Category: Educational Administration and Leadership

Categories
Educational Administration and Leadership K-12 Education Social and Motivational Outcomes

Do teacher-student relationships associate with executive function performance of a child?

Research findings indicate that executive function (EF) is crucial for children’s learning and academic achievement. Moreover, the development of EF is closely related to environmental factors such as parental and educational support. Xu and colleagues conducted a meta-analysis to investigate the associations between EF and teacher-student relationships (TSR) at the dyadic level (one-on-one) and classroom level, and explore the roles of cultural characteristics as moderators.

A total of 84 studies were included, involving participants attending regular preschool or primary education across 18 cultural regions. About 50% of the studies originated from the US and 25% including at least one non-Western sample population. Guided by Hofstede’s classifications, the authors assigned scores of cultural factors (individualism, power distance, and agentic goals) to each region. The results of the three-level meta-analysis were as follows:

  • A significant correlation was found between dyadic TSR and EF (r = +0.25). Regarding dyadic TSR subdimensions, positive effects were observed for closeness (r = +0.18), while negative effects were noted for conflict (r = -0.26) and dependency (r = -0.17). Classroom level TSR showed a rather weak link with EF (overall r = +0.09), with classroom management showing the strongest association (r = +0.14), followed by emotional support (r=+0.09) and instructional support (r=+0.08).
  • Culturally, individualism significantly moderated the TSR-EF link at both dyadic and classroom level negatively, indicating that the higher the degrees of individualism, the smaller the TSR-EF correlation. Power distance (refers to the extent to which individuals with less power in the organisation) only moderated the classroom-level TSR-EF link positively.
  • Several significant moderators were identified. Adult-reported EF measures yielded larger effect sizes compared to direct assessments. Hot EF (emotion and motivation-related) showed a stronger link with closeness than cool EF (cognitive-related). SES enhanced the classroom TSR-EF link.

Notably, after taking into account for the effect of EF instrument, the extent of individualism no longer moderated the dyadic TSR-EF link significantly. Similarly, after considering the type of EF instrument, the closeness-EF association showed no significant difference between hot EF and cool EF.

Source: Xu, C., Huizinga, M., Tekelia Ekubagewargies, D., Soetaert, J., Van Den Noortgate, W., & Baeyens, D. (n.d.). The relation between teacher–student interaction and executive function performance in children: A cross-cultural meta-analysis. Educational Psychologist, 1–21. https://doi.org/10.1080/00461520.2024.2315527… Read the rest

Categories
Educational Administration and Leadership K-12 Education Programme Evaluation

Improving parent-teacher relationships through family-school engagement interventions

Teachers and school leaders recognize the importance of active parental engagement for promoting their children’s academics, attendance, and emotional and behavioral issues, but there remains uncertainty on how best to develop stronger relationships between parents and teachers. In a 2022 meta-analysis, Smith and colleagues explored the impact of family-school engagement interventions on parent-teacher relationships.

Smith and colleagues examined 23 studies for the effect of family-school engagement interventions on parent-teacher relationships and the characteristics of these relationships, the broader effects of these interventions, and the ways that child and community characteristics (such as race/ethnicity, age, or community type) affected the impact of these interventions. They found a small but statistically significant impact of family-school engagement interventions on parent-teacher relationships (ES = +0.23) and parent-teacher communication (ES = +0.34). These effects were stronger in the families of students with externalizing concerns (including behavioral disorders, conduct disorders, or ADHD) and for those in rural areas. The impact of these interventions did not differ by child age or race/ethnicity, suggesting that parent-teacher relationship development was not dependent on these factors.

These results highlight the benefits of family engagement interventions in improving understanding and communication between parents and teachers, especially for students with behavioral issues or those in rural areas.

Source: Smith, T. E., Holmes, S. R., Romero, M. E., & Sheridan, S. M. (2022). Evaluating the effects of family–school engagement interventions on parent–teacher relationships: A meta-analysis. School Mental Health, 14(2), 278–293. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12310-022-09510-9… Read the rest

Categories
Educational Administration and Leadership Primary School Education

How does school start time impact young students’ outcomes?

Existing research has suggested that secondary students benefit from later school start times to accommodate adolescent sleep patterns and address chronic sleep loss, as well as other mental and physical health outcomes. Later starts can also positively impact attendance, grades, test scores, and disciplinary incident rates. However, less is known about how start times impact elementary school students. In a 2022 study, Bastian and Fuller provided interesting insight into this issue.

Based on two studies conducted in North Carolina elementary schools, the researchers explored the impact of school start time on student engagement and achievement. In the first study, they found that moving school an hour earlier was associated with increased absences, particularly for White and rural students, but that the shift did not have consistent impact on academic achievement. In a state-wide analysis, earlier start times did predict significantly higher math scores, particularly for students of color, disadvantaged students, and rural students. In addition, an earlier start time seemed to lead to an initial increase in suspensions, but the suspension rates went back down in subsequent years.

In the second study, the researchers compared students at schools starting at 7:25 or 7:45 am (16 schools), 8:30 am (5 schools), and 9-9:15 am (7 schools). They found that earliest start times were associated with less sleep for 5th graders (45 minutes less per school night), while students at middle start time (8:30 am) got 26 minutes less sleep. This study also found increases in absences in early-start schools (nearly one additional day per year), but that there was no association with suspensions. In addition, they found no significant impact on either reading or math achievement related to start time changes.

These findings suggest that school districts considering earlier start times for elementary students may see some benefits, but should consider the impact on student absences and explore approaches to maximize participation and engagement.

