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Background. The academic success of students in schools is significantly shaped by their mental attitudes, especially when they face challenging situations that demand substantial effort and resilience. The influence of teachers' attitudes, or mindsets, plays a crucial role within the educational environment, as these directly impact students' own mindsets and subsequently their approach to learning. Specifically, the concept of a 'growth mindset' – which is the belief that one's abilities and intelligence can be developed through dedication and perseverance – has been shown to transform how individuals perceive their capabilities and respond to failures. Objectives. In light of this, a specific study was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of 'Growth Mindset Training' targeted at teachers. This training aimed to cultivate a growth mindset among educators, hypothesizing that a shift in teacher attitudes would, in turn, positively affect their students. Materials and methods. To assess the impact of the training, researchers utilized a growth mindset scale to measure the mindsets of 19 participating teachers, comprising 11 women and 8 men, both before and after they underwent the training program. Results. The findings from this study were quantitatively robust, with a T-statistic of -3.529 and a significance level of less than .005, indicating a statistically significant improvement in the teachers' growth mindsets post-training. Additionally, the analysis of mean scores from the pretest and posttest further confirmed an upward trend, suggesting that the mindset of the teachers had indeed shifted towards a more growth-oriented perspective. Conclusions. Thus, Growth Mindset Training emerged as a potent intervention tool, not merely altering teachers' perceptions but potentially setting a foundation for enhancing the overall educational experience by fostering a culture of perseverance and continuous improvement in schools.

Studies on the relationship between teacher use of ICT and student achievement have been numerous, but those involving other intervening variables, such as technological, pedagogical, and content knowledge (TPCK), are still limited. This study examined the relationships between the use of computer technology (CT) by Indonesian EFL teachers and student achievement, taking into account the TPCK frameworks. Explanatory correlation serves as the research design, as this study was intended to explain the associations among variables under study. Data on teachers’ CT use and students’ English achievement were collected from a sample of 153 EFL teachers by means of Albirini’s (2006) and Wozney et al.’s (2006) adopted questionnaire and the teachers’ document of students’ English achievement scores. The multiple regression analysis indicated that simultaneously, CT use, content knowledge (CK), pedagogical knowledge (PK), and pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) correlate slightly with student achievement, R² = .085, F(4, 148) = 3.418, p .05. This finding suggests that the four predictor variables were not good at predicting student achievement. Other external factors not included in the model may relate to student achievement. The study’s findings imply that in teaching and learning English, teachers should play the role of CT facilitators and let students take great advantage of CT on their own.

This study examined the relationship between library instruction and student achievement. Dependent variables included grade in course, course completion rates, and overall GPA. There were significant relationships between participation in library instruction and completion of the course for which library instruction was attended, participation in library instruction and grade in course, and participation in library instruction and GPA. The results indicate that library instruction is an instructional strategy that faculty can use to contribute to improved student performance. This article describes the research study, the results of this study, and makes recommendations for future actions and research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study employs the social empowerment theory to explore the collective impact of gender, instructional leadership, and socio-cultural dynamics in improving student outcomes within public schools in the Arab world. It provides insights into the barriers and affordances that school leaders encounter considering the local demands for effective and exceptional school leadership. An inductive-qualitative research methodology was utilized, followed by applying thematic analysis to data obtained from Emirati senior female school leaders, in one of the northern emirates in the United Arab Emirates. Results indicate that Emirati female school leaders have effectively embraced and implemented a distributed instructional leadership style, thereby transforming their schools’ climate into learning organizations. This approach cultivates a learning-focused environment, ultimately contributing to positive student outcomes. The emphasis on data-informed decision making and the promotion of students’ social and emotional wellbeing were found to be significant leadership practices that elevates students’ academic achievement. Key implications and recommendations emanate at the practical and theoretical level. The reported findings that combine female school leaders, distributed instructional leadership, learning-oriented organizational school climate, and student achievement, that considers the socio-cultural context within the purview of a single framework are new. Hence, this study is the first to explore these relations within the context of the Arab world.

AbstractThis research investigates the impact of class size on student performance in Azerbaijani public secondary schools, utilizing State Examination Center (SEC) final exam scores as a key indicator. Data from the Ministry of Science and Education is analyzed, covering approximately 80,000 9th and 11th-grade students in 4,400 schools. The primary objective is to understand the relationship between class size and academic outcomes. Through correlation and regression analyses, this study explores the dynamics linking class size with student performance. The results consistently reveal a positive correlation between class size and student performance, even after controlling for different school categories. These findings hold significant implications for educational policy, providing valuable insights into the complex interplay of factors influencing student outcomes. The study contributes to the ongoing discourse on class size and student achievement, underscoring that while class size is a pivotal factor, it exists within a broader educational context where numerous variables shape academic success.

