Category: Achievement

Categories
Achievement K-12 Education Maths and Science Learning

The Impact of Mathematics and Science Professional Development on Teacher Knowledge, Instruction, and Student Achievement

A recent meta-analysis by Lynch and colleagues examined the effectiveness of professional development (Professional Development) interventions for mathematics and science teachers in grades PK-12. Analyzing 200 effect sizes for teacher outcomes and 126 effect sizes for student achievement from 46 experimental studies published from 2001 to 2024, the authors investigated how PD programs affect teachers’ knowledge and classroom instruction, and whether these changes translate into improved student learning.

The authors employed Hedges’s g as the effect size metric, using randomized controlled trial designs to ensure causal inference. PD interventions were categorized by their focus areas: improving teacher knowledge (content knowledge and pedagogical content knowledge), content-specific and content-general instructional strategies, and content-specific formative assessment. The researchers also examined contextual factors such as intervention duration, inclusion of curriculum materials, and school demographics.

The results revealed a significant positive impact of PD on teacher outcomes (pooled average: +0.52 SD). Specifically, teacher knowledge improved by +0.52 SD and classroom instruction by +0.49 SD. Importantly, programs with larger impacts on teacher outcomes also demonstrated significantly larger effects on student achievement. A 1 SD improvement in teacher-level outcomes was associated with a +0.18 SD gain in student achievement. Notably, improvements in classroom instruction showed a stronger link to student learning (+0.24 SD) than knowledge gains (+0.08 SD, not statistically significant). PD programs explicitly focusing on teacher knowledge development (effect size difference: +0.18 SD) and content-specific formative assessment (+0.27 SD) showed significantly stronger impacts on classroom instruction. Interestingly, intervention duration and the inclusion of curriculum materials did not significantly moderate outcomes.

The findings underscore that the quality and specific focus of professional development matter more than duration. Schools should prioritize PD programs that explicitly target both teacher knowledge and instructional practices, particularly emphasizing formative assessment strategies. The strong link between improved instruction and student achievement validates investments in high-quality professional development as a lever for enhancing educational outcomes in mathematics and science.

Source (Open Access): Lynch, K., Gonzalez, K., Hill, H., & Merritt, R. (2025). A meta-analysis of the experimental evidence linking mathematics and science professional development interventions to teacher knowledge, classroom instruction, and student achievement. AERA Open, 11, 23328584251335302.https://doi.org/10.1177/23328584251335302… Read the rest

Categories
Achievement Maths and Science Learning Secondary School Education

Flipped Classroom vs. Traditional Teaching in Enhancing Mathematics Achievement and Interest Among Secondary School Students

Using a quasi-experimental non-equivalent pretest–posttest control group design, this study investigated how a flipped classroom learning approach influences mathematics achievement and interest among senior secondary one students learning circle theorems in Igbo Etiti, Enugu State, Nigeria. It evaluated changes in mathematics achievement and mathematics interest among 86 students drawn from a population of 673 students in 15 public secondary schools, with 45 students in classes assigned to the flipped classroom condition and 41 in classes taught with the conventional method. Intact classes in two schools with functional ICT facilities and reliable electricity were randomly assigned at the class level to the experimental or control condition, and students completed a 20-item Mathematics Achievement Test and a 20-item Mathematics Interest Inventory, both validated and reliable, before and after a four-week instructional unit on circle theorems. Statistical analyses included descriptive statistics and analysis of covariance with pretest scores as covariates to examine the effects of instructional approach and gender on posttest achievement and interest.

The results indicated that the flipped classroom produced substantially greater gains in mathematics achievement than the conventional method: the experimental group’s mean achievement scores increased from 60.8 to 86.1, compared with an increase from 62.0 to 64.7 in the control group, and the treatment effect was significant with a large effect size (partial eta squared = 0.585) and no significant main effect of gender. For mathematics interest, the flipped classroom group’s mean scores rose from 58.7 to 68.4, whereas the control group remained virtually unchanged (57.8 to 57.6), with a significant treatment effect and a large effect size (partial eta squared = 0.419) and no significant main effect of gender. Within the flipped classroom group, both male and female students improved in achievement (from 63.2 to 84.9 for males and from 58.8 to 87.2 for females) and in interest (from 57.5 to 68.9 for males and from 59.8 to 68.0 for females), and analysis of covariance showed no significant gender differences in posttest scores on either outcome. These findings show that the flipped classroom approach outperformed conventional teaching in enhancing both mathematics achievement and interest without creating gender disparities.

