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This paper provides evidence on the effect of local prescription opioid use on academic achievement of 3rd–8th graders between 2009 and 2018. Using county fixed effects models, I find that when counties have higher levels of prescription opioid use, students score lower on standardized assessments two to three years later, with variation by student subgroups and magnitudes comparable to effective interventions. I find the largest magnitudes in counties with higher poverty rates and states with below-median state education spending. As test score effects predict adult outcomes, these findings point to economic and public health challenges when affected children become adults. Highlights I examine the relationship between local prescription opioid use and academic achievement of 3rd to 8th graders in Math and English Language Arts (ELA). Using county-fixed effects models, I find that when counties have higher prescription opioid use, lower levels of academic achievement in Math and ELA emerge two to three years later. Among white and economically disadvantaged students, this effect is similar in magnitude to other effective academic interventions and detrimental factors. I also find suggestive evidence that the effects are larger in counties with higher poverty rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Maker education can enhance learners' creativity. Design thinking can facilitate the innovative resolution of complex problems. The design thinking literature and most maker teaching modes are limited in their promotion of learning and ability development in various dimensions. Learners have stereotypes about some professions; interventions can help change these stereotypes. This research used quantitative and qualitative analyses to determine the impacts of the design thinking–maker education intervention on primary school students to prove its effectiveness in improving the learners' academic level and in developing their creative tendencies, and whether the design thinking–maker education intervention can help change the learners' stereotypes of engineers. Herein, 136 Year 4 students took a course called Movement of Objects. Traditional instruction and a design thinking-maker education intervention were applied to the control and experimental groups (n = 68 each), respectively. All students underwent an academic pretest and posttest. Stereotypes of engineers were examined through the Draw-an-Engineer Test (DAET). Creative tendencies were investigated through a pretest and posttest questionnaire. Interviews were conducted to obtain course feedback and information on the participants' perceptions of engineers. The significant between-group difference in preexisting knowledge disappeared on the posttest, and the experimental group exhibited a more significant improvement in their academic level (p < 0.01) than did the control group (p < 0.05). Regarding creative tendencies, significant pretest–posttest differences in adventure, curiosity, imagination, and the total score were observed in the experimental group. On the posttest of the DAET, the control group depicted significantly less facial hair but significantly more helmets and symbols of research and knowledge, whereas the experimental group depicted significantly less facial hair but significantly more helmets, symbols, and relevant captions. The design thinking–maker education intervention improved the learners' academic performance, developed their creative tendencies, and changed their stereotypes of engineers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to analyze the Impacts of Social Environment on Interest, Critical Thinking and Academic Achievement of Students Taught Organic Chemistry Using Artificial Intelligence ChatGPT. Correlational research design was engaged for the study. 50-students in SS3 with an average age of 17years, who have access to android phones and the ChatGPT application from two senior secondary schools in Gwale Local Government area of Kano State, Nigeria formed the study sample. The instruments used for data collection include; the students' social environment, interest and critical thinking questionnaire (r=0.96) and Organic Chemistry Achievement Test (r=0.92). The data were analyzed using mean, standard deviation and Spearman Rank Order Correlation. The study revealed a high positive correlation between the social environment and student's interest; Social environment and critical thinking; as well as social environment and students' achievement in the ChatGPT's Organic Chemistry Classroom. The study further found a strong positive correlation between the students' interest and critical thinking, critical thinking and students' achievement in Organic Chemistry among students in the ChatGPT condition. It was concluded that social environment has a strong positive impact on students' interest, critical thinking and academic achievement in organic chemistry among students in the ChatGPT classrooms. The study recommends that, as the artificial intelligence (AI) ChatGPT is migrating into the chemistry classrooms, government needs to re-train chemistry teachers, school librarians and lab-technologists through refreshers courses to improve their performance in the concepts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Diversitas Journal is the property of Diversitas Journal and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This paper examines the efficacy of academic support interventions provided by the Swinburne College Student Hub for international students enrolled in the Postgraduate Qualifying Program (PQP) or English Language Intensive Courses for Overseas Students (ELICOS). Interventions for PQP students encompass plagiarism checking, paraphrasing, proofreading, referencing, and essay structure guidance, while ELICOS interventions are skill-based workshops focusing on reading, listening, and writing. The study highlights the importance of tracking student progress to refine interventions effectively. Programspecific student trackers were developed, leading to significant improvements in student success rates in assignments and unit completion, as revealed by analysis of empirical data from 2022. The findings underscore the effectiveness of tailored academic support, with implications for enhancing the delivery of support services and improving academic outcomes for PQP and ELICOS cohorts in academic settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, artificial intelligence (AI) technologies have been widely used in the field of education, and artificial intelligence in education (AIEd) has gained increasing attention. However, no quantitative meta-analysis has been conducted on the overall effectiveness of AI on learning achievement and learning perception. To close this research gap, this study conducted a comprehensive meta-analysis of the effects of AI on learning achievement and learning perception. The present metaanalysis synthesized 24 articles with a total of 2908 participants from 2001 to 2020. The findings reveal that AI had a high effect size on learning achievement and a small effect size on learning perception. The effect sizes of 13 moderator variables were analyzed, including sample levels, sample size, learning domains, learning methods, research design, research settings, intervention duration, types of organization for treatment, role of AI, areas of AI application, AI software, AI hardware, and AI technologies. It was found that sample size, sample level, learning domains, types of organization, roles of AI, and hardware significantly moderated the effectiveness of AI. The results and the implications for educators and practitioners are discussed in depth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The achievement of positive learning outcomes is central to students' educational