Previous research has investigated the influence of preschool interventions in early elementary environments with some results suggesting that high quality early preschool experiences may have meaningful effects on student academic outcomes not only immediately following the preschool years but also in the long term. This study aimed to investigate this topic further by using a novel crossclassified model to account for the complex hierarchical structure of a large-scale longitudinal and multilevel dataset. First, we examined the carryover classroom effects from prekindergarten (PK), kindergarten (K), and first grade on later grades' reading and mathematics scores. Second, we explored the effect of PK to second grade classroom quality on students' K, first, and second grade reading and mathematics scores. Our analyses yielded significant PK carryover classroom effects for reading; these results provide evidence that a student's PK classroom continues to impact that student for at least three years after. Additionally, one domain of PK classroom quality--classroom organization--was found to be positively related to students' K, first, and second grade reading outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to examine the relationship between using humor as a coping skill by teachers working in special education institutions and their life satisfaction. In the quantitative stage of this study, which was designed according to the explanatory sequential design, the relationship between humor use and life satisfaction was examined using the structural equation model, while in the qualitative stage, how using humor affects life satisfaction was examined using the interpretive phenomenology design through teachers' experiences. In the first part of this study, teachers (n = 517) working in special education institutions in various provinces of Turkey were reached using the convenience sampling method. Coping through Humor Scale and Life Satisfaction Scale were used in this study. In the second stage, semi-structured interviews were conducted with the teachers (n = 20), who were determined by purposive and criterion sampling. As a result of the analysis performed, it was seen that the model examining the direct effect of coping with humor on life satisfaction had good compliance values. In the interview data, four main themes were obtained: The contribution of humor to life satisfaction, the reasons for using humor, the ways to use humor, and the positive effects of using humor. The qualitative research findings support the quantitative research findings and provide a detailed understanding. In addition to this, other findings revealed that coping with humor and life satisfaction scores did not show a significant difference according to gender, marital status, professional experience, and weekly working hours variables. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the correlation between teachers' emotional intelligence (EI) and students' academic achievement. Utilizing the Daniel Goleman questionnaire, the study delves into the multifaceted aspects of EI that extend beyond traditional leadership qualities. Goleman contends that, while attributes such as determination, intelligence, and vision are essential, they alone do not encapsulate effective leadership. Emotional intelligence introduces a spectrum of qualities crucial for leadership success, including self-awareness, managing emotions, motivating oneself, empathy, and social skills. The study employed a questionnaire developed by the researcher, employing a statement-based approach. Participants, predominantly students, were tasked with selecting statements that best resonated with their experiences. The questionnaire aimed to assess various dimensions of emotional intelligence, including self-awareness, emotional management, self-motivation, empathy, and social adeptness. Through statistical analysis of the collected data, the paper examines the relationship between teachers' EI levels and students' academic achievement. Findings revealed the significance of teachers' ability to comprehend and regulate emotions, as well as their capacity for empathy and effective social interaction. Furthermore, the study sheds light on how these facets of emotional intelligence contribute to creating conducive learning environments and fostering student engagement and achievement. This research underscores the pivotal role of emotional intelligence in educational settings and provides insights into how enhancing teachers' EI can positively impact students' learning outcomes. The implications of these findings extend to educational policies and practices, advocating for the incorporation of EI training and development programs for educators to cultivate conducive learning environments and facilitate students' academic success. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purposes of this study were to: (a) meta-analyze the effects of academic press (AP) on K-12 student achievement in aggregate and in each examined learning subject; (b) meta-analyze the effect of school leadership of different leadership styles on AP; and (c) examine whether school level, subjects, and leadership or AP measures moderate these above-mentioned effects. Research Methods/Approach: Standard meta-analysis techniques were used to review 79 quantitative studies in the past 30 years and examine the multiple relationships between school leadership, AP, and student learning mentioned above. Heterogeneity analyses were conducted to identify moderators. Publication bias in these analysis results was also examined. Findings: AP had a large effect on student achievement; school leadership had a close to large effect on AP. These effects varied with leadership or AP measures and across school levels and student learning subjects. Implications for Research and Practice: The findings point to the importance of school leaders to improve student achievement by improving the level of AP in schools, especially high schools, and in schools with many economically disadvantaged students. Principals need to exercise a wide range of practices to push for academic excellence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By the end of 2021, more than 168 million students across the globe had missed a year of face-to-face schooling due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In NSW, Australia, most students engaged in learning from home for eight weeks during 2020 and a further 14 weeks during 2021. This study provides robust empirical evidence on how two years of disruptions to schooling affected student learning. Drawing on matched data for 3,827 Year 3 and 4 students from 101 NSW government schools, this paper compares student achievement growth in mathematics and reading for 2019 (pre-pandemic) and 2021 (second year of the pandemic) student cohorts. While overall there was no significant difference between cohorts, when analysed by socio-educational advantage, we were surprised to find that students in the lowest band achieved approximately three months' additional growth in mathematics. Arguably, grave concerns about the potentially dire impact of COVID-19 on the learning of disadvantaged students were met by investments that made a difference. We argue that targeted funding and system-wide initiatives to support more equitable outcomes should remain a priority after the pandemic if Australia is to meet its aspirations for excellence and equity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the impact of students' self-directed learning (SDL) ability and parental expenditures for shadow education, and other factors, on