Category: Educational Administration and Leadership

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Educational Administration and Leadership Kindergarten

Course-based or coaching-based teacher professional development, or both?

A recent randomized controlled study by Downer and colleagues explored the effects of course-based and coaching-based professional development on 496 early childhood teachers and their students, with a focus on teacher-student interactions during language and literacy instruction. Teachers were recruited from large community preschools and Head Start programs and were randomized in two phases to conditions: a 14-week course on effective student-teacher interaction (Phase I) and a one-year teacher-coaching approach (Phase II). Overall, there were four conditions across the two phases: (a) no course/no coaching (business-as-usual control group), (b) no course/coaching, (c) course/no coaching, and (d) course/coaching.

The findings of the study indicated that both course-based and coaching-based professional development interventions led to positive changes in teacher-student interaction related outcomes. The combination of the two approaches, however, did not yield additional benefits. Specifically, in relation to the control condition, the course-based professional development intervention found a modest yet enduring positive impact on teachers’ knowledge about and ability to identify effective classroom interactions, and the coaching intervention had a small effect on children’s positive engagement with teachers. Furthermore, both the course-based and coaching-based professional development interventions were beneficial for fostering instructionally supportive teacher-student interactions, with coaching-based intervention exhibiting greater impact as compared to course-based intervention.

 

Source: Downer, J. T., Doyle, N. B., Pianta, R. C., Burchinal, M., Field, S., Hamre, B. K., LoCasale-Crouch, J., Howes, C., LaParo, K., & Scott-Little, C. (2024). Coaching and coursework focused on teacher–child interactions during language/literacy instruction: Effects on teacher outcomes and children’s classroom engagement. Early Education and Development, 0(0), 1–31. https://doi.org/10.1080/10409289.2024.2303604… Read the rest

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Educational Administration and Leadership Maths and Science Learning Secondary School Education

Can PARLO assessment enhance math education?

Educators have long advocated for integrating formative assessment alongside summative assessment to provide ongoing feedback and support student outcomes. Previously evaluated through two pilot studies, the PARLO (Proficiency-based Assessment and Re-assessment of Learning Outcomes) system is tailored for student-facing assessment in schools that may use a traditional grading system. Unlike traditional methods, PARLO doesn’t calculate final grades based on weighted averages of summative scores; instead, it assesses students’ proficiency in learning outcomes and offers personalized feedback to guide further learning. This approach empowers students to pursue additional work and seek reassessment for full credit.

A recent mixed-methods study, utilizing a cluster-randomized control trial, explored PARLO’s impact on 9th-grade students’ expectancies for success, motivation, intrinsic and utility value, and academic outcomes in math. The study included 38 teachers from 14 treatment schools and 27 teachers from 15 control schools, all volunteering to participate. With formative assessment gaining popularity, control teachers were prompted to adopt some PARLO aspects, creating a “limited treatment condition” compared to the “full treatment condition” of the experimental group. The treatment incorporated diverse professional development and a project-developed software tool. Qualitative data were gathered through 84 interviews with PARLO teachers and an open-ended survey completed by 678 students from a non-random treatment sample.

Quantitative findings revealed a significant positive impact of PARLO on ninth graders’ mathematics learning (ES=+0.33), consistently observed across various factors. Qualitative data highlighted increased student engagement, yet concerns about “contentment” and “procrastination” were noted. Investigating motivation as a potential moderator of math achievement, the analysis revealed a positive association between PARLO‘s impact on individual students’ math performance and their motivation levels: more motivated students were more likely to take advantage of PARLO’s opportunities. The PARLO system shows promise in enhancing mathematics learning outcomes and student engagement that could be further explored building on lessons learned.