experience. Various important issues in students' learning outcomes are prevalent in the educational landscape. These issues encompass the significance of using valid and reliable assessments, the mounting pressure on accountability, the necessity for equal access to high-quality education, and the utilisation of technology. Additionally, there is a growing awareness of the importance of preparing students for the demands of the 21st-century workforce, which requires a broader range of competencies beyond traditional academic skills. It is essential to address these issues by continually focusing on and working together among educators, policymakers, and researchers to improve student learning outcomes. This article provides an overview of learning outcomes and the emergence of achievers and underachievers in educational settings. The first section defines learning outcomes and discusses the benefits of stating expected learning outcomes and guidelines for developing good statements. The article then explores the differences in cognitive functioning between achievers and underachievers, along with the classification and identification of these groups through a literature review. The next section delves into the relationship between learning outcomes and the emergence of achievers and underachievers, including factors contributing to students' under- and over-achievement. These factors include home conditions, peer relations, physical and mental well-being, psychological state, academic inclinations, and aspirations and prospects. Finally, the article discusses teachers' important role in improving student learning outcomes. In conclusion, teachers can provide targeted interventions and support to improve their learning outcomes by understanding the factors contributing to students' successes and failures. The paper has significant implications for educators, policymakers, and researchers and can contribute to developing effective educational interventions to improve student success. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Academic motivation is a fundamental aspect of learning that provides intensity and direction to a learner's behavior. In recent years, the flipped classroom teaching method has gained popularity as a pedagogical approach that aims to enhance student learning outcomes and engagement. This study aimed to compare the efficacy of flipped Classroom Approach on elementary school students' academic motivation and learning achievement. Methods: An educational interventional study employing a pretestposttest design was conducted with an intervention and a control group. The study enrolled sixty eligible students who were studying in two elementary schools from August to December 2021. They were randomly allocated to intervention (flipped classroom approach, n=30) and control (traditional method, n=30) groups. To measure academic motivation, we used the standardized questionnaire, the Harter Academic Motivation, which consists of 33 questions. Also, for measuring the learning achievement, we developed a 20-item multiple-choice questionnaire. Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS v 22.0. Multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) was performed. P-value<0.05 was considered as the significance level. Results: The mean learning achievement and academic motivation scores in the intervention groups increased more than that the control group significantly (P<0.001). In contrast, in the control group, no significant changes were observed (P>0.05). Additionally, the outcomes demonstrated a significant increase in academic motivation scores among the flipped classroom group, particularly in the areas of preference for challenging academic tasks, focus on students' curiosity, tendency towards independent mastery, and preference for easy work subscales, compared to the control group (P<0.001). The study did not find significant improvements in other areas of extrinsic motivation, such as satisfaction with the instructor or achieving grades, and reliance on the teacher's evaluation. Conclusion: According to the results, flipped classroom approach can improve the students' learning achievement and academic motivation regarding science. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Retos: Nuevas Perspectivas de Educación Física, Deporte y Recreación is the property of Federacion Espanola de Asociaciones de Docentes de Educacion Fisica and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Slow learners are those children who are very poor at achieving academic qualifications when compared with a normal child in a classroom. This research was set to develop strategies to enhance slow learners' learning in one of the prominent schools in Labasa, Fiji Islands. The strategies were developed through a professional learning intervention that was carried out in one of the professional development sessions in the school. An action research approach was used to collect the data. At the end of the intervention activity, an administration official was interviewed to get his reflections on the strategies that were going to be used by the teachers to enhance the learning of slow learners. The research carried out was very important for the teachers because they will use the developed strategies from the professional learning intervention to improve the results of the slow learners in their classroom. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anonymous peer feedback has long been used as a common activity in higher education, yet few studies have systematically tracked students' perceived comfort levels over time, and even fewer have compared givers' and receivers' comfort under this intervention. To address this gap, the present study tracked 40 Chinese university students over eight weeks (four weeks' non-anonymous and four weeks' anonymous condition). Based on quantitative data (comfort ratings) and qualitative data (feedback texts and survey responses), it found that students overwhelmingly favoured the anonymous mode, reporting significantly higher comfort ratings at the peer and class-level dimensions. Additionally, they assigned significantly higher comfort values to the giver role where they could expose and exchange more private feelings with peers as if they were in a masked ball. Pedagogical implications are given to inform and improve feedback activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cognitive and behavioral deficits associated with air pollution exposure may have far-reaching negative effects on children's scholastic achievement. Moreover, air pollution may be conditioning the success of educational investments that support students who face greatest levels of societal adversity. This study examined the direct main effects of cumulative neurotoxicological exposure on annual reading improvement. We also tested the statistical interaction (i.e., moderation) of neurotoxicological exposure and academic intervention sessions on annual reading improvement for a large sample of ethnic minority (95%) elementary school children (n = 6080, k-6th grade) enrolled in a standard literacy enrichment program. These children were all behind grade level in reading and attended predominantly low-income schools (n = 85) in urban settings across the state of California. Multi-level modeling assessments accounted for random effects associated with school and neighborhood environments, and incorporated extensive individual, school, and community level covariates. Findings show individual elementary students of color to progress less in reading when exposed to greater accumulations of neurotoxin air pollution in their home and school environments, with the average deficit equivalent to 1.5 weeks of learning delay per year. Findings also show neurotoxicological exposure to diminish the efficacy of literacy intervention sessions received on reading improvement throughout the school year. Results suggest that pollution abatement can be a salient strategy to help bridge the child educational achievement gap. In addition to several methodological strengths, this study is one of the first to show that ambient pollution can undermine program efficacy of a literacy enrichment program. