise the profile of the areas of study and the number of graduates in each field.Now a project from the University of Houston College of Education Urban Talent Research Institute encourages the incorporation of creative endeavors to attract
DEC 03
Unwrapping Academic Standards to Increase the Achievement of Students With Disabilities
Over the past 15 years, students with disabilities have been included in the general education environment at markedly higher rates; however, their achievement is not increasing at the same pace. One reason for this lack of increased achievement may be that academic standards lay the foundation for instruction in this environment, but standards fail to address the component academic skills needed
New PISA 2012 First Look Report Shows U.S. Student Performance in an International Context
Performance of U.S. 15-Year-Old Students in an International Context: First Look at PISA 2012 presents U.S. results from the 2012 Program for International Student Assessment (PISA). The goal of PISA is to assess students’ preparation for the challenges of life as young adults. The assessment measures mathematics, science, and reading literacy of 15-year-old students around the world. In 2012, 65
National Postsecondary Student Aid Study
New estimates on the price and net price of attending postsecondary institutions are now available from the National Postsecondary Student Aid Study. The average net price (price of attendance minus all grant aid) for undergraduates during the 2011–12 academic year to attend a 4-year institution was $14,300 for a public institution and $23,000 for a private nonprofit institution. At private for-pr
DEC 02
A single spray of oxytocin improves brain function in children with autism
A single dose of the hormone oxytocin, delivered via nasal spray, has been shown to enhance brain activity while processing social information in children with autism spectrum disorders, Yale School of Medicine researchers report in a new study published in the Dec. 2 issue of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences."This is the first study to evaluate the impact of oxytocin on brain
NOV 29
Private Education Management Organizations Running Public Schools Expand
NEPC report finds 44% of charter school students in 2011-12 attended schools operated by EMOsA new National Education Policy Center report published today shows that across the nation, schools managed by for-profit firms such as K12 Inc, National Heritage Academies and Charter Schools USA, as well as nonprofit education management organizations (EMOs) such as KIPP, continue to increase the number
The Political Foundations of the Black–White Education Achievement Gap
More than 50 years after Brown v. Board, African American students continue to trail their White peers on a variety of important educational indicators. In this article, the authors investigate the political foundations of the racial “achievement gap” in American education. Using variation in high school graduation rates across the states, the authors first assess whether state policymakers are at
NOV 27
Urban Teacher Education: Making a Case for Context-Specific Preparation
The literature on preparing teachers for urban schools provides a rationale for helping candidates understand the particular cultures of students. However, research has not sufficiently “unpacked” features of the setting that programs can address; nor has it discussed how programs tailor teaching approaches to their specific contexts. Drawing from program descriptions, syllabi, and interviews, thi
Improving High School Graduation Rates in Rhode Island
This Issue Brief presents detailed graduation and dropout rates for every school anddistrict in Rhode Island, research on warning signs and risk factors of dropping out, andkey strategies for dropout intervention and recovery, increased graduation rates, andcollege readiness. Rhode Island’s four‐year graduation rate has been steadily increasingin recent years, from 70% in 2007 to 77% in 2012. Disp
NOV 26
Study finds 1 in 10 high school students hurt by dating partners
One in 10 high school youth in the U.S. reports having been hit or physically hurt by a dating partner in the past year, according to a new study led by a Boston University School of Public Health researcher.In a study published in the Journal of School Violence, Emily Rothman and Ziming Xuan, faculty at Boston University, analyzed data from 100,901 students who participated in the national Youth
Video game play may provide learning, health, social benefits, review finds
Playing video games, including violent shooter games, may boost children's learning, health and social skills, according to a review of research on the positive effects of video game play to be published by the American Psychological Association.The study comes out as debate continues among psychologists and other health professionals regarding the effects of violent media on youth. An APA task fo
New Report Details States' Progress on College and Career Readiness
With all 50 states and the District of Columbia having adopted college- and career-ready standards, Achieve's eighth annual "Closing the Expectations Gap" report, released today, shows how all states are aligning those standards with policies and practice to better ensure that all students are academically prepared for life after high school. "All 50 states deserve credit for conf
STEM Attrition among college students
This Statistical Analysis Report presents the most recent national statistics on beginning bachelor’s and associate’s degree students’ entrance into, and attrition from, STEM fields. Using recent transcript data, it provides a first look at STEM coursetaking and examines how participation and performance in undergraduate STEM coursework, along with other factors, are associated with STEM attrition
More research is needed to determine if Reading Mastery works for beginning readers
Reading Mastery, one of several curriculum components that constitute the Direct Instruction program from SRA/McGraw-Hill, is designed to provide systematic instruction in reading to students in grades K–6. Reading Mastery, which can be used as an intervention program for struggling readers, as a supplement to a core reading program, or as a stand-alone reading program, is available in three versi
Reciprocal teaching: more research is needed to determine effectiveness
Reciprocal teaching is an instructional method designed to help teach reading comprehension skills to students with adequate decoding proficiency. During initial instructional sessions, the teacher introduces four comprehension strategies: summarizing, questioning, clarifying, and predicting. Then, the teacher and student read several passages that include narrative or informational text. The teac
School climate key to prevent bullying
To effectively prevent bullying schools need to understand positive school climate, use reliable measures to evaluate school climate and use effective prevention and intervention programs to improve the climate, according to a recent paper published in the journal “Theory Into Practice.”In recent years, there has been an increased interest in reducing bullying behavior by school personnel, parents
NOV 25
School Climate Key to Preventing Bullying
To effectively prevent bullying schools need to understand positive school climate, use reliable measures to evaluate school climate and use effective prevention and intervention programs to improve the climate, according to a recent paper, “The Critical Role of School Climate in Effective Bullying Prevention,” published in the journal “Theory Into Practice.”In recent years, there has been an incr
ADHD study: Expensive training programs don't help kids' grades, behavior
Many parents spend thousands of dollars on computer-based training programs that claim to help children with ADHD succeed in the classroom and in peer relationships while reducing hyperactivity and inattentiveness. But a University of Central Florida researcher says parents are better off saving their hard-earned cash.Psychology professor Mark Rapport's research team spent two years analyzing the
NOV 23
Daily Online Testing in Large Classes: Boosting College Performance while Reducing Achievement Gaps
An in-class computer-based system, that included daily online testing, was introduced to two large university classes. This study examined subsequent improvements in academic performance and reductions in the achievement gaps between lower- and upper-middle class students in academic performance. Students (N = 901) brought laptop computers to classes and took daily quizzes that provided immediate
Closing Achievement Gaps Through California’s Use of Intensive Technical Assistance
One of the enduring problems in education is the persistence of achievement gaps between White, wealthy, native English-speaking students and their counterparts who are minority, lower-income, or English language learners. This study shows that one intensive technical assistance (TA) intervention—California’s District Assistance and Intervention Teams (DAITs)—implemented in conjunction with a high
NOV 22
Different types of teacher-child interactions support children's development in different areas
Teachers' daily interactions with children are crucial to making sure they're ready for school. Many state early childhood systems and the federal Office of Head Start consider teacher-child interactions when they measure programs' quality. But research hasn't always been clear about which aspects of interactions are most important to how children do academically and socially. A new study that use