 

Source: Kramer, S. L., Posner, M. A., Browman, A. S., Lawrence, N. R., Roem, J., & Krier, K. (2024). The Impacts of a standards-based grading system emphasizing formative assessment, feedback, and re-assessment: A mixed methods, cluster randomized control trial in ninth grade mathematics classrooms. Journal of Research on Educational Effectiveness, 0(0),. https://doi.org/10.1080/19345747.2023.2287594… Read the rest

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Educational Administration and Leadership K-12 Education Language Development

Demystifying robots’ social behaviors in language learning

Robot-assisted language learning involves the use of robots to aid students in learning and expressing language. In this educational approach, robots engage in interactive social behaviors. A recent systematic review and meta-analysis by Wang and Cheung investigated different types of robots’ social behaviors in language learning and their impacts. The review synthesized 59 empirical studies to explore in what contexts and how different social behaviors exhibited by robots have contributed to language learning, and the effectiveness of robots’ social supportive behaviors compared to their neutral behaviors.

Results showed that robots’ social behaviors have predominantly been observed in contexts involving fewer than 80 K-12 students, for learning English vocabulary within a single session. In the process, robots interacted with students socially via non-verbal and verbal behaviors. Non-verbal behaviors consisted of physical appearance, gesture, posture, face and eye behaviors, and environment and space. Verbal behaviors included vocal behaviors, verbal immediacy, verbal feedback, and verbal adaptivity. These social behaviors conveyed social signals that indicated robots’ roles, instructional support, and a friendly real-life learning atmosphere.

Regarding the effects of robots’ social supportive behaviors versus neutral behaviors, this study found a positive overall effect size (g = +0.27). Specifically, when robots played the role of tutors rather than peers, robots’ social supportive behaviors produced better language learning. In addition, anthropomorphic robots showed a slightly higher effect than cartoon-like robots. Mixed behaviors had the largest effect, followed by non-verbal behaviors and verbal behaviors. This study provides insights into future research and practice in the field of robot-assisted language learning.

 

Source: Wang, F., & Cheung, A. C. K. (2024). Robots’ social behaviors for language learning: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Review of Educational Research, 00346543231216437. https://doi.org/10.3102/00346543231216437… Read the rest

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Educational Administration and Leadership K-12 Education Language Development

How does SES influence reading performance?

The influence of family socioeconomic status (SES) on the development of children’s reading ability has been widely studied. A meta-analysis by Li and colleagues explored a mechanism through which SES affects reading ability. They proposed that SES not only has a direct effect on reading outcomes (reading accuracy, fluency, and comprehension), but also indirectly affects reading ability through two linguistic skills, namely, phonological awareness (PA) and vocabulary knowledge (VK). To test this proposed mediation role, meta-analytic structural equation modeling was employed.

The results of the modeling, based on 385 studies with participants age ranging from 2.16 to 17.9 years, revealed that SES had significant direct effect on linguistics skills and reading outcomes. Both PA and VK played a significant mediation role in the relation between SES and reading. Put differently, SES influenced students’ reading both directly and through its impact on phonological awareness and vocabulary knowledge.

Moderation effects were also observed in the mediation process, specifically age, measurement of family SES, and writing system:

  • The effect of vocabulary knowledge on reading accuracy and reading comprehension increased with age.
  • With limited samples, the analysis found that measurement of SES moderated the effect of PA on reading accuracy, i.e., PA became a stronger predictor when composite SES was used rather than single item SES.
  • PA had stronger effect on reading accuracy in alphabetic languages (e.g., English) compared to logographic language (i.e., Chinese). Similarly, the influence of VK on reading comprehension was stronger in alphabet languages than in the logographic language.

The authors noted that resources should be invested in foundational literacy skills, which are proximal variables, to support further reading development. Notably, while significant moderation effects were found on specific correlation paths in the mediation pathway, no statistical test was conducted to determine whether these moderators significantly modified the mediation effects.

 

Source: Li, J., Peng, P., Ma, X., Ding, N., & Zhao, J. (2023). How does family socioeconomic status influence children’s reading ability? Evidence from meta-analytic structural equation modeling. Educational Psychology Review, 35(4), 119. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-023-09834-1… Read the rest

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Educational Administration and Leadership K-12 Education

When and how to deliver tutoring to maximize its impact

The American Educational Research Journal has published a meta-analysis on the impact of tutoring programs on student academic achievement in preK-12. The study aims to show how the effects vary based on a range of characteristics. For inclusion in the review, studies had to use randomized designs and evaluate preK-12 tutoring interventions on learning outcomes measured through independent tests (i.e., not created by researchers/developers of the program). A total of 90 studies were included in the review. Of these, 72 studies measured literacy outcomes and 22 math outcomes. Most of the programs were delivered by a paraprofessional (43 studies), while the others were delivered by teachers and non-professionals or parents. The authors also coded the following characteristics to assess the variation in impact of tutoring: teacher-student ratio, setting, grade level, and the quality of the study design.