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Academic performance factors, such as school-leaving grades and other academic indicators for selection, play a significant role in student success. The study aimed to determine the best predictors of academic success in the first year of study for nursing studies at a South African university using three National Benchmark Test (NBT) domains and four National Senior Certificate (NSC) subjects. Methods: We conducted a retrospective review of the admission data of first-time students (n = 317), enrolled on the Bachelor of Nursing between 2012 and 2018. Hierarchical regression was used to explore important variables predicting success in the first year of study. Cross tabulations were used to determine the association between progression outcome, proficiency levels of the NBT and school quintiles. Results: All predicting variables explained 35% of the variance in the first year of the study. The NBT MAT (Mathematics), Academic literacy (AL), and NSC's Life Sciences were statistically significant predictors for passing the first year. Analysis of progression outcomes by the NBT proficiency levels suggests that most students begin studies with lower entry-level skills than required, which hinders academic progress. No major differences in academic performance were observed for the students who attended different quintiles. Conclusion: Selection test results predict areas where students are likely to encounter difficulties and inform the interventions needed to achieve academic success. There may be serious implications for students admitted with low entry-level skills in variables predicting academic success and they would need tailored academic interventions to improve their grasp of mathematical and biological concepts and their ability to read, think and reason. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal Practical Didactics / Revista de Didáctica Práctica is the property of ECORFAN-Mexico S.C. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Teoría de la Educación. Revista Interuniversitaria is the property of Ediciones Universidad de Salamanca and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The period of early adolescence is characterized by dramatic changes, simultaneously affecting physiological, psychological, social, and cognitive development. The physical transition from elementary to middle school can exacerbate the stress and adversity experienced during this critical life stage. Middle school students often struggle to find social and emotional support, and many students experience a decreased sense of belonging in school, diverting students from promising academic and career trajectories. Drawing on psychological insights for promoting belonging, we fielded a brief intervention designed to help students reappraise concerns about fitting in at the start of middle school as both temporary and normal. We conducted a district-wide double-blind experimental study of this approach with middle school students (n = 1,304). Compared with the control condition activities, the intervention reduced sixth-grade disciplinary incidents across the district by 34%, increased attendance by 12%, and reduced the number of failing grades by 18%. Differences in benefits across demographic groups were not statistically significant, but some impacts were descriptively larger for historically underserved minority students and boys. A mediational analysis suggested 80% of long-term intervention effects on students' grade point averages were accounted for by changes in students' attitudes and behaviors. These results demonstrate the long-term benefits of psychologically reappraising stressful experiences during critical transitions and the psychological and behavioral mechanisms that support them. Furthermore, this brief intervention is a highly cost-effective and scalable approach that schools may use to help address the troubling decline in positive attitudes and academic outcomes typically accompanying adolescence and the middle school transition.

This study was made to examine the influence of psychosocial variables in predicting academic achievements of secondary school students of Kellem Wollega, Ethiopia. The sample was formed of 255 Secondary school students at study time in five government school's Kellem Wollega Zone of which 163 were males, and 92 were females. Multiple regression and step-wise regression analysis was employed to find the contribution of each predictor variables in predicting academic achievement of student. The result of multiple regression and step-wise regression analysis indicates that academic self-concept, father involvement, and parental self-concept have significant and positive effect on academic achievement of students. The proportion of variance in academic achievement by the three predictor variables was 43.5%, 12.4%, and 6.9% respectively. The combined effect of the three predictor variables has 68% variance in academic achievement. The result indicates that all the above-mentioned psychosocial variables correlate positively with academic achievement. But the correlation between academic self-concept, father involvement, and parental self-concept correlates more strongly with academic achievement, p<.05. The result suggests in this particular study educational intervention strategies geared to raise academic achievement would probably be more likely to succeed if they focus on enhancement of academic selfconcept of students and, parental involvement. Based on the result of the study parents, students, teachers, and educators in general need to give attention to the role of parent's involvement in their children's schooling by contributing on their part in creating smooth interaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) was developed by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development to measure students' knowledge and skills needed for today's society. PISA is a large-scale assessment of 15-yearold students in reading, mathematics, and science. In this analysis of PISA data from Bosnia and Herzegovina (BIH), we examined the relationship between gender, mathematics achievement, and perceived meaning in life in BIH students. The sample for this analysis comprised 6480 students (3148 females and 3332 males). The results of the analysis revealed a small but statistically significant, negative relationship between mathematics and the student's perception of the meaning in life. Boys achieved higher scores in mathematics than girls, but the difference was relatively small. In addition, boys' rating of meaning in life was higher than that of girls. Knowing what factors influence mathematical achievement might help educators create better intervention programs. In conclusion, we provided some possible explanations for these data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many students who experience behavioral difficulties (BD) also experience learning difficulties (LD) in school; however, little research exists on how to support the academic achievement of students with co-occurring BD/LD. Even less research exists for students who experience these co-occurring difficulties at the high school or secondary level. The goal of this synthesis was to explore the effects of academic interventions on the academic outcomes (i.e., reading, mathematics, and writing) of high school students with co-occurring BD/LD. A total of nine, single-case design studies met criteria for this synthesis, including two dissertations. Four studies