academic achievement in South Korea during the pandemic. Busan Education Longitudinal Study panel data for 2019 (pre-COVID) and 2020-2021 (COVID) were utilized. National exam scores of middle and high school students in Korean, English, and math subject areas were analyzed using multiple regression, random effects, and two-way random effects models. The analysis revealed that, during the pandemic, parents' high expenditures to provide shadow education to complement their children's public education did not significantly influence academic achievement. In contrast, SDL ability was found to have a significant impact on achievement in all three subject areas during the pandemic. The findings underscore the importance of programs, policies, and teaching strategies that develop students' SDL skills to enable them to learn on their own when a crisis restricts traditional teacher-guided classroom instruction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Assessing student achievement over multiple years is complicated by students' memberships in shifting upper-level nesting structures. These structures are manifested in (1) annual matriculation to different classrooms and (2) mobility between schools. Failure to model these shifting upper-level nesting structures may bias the inferences researchers make about predictors of student achievement. The current study is a systematic methodological review of 59 multi-year elementary education studies that examine student achievement growth. The review focuses on studies from the previous decade with the hope of better understanding current practices in modeling student growth in multiyear educational research, the extent to which researchers account for shifting upper-level nesting structures, and the percent of variability attributed to different levels. Findings indicate that approaches to address shifting upper-level nesting structures are not consistently applied. Further, many researchers fail to recognize shifting upper-level nesting structures as a potential threat to the validity of their findings. Finally, evidence is presented that suggests even when schools are included in a model additional variability is attributed to classrooms beyond what is attributed to schools. Accordingly, it may be necessary to include multiple classroom memberships, where such data exist, in models that seek to understand contributors to student achievement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As smartphone ownership and use by children and youth has increased over the past decade, so has the presence of phones within the classroom. This has created unique challenges for teachers, school leaders, and policymakers. In this research study, we used a cross-sectional survey design to examine educator (n = 217) and student (n = 332) perspectives on students' mobile phone use in New Zealand schools through a mixed-methods approach. The results indicate that both educators and students were in favour of regulating students' phone use at the school level, but they were less in favour of a total ban approach. Most participants thought that students should not be allowed to have phones during class time, with rationale that centred around student learning and safety. Mobile phones were viewed as a distraction to student learning and compromised student safety through inappropriate use (e.g., photos and videos being taken at school and shared), cyberbullying, and social media-related issues. The findings of our research provide insights that are relevant to the development of educational policies around students' mobile phone use at school and contribute to a broader understanding of the impacts of mobile phone use at school on child and youth achievement and well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One mechanism by which teachers might affect student learning is through the grading standards they set for their classrooms. However, the effects of grading standards on student outcomes are understudied. Using administrative data that links individual students and teachers in Algebra I classrooms from 2006 to 2016, we examine the effects of teachers' grading standards on student learning and attendance. High teacher grading standards increase both contemporaneous student achievement in Algebra I and performance in subsequent math classes. Heterogeneity analyses find that these impacts are positive and similar in size for students of different backgrounds, aptitudes, and school contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID‐19 pandemic implied measures, such as school closures at the outbreak of the pandemic, negatively affected children's human capital. However, in some places, the situation later resulted in a reduction in class sizes in order to avoid the spread of SARS‐Cov‐2 in schools. We take advantage of this unexpected event to evaluate the effect on school performance of a significant class size reduction implemented in Spain, when schools were reopened. We find a positive and significant effect of the class size reduction of 0.11 standard deviations on overall students' performance. Given the situation and nature of our data, we interpret our estimates as a lower bound for the true effect of the reduction in class size. We conclude that the reduction in class size served, on average, to at least compensate for the other negative effects on learning. Our findings also point out the importance of evaluating the quality of the new and inexperienced additional teachers that need to be hired when implementing a general reduction of class size. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many science students struggle with using scientific language and making sense of scientific phenomena. Thus, there is an increased interest in science education research and public policy with regard to understanding and promoting scientific language use and sensemaking in science classrooms. However, there is a lack of comparative studies on how upper-secondary school students of different achievement and language levels use scientific language to make sense of phenomena. The aim of this study was to explore the relationship between achievement level, scientific language use, and sensemaking in chemistry for students being set a sensemaking task while constructing concept maps on the topic of chemical equilibrium. The concept maps were collected from five different upper-secondary schools in Sweden from two school systems (Swedish and International Baccalaureate). Using content analysis, these concept maps were examined for scientific language use as well as structuring of sensemaking. A majority of the students had difficulty structuring sensemaking in their concept maps, independently of achievement level. These difficulties included unstructured reasoning, symbolic representations being used as explanations, surface-level learning, and linear reasoning connected to rote learning. There appeared to be a connection between learning context and student individual structuring of sensemaking as expressed in the concept maps. The results also showed a clear relationship between scientific language use and achievement level in the student sample. The results indicate that the structuring of sensemaking and scientific language use are not always connected processes. In conclusion, teachers may need to adopt a teaching practice that includes directed and differentiated support for scientific sensemaking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractIn recent years the taught masters course has become an even more important component of the curriculum portfolio for universities in the UK and elsewhere. In