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Eric.ed.gov – Evaluation of the Computer and Team Assisted Mathematical Acceleration (CATAMA) Lab for Urban, High-Poverty, High Minority Middle Grade Students. Final Report to the Institute of Education Sciences

eric.ed.gov har udgivet: This project entailed a three-year efficacy evaluation of the Computer and Team Assisted Mathematical Acceleration (CATAMA) Lab developed by the Center for Social Organization of Schools at Johns Hopkins University. The CATAMA Lab was proposed as an immediate and practical approach to addressing the different types of math deficits held by students at urban high-poverty schools. The Lab required only 1 teacher per school reducing staff and professional development requirements. It used multiple instructional techniques (including individualized computer instruction, direct instruction, pair and team learning, and individual instruction) to teach math concepts and skills. By taking the place of an elective it allowed students to continue with their on-grade math class. For a more detailed description of the Lab see Appendix 2. The original goal of the… Continue Reading

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Eric.ed.gov – Finding & Keeping Educators for Arizona’s Classrooms

eric.ed.gov har udgivet: Quality teaching is essential to providing children with the knowledge and skills necessary for a high quality of life. It’s essential to the economy, as well. Business thrives when it has ready access to an educated workforce, allowing Arizona to compete for the best industries and companies. Quality teaching helps build the society in which we live today and tomorrow. This report uses hard data as well as voices from teachers themselves to describe the current state of Arizona’s educational workforce, specifically focusing on the factors that attract new teachers into the profession and those factors that drive too many existing teachers out of it. Highlights of the findings include the following: (1) Teachers of the baby-boom generation are approaching the end of their careers and will… Continue Reading

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Eric.ed.gov – Year 1 State Report: Texas

eric.ed.gov har udgivet: The Center on Standards, Alignment, Instruction, and Learning (C-SAIL) examines how college- and career-readiness (CCR) standards are implemented, whether they improve student learning, and what instructional tools measure and support their implementation. Established in July 2015 and funded by the Institute of Education Sciences (IES) of the U.S. Department of Education, C-SAIL has partnered with California, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Ohio, and Texas to explore their experiences with CCR standards-based reform, particularly with regard to students with disabilities (SWDs) and English language learners (ELLs). This report examines how the state of Texas is approaching CCR standards implementation during a time of transition. The state has recently implemented revisions to the math standards and is currently revising the English language arts (ELA) standards. The revised ELA standards are expected to… Continue Reading

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Eric.ed.gov – Can Distance Learning Meet the Needs of Gifted Elementary Math Students?

eric.ed.gov har udgivet: What the author has learned from this experience is to allow time for the unexpected when dealing with technology. She has further learned that one needs a strong technological support system in the school to ensure that access can be restored. The physical setting for online learning is important, as well. Students need to have a place where they can respond to their learning. The regular classroom would not be the most appropriate environment for this type of independent study program. Funding must also be considered when dealing with distance learning programs. Finally, the small print the kind that reads “System Requirements” will always be the first piece of information she reviews before considering any type of technology program for her students! The use of distance learning… Continue Reading

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Eric.ed.gov – Comparing Self-Paced and Cohort-Based Online Courses for Teachers

eric.ed.gov har udgivet: The study investigated whether online professional development courses with different levels of support have different impacts on teacher outcomes. Variations of an online course for middle school algebra teachers were created for four experimental conditions. One was a highly supported condition, with a math education instructor, an online facilitator, and asynchronous peer interactions among participants available as participants worked through the course together. Another was a self-paced condition, in which none of the supports were available. The other two conditions provided intermediate levels of support. All conditions showed significant impact on teachers’ mathematical understanding, pedagogical beliefs, and instructional practices. Surprisingly, the positive outcomes were comparable across all four conditions. Further research is needed to determine whether this fending is limited to self-selected teachers, the specifics of this… Continue Reading

