Search

Monitoring the progress of student learning is an important part of teachers' data-based decision making. One such tool that can equip teachers with information about students' learning progress throughout the school year and thus facilitate monitoring and instructional decision making is learning progress assessments. In practical contexts and research, estimating learning progress has relied on approaches that seek to estimate progress either for each student separately or within overarching model frameworks, such as latent growth modeling. Two recently emerging lines of research for separately estimating student growth have examined robust estimation (to account for outliers) and Bayesian approaches (as opposed to commonly used frequentist methods). The aim of this work was to combine these approaches (i.e., robust Bayesian estimation) and extend these lines of research to the framework of linear latent growth models. In a sample of N = 4970 second-grade students who worked on the quop-L2 test battery (to assess reading comprehension) at eight measurement points, we compared three Bayesian linear latent growth models: (a) a Gaussian model, (b) a model based on Student's t-distribution (i.e., a robust model), and (c) an asymmetric Laplace model (i.e., Bayesian quantile regression and an alternative robust model). Based on leave-one-out cross-validation and posterior predictive model checking, we found that both robust models outperformed the Gaussian model, and both robust models performed comparably well. While the Student's t model performed statistically slightly better (yet not substantially so), the asymmetric Laplace model yielded somewhat more realistic posterior predictive samples and a higher degree of measurement precision (i.e., for those estimates that were either associated with the lowest or highest degree of measurement precision). The findings are discussed for the context of learning progress assessment.

In education, among the most anticipated consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic are that student performance will stagnate or decline and that existing inequities will increase. Although some studies suggest a decline in student performance and widening learning gaps, the picture is less clear than expected. In this study, we add to the existing literature on the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on student achievement. Specifically, we provide an analysis of the short- and mid-term effects of the pandemic on second grade reading performance in Germany using longitudinal assessments from over 19,500 students with eight measurement points in each school year. Interestingly, the effects of the pandemic established over time. Students in the first pandemic cohort even outperformed students from the pre-pandemic cohorts and showed a tendency towards decreased variances during the first lockdown. The second pandemic cohort showed no systematic mean differences, but generally had larger interindividual differences as compared to the pre-pandemic cohorts. While the gender achievement gap seemed unaffected by the pandemic, the gap between students with and without a migration background widened over time--though even before the pandemic. These results underline the importance of considering effects of the pandemic across cohorts, large samples, and fine-grained assessments. We discuss our findings considering the context-specific educational challenges and in terms of practical implications for teachers' professional development.

Distractors might display discriminatory power with respect to the construct of interest (e.g., intelligence), which was shown in recent applications of nested logit models to the short-form of Raven's progressive matrices and other reasoning tests. In this vein, a simulation study was carried out to examine two effect size measures (i.e., a variant of Cohen's [omega] and the canonical correlation R[subscript CC]) for their potential to detect distractors with ability-related discriminatory power. The simulation design was adopted to item selection scenarios relying on rather small sample sizes (e.g., N = 100 or N = 200). Both suggested effect size measures (Cohen's [omega] only when based on two ability groups) yielded acceptable to conservative type-I-error rates, whereas, the canonical correlation outperformed Cohen's [omega] in terms of empirical power. The simulation results further suggest that an effect size threshold of 0.30 is more appropriate as compared to more lenient (0.10) or stricter thresholds (0.50). The suggested item-analysis procedure is illustrated with an analysis of twelve Raven's progressive matrices items in a sample of N = 499 participants. Finally, strategies for item selection for cognitive ability tests with the goal of scaling by means of nested logit models are discussed.

The idea of data-based decision-making (DBDM) at the classroom level is that teachers use assessment data to adapt their instruction to students' individual needs and thus improve students' learning progress. In this study, we first investigate this theoretically assumed DBDM process, and second, we evaluate the effectiveness of teacher support on the different steps of this process. Using longitudinal data of N = 120 teachers and their N = 2458 students, we analyzed the relations between teachers' log-file-based data analysis activities, teachers' self-reported frequency of instructional decision-making, and students' learning progress in reading by means of latent mediation analyses. Moreover, we analyzed whether additional teacher support in the form of instructional recommendations, teacher training, and prepared teaching material can promote the implementation of different steps of DBDM. Results of latent mediation analyses revealed positive associations of teachers' data analysis with their instructional decision-making and students' learning progress. Teacher support was positively associated with data analysis and students' learning progress (mediated by data analysis). Results are discussed regarding the theoretically assumed steps in the DBDM process and the potential of teacher support with a focus on teachers' instructional decision-making.