examined mathematics outcomes, four studies assessed reading outcomes, and two studies targeted spelling outcomes, with one study examining both mathematics and spelling. The calculated Tau-U effect sizes ranged from 0.54 to 1.0 across studies. Implications for research and practice are discussed with the goal of contributing to the small body of research on secondary-aged students with co-occurring BD/LD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mathematics interventions are being provided for students nationwide who perform below basic on various assessments. The assessment of students' performance in Mathematics gave rise to the conduct of this study. In this research, Grade 8 students who did not meet the expected competencies will have the opportunity to receive extra Mathematics assistance. Hence, this study is proposed so as to support the sustainability of Mathematics intervention program. This study is an action research utilizing survey questionnaire in order to determine the performance of the students in the preand post-tests of students under the Mathematics intervention program. The subject and the respondents of this study are the identified students in the Grade 8 who have not met the required competencies in Mathematics subject. Result showed that post-test result (Tutorial: 18.151±5.548; Remedial: 18.944±5.395) is higher than the pre-test result (Tutorial: 11.019±4.144; Remedial: 11.519±3.565) under tutorial program and remediation program. Result of the study also revealed that there is a significant difference between the performance of the students in the pre and post-test under tutorial program (t=-11.632, p=0.000) as well as in the performance of the students under remediation program tutorial program (W=0.000, p=0.000). Indeed, the aforementioned program is effective to improve the performance of students in Mathematics. Mathematics intervention program is effective to improve grades and performance of students, thus teachers should design a more improved techniques of this program. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cognitively Guided Instruction (CGI) is a mathematics instructional strategy that focuses on students using problem-solving strategies to construct their own understanding. Little research has been conducted to help determine what CGI could look like in other subject areas. The purpose of this study was to investigate ways to apply CGI to a phonics lesson and determine if cognitively guided phonetic instruction could have a positive impact on the achievement and self-efficacy of tier two and three special education students. A pre and post assessment and survey were administered and compared student achievement and self-efficacy. The study concluded that cognitively guided phonetic instruction allowed students in these tiers to achieve similar growth in their phonetic abilities and self-efficacy when compared to their higher achieving gifted and on-level peers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research has shown that academic anxiety can affect academic performance and emotional well-being. Despite previous research emphasizing the importance of understanding academic anxiety and indicating a strong association between academic performance and academic anxiety, no systematic reviews or meta-analyses have examined the effects of academic interventions on academic and anxiety outcomes. This article reports on a meta-analysis of studies examining academic interventions conducted with elementary students (kindergarten to Grade 6), in which both academic achievement and academic anxiety outcomes were reported. The systematic search yielded 13 studies comprising 1545 participants and revealed statistically significant differences favoring academic treatments over the control for academic achievement outcomes (g = 0.63, k = 11) but no statistically significant benefits for academic anxiety outcomes (g = −0.06, k = 11). The authors caution against drawing strong conclusions due to the heterogeneity in effects and the small number of studies in the extant literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we compare the academic performance and perceptions of two student groups. The control group includes students that receive traditional accounting instruction (TA) during the totality of a lecture. The experimental group receives a research-informed teaching (RIT) intervention for the final 10 minutes of TA delivery (PER sample). Using questionnaire data, we find that the perceptions of both groups of students are equivalent at the start of the semester, suggesting two homogenous groups. However, at the end of the semester, we find the PER sample that receives the RIT intervention develops more critical perceptions. We find that the TA sample consolidates the views expressed in textbooks. Moreover, using mid-term and final exam values as a measure for academic performance, we find that the academic performance of both groups is equivalent at the mid-term point. However, the RIT intervention group demonstrates higher performance compared to the TA sample at the end of the semester. Overall our results suggest that undergraduate accounting students have the ability and sophistication to appreciate accounting research knowledge as a social phenomenon which can enhance their intrinsic motivation to develop accounting knowledge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The emergence of Learning Analytics has brought benefits to the educational field, as it can be used to analyse authentic data from students to identify the problems encountered in e-learning and to provide intervention to assist students. However, much is still unknown about the development of Learning Analytics intervention in terms of providing personalised learning materials to students to meet their needs in order to enhance their learning performance. Thus, this study aims to develop a Learning Analytics intervention in e-learning to enhance students' learning performance. In order to develop the intervention, four stages of Learning Analytics Cycle proposed by Clow: learner, data, metrics and intervention were carried out, integrating with two well-known models: Felder-Silverman's and Keller's Attention, Relevance, Confidence and Satisfaction (ARCS) models in e-learning, to develop various Learning Objects in e-learning. After that, a case study was carried out to assess this intervention with various validated research instruments. A quantitative approach involving a one-group pre-test–post-test experimental design was adopted, which consists of a population of 50 undergraduate students who enrolled in the Information System Management in Education course. The results indicated that the Learning Analytics intervention is useful, as it overall helped the majority of students to enhance their motivation, academic achievement, cognitive engagement and cognitive retention in e-learning. From this study, readers can understand the way to implement the Learning Analytics intervention which is proved to made positive impact on students' learning achievement with the Cohen's d of 5.669. Lastly, this study contributes significant new knowledge to the current understanding of how Learning Analytics intervention can perform to optimize students' learning experience and also serves to fill a gap in research on Learning Analytics, namely the lack of development of interventions to assist students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To improve on several methodological issues regarding current literature investigating the relationship between ADHD symptomatology and academic success in adults and examine the relative contributions of specific dimensions of ADHD symptomatology (i.e., inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity) to post-secondary academic success. Method: A large sample of 3,688 post-secondary