The findings suggest that providing video-based pre-class instruction combined with interactive, activity-oriented in-class learning enables students to engage more deeply with circle theorems, thereby improving both their performance in mathematics and their interest in the subject. The authors conclude that mathematics teachers should adopt the flipped classroom approach, especially for geometry topics such as circle theorems, and that educational authorities and professional bodies should organise workshops, seminars and in-service training to build teachers’ capacity to design and implement flipped instruction. They further recommend that school principals ensure adequate ICT resources and reliable power supply so that flipped classrooms can be implemented effectively to enhance students’ mathematics achievement and interest.

 

Source (Open Access): Egara, F. O., & Mosimege, M. (2024). Effect of flipped classroom learning approach on mathematics achievement and interest among secondary school students. Education and Information Technologies, 29(7), 8131-8150.

https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-023-12145-1… Read the rest

Categories
Achievement Higher Education

How International Roommates Shape Academic Success in Low-Income Colleges

Tsai and Trinidad (2025) investigate how intercultural roommate pairings affect college outcomes among low-income U.S. students. The study centers on Berea College, a tuition-free liberal arts institution in Kentucky that primarily serves economically disadvantaged populations. Leveraging institutional data from over 6,600 domestic students between 2000 and 2015, the authors evaluate whether being paired with an international roommate in the first year influences academic performance and persistence throughout college.

Using quasi-experimental methods, including inverse probability weighting (IPW) and robustness checks through augmented and matching estimators, the researchers compare students with and without international roommates while accounting for demographic factors such as race, gender, and transfer student status. The findings reveal that domestic students paired with international roommates achieved significantly higher first- and second-year GPAs (approximately 0.14 and 0.10 points higher, respectively) and showed a modest improvement in second-year retention (about four percentage points). However, the benefits gradually diminished over later years, and no significant effects were found for long-term persistence or six-year graduation rates.

The authors interpret these results through the lens of peer effects and diversity in higher education. They suggest that intentional intercultural roommate pairings create structured opportunities for cross-cultural engagement that may counteract homophily in predominantly white, low-income settings. This exposure not only enhances academic habits and motivation but also fosters inclusivity and openness among domestic students.

Overall, the study provides empirical evidence that low-cost, policy-driven diversity interventions, such as pairing domestic and international students, can meaningfully improve early academic outcomes for disadvantaged students. While the effects do not extend to graduation, the research highlights the importance of designing inclusive residential environments that promote sustained intercultural interaction as a pathway toward educational equity.

 

Source (Open Access): Tsai, H. T. A., & Trinidad, J. E. (2025). Effect of International Roommates on College Outcomes: Evidence from Students of Disadvantaged Backgrounds. Educational Policy, 08959048251315481.

https://doi.org/10.1177/08959048251315481… Read the rest

Categories
Achievement Kindergarten Maths and Science Learning Primary School Education

Early Math Difficulties: Growth Trajectories and Predictive Factors from Kindergarten to Grade 4

Math learning difficulties (MD) have been recognized as a crucial aspect of students’ daily life and their future educational advancement. While many students demonstrate math difficulties as early as kindergarten, researchers have a lack of understanding of achievement trajectories and factors influencing mathematical growth. Using the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Kindergarten dataset (N ≈18,000), they investigated math achievement patterns among students with MD from kindergarten through fourth grade.

To address this, Gesuelli, Miller-Cotto, and Barbieri (2025) employed latent class growth analysis to examine trajectories among 4,287 students scoring at or below the 25th percentile (MD criterion) in kindergarten. Researchers analyzed five time points using standardized item response theory (IRT) scale scores, examining predictors including cognitive factors (working memory, cognitive flexibility), academic skills (reading achievement), demographics, teacher ratings, and school supports (individualized education programme status, instructional support).

The results revealed three distinct growth trajectories emerged: mild MD (68.81% of students), progressing from 16th to 20th percentile; moderate MD (24.03%), advancing from 5th to 11th percentile; and extensive MD (7.16%), remaining below 1st percentile despite growth. Better trajectories were predicted by higher reading achievement, stronger executive function skills, higher teacher ratings, and absence of kindergarten individualized education programmes . The study confirmed the Matthew effect, where students with lowest initial performance continued falling behind peers .