Source (Open Access): Bastian, K. C., & Fuller, S. C. (2023). Early birds in elementary school? School start times and outcomes for younger students. Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, 45(3), 399–421. https://doi.org/10.3102/01623737221121799… Read the rest

Categories
Educational Administration and Leadership Kindergarten Programme Evaluation

Effects of a parenting program on parents’ investment in their children

A paper published in the Journal of Development Economics reported the effects of a home-based parenting program in rural China two and a half years after completion. The program was implemented by officials from China’s Family Planning Commission between November 2014 and April 2015.

A total of 131 villages were selected using stratified random sampling from a relatively poor province in Northwest China. Sixty-five villages were randomly assigned to the treatment condition and 66 to the control condition. Families with children aged 18 to 30 months in the sample villages were invited to enroll; 212 children from treatment villages and 300 from control villages comprised the final sample (mean age 24 months).

The weekly parenting program involved home visits for six months. Trained facilitators introduced developmentally appropriate activities to caregivers (typically mothers or grandmothers) to stimulate children’s cognitive development using a structured curriculum. Survey data and cognitive test scores were collected before, immediately after, and 30 months following the intervention.

After controlling for baseline differences, the study revealed medium-term impacts two and a half years later.

  • Children in the treatment group demonstrated significantly better working memory compared to controls on the WPPSI-IV, though no differences emerged for other cognitive domains. No group differences appeared for behaviors on the SDQ.
  • Treatment parents invested more time in activities with their children (e.g., storytelling and singing), but not in providing materials (e.g., books, toys).
  • By the time of follow-up survey, treatment parents more likely enrolled children earlier in preschool, which Chinese parents can do voluntarily between ages three and six, and favored township over village preschools despite longer distances. Treatment parents tended to valued preschool quality higher.

In summary, while the parenting program had no effects on most children’s outcomes except working memory, it influenced long-term parental investments of time in children and shifted values and choices around preschool enrollment.

Source (Open Access): Wang, L., Qian, Y., Warrinnier, N., Attanasio, O., Rozelle, S., & Sylvia, S. (2023). Parental investment, school choice, and the persistent benefits of an early childhood intervention. Journal of Development Economics, 165, 103166. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jdeveco.2023.103166… Read the rest

Categories
Educational Administration and Leadership Secondary School Education Social and Motivational Outcomes

Reviewing SEL programs for middle and high schoolers: A comprehensive guide

Social-emotional learning (SEL) continues to garner attention and funding as policymakers seek to address the growing mental health crisis among students. A review by The Easel Lab at Harvard’s GSE and the Wallace Foundation of 18 middle and high school SEL programs aims to provide guidance for practitioners selecting and implementing SEL programs. This comprehensive guide covers SEL program best practices (in design and implementation), possible integration with out-of-school time programming, and integrating equity and trauma-informed responses. Additionally, the resource compares the programs based on included skills, strategies, and components, and provides detailed program profiles.

Fourteen of the programs reviewed have shown positive impacts in randomized controlled trials (RCTs), while the other four are novel programs with only Tier IV evidence. The authors note that evidence on SEL programs for middle and high school students lags behind that for elementary-aged children. Additionally, the review does not include programs like PBIS or Restorative Practices, which are considered systems of support not solely focused on SEL.

Source (Open Access): Jones, S. M., Brush, K. E., Wettje, S., Ramirez, T., Poddar, A., Kannarr, A., Barnes, S. P., Hooper, A., Brion-Meisels, G., & Chng, E. (2022). Navigating SEL from the inside out: Looking inside & across leading SEL programs: A practical resource for schools and OST providers. Ecological Approaches to Social and Emotional Learning Laboratory, Harvard Graduate School of Education. https://wallacefoundation.org/sites/default/files/2023-09/navigating-social-and-emotional-learning-from-the-inside-out-middle-high-school.pdf… Read the rest

Categories
Educational Administration and Leadership K-12 Education

Are digital games ‘boys’ games?

As digital games are increasingly used in education, understanding attitudes toward their use is important. A meta-analysis conducted by Liu and colleagues examined gender differences in attitudes towards digital games. The analysis which included 41 eligible studies yielded 133 effect sizes.

Among those studies, 29 involved students, 8 involved teachers, and 3 involved parents. Females accounted for 51.23% of the total. Digital games were classified as serious (designed for education, healthcare, etc) and entertainment, with 31 studies focused on the former while 10 on the latter. Attitudes were categorized as affect (emotion responses such as anxiety, enjoyment), beliefs (perceptions of value), and self-efficacy (confidence in operating games). Effect size in the analysis referred to the difference in standardised mean scores between male and female. The results of three-level meta-analysis and moderator analysis revealed that:

  • Overall, males exhibited a significant more positive attitude than females (ES = +0.21).
  • Among students, boys had more positive attitudes than girls (ES = +0.26). With the small number of studies, no significant gender differences were observed among teachers and parents.
  • Attitude aspects significantly moderated outcomes, with males showing stronger affect (ES=+0.34) and self-efficacy (ES=+0.37), but no significant gender differences were detected in beliefs.
  • Moreover, the disparity in attitude towards entertainment games (ES = +0.39) was significantly greater than towards serious games (ES = +0.14) with males consistently more positive.

While findings reinforced that males generally have a greater affinity for digital games, no gender differences were observed regarding their perceived value and usefulness. More research is needed to explore potential moderators, such as education level and interactions among these factors to better contextualise the results.

 

Source: Liu, C., Wang, Z., Yang, Y., Mao, P., Tai, R. H., Cai, Z., & Fan, X. (2024). Do males have more favorable attitudes towards digital game use than females: A meta-analytic review. Children and Youth Services Review, 160, 107550. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2024.107550… Read the rest