The goal of the current study was to gain insight into what elements encompass business-as-usual (BAU) reading instruction and to what extent BAU reading instruction includes elements that have been found to positively impact reading competence. In addition, we examined whether and how these evidence-based elements are incorporated and how they cluster. In total, in 52 2nd grade classrooms from 30 schools, reading instruction was systematically observed by a trained student assistant. In 24 of these classrooms, a second co-observer rated the lesson to assess inter-rater reliability. In addition, teachers were asked about content-related aspects of their reading instruction using a questionnaire. The observations showed that BAU reading instruction was predominantly teacher centered and characterized by many phases in which students worked independently. Evidence-based elements of reading instruction were rarely observed. Further, teachers rated their instruction as more differentiated than did observers. Our cluster analysis of evidence-based elements of reading instruction revealed that in BAU reading instruction, various aspects of strategy instruction are primarily implemented together.

Monitoring learning progress enables teachers to address students' interindividual differences and to adapt instruction to students' needs. We investigated whether using learning progress assessment (LPA) or using a combination of LPA and prepared material to help teachers implement assessment-based differentiated instruction resulted in improved reading skills for students. The study was conducted in second-grade classrooms in general primary education, and participants (N = 33 teachers and N = 619 students) were assigned to one of three conditions: a control group (CG); a first intervention group (LPA), which received LPA only; or a second intervention group (LPA-RS), which received a combination of LPA and material for differentiated reading instruction (the "reading sportsman"). At the beginning and the end of one school year, students' reading fluency and reading comprehension were assessed. Compared with business-as-usual reading instruction (the CG), providing teachers with LPA or both LPA and prepared material did not lead to higher gains in reading competence. Furthermore, no significant differences between the LPA and LPA-RS conditions were found. Corresponding analyses for lower- and higher-achieving students also revealed no differences between the treatment groups. Results are discussed regarding the implementation of LPA and reading instruction in general education.

Teachers' beliefs about teaching have been found to affect students' learning growth. The aim of this study was to investigate effects of teachers' constructivist and direct-transmissive beliefs on learners' reading progress and whether these effects are influenced by students' ability. We measured constructivist and direct-transmissive beliefs of 29 teachers and the progress in reading fluency and reading comprehension of their students (N = 568) at eight points of measurement over one school year. Results of three-level latent growth curve modeling revealed that only teachers' global, but not reading specific constructivist beliefs, were generally positively related to learners' progress in reading fluency. Beliefs about teaching had no general effect on growth in reading comprehension, but the relation between constructivist beliefs and students' progress in reading comprehension was affected by students' prior skills. Teachers with stronger constructivist beliefs effected higher learning growth for high ability compared to low ability learners within their classrooms. No effects were found for direct-transmissive beliefs. This study adds a more differentiated view to findings concerning the effects of teacher beliefs by showing that effects vary depending on the skill under study (fluency vs. comprehension), and that effects of teacher beliefs may depend on students' ability.

In most general education classrooms in Germany, students with and without special educational needs are taught together. To support teachers in adapting instruction to these heterogeneous classrooms, we have developed learning progress assessment (LPA) and reading instructional materials, the "Reading Sportsman" (RS), in line with the theoretical framework of data-based decision-making, which has led to beneficial effects in several studies. However, data from these studies have not been analyzed to examine effects for low-performing readers. Data within and across six quasi-experimental studies conducted by our team in Grades 2 to 4 were reanalyzed to examine the effects of LPA on students whose reading fluency scores were at or below the 25th percentile (n = 1,346 students from 264 classes). In each study, students had been assigned to a control group (with business-as-usual instruction), an LPA group only, or an LPA-RS group (i.e., with teachers provided with LPA and the RS). Separate multilevel regression results were integrated by means of meta-analytical methods to investigate the consistency of results. Overall, findings from the single studies indicated no positive effects of LPA with or without the RS compared with the control group. The integrated analyses showed small positive effect trends on reading fluency and intrinsic reading motivation.

Teachers' adaptivity of constructivist and direct-transmissive beliefs may be beneficial for students' learning based on the theoretical claim that low-ability students need more teacher guidance than high-ability students. The goals of our study were to validate a new questionnaire that measures teachers' adaptivity of beliefs and to investigate whether adaptivity scores are related to students' reading skill learning gains. We assessed 25 teachers' adaptivity of constructivist and direct-transmissive beliefs and 451 students' reading fluency and reading comprehension at eight points of measurement over one school year. Psychometric assessment of the belief adaptivity questionnaire revealed that the measure is valid and reliable. Thereby, adaptivity was found in a way that teachers' constructivist beliefs were lower when referring to low-ability compared to high-ability students and that direct-transmissive beliefs were higher for low-ability compared to high-ability students. Three-level latent growth curve modeling showed that teachers' adaptivity of beliefs affected students' reading comprehension positively but did not affect reading fluency. We propose that adaptivity should be included as a facet of teaching effectiveness in the research on teacher beliefs.