students were examined using a longitudinal design. The Conners' Adult ADHD Rating Scale (CAARS) was used to assess adult ADHD symptoms and academic success was assessed using students' official academic records (e.g., final GPAs and degree completion status). Results: Students with greater inattention symptomatology at the start of their academic program showed consistently poorer long-term academic success (i.e., lower GPAs, higher dropout rates), regardless of gender. Conclusion: Inattention symptoms are the primary driver of the relationship between ADHD symptomatology and academic underachievement in adults. Post-secondary education institutions should target and prioritize educational programming for inattention symptoms of ADHD in at-risk post-secondary students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The research aimed to analyze the effectiveness of a training program for K-12 teachers in improving their perceptions of flourishing, job satisfaction, work as meaning, and efficacy, as well as their students' academic performance. The study involved 147 K-12 teachers and 3544 students. A 'quasi-experimental' pretest-posttest with a control group design was adopted. The results showed significant improvements in students' academic performance and in all teacher variables in the experimental group. Targeting interventions towards K-12 educators has immense potential to profoundly influence students' academic growth by increasing their interest and competence in STEM disciplines. • The program empowers teachers to manage change and enhance their competencies according to their unique needs. • The program emphasizes project-based learning, real-life problem-solving, and interdisciplinary concepts. • Nurturing emotional and teaching efficacy competencies is crucial for effective teaching in STEM fields. • Teachers improved job satisfaction, teaching efficacy, and enjoyment in their profession. • Trained teachers contributed to enhanced students' academic achievement and STEM competencies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Students with sickle cell disease are at risk for poor academic performance due to the combined and/or interactive effects of environmental, psychosocial, and disease-specific factors. Poor academic performance has significant social and health consequences. Objective: To study academic achievement and attainment in children with sickle cell disease in the United States. Design: Medline, Embase, SCOPUS, CINAHL, ERIC, and PsycINFO were searched for peer-reviewed articles. Studies of children (ages 5–18) diagnosed with sickle cell disease of any genotype reporting academic achievement (standardized tests of reading, math, and spelling) or attainment (grade retention or special education) outcomes were included. Outcomes were analyzed using a random effects model. Achievement scores were compared to within study controls or normative expectations. Prevalence of grade retention and special education services were compared to national (United States) estimates for Black students. Age at assessment and overall IQ were evaluated separately for association with reading and mathematics scores. Subgroup analyses of reading and math scores were analyzed by cerebral infarct status (no cerebrovascular accident, silent infarct, stroke). Results: There were 44 eligible studies. Students with sickle cell disease scored 0.70, 0.87, and 0.80 (p < 0.001) SD below normative expectations on measures of reading, mathematics, and spelling, respectively. Compared to unaffected sibling and/or healthy controls (k = 8, n = 508), reading and math scores were 0.40 (p = 0.017) and 0.36 (p = 0.033) SD below expectations. Grade retention was approximately 10 times higher in students with sickle cell disease than Black students nationally. Intellectual functioning explained 97.3 and 85.8% of the variance in reading and mathematics performance, respectively (p < 0.001). Subgroup analyses revealed significant differences in reading (p = 0.034) and mathematics (p < 0.001) based on infarct status, with lower performance associated with presence of a silent infarct or stroke. Conclusion: Students with sickle cell disease demonstrate notable academic difficulties and are at high risk for grade retainment. Development of academic interventions and increased access to school support services are needed for this vulnerable population. Systematic Review Registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42020179062. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The high percentage of university dropouts in Europe underlines the relevance of understanding which factors lead students to leave university and to be dissatisfied with this experience. Previous studies have focused on only some predictors of academic failure. The present study tested a structural equation model with latent variables to determine the impact of psychological, organizational, and relational variables on the intention to drop out of university and dissatisfaction with the university experience. An online survey was completed by 431 university students (M = 23.06, SD = 5.5, 362 females) recruited from different courses at several Italian universities. Results showed that the intention to drop out of university was negatively related to self-efficacy, institutional commitment, and academic integration, and positively related to an external locus of control. Dissatisfaction with the university experience was negatively associated with self-efficacy, institutional commitment, and academic integration. Implications for preventive programs and interventions are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The relationship that socio-familial and non-cognitive variables have on students in regards to their academic performance is a very important element for success in Secondary Education. In this study the influence of non-cognitive variables (academic self-concept, self-efficacy and perceived family affective support) and socio-familial variables (educational level and expectations of each parent) on the academic performance of secondary school students were analysed. Method: Students were grouped according to their accumulated socio-familial risk index (at-risk students, n = 305; not-at-risk students, n = 991). To measure the variables, the scales What do you think of yourself, General Self-Efficacy and Perceived Family Support were used. Socio-family variables were measured with an ad hoc questionnaire, and academic performance with the end-of-course evaluation scores. Results: The receiver operating characteristic curve showed a decrease in students' academic performance from three or more accumulated risks. Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) was performed for each group. The results showed that for at-risk students, academic performance was mainly determined by two variables: academic self-concept and self-concept; in contrast to the not-at-risk students in which self-efficacy was the one that had the greatest effect on performance. In both groups, the parents' expectations were the family variable with the highest incidence being performance, although, for the at-risk group, the effect was greater. Conclusions: The relevance of the identification of non-cognitive and socio-familial variables on the academic performance of at-risk students in regards to secondary education due to socio-familial factors is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reflects the views of author on additional support from school interventionists with learning, and discuss how social-emotional learning (SEL) can be incorporated into commonly-used literacy instructional practices to help meet the needs of all students. Topics include adverse childhood experiences increases a student's need for trauma-informed instructional practices; and supporting SEL is one trauma-informed approach to provide students safe strategies to cope emotional stress.