the spring of 2021, the Student Assessment and Classification Working Group (SACWG) surveyed a small number of English and Welsh universities to compare assessment regulations for taught masters courses. The survey revealed substantial differences in the use and application of rules between institutions. The issue of divergence and convergence of the principles on which assessment rules are based was discussed further at a SACWG seminar that took place the following year. At this event, participants took part in a thought experiment that required them to set aside any prior application of assessment regulations and to attempt to agree on the rules for taught masters courses. These group discussions provided a high degree of openness and positivity. We discuss the results of the survey, the seminar and the experiment. We consider, also, the benefits of generating an open dialogue that aims to increase consistency of practice and understanding of the educational value of key assessment rules in higher education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study uses the lens of Robert Gagne's nine events of instruction and the flipped classroom approach to construct a proposed educational module to teach the instructional technology course for preservice teachers at Al Ain University in UAE. The content was broken down into small parts and presented to students through videos and interactive learning exercises. A quasi-experiment was conducted to study the designed module's effectiveness. The sample involved two groups of 50 female postgraduates from different fields of specialization. The experimental group students were taught through the implementation of the flipped microlearning module, while the control group was taught the same way, except that the educational content was conveyed without chunking. The researcher collected data by administering an achievement test and using the UTAUT questionnaire to determine student acceptance of the module. The result of the ANCOVA test revealed the existence of a substantial difference between the two groups, as f reached 4.427 in favor of the experimental group, with a significance level of 0.038. The questionnaire findings indicated high student acceptance of the module. The findings are of great importance for educational policy and curriculum designers and highlight the advantages of this module in enhancing student performance in different specialist fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present paper explores the relationship between attitudes towards mathematics (ATM) and achievement in college calculus in active learning (AL) and lecture-based (LB) classrooms. Previous work on this relationship has mainly been limited to LB instruction, neglecting the impact of innovative approaches such as AL. Less attention has been paid to the roles played in this relationship by gender, year in college, and initial ATM. Results from a sample of 535 undergraduate students enrolled in 9 AL and 9 LB sections are presented. Data included ATMI surveys' responses, final grades, and demographics. Correlation and multiple regression analyses were conducted. The influence of instruction on students with low ATM was also examined. Gender and year in college were the main demographic variables considered. Achievement in AL was found to be less dependent on initial ATM in terms of correlation. AL showed higher gains in grades than LB, when controlling for ATM and demographic variables. Effect sizes of AL instruction on grades of students with low ATM were larger than those of students with higher ATM. Furthermore, AL courses had a large effect size (d = 0.81) on female students with lower ATM, confirming its role as a gender equalizer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We examine the impact of credit mobility exchange programs' timing on students' academic performance, focusing on the moment in which students travel and the length of the period spent abroad. To provide causal evidence, we exploit unique data from more than 10,000 students from a well-known and internationalized Brazilian university from 2010 to 2020. By combing Propensity Score Matching with Difference in Differences techniques, we find that international mobility impacts groups of students differently. Students who travel closer to the end of their undergraduate courses benefit the most from the mobility experience, while negative effects are found for those who travel at the beginning of their university program. Results also show that, while student mobility impacts positively and significantly students who participate in programs lasting from one semester to 1 year, negative effects are associated with shorter periods abroad. Our findings also reveal heterogeneity across destination countries. Mobility has a positive impact on students' grades for those students traveling to English-speaking countries. Our analysis presents empirical evidence that can be used to design international student mobility programs, providing insights to policymakers engaged in maximizing their effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We used the Stanford education data archive (SEDA) data to examine the heterogeneity among urban school districts in the United States. The SEDA 2.1 includes data sets on students' mathematics (Math) and English language arts (ELA) achievement from 2008 to 2014 at the district level. Growth mixture modeling was used to uncover the underlying growth trajectories for urban student achievement from the third to the eighth grade. Two and three growth patterns were observed for ELA and Math achievement, respectively, over time. We used the critical theoretical framework QuantCrit to centralize race in the analysis of the data and shared implications for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although research on retrieval practice—the process of bringing previously learned information to mind via quizzes, flashcards, etc.—dates back to the late 1800s, it took nearly 100 years to gain popularity among educators as a teaching strategy. This was due, in part, to the limited availability of practical recommendations on how to use retrieval practice to improve learning. Recently, there has been a rapid expansion in science communication of retrieval practice research in many forms, including books, blogs, podcasts, and engagement on social media. As one indication of growing interest among the general public, in 2019 the phrase “retrieval practice” became more frequently searched than “testing effect” on Google. In this commentary, I reflect on my personal experience in the science communication of retrieval practice research, with a specific focus on a website (retrievalpractice.org), an email newsletter, and brief practice guides I developed for teachers over the previous decade. We currently lack empirical measurement of the impact of science communication on classroom implementation; thus, I offer five recommendations for translating research based on my own trials and errors. Looking forward to the next 100 years, I am optimistic that retrieval practice will be common knowledge as a valuable learning strategy and that teachers will leverage it to increase student achievement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Empirical research suggests that school leaders' instructional leadership can make a difference in improving student achievement. We explored this issue in a mixed-method study that sought to verify whether or not, from participants' perspectives, school principals enact this type of leadership and whether or not they feel that it affects student outcomes. The