Empirical studies on effects of formative assessment (FA) on motivational outcomes and underlying mechanisms are scarce. The core elements of FA, feedback and adaptive teaching behavior, might be helpful in promoting the experience of competence, which in turn is a prerequisite for promoting intrinsic motivation. However, instructional impact also depends on the students' perception of teacher behavior. Therefore, this study (N = 27 teachers and 613 students) aimed to test whether FA has a positive effect on intrinsic motivation mediated by students' perceived competence support (PCS). In a three-group design, two versions of FA were compared with a control group. In both versions of FA, teachers used a tool for learning progress assessment (LPA), while in one version, teachers received a combination of LPA and additional support consisting of materials for feedback and adaptive instruction (LPA+). A path model for half-longitudinal designs was estimated. Results support the motivational effect of FA. LPA and LPA+ both positively influence students' PCS which is in turn associated with higher intrinsic motivation. A small indirect effect on intrinsic motivation mediated by PCS was shown for both intervention groups, which was only significant for LPA. For LPA+, higher-performing students particularly benefitted from the intervention. Teachers' use of FA practices can foster students' PCS which seems to be a promising way in motivation-enhancing teaching. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Affecting preservice teachers' pedagogical intentions and future behavior is a challenging goal of teacher education. It may be accomplished by purposefully changing their beliefs. The aim of this study was to investigate whether lesson videos, compared to an argumentation-based video format, can evoke stronger and more positive emotional reactions and whether these reactions in turn result in higher changes in beliefs, attitudes, and intentions. We measured student-oriented teaching beliefs, attitudes, and intentions of N = 129 preservice teachers before and after the intervention. As a treatment check, we also quantified their emotional reaction (arousal and valence) to the intervention. Results of indirect effect models revealed that watching lesson videos led to higher emotional arousal and, overall, higher emotional arousal was related to more positive change in beliefs. However, change rates of teaching beliefs, attitudes, and intentions were the same for the lesson video and the expert talk video group. Emotional valence had no effect on change of beliefs, attitudes, or intentions. This study adds empirical evidence to theoretical claims concerning the effects of emotions on changing teaching-related beliefs.

Research on reading achievement and reading motivation has rarely addressed the question if and how they affect each other over time. In our study, we investigate the reciprocal effects between reading achievement and both intrinsic and extrinsic reading motivation during elementary school. We measured reading achievement and intrinsic and extrinsic reading motivation in 966 students at 3 points of measurement during 3rd and 4th grade. Consistent with previous research, cross-lagged panel analyses revealed positive reciprocal effects between reading achievement and intrinsic reading motivation. Effects of reading achievement on intrinsic reading motivation were found during Grades 3 and 4, whereas effects of intrinsic motivation were limited to Grade 3. No reciprocal effects between reading achievement and extrinsic reading motivation were found. We discuss the implications of our results for daily teaching practices and effective reading instruction.

The purpose of our research was to examine a web-based tool for mathematics progress monitoring in first grade. The newly developed assessment tool uses several robust indicators and curriculum-based measures forming three competences (Basic Precursors, Advanced Precursors, and Computation) to determine comprehensive early numeracy skills in regular education. 373 students completed a total of eight online tests every two or three weeks. Results indicate that delayed alternate-form reliability was adequate (r[subscript M] = 0.78). Repeated measures analyses with post hoc comparisons were used to ascertain the sensitivity to assess learning growth. All three competences showed linear growth rates that were significant over time, but only Computation and overall scores produced dependable increases from test to test. Predictive validity was determined using two standardised school achievement tests (end of first grade, end of second grade). Results indicate high predictive validity of the first four online tests (r[subscript M] = 0.67, r[subscript M] = 0.66 for 6 months and 18 months prediction). Correlations with teacher ratings of their students' skills confirmed this pattern. Results from student and teacher questionnaires indicate that the students were able to conduct the tests independently and that a three-week interval was adequate for regular-education use. Teachers stated to use the progress monitoring results diversely for classroom purposes. We conclude that the use of a web-based assessment setting with diverse measures is beneficial with respect to psychometric properties and feasibility for frequent use in regular education.