Overall, results showed significant positive effects of tutoring programs on student achievement (ES = +0.29) with larger effect sizes in kindergarten (ES = +0.41) and grade 1 (ES = +0.38) than grades 2-11. One-to-one tutoring had a larger effect (ES = +0.32) than small group tutoring (ES = +0.26). Tutoring provided by teachers was found to be more effective (overall ES = +0.39) than tutoring provided by paraprofessionals (ES = +0.30) and non-professionals (ES = +0.17), with the strongest difference in first grade.

On program delivery features, no difference was found between short and long duration (less or more than 20 weeks), while larger effects were found for intensity with 4-5 days/week of tutoring having a larger impact (ES = +0.35) than 1-3 days/week, however when tutoring was provided by a teacher, the effect for 3 days/week was higher. When tutoring was delivered in short sessions (less than 30 minutes; ES = +0.33) the impact was larger than when delivered in longer sessions (ES = +0.21). When tutoring was provided during the school time the effect was larger (ES = +0.31) than when provided after school (ES = +0.21).

 

Source: Nickow, A., Oreopoulos, P., & Quan, V. (2024). The promise of tutoring for PreK–12 learning: A systematic review and meta-analysis of the experimental evidence. American Educational Research Journal, 61(1), 74–107. https://doi.org/10.3102/00028312231208687… Read the rest

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Educational Administration and Leadership Higher Education Primary School Education Secondary School Education

Effects of feedback in technology-rich learning environments

The utilization of technology-rich learning environments (TREs) involves integrating new technologies and media to enhance information resources and tools, such as intelligent tutoring systems, virtual reality, and educational learning games. A meta-analysis conducted by Cal and colleagues examined the impact of feedback on academic performance within TREs. The included studies required both an experimental group and a control group, with the experimental group receiving one type of feedback while the control group either received no feedback or a different type of feedback. The analysis encompassed 182 effect sizes from 61 studies, with the majority published between 2010 and 2021 (84%). In comparison to the no feedback condition, the findings are as follows:

  • Overall, feedback had a medium positive effect (g=+0.44) on academic performance.
  • The type of feedback served as a significant moderator, with elaborate feedback having stronger effect than simple feedback. The distinction between simple and elaborate feedback lies in complexity. Simple feedback included “Knowledge of Results” (KR, g=+0.232) and “Knowledge of Correct Response” (KCR, g=+0.358), which simply indicated right or wrong answers, with the correct answer provided in KCR. Elaborate feedback consisted of explanation feedback (ExF, g=+0.685), which detailed why responses were right or wrong; prompt feedback (PF, g=+0.389), which provided information such as examples, tips, or demonstrations; and metacognitive feedback (MF, g=+0.517), which related to the process of monitoring and regulating learning.
  • Blended learning environments had a larger effect (g=+0.701) compared to online learning environments (g=+0.363).

In studies comparing one type of feedback to another, the results of pairwise comparisons among feedback types are as follows. However, it is important to interpret these results with caution due to the small number of studies involved:

  • Elaborate feedback was more effective than simple feedback.
  • Among the three types of elaborate feedback, ExF was more effective than PF and MF, while PF was more effective than MF. Between the two types of simple feedback, KCR showed an advantage over KR.

Given the rapid development of technology in education, the authors believe that this meta-analysis provides a timely update on feedback within this research area.

 

Source: Cai, Z., Gui, Y., Mao, P., Wang, Z., Hao, X., Fan, X., & Tai, R. H. (2023). The effect of feedback on academic achievement in technology-rich learning environments (TREs): A meta-analytic review. Educational Research Review, 39, 100521. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.edurev.2023.100521… Read the rest