Category: Achievement

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Achievement Higher Education Primary School Education Secondary School Education

The impact of test preparation on performance in large-scale educational tests: A meta-analysis of experimental studies

A recent meta-analysis examines whether test preparation improves performance in large-scale educational tests. Although schools, commercial institutions, and students invest heavily in preparation courses and materials, existing studies have reported inconsistent effects. Earlier reviews were also concentrated on US college admission and cognitive ability tests and often relied on evidence published before 2000. This study therefore estimates the overall effect of test preparation and examines how it varies across intervention, test, student, and research-design characteristics.

The authors synthesized 28 experimental and quasi-experimental studies, including 92 effect sizes and 16,741 participants across primary, secondary, and tertiary education. The studies covered college admission tests, English proficiency tests, and other large-scale assessments. A hierarchical random-effects model with robust variance estimation was used, while moderator analyses examined intervention breadth, strategy and material use, test characteristics, previous test experience, and study design.

Test preparation produced a significant positive overall effect on test performance (g=.26, 95% CI [.10,.42], p<.001), but heterogeneity was high (I^2=82.44%). Test-specific and narrowly focused interventions were more effective (g=.33) and (g=.32) than broad programs aimed at general knowledge or transferable skills (g=-.04). Interventions teaching test-taking strategies also showed stronger effects (g=.35) than those without such instruction (g=.05). Students with previous testing experience benefited substantially more (g=.69) than those without it (g=.06). However, preparation effects did not transfer significantly to other tests in the same domain (g=.06, p=.502).

Taken together, the findings suggest that test preparation can improve large-scale test scores, but its effectiveness mainly reflects alignment with the target test rather than broader learning gains. The limited transfer effect raises concerns about whether score improvement represents genuine development in the abilities being assessed. Future research should use stronger experimental designs, report intervention processes more clearly, and distinguish test-score gains from transferable learning.

Source (Open Access): Hao, Z., Baird, J. A., Masri, Y. E., & Double, K. (2025). The impact of test preparation on performance of large-scale educational tests: A meta-analysis of experimental studies. Review of Educational Research, 00346543251360775.

https://doi.org/10.3102/00346543251360775… Read the rest

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Achievement Higher Education

Student agency in Colombian higher education: a dual-pathway model of mediation and moderation between student engagement and academic achievement

A recent quantitative study by Torres Castro and Pineda-Baéz examines the relationship between student engagement and academic achievement, with particular attention to how student agency functions as both a mediating and a moderating mechanism in this relationship.

The study surveyed 1,713 final-year students from six accredited private universities across five regions in Colombia. Grounded in social cognitive theory and the ecological model of student engagement, the study conceptualizes student engagement as a multidimensional construct. It encompasses ten indicators across four domains: academic challenge, learning with peers, experiences with faculty, and campus environment. Student engagement is assessed through the National Survey of Student Engagement, with scores standardized on a 0 to 60 scale. Student agency is operationalized as agentic engagement through the five-item Agentic Engagement Scale. This scale captures proactive behaviors such as expressing preferences, asking questions, and suggesting adjustments to instruction. Academic achievement was measured by self-reported cumulative grade point average on Colombia’s standardized 0.0 to 5.0 scale. The study employed hierarchical regression with robust standard errors, structural equation modeling, and bootstrap-based mediation analysis using R version 4.3.1.

The findings reveal that among the ten engagement indicators, only collaborative learning and student-faculty interaction are positively and independently associated with academic achievement. Among the five agentic engagement behaviors, only expressive voice emerged as a significant mediator, channeling approximately six percent of the total effect of collaborative learning on grade point average. Expressive voice also moderated the relationship between student-faculty interaction and grade point average in a compensatory pattern. The association between faculty interaction and achievement was stronger among students with lower levels of expressive voice, whereas it was attenuated yet remained positive among those with higher levels. Although effect sizes were modest, the findings demonstrate that student agency operates as a context-dependent dual mechanism.

The study further suggests that instructional practices should combine structured guidance with opportunities for student-initiated contribution, and that support systems should prioritize students with lower levels of agentic engagement.

Source (Open Access): Torres Castro, U. E., & Pineda-Baéz, C. (2026). Student agency in Colombian higher education: a dual-pathway model of mediation and moderation between student engagement and academic achievement. Higher Education, 1-20.

https://doi.org/10.1007/s10734-026-01669-3… Read the rest

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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

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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

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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

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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