Research Findings: Previous research has indicated that low-income children are at increased risk for socio-emotional problems, which may contribute to socioeconomic disparities in wellbeing and academic achievement. The present study examines socio-emotional learning (SEL) across the prekindergarten year in a low-income, racially and ethnically diverse sample of Chicago Public School students (N = 2,630). The sample included participants of the Child-Parent Center early educational intervention program (N = 1,724) and a propensity-score matched comparison group (N = 906). At the beginning of the prekindergarten year, teachers rated boys and lower income participants as having relatively lower SEL skills, and CPC participants and older children as having slightly higher SEL skills. Over time, CPC participants exhibited significantly greater rates of SEL growth, ending the prekindergarten year with teacher-rated SEL scores that were an average 10.30% higher than control participants. There were no significant differences in SEL growth over time by sex or family income. Practice and Policy: Multicomponent, school-based early intervention programs (e.g., CPC) have the potential to promote SEL among at-risk populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined longitudinal relations between emotion knowledge (EK) in pre‐kindergarten (pre‐K; Mage = 4.8 years) and math and reading achievement 1 and 3 years later in a sample of 1,050 primarily Black children (over half from immigrant families) living in historically disinvested neighborhoods. Participants were part of a follow‐up study of a cluster randomized controlled trial. Controlling for pre‐academic skills, other social–emotional skills, sociodemographic characteristics, and school intervention status, higher EK at the end of pre‐K predicted higher math and reading achievement test scores in kindergarten and second grade. Moderation analyses suggest that relations were attenuated among children from immigrant families. Findings suggest the importance of enriching pre‐K programs for children of color with EK‐promotive interventions and strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The science of reading should be informed by an evolving evidence base built on the scientific method. Decades of basic research and randomized controlled trials of interventions and instructional routines have formed a substantial evidence base to guide best practices in reading instruction, reading intervention, and the early identification of at‐risk readers. The recent resurfacing of questions about what constitutes the science of reading is leading to misinformation in the public space that may be viewed by educational stakeholders as merely differences of opinion among scientists. The authors' goals in this article were to revisit the science of reading through an epistemological lens to clarify what constitutes evidence in the science of reading, and to offer a critical evaluation of the evidence provided by the science of reading. To this end, the authors summarize those things that they believe have compelling evidence, promising evidence, or a lack of compelling evidence. The authors conclude with a discussion of areas of focus that they believe will advance the science of reading to meet the needs of all students in the 21st century. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given the recent relevance of non-cognitive skills for consequential outcomes in the educational, personal, and professional domains, the objective of this systematic review was to synthesize the quality of the evidences on grit as predictor and outcome of educational, professional, and personal success. A pre-specified systematic review protocol was designed and implemented to synthesize the qualitative finding. A systematic literature search was conducted across diverse platforms and databases. A narrative content analysis was adopted to analyze the results. The final sample of studies reviewed was 90. The following analytical themes were identified: grit as a predictor of educational, professional, and personal success, and grit as outcome of demographic, educational, professional, and personal success. The results suggest that the evidences of effectiveness of grit as a predictor are largely stronger than those of grit as outcome. Additionally, our findings unveil that research on this construct is off to a good start, even though higher-quality research is needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The culture of a country may influence parental involvement in a student's learning, making it more or less adequate. To test this possibility, this study analyzes the cross-cultural validity of the learning-oriented Family Motivational Climate model (FMC) as an index of parental involvement in students' academic job and the FMC questionnaire (FMC-Q), as a way of operationalizing it. A total of 583 Spanish and 448 Cuban students filled in the FMC-Q and the questionnaire of perceived motivational changes resulting from parental practices. Confirmatory, cross-validation, and multi-group factor analyses revealed that the model showed a good fit to the data, both in the Spanish and in the Cuban samples. Besides, FMC predicted the 74% of the variance of students' motivational change. However, the results also revealed differences between the two samples in the FMC model set up, as Spanish and Cuban students did not put down the same significance to several indicators of the model. These facts imply the need to take cultural differences into account when designing interventions aimed at changing parental involvement practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study utilized the quantitative meta-analysis technique to integrate chemistry education research findings conducted in the Philippines covering the period 2005 - 2016. It aimed to describe and examine the effects of teaching methodologies on academic performance in the secondary chemistry teaching-learning process. A search procedure and broad literature review were conducted to identify the potential and qualified chemistry studies from both published and unpublished graduate theses, dissertations and journal articles. Meta-analysis was effectively and systematically carried out through study acquisition, study coding, determination of inter-rater reliability, establishing inclusion criteria, computation of effect size including mean and interpreting the analyses. A total of 51 studies met the criteria and have qualified in the meta-analysis. Results presented that a statistically significant positive effect (Cohen's d = 1.208) was observed in the use of teaching interventions on academic performance. The findings affirmed the effectiveness of the use of varied teaching strategies in chemistry education toward student achievement in contrast to the traditional teaching method. The metaanalytic review revealed that during the last decade, the incorporation of other avenues of learning via innovative teaching methods promotes academic gain. As far as quality of instruction is concerned, the findings give a holistic understanding of the current educational practices in chemistry instruction that would serve as basis for future educational reforms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This small-scale field experiment tests whether an adapted values-affirmation intervention enhances youths' academic achievement and mitigates social identity threat while simultaneously raising capacity to promote social change via the development of critical consciousness (CC). CC is the critical analysis of inequitable social conditions, motivation to effect change, and the action taken to change perceived inequities. Participants included 53 ninth and tenth grade students from the Midwestern United States (Mage = 