research included a sample of top-level school leaders in a Portuguese region. We analyzed the data with descriptive statistics and content analysis techniques. Participants reported that most of principals' leadership practices did not focus on student learning, but rather on school administration and management. Many respondents felt that it was not their job to lead in several instruction-related areas. Furthermore, respondents regarded the impact of most of principals' instructional leadership practices on student achievement as weak. The paper discusses possible reasons for these findings, including the contextualized nature of the exercise of principal leadership roles, and suggests future avenues for research on this issue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Organizationally, what does not get measured is not prioritized or improved. Unlike student outcomes, the leadership environment that produces the results is rarely examined for its merit and impact. In this study, a quantitative survey gathered information to investigate the impacts of leadership capacity constructs on academic achievement. Principals from 161 public high schools and their schools provided the data (leadership capacity, demographics, and reading and math scores). Data were analyzed using descriptive, correlational, and regression statistics. Findings indicated significant high correlations among leadership capacity variables, significant relationships between school demographics (total school enrollment, percentage of low-income students, average class size, and attendance) and reading and math scores, and non-significant correlations between leadership capacity and academic achievement. The study delineated specific leadership capacity behaviors within the constructs that predicted student academic achievement in math and reading. The study suggests increased capacity and practice of these leadership behaviors to improve work setting and student achievement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education has emerged as a powerful tool for boosting students' mathematics achievement. By integrating these disciplines, students are equipped with essential skills for the 21st-century workforce and can develop a deeper understanding of mathematical concepts. Through hands-on experiments, problem-solving activities, and real-life applications, STEM education offers a dynamic approach to learning mathematics. This quasi-experimental study aimed to investigate the impact of STEM education on mathematics achievement among 8th-grade students. Although the study lacked the full randomization typically seen in experimental designs, it meticulously designed and validated its measurement tool for assessing mathematics achievement. The pre-and posttests administered to both the experimental and control groups provided valuable data for evaluating the effectiveness of the STEM education intervention. The statistically significant difference in mathematics achievement between the two groups, with a significance level of = 0.05, strongly suggests that the STEM education program had a positive and meaningful impact on the experimental group's math skills. As a result, the study offers valuable insights into the potential benefits of integrating STEM education into the curriculum for middle school students. Students are encouraged to think critically, collaborate with their peers, and utilize their creativity to solve complex problems. This interdisciplinary approach fosters a deeper engagement with the subject and ignites a passion for learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the impact of scholarships on student achievement at the Faculty of Education, State University of Surabaya. The research aims to describe the academic achievement of scholarship recipients, analyze their activities while receiving scholarships, examine the relationship between scholarship effectiveness and academic achievement, identify determinant factors influencing these relationships, and delineate academic criteria for scholarship eligibility. The study employs a mixed-methods approach, combining qualitative conversations with students, parents, administrators, and scholarship program managers, and quantitative surveys of scholarship recipients and non-recipients. Surveys were administered through paper and electronic questionnaires to students in the Faculty of Economics and Business and the Faculty of Engineering. The findings are expected to provide systematic policy recommendations for determining scholarship amounts and emphasize the need for structured scholarship advice and counseling. The study holds significant implications for understanding the role of scholarships in enhancing student performance and guiding future scholarship programs, ultimately leading to improved graduation rates, grade point averages, and employability skills among scholarship recipients.

Abstract Background Medical education increasingly relies on digital learning materials. Despite recognition by the Association of American Medical Colleges Institute for Improving Medical Education, medical education design often fails to consider quality multimedia design principles. Further, the AAMC-IIME issued a call to study the role of design principles in medical education. Thus, the current study investigated the cognitive and affective effects of redesigning PowerPoint slides used to support pharmacology content during the preclinical years of medical school training. Methods Researchers implemented a quasi-experimental design, using traditionally-designed (original) slides with a Traditional group (n = 100) and slides redesigned to follow principles from the Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning with an Experimental group (n = 40). Participants in the Experimental group completed a post-survey incorporating the Situational Interest Survey for Multimedia to indicate motivational engagement with the media. Students in the Experimental group also responded to additional preference questions. Researchers analyzed survey responses and students’ scores in pharmacology-related coursework across the preclinical Foundations Phase of training to determine the impact on achievement and motivation. Results Findings related to learner achievement showed a modest but significant increase in the Experimental group compared to the Traditional group in the Cardiac, Pulmonary, and Renal (CPR) educational block (105%, normalized to Traditional group, p = 0.013) and cumulative pharmacology grades (101%, normalized to Traditional group, p = 0.043). Additionally, participants in the Experimental group indicated a significantly higher average triggered situational interest in redesigned slides (M = 4.85, SD = 0.25) than the original slides (M = 3.23, SD = 1.40, t=-6.33, p

Growing evidence warns about the detrimental effects of the stress induced by natural disasters on learning outcomes. Yet less is known about how political leadership could mitigate the adverse exposure to these events. Exploiting a natural experiment—the massive 2010 earthquake in Chile—as an exogenous shock and using fine-grained student data, we find that school disruption has a short and long-term impact on students’ test scores. Moreover, our results indicate that learning losses were more pronounced in municipalities with a first-term mayor, in contrast to a nonsignificant effect in municipalities with a reelected one. We show that one of the pathways accounting for these effects is the ability of experienced bureaucrats to mobilize educational resources, highlighting the relevance of managerial capacities in times of crisis.