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Eric.ed.gov – The Effects of Teacher Professional Development on Gains in Student Achievement: How Meta Analysis Provides Scientific Evidence Useful to Education Leaders

eric.ed.gov har udgivet: The Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) was awarded a grant from the National Science Foundation to conduct a meta analysis study with the goal of providing state and local education leaders with scientifically-based evidence regarding the effects of teacher professional development on improving student learning. The analysis focused on completed studies of effects of professional development for K-12 teachers of science and mathematics. The meta analysis results show important cross-study evidence that teacher professional development in mathematics does have significant positive effects on student achievement. The analysis results also confirm the positive relationship to student outcomes of key characteristics of design of professional development programs. The following are appended: (1) Meta Analysis Coding Form Excerpt: Scaffolded Guide for Determining Inclusion of a Document; (2) Effects… Continue Reading

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Eric.ed.gov – Title I Schools: The Student-Based Impact of Online, On-Demand Professional Development on Educators

eric.ed.gov har udgivet: Title I students remain among the most challenging population for achieving significant gains in academic performance and standardized test scores. This multi-state, quasi-experimental, pre-versus-post study reflects the comparative Title I gains for math and reading scores for teachers participating in an online, on-demand professional development program school-wide versus non-participating Title I in their respective districts as benchmarks. Average Title I gains in reading were 4.8% (p<0.001) versus 0.1% (ns) in the non-participating Title I schools. For math scores, non-participating Title I schools in the districts saw a decline of 5.9% (p<0.001), while Title I schools participating in the professional development experienced a gain of 7.3% (p<0.001). Conclusions are that significant advantages for Title I students are achieved when teachers participate actively in such a high impact, high… Continue Reading

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Eric.ed.gov – Group Work is Not Cooperative Learning: An Evaluation of PowerTeaching in Middle Schools. A Report from the Investing in Innovation (i3) Evaluation

eric.ed.gov har udgivet: To succeed in today’s economy, students need both proficiency in the “three Rs” (reading, writing and arithmetic) and strong applied skills. Communication skills, team work, and critical thinking have long been at the top of employers’ lists of applied skills they seek in employees. States are responding to employers’ needs by putting in place new educational standards. These standards include not only higher levels of basic academic knowledge that students are expected to master but also applied skills pertaining to presenting information, explaining one’s reasoning, and effectively collaborating in groups. As a result, teachers nationwide are having students work in groups more frequently. This report examines a recent large-scale effort to expand a cooperative learning program in middle schools. The change in standard instructional practices gives schools… Continue Reading

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Eric.ed.gov – Implementing Cross-Sector Collaboration through the District-Charter Collaborative: A Case Study of Promising Practices

eric.ed.gov har udgivet: District-Charter Partnerships (DCP) is an initiative that is part of the Equity and Excellence for All agenda established by Mayor De Blasio. Its goal is to support meaningful collaboration between the district and charter sector in order to increase educator capacity and student learning in all New York City public schools. The District-Charter Collaborative (DCC) is one of the principal programs under the DCP umbrella. Spearheaded by the NYC Department of Education’s (DOE) Office of School Design and Charter Partnerships and Office of Leadership, the program brings quads of schools (2 district and 2 charter) together to engage in structured collaboration through the creation of professional learning communities (PLCs). These PLCs aim to improve practice in one of the following Learning Focus Areas (LFAs): math instruction, supporting… Continue Reading

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Eric.ed.gov – Engaging Diverse Learners through the Provision of STEM Education Opportunities. Briefing Paper

eric.ed.gov har udgivet: Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) are viewed as fundamental elements in the preparation of our next generation. This is evidenced by President Obama’s goal of “moving our nation from the middle to the top of the pack in math and science education” and his focus on (a) hiring additional STEM teachers; (b) enhancing STEM literacy so students can think critically in key subjects; (c) improving the quality of instruction to help U.S. students perform competitively with those in other nations; and (d) expanding STEM education and career opportunities for women, minorities, and other underrepresented groups (The White House, 2010). To begin laying this foundation for students as they compete in the 21st century economy, educators and decision makers must continue to increase their understanding of various… Continue Reading