14.97). Results suggested that the intervention may bolster academic performance and raise critical motivation, a subcomponent of CC. Because CC has been thought to be slow to develop, this study provides new insight into how CC can be fostered to support the social mobility and inclusion of youth experiencing marginalization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present first-grade, second-grade, and third-grade impacts for a first-grade intervention targeting the conceptual and procedural bases that support arithmetic. At-risk students (average age at pretest = 6.5) were randomly assigned to three conditions: a control group (n = 224) and two variants of the intervention (same conceptual instruction but different forms of practice: speeded [n = 211] vs. nonspeeded [n = 204]). Impacts on all first-grade content outcomes were significant and positive, but no follow-up impacts were significant. Many intervention children achieved average mathematics achievement at the end of third grade, and prior math and reading assessment performance predicted which students will require sustained intervention. Finally, projecting impacts 2 years later based on nonexperimental estimates of effects of first-grade math skills overestimates long-term intervention effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social–psychological interventions in education have shown remarkable promise as brief, inexpensive, and powerful methods for improving educational equity and inclusion by helping underperforming students realize their potential. These findings have led to intensive study and replication attempts to understand and close achievement gaps at scale. In the present review, we identify several significant issues this work has raised that bear on the theoretical, ethical, and policy implications of using these interventions to close achievement gaps. Using both classic and contemporary models of threat and performance, we propose a Zone Model of Threat to predict when social–psychological interventions in education may yield positive, null, and negative effects for specific students. From this analysis, we argue from an ethical standpoint that to reduce backfire effects, interventions should be focused on optimizing the salience of psychological threat across students rather than on uniformly reducing it. As a long‐term policy goal, intervention studies should follow a two‐step process, in which students' individual levels of threat are first diagnosed and then interventions are tailored to the students based on their threat levels. Practical and theoretical implications of the proposed framework are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In previous studies, the effects of physically active academic lessons on academic achievement have been shown. Less is known about follow-up effects and the effects for disadvantaged groups. The first aim of this study was to examine 7–9 months follow-up effects of a physically active academic intervention on academic achievement. The second aim was to examine the effects of the 2-year intervention for a subgroup of socially disadvantaged children. A cluster-randomized controlled trial with 499 children (113 socially disadvantaged children) from second- and third-grade classes was conducted. Children's academic achievement was measured before the intervention started, after the first and second intervention year, and 7–9 months after the intervention ended. At the 7–9 months follow-up, the intervention group showed significantly greater gains in math performance in comparison with the control group. No significant follow-up effects were found on language performance. Furthermore, the lessons significantly improved the math and spelling performance of socially disadvantaged children after two intervention years. These children did not benefit more from the lessons than other children. In conclusion, effects of physically active academic lessons on math achievement persist when the lessons are no longer taught, and the lessons are an innovative way to improve the academic achievement of socially disadvantaged children. The findings suggest that physically active academic lessons should be considered for inclusion in school curriculums in order to improve the academic achievement of all children. Trial Registration: This study is registered at www.isrctn.com (No. ISRCTN17021806). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Sweden, there have been multiple large scale interventions to support compulsory school teachers generally and within specific subjects. Due to the costs associated with such interventions it is critical that interim evaluation measures exist which can indicate potential success. Additionally, evaluation measures which can measure the actual impact of interventions relative to their intended aim are also needed as validation tools. The Swedish regional 'Tekniklyftet' or 'Boost of Technology' project which ran from 2011 to 2013 is presented here as a case study exploring evaluation measures for educational interventions in technology education. Three different evaluation approaches were used as measures of the intended outcomes of the intervention. These included (1) analysing the preconditions which exist in schools for teachers of Technology, (2) analysing the use of local long term technology education planning documents (school work plans) developed during the intervention, and (3) analysing the potential change over time in student performance in Technology based on national grades at the end of compulsory school. The findings gained from each approach indicate that the Boost of Technology project was a success. However, there were shortcomings associated with each approach. They are therefore discussed in the Swedish context with the intention to support future international stakeholders in the evaluation of interventions aspiring to develop technology education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the last few years, engaging students to create digital games has been a pole of attraction for many teachers and researchers, resulting in highly positive learning experiences and promoting their thinking skills, e.g., programming and computational thinking (CT) skills. Researchers have already stated about the need for further research not only around the evaluation techniques and tools of the quality of these complex educational interventions, but mainly about ways to ease the assessment of students' performance from multiple perspectives with authenticity. This paper contributes to proposing a multifaceted assessment framework of the degree of students' acquisition of multiple skills, when they get involved in digital motion-based touchless game-making course-projects with the MIT Scratch tool. The results of its implementation during a pilot study with computer science undergraduate students, which are presented, highlight the positive effects of combining and extending various assessment techniques and tools to draw holistic conclusions about students' higher skills including computational and spatial thinking skills. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to investigate the extent to which WM measured in kindergarten predicts WM measured in second grade (stability of individual WM progress) and the extent to which WM measured at kindergarten predicts academic performance at second grade (N = 94). The results showed that WM skills significantly increase during the time span from Finnish kindergarten to second grade. Verbal (VWM) and visuospatial WM (VSWM) resources seem to develop quite independently, whereas individual progress showed some stability. WM resources measured just before the start of formal school predicted later academic performance and VWM acted as more powerful predictor than VSWM resources. The results have two important educational implications: first, an individual or group-based intervention designed to enhance children's WM skills would be most important even before the start of school, and second, poor WM skills should be addressed when planning the learning environment beginning in kindergarten. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this systematic review was to synthesise and evaluate the literature on the effects of classroom-based dynamic seating interventions on academic-related outcomes, among school-aged children and adolescents. A secondary aim was to examine the effects of interventions on students' sedentary behaviour and physical activity levels. In September 2017, four electronic databases (PsycINFO, PubMed, SPORTDiscus, Web of Science) were searched and a total of 5138 titles and abstracts were reviewed. Studies that examined associations between a classroom-based dynamic seating intervention and at least one academic-related outcome in school-aged children or adolescents were included. A best-evidence synthesis and narrative approach was implemented to synthesise the evidence. Thirteen studies published between 2003 and 2017 were identified that met the inclusion criteria for the review. There is some evidence that classroom-based dynamic seating interventions could have positive effects on the in-seat behaviour, academic engagement and attention of school aged-children and adolescents, predominantly those with attention difficulties. It is currently unclear whether dynamic seating has positive effects on students' on-task behaviour, disruptive behaviour, memory, concentration or academic achievement. No intervention was found to have a detrimental effect on academic-related outcomes. The findings come from low-quality to moderate-quality studies (M = 60.62%; SD = 10.44). Classroom-based dynamic seating could be a simple, effective health strategy to reduce students' static sitting time without compromising student learning and academic performance. The current interventions need to be replicated with larger, adequately-powered RCT designs, valid and reliable outcome measures, and assessment of intervention fidelity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Socio-familial risk factors negatively affect the academic performance of students. The objective of this study consisted in analyzing which personal variables can reduce the negative relationship between socio-familial risk factors and academic performance. Method: A sample of 1268 Secondary students was selected, of which 443 had two or more risk factors. The examined variables were the following: Socio-familial, academic goals, causal attributions, academic self-concept, self-efficacy and academic performance. Results: The incidence of accumulation of risk factors in the performance was confirmed. We distinguished at-risk students with good and poor performance from the personal variables analyzed, and showed the protective effect of these variables on performance against risk accumulation. Conclusions: Based on the identification of risk factors that may hinder performance, the findings offer information to develop both educational intervention strategies that improve performance and personal variables that mediate positively in school outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Because several studies have investigated student outcomes in schools implementing Response to Intervention (RtI), relatively little research has investigated the impact of implementation on students' long‐term achievement outcomes (i.e., several years after exposure). The purpose of this study was to describe one elementary school's RtI implementation process and to examine students' long‐term reading comprehension outcomes following their exposure to various phases of implementation. Four cohorts of students who experienced different implementation phases (i.e., a baseline condition or Phases I, II, or III of implementation) during Grade 2 were subsequently followed across Grades 3, 4, and 5 to examine their outcomes on two reading comprehension measures. Results indicated that students who experienced the early phases of RtI implementation (i.e., Phases I and II) during Grade 2 generally had higher mean comprehension scores in Grades 4 and 5 than students in the baseline condition. Implications for practice and future research are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The studies highlight the need to research the psychological mechanisms that intervene the learnings' development in the classroom. The aim of the study was to assess the mediating role of the types of regulation that compose the autonomous motivation, in the relation among the perception of autonomy support, academic satisfaction and academic performance perceived by university students. The participants were 229 first-year students from four Chilean universities. The mediating effect was assessed using the PROCESS macro for SPSS. The results indicated that both the intrinsic regulation and the identified regulation partially intervene the effect of the perception of autonomy support on academic satisfaction, but only the intrinsic regulation totally intervenes the effect on the academic performance. It is concluded that the types of autonomous regulation are mechanisms through which it is positively influenced the well-being and academic achievement of university students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to review the research literature on the implementation of response to Intervention (RTI) for monitoring students' academic achievement progress by using curriculum based measurement (CBM) and ultimately for improving educational outcomes. RTI is a systematic and data-driven process to ensure that all students benefit from quality instruction. It uses tools such as CBM to identify these students' needs. The CBM referes to standardized procedures used to measure students' real achievement on curriculum taught in the classroom. It relies on direct observation to monitore students' achievement as a base for collecting instructional information. Progress monitoring focuses on educational decision making with respect to basic academic skills development at the elementary grades. Progress monitoring is conducted frequently to estimate students' rates of improvement and determine students who are not demonstrate adequate progress to classroom instruction and therefore different or more intensive instruction can be delivered across the RTI tiers to improve their achievement. Many educators believe that student progress should be monitored frequently in order to provide data about their current instructional procedures. Currently, the use of RtI for progress monitoring and decision making when instructional change is required have received an increasing attention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Retention in higher education has become an important area of focus in recent years; however, much of the research has been conducted on large, research-intensive universities, leading to questions of whether these findings apply to institutions with different characteristics. In the current study, fortyfour students at a small, teaching-focused university completed self-report measures on their academic success (performance and commitment), sense of belonging, and grit. Participants were classified as belonging to one of four groups: HPHC (high performing, high commitment), HPLC (high performing, low commitment), LPHC (low performing, high commitment), or LPLC (low performing, low commitment). ANOVAs and post-hoc tests revealed that LPLC students were significantly lower than all other groups on self-reported professors' pedagogical caring. Interestingly, no group differences emerged for grit, social acceptance, or global university belonging. Implications for prevention and intervention programs are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]