This paper demonstrates a teacher-as-researcher intervention study of Student Self-Assessment, utilizing GeoGebra activities on the topic of relationships of geometric figures. The teacher researcher studied students’ achievements and self-directed learning by including Student Self-Assessment (SSA) and by teaching procedural knowledge and conceptual knowledge using eleven GeoGebra-based tasks at the same time. The data were collected via questionnaire, interview, as well as two tests which were given after task 6 and task 11 were completed. The teacher researcher oversaw the progress of the 24 Thai male and female junior high mathematics students (13-14 years old), and offered prompt guidance and support using normal classroom techniques.The findings indicated that the utilization of SSA and GeoGebra had a positive impact on these students' academic performance and their ability to take charge of their learning in mathematics classes. Specifically, the intervention led to 1) improved communication between student and teacher; 2) improved students’ understanding of what they needed to learn; 3) improved students’ confidence to ask for help from the teacher; 4) promoted student achievement; and 5) promoted self-directed learning in mathematics lessons.

Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education has emerged as a powerful tool for boosting students' mathematics achievement. By integrating these disciplines, students are equipped with essential skills for the 21st-century workforce and can develop a deeper understanding of mathematical concepts. Through hands-on experiments, problem-solving activities, and real-life applications, STEM education offers a dynamic approach to learning mathematics. This quasi-experimental study aimed to investigate the impact of STEM education on mathematics achievement among 8th-grade students. Although the study lacked the full randomization typically seen in experimental designs, it meticulously designed and validated its measurement tool for assessing mathematics achievement. The pre-and post-tests administered to both the experimental and control groups provided valuable data for evaluating the effectiveness of the STEM education intervention. The statistically significant difference in mathematics achievement between the two groups, with a significance level of ≤ 0.05, strongly suggests that the STEM education program had a positive and meaningful impact on the experimental group's math skills. As a result, the study offers valuable insights into the potential benefits of integrating STEM education into the curriculum for middle school students. Students are encouraged to think critically, collaborate with their peers, and utilize their creativity to solve complex problems. This interdisciplinary approach fosters a deeper engagement with the subject and ignites a passion for learning.

This research aims to determine whether there is an influence between entrepreneurship on student achievement, in this case student learning achievement and to find out how to analyze it. The population in this study were all Tribuana Kalabahi University students, totaling 3,101 students. In this research, 153 students were taken randomly (when the students met, the researchers immediately asked questions) at Tribuana Kalabahi University. The method used in this research is an interview, namely randomly interviewing students at Tribuana Kalabahi University. Then the data obtained from the interview results was processed through the SPSS program application with a simple linear regression statistical analysis tool. Judging from the significance value or p-value of 0.008, which is smaller than alpha 0.1, it can be concluded that entrepreneurship has a significant effect on student learning achievement. The regression equation model is Y=3.518-0.093x, because the coefficient value is minus (-) meaning that entrepreneurship (X) has a negative effect on the student's Learning Achievement Index (Y). Which means that if x has a value of 0 or is said to be non-entrepreneurial then the student's cumulative achievement index is 3.518. Meanwhile, if x has a value of 1 or is said to be entrepreneurial, the student's cumulative achievement index will decrease by 0.093. So it can be said that if students have entrepreneurship while studying, the cumulative achievement index will decrease. From the results of the coefficient of determination test, it was found that the independent variable number, namely entrepreneurship, was 4.5%, which could explain/explain the dependent variable, namely achievement, or in other words, entrepreneurship influenced student achievement by 4.5%, while the remaining 95.5% was explained/explained by other factors. which was not researched

This study explores the relationship between community broadband access, parent technology use and beliefs, and student academic outcomes in a Southeastern U.S. school district during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. By applying a quantitative exploratory approach and multiple regression analysis, the research revealed that parents’ technology beliefs and use were significantly associated with students’ standardized Math and ELA scores. While parents’ positive beliefs about technology’s developmental impact showed an inverse relationship with student performance, greater concerns about familial challenges related to technology were associated with lower scores. The results explored persistent social inequities, whereby students who were identified as Black historically score lower than White-identified students, emphasizing the role and importance of digital equity to mitigate disparities and enhance outcomes. Both the methodology and results encourage researchers, educational leaders, and policymakers to deeply consider the role of parental access to and engagement with digital resources, and how they contribute to shaping student outcomes.