The purpose of this study was to examine the technical adequacy of a computer-based assessment instrument which is based on hierarchical models of text comprehension for monitoring student reading progress following the Curriculum-Based Measurement (CBM) approach. At intervals of two weeks, 120 third-grade students finished eight CBM tests. To examine the construct validity, group-administered standardized achievement tests of reading, mathematics, and intelligence were applied. Results indicate that the technical adequacy of the concept is comparable to that of established measures of reading progress. In addition, the new assessment tool provides differentiated diagnostic information about single components of reading proficiency and directly assesses higher processes of comprehension. Benefits of a multidimensional measurement of reading progress for students with special educational needs are discussed. (Contains 6 tables and 2 figures.)

Teaching reading strategies and guiding students towards self-regulated reading routines are promising approaches to fostering reading comprehension in students with learning disabilities. The aim of this study was to evaluate in a sample of 73 fifth to eighth graders with learning disabilities (IQ higher than 85 and reading skills below expectation) a reading-strategy program containing reading and self-regulation strategies. The program was taught to the experimental group by their general or special education teachers, whereas the control group received traditional reading instruction. A pre-, post- and followup design was used during an entire academic year assessing reading-strategy knowledge, reading comprehension, and reading self-efficacy. Immediately after completion of the program only effects on reading strategy knowledge were significant; however, followup measures yielded meaningful gains in the experimental group for reading comprehension (d = 0.80), reading-strategy knowledge (d = 0.62), and reading self-efficacy (d = 0.78). (Contains 6 tables.)

Learning progress assessment (LPA) provides formative information about effectiveness of instructional decisions. Learning curves are usually presented as graphical illustrations. However, little is known about teachers understanding and interpreting of graphically presented information. An instrument to measure competencies in reading graphs from learning progress assessment (LPA-test) was developed. One-hundred and twenty-four student teachers and 36 teachers completed the LPA-test and a second test that assessed reading graphical information from diagrams. In addition, interviews from 10 teachers provided information about thinking processes while dealing with graphs on learning progress information. Technical adequacy of the LPA-test proved to be satisfactory. Results in the LPA-test underline the capacity that most teachers generally have when learning graphing. Interviews reveal that teachers skip a thorough description of the graphical illustration, concentrate on marginal details, and tend to immediately transmit students' achievement into school grades without structuring information.

A strategy-based reading promotion program was implemented over a course of 8 months in 65 classes from grades 5 to 7 (student age M?=?11.2 years, SD?=?1.0). It was investigated whether teachers flexibly adapted their pedagogical content beliefs (PCBs) on the teaching of reading according to the instructional principles of the intervention. Fifteen teachers demonstrated the assumed PCB development curves, that is, an initial increase of direct-transmissive positions followed by an increase in the endorsement of constructivist beliefs. Students of teachers whose PCBs showed this belief development pattern demonstrated significantly larger reading achievement gains than students of the other teachers. Thus, teachers' PCBs are--in principle--open to change which can turn out relevant for student achievement gains.

Monitoring the learning progress of at-risk students positively affects learning growth. This study transfers the approach of learning progress assessment (LPA) to general education in Germany and investigates the effects of information about reading progress and additional teacher training on student achievement. Classes (n = 43) were assigned to either an LPA group with teacher training (LPA-T), an LPA-only group, or a standardized achievement test group. Teachers in all groups obtained information about students' reading status. Teachers in both LPA groups obtained additional information about students' reading progress, and LPA-T teachers were additionally trained to use the learning progress information for instructional decisions. Students in both LPA groups showed higher reading growth than students in the standardized achievement test group, but the effect size was small. No effects were found for the teacher training. Teachers rated LPA as easy to administer in general education.

We examined a web-based mathematics progress monitoring tool for second graders. The tool monitors the learning progress of two competences, number sense and computation. A total of 414 students from 19 classrooms in Germany were checked every 3 weeks from fall to spring. Correlational analyses indicate that alternate-form reliability was adequate for the chosen interval (0.81 < r < 0.87). Results from latent growth curve modeling (LGCM) identified significant linear increases in students' scores, and a significant variance in computation slopes was observed. Criterion validity coefficients, comparing the measures with student performance on standardized school achievement tests at the beginning and the end of the school year (DEMAT1+, DEMAT2+), were satisfactory (0.59 < r < 0.76). Students conducted the tests independently, and assessment times were short. Implications for further research and classroom practice are discussed.