The author suggested that most students with early math difficulties show improvement potential, with the majority maintaining performance just below the MD threshold. However, they identified educational equity concerns, finding fewer underrepresented minority students received appropriate supports in fifth grade. Findings emphasize early identification and intervention importance, suggesting math interventions should address executive function alongside content and integrate reading support for maximum effectiveness.

 

Source: Gesuelli, K. A., Miller-Cotto, D., & Barbieri, C. A. (2025). Variability in math achievement growth among students with early math learning difficulties and the role of school supports. Journal of Educational Psychology.

https://doi.org/10.1037/edu0000928… Read the rest

Categories
Achievement Primary School Education Secondary School Education

Effect of technology on the achievement of less advantaged students

The meta-analysis by Di Pietro and Muñoz (2025) investigated the impact of educational use of digital technologies has on less advantaged students’ achievement. A comprehensive definition is used for this group of students, which includes all students in less developed countries as well as more disadvantaged students in more developed countries. A total of 740 estimates from 72 studies employing experimental and quasi-experimental research designs are collected. The key moderating variables covered level of education, type of ed-tech intervention, geographical location, type of publication, publication year, subject area, thereby revealing both the overall impact of educational technology on disadvantaged students’ academic achievement and its differentiated effects.


Overall, educational technology initiatives are found to have a small, positive, statistically significant effect (Cohen’s d = 0.202) that remains even after correcting for publication bias. Moreover, computer-assisted learning and technology-enabled behavioral interventions lead to greater achievements than access-to-technology interventions. Insights from individual studies seem to indicate that pro-active text messages are more effective than informational text messages. Notably, the use of digital technologies is associated with slightly greater achievements in math and science than humanities. Larger impacts of ed-tech programmes tend to be reported in peer-reviewed journals than in other types of publication. However, achievement-enhancing effects of ed-tech programmes on students in less developed countries are not statistically different from those on more disadvantaged students in more developed countries.


Their results suggest that more needs be done to unleash the full potential of technology in boosting the achievement of less advantaged students. The provision of technology needs therefore to be accompanied by proper guidance and supervision to ensure that all students can harness the benefits of technology to improve their educational performance.


Source: Di Pietro, G., & Muñoz, J. C. (2025). A meta-analysis on the effect of technology on the achievement of less advantaged students. Computers & Education, 226, 105197. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2024.105197… Read the rest

Categories
Achievement Kindergarten

Evaluating the long-term effects of a partial-day Pre-K program

Research shows that early childhood education (ECE) can strongly influence children’s learning and development. Universal prekindergarten (UPK) offers free access to all age-eligible children, yet by 2019–2020 only 10 states and the District of Columbia had adopted it. Despite growing interest, evidence on its long-term academic impact remains limited. A recent study examined Wisconsin’s partial-day UPK program, known as 4K, and its effects on third-grade reading and math scores, focusing on differences by economic status and race/ethnicity. Using administrative data from 292 school districts, the study analyzed trends in standardized test scores (Wisconsin Knowledge and Concepts Examination – WKCE) from 2001 to 2014, applying a difference-in-differences model to estimate the program’s effects.

Results from the intent-to-treat (ITT) analysis, based on whether districts offered 4K, showed a modest but positive effect on reading scores overall (up to +0.10 SD). Gains were particularly strong for Hispanic students (+0.33 SD), potentially reducing the White-Hispanic reading gap by nearly 40%. When looking at treatment-on-the-treated (TOT) effects, based on actual participation, the estimated impact was larger. Full district participation in 4K was associated with a +0.13 SD increase in reading overall, and a +0.49 SD gain for Hispanic students. Effects for Black students were also positive, though not statistically significant after adjusting for other factors. In math, overall effects were small and not significant (+0.03 SD). However, Black students saw the largest benefits: a +0.25 SD gain in the ITT analysis and +0.39 SD in the TOT analysis – an improvement equivalent to a 38% increase in math proficiency and a narrowing of the Black-White math gap by about 40%. Math outcomes for other groups were not statistically significant.

In sum, Wisconsin’s part-day UPK program had modest overall effects but showed stronger and more sustained benefits for Hispanic and Black students. The limited duration, access, and quality of the program may have reduced its full potential. Expanding to full-day schedules, improving standards, and reducing barriers to participation—especially for students of color—could help strengthen equity and maximize long-term academic benefits.

Source: Yang, H. (2024). The Effects of Wisconsin’s Universal Prekindergarten Program on Third-Grade Academic Achievement. American Educational Research Journal, 61(6), 1237-1271.

https://doi.org/10.3102/00028312241275967… Read the rest