This study investigates the mediating role of intellectual curiosity (IC) in the relationship between teacher–student relationship quality (TSR) and science achievement among Emirati early adolescents. The objectives were to assess TSR’s predictive power on science achievement, evaluate IC’s impact on science achievement, examine the combined effect of TSR and IC, and investigate IC’s mediating role. Data from 17,475 valid cases in the PISA dataset were analyzed using Jeremy Hayes’ PROCESS macro, multiple regression models, and bootstrapping with 5000 resamples. The results indicated that TSR significantly and directly affects IC, which in turn positively influences science achievement. TSR’s direct effects on science achievement varied across cases, but IC consistently showed strong positive effects on science achievement, underscoring its critical role as a predictor of academic success. IC was found to significantly mediate the relationship between TSR and student performance. The findings suggest that enhancing both TSR and IC is essential for student success in science. The study’s implications for educational practices and policies include developing teacher training programs focused on building strong relationships with students and fostering intellectual curiosity through questioning and problem-solving. Specifically, educators should focus on skills and strategies for interacting with students, showing empathy, and forming strong relationships. Implementing ongoing practices that emphasize the intellectual aspects of learning can help students build curiosity, thereby improving their academic performance. The study provides valuable insights into the interactions between TSR and IC and their impact on students’ academic outcomes.

Background: Medical education increasingly relies on digital learning materials. Despite recognition by the Association of American Medical Colleges Institute for Improving Medical Education, medical education design often fails to consider quality multimedia design principles. Further, the AAMC-IIME issued a call to study the role of design principles in medical education. Thus, the current study investigated the cognitive and affective effects of redesigning PowerPoint slides used to support pharmacology content during the preclinical years of medical school training. Methods: Researchers implemented a quasi-experimental design, using traditionally-designed (original) slides with a Traditional group (n = 100) and slides redesigned to follow principles from the Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning with an Experimental group (n = 40). Participants in the Experimental group completed a post-survey incorporating the Situational Interest Survey for Multimedia to indicate motivational engagement with the media. Students in the Experimental group also responded to additional preference questions. Researchers analyzed survey responses and students' scores in pharmacology-related coursework across the preclinical Foundations Phase of training to determine the impact on achievement and motivation. Results: Findings related to learner achievement showed a modest but significant increase in the Experimental group compared to the Traditional group in the Cardiac, Pulmonary, and Renal (CPR) educational block (105%, normalized to Traditional group, p = 0.013) and cumulative pharmacology grades (101%, normalized to Traditional group, p = 0.043). Additionally, participants in the Experimental group indicated a significantly higher average triggered situational interest in redesigned slides (M = 4.85, SD = 0.25) than the original slides (M = 3.23, SD = 1.40, t=-6.33, p < 0.001). Similarly, the interest rating of the redesigned slides (M = 4.87, SD = 0.24) was significantly greater than that of the original slides (M = 3.89, SD = 0.86, t=-6.824, p < 0.001). Moreover, results further indicated significant differences in the maintained-feeling and maintained-value constructs, and all participants in the Experimental group indicated a preference for the redesigned slides. Conclusions: The findings provide strong evidence in support of using the Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning design principles to intentionally design media in medical education. In addition to increased achievement scores, students in the Experimental group demonstrated significantly higher levels of situational interest in the redesigned slides, especially triggered interest and maintained-feeling interest. Medical education learning designers should seriously consider redesigning media to achieve similar results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study seeks to identify the configurations of classroom teaching practices, defined based on the classroom goal structures (mastery-approach, performance-approach, and performance-avoidance) and social climate (academic support, emotional support, mutual respect, and task-related interactions) to which a sample of 1,453 seventh graders (Mage = 12.71; 49.90% girls) report being exposed in their language and mathematics classes. This study also seeks to document the longitudinal associations between these profiles and various indicators of students' school functioning (engagement, achievement) and behavioral adaptation (hyperactivity–inattention, opposition–defiance, internalizing behaviors). Latent profile analyses identified five profiles replicated among boys and girls in language and mathematics classes. However, the prevalence of these profiles differed slightly as a function of sex and subject: Low-all climate (10.01%–19.71%), High-all climate (8.65%–14.82%), Performance climate (26.70%–36.22%), Low performance climate (12.93%–24.84%), and Mastery and positive social climate (19.42%–27.61%). The Mastery and positive social climate and the Low performance climate were associated with the highest levels of school functioning and the lowest levels of behavioral adaptation problems. The Low-all climate and the performance climate were conversely associated with low levels of school functioning and high levels of behavioral adaptation problems. Overall, during the school year, engagement decreased, achievement remained stable, and behavior problems increased. Specific changes within each profile are discussed. Girls were more likely to report exposure to classroom climates associated with the most favorable outcomes, whereas the opposite was true for boys. Considering the multidimensional nature of classroom climate, these results have important theoretical and educational implications for promoting student adaptation. Educational Impact and Implications Statement: This study identified five profiles of classroom learning climate based on seventh-grade students' simultaneous perceptions of the mastery-approach, performance-approach, performance-avoidance classroom goal structure, and social climate (i.e., emotional support, academic support, mutual respect, task-related interactions) present in their classrooms. Two profiles, the Mastery and positive social climate and the Low performance climate, were associated with students' most positive educational (i.e., engagement and achievement) and behavioral (i.e., hyperactivity–inattention, opposition–defiance, internalizing behaviors) outcomes. The study discusses the implications of the results for school practitioners in light of different theoretical perspectives, such as achievement goal theory and self-determination theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Productive struggle is an effective mathematics teaching practice that provides students opportunities to grapple with challenging mathematical concepts, connect prior knowledge, discover new ideas, and develop their critical thinking skills. Research has documented the benefits of secondary mathematics students engaging in productive struggle. Additional work is needed to detail how productive struggle relates to students’ mathematical achievement, specifically in the International Baccalaureate (IB) classroom. This study examined what correlation existed between 68 U.S. grade 11 and 12 IB mathematics students’ level of productive struggle exhibited during tasks of varying levels of cognitive demand and their mathematical achievement based on 10 IB established markschemes and a summative assessment. A strong, positive correlation was found between the level of productive struggle and mathematical achievement across all cognitive demand levels. These results support prior work emphasizing the importance of teachers making productive struggle a consistent, pervasive practice in their classrooms to foster student mathematical achievement and understanding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective/Research Question: Community college coursework is a crucial entry point for early childhood professionals seeking to advance their careers in education. In this study, we examine how degree candidates at a small community college experienced the shift to online learning and their reasons for persistence in college during the pandemic. Methods: Drawing on the theoretical framework of sensemaking, we conducted a thematic analysis of data from interviews with 19 early childhood professionals enrolled in teacher education coursework within one community college. Results: We found that degree candidates experienced the shift to online learning as both a barrier and facilitator to their educational obtainment, and that, during the pandemic, they remained highly committed to completing their degrees, motivated by financial advantages, career advancement, professional skill development, and the opportunity to be a role model for their own children. Conclusions/Contributions: Increasing the proportion of early childhood professionals who complete college degrees holds promise for improving children's educational opportunities and addressing persistent structural inequities in the teacher workforce. By investigating how early childhood professionals made sense of the educational changes associated with the pandemic, this study provides insight into how community colleges can support students in their educational pursuits moving forward. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This systematic literature review critically evaluates 14 empirical studies published over a 14 years span (2006–2019) to answer questions about the models and the effects of transformational school leadership on student academic achievement. The analysis of the related literature utilized vote counting and narrative synthesis to delineate the status quo of the current research field. It was found that the majority of these studies were conducted in Western and English- speaking countries and these studies utilizing different research methods and models reported mixed results. Recommendations for future research directions include use of an integrated leadership framework and complexity in the study of leadership in schools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the appeal of promoting and forming collaborative relationships between schools, empirical evidence for an association between school-to-school collaboration and school outcomes is still somewhat lacking. This study utilized data from 76 schools nested within 56 districts in the United States to examine the association between a school's reciprocal relationships and school outcomes by employing social network analysis and hierarchical linear modeling (HLM). After controlling for school and district demographic characteristics, we found the indices of reciprocal collaboration are associated with the school's 2018 student proficiency level in both math and reading and the growth in proficiency level between 2017 and 2018. The implications and limitations were discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study aims to generate broad insights from the large corpus of literature on the associations between a comprehensive range of school leadership practices and student outcomes in different school contexts. Three-level meta-analysis of 493 independent effects from 108 studies published since 2000 showed that the mean effect size was small at r = 0.14. Effect sizes for leadership practices ranged from r 's = 0.10 to.26. Results underscored the importance of different types of leadership practices related to instructional management, enhancing teacher capacity, and engaging external stakeholders to improve student outcomes. School leadership practices were significantly associated with students' academic achievement (in different subjects except science) and learning attitudes/processes but not attainment. Moderator analyses showed that school leadership effects were significant in studies using a school-level analysis but not in those using a lower-level of analysis. Additionally, school leadership effects were significant at different grade levels (G1–G6, G7–G12) and in research reported in different study types (articles, dissertations) and in different years (2000–2009, 2010–2018). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the growing scholarly interest in the effects of principal leadership on student achievement, empirical evidence concerning how principal qualifications might be related to student learning outcomes has been limited. This study investigates the relationship between different principal qualifications (prior experience in teaching, principalship and other school management roles, formal education, principal training, and professional development) and student achievement by analyzing cross-national teaching and learning international survey and program on international student assessment data from seven countries. The results showed that experience in principalship and other school management positions, principal training, and participation in networking activities and teaching/pedagogy-focused seminars had small but statistically significant associations with student achievement, though the results were not consistent across different subjects. Level of education and years of teaching experience did not, however, predict student achievement. Implications of the findings are offered for policy and further research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

School choice is spreading across the U.S. at the same time that scores on the National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP) are stagnant. We examine the association between education freedom and 8th grade student NAEP score levels and gains in states in 2019. We construct the 2019 Education Freedom Index as a composite measure of the accessibility of private school choice, public charter schools, homeschooling, and public school choice in each state. Using statistical regression, we find that more education freedom is significantly associated with increased NAEP scores and gains, supporting the claim that choice and competition improves system-wide achievement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the link between decentralisation in school management and student achievement levels in secondary schools in India. It employs observational data from two school surveys conducted as part of the Young Lives project in the southern Indian states of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh to create a measure of decentralisation as a latent construct. The relationship between decentralisation and students' abilities in mathematics and English is measured using linear mixed effects models. Contrary to the expectations in much literature, we find a negative association between decentralisation and students' scores on Maths and English assessments, even when controlling for a variety of individual and school characteristics. The results from the analysis therefore problematises decentralisation initiatives such as school-based management to improve student achievement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]