Category: Educational Administration and Leadership

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Educational Administration and Leadership Effective Teaching Approach Higher Education

How to conduct a more effective flipped class for English language learning?

The flipped classroom approach, where students learn new content via video lectures outside class and use class time for interactive applications, is gaining popularity in higher education.  A meta-analysis by Ni and colleagues, published in the International Journal of Educational Research, explored the impact of the flipped classroom approach on college students’ English learning outcomes.

The meta-analysis included 24 studies conducted from 2000 to 2020, yielding 31 effect sizes. These studies focused on the use of the flipped classroom approach in English language learning, wherein instructional videos and other technological tools were employed prior to class sessions to enhance high school students’ performance. All studies followed a pre-test, post-test control group design, comparing students who experienced the flipped classroom with those taught using traditional methods. The analysis revealed that flipped classrooms had a positive, moderate overall effect on learning outcomes (ES = +0.68).

Examining different types of flipped classroom designs, the following findings emerged:

  • Interventions that included a review of pre-class preparation during class (ES = +0.92) had significantly higher effects than interventions without such reviews (ES = +0.38).
  • A significant difference was observed among three types of constructive learning models: self-learning (k=3, ES = +0.22), cooperative learning (ES = +0.58), and a blend of the two (ES = +1.10).
  • The studies utilizing a Learning Management System (LMS) showed a greater effect size (ES = +0.81) compared to those that did not (ES = 0.54), although no significant difference was found between the two.
  • No significant difference was noted concerning different pre-class activities or whether a study integrated language learning theory.
  • Regarding study regions, studies conducted in Mainland China (ES = +0.48) had significantly smaller effect sizes than those conducted in other parts of Asia (ES = +0.89), including the Middle East.

The findings of this meta-analysis offer valuable insights into the conditions under which flipped classrooms are more effective in improving students’ English language learning outcomes.

Note: k = no. of effect sizes.

 

Source: Ni, A., Cheung, A. C. K., & Shi, J. (2023). The impact of flipped classroom teaching on college English language learning: A meta-analysis. International Journal of Educational Research, 121, 102230. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijer.2023.102230… Read the rest

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Educational Administration and Leadership Primary School Education Programme Evaluation Secondary School Education

Addressing student learning and attendance through meals

While many solutions to address poor academic achievement and attendance rates have focused on in-class interventions or tutoring, there is growing awareness and interest in supporting student performance through non-academic means, including health services. One such area is in addressing food insecurity through free or reduced-price meals in schools.

In a recent study, Chandrasekhar and colleagues examined the influence of the Breakfast After the Bell (BATB) program in Dallas Independent Schools District on student academic performance and student attendance. BATB is a “second-chance breakfast option” for students arriving after the cafeteria has closed for the morning, in which students who arrive late to school can get breakfast and take it to class. Over the course of the 2017-2019 school years, BATB served over 819,000 breakfasts.

In their pre/post study design, Chandrasekhar and colleagues used paired t-tests to examine the differences in mean reading and math scores, and school days attended over the course of two years for students who participated in BATB and those who did not (a sample of 30,493 students in grades 5-12).

While there were no significant differences in reading or math scores over the 2 years of the program when comparing treatment students to comparison students, when comparing treatment students to their own pre-test scores, BATB participants did demonstrate a statistically significant increase in reading scores over that time (p<.001). In addition, when adjusting for influential covariates, including grade, age, sex, and race/ethnicity, BATB participants were found to be more than 2.55 times more likely to attend school. This study suggests the benefits of a larger, experimental study to further understand the impact of nutrition programs for underserved populations, but also suggests that nutrition interventions focused on diverse high school students (where there are higher rates of chronic absenteeism) can have promising impacts on improving attendance rates.

 

Source: Chandrasekhar, A., Xie, L., Mathew, M. S., Fletcher, J. G., Craker, K., Parayil, M., & Messiah, S. E. (2023). Academic and attendance outcomes after participation in a school breakfast program. Journal of School Health, 93(6), 508–514. https://doi.org/10.1111/josh.13320… Read the rest

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Educational Administration and Leadership K-12 Education

The impact of study abroad on promoting teachers’ intercultural competence

With the reality that schools and classrooms across countries are becoming culturally more diverse, the need for professional development that prepares teachers to be interculturally competent has been increasingly recognized. A recent meta-analysis by Huang and colleagues examined the impact of study abroad on teachers’ intercultural competence.

The meta-analysis identified 21 effect sizes from 16 studies that met the eligible criteria. The criteria included: (1) the type of study abroad program in the study could be an intercultural practicum, intercultural internship, cultural immersion, or study tour program. (2) The duration of these programs could be either short-term or long-term. (3) Participants could be pre-service teachers, in-service teachers, student teachers, teacher candidates, etc.

An overall positive effect size of +0.34 was found. The results regarding various factors were as follows:

  • No significant difference was observed among the three types of study programs: intercultural learning study programs (k=8, ES = 0.43), intercultural teaching programs (k=5, ES = 0.40), and study tours (k=8, ES=0.17).
  • Programs incorporating reentry reflective guidance (k=12, ES = 0.52) exhibited a significantly higher effect size than programs without (k=9, ES= 0.12).
  • Programs with longer durations (k=11, ES=0.56) yielded higher effect sizes than those with shorter durations (k=10, ES=0.11).
  • No significant difference was found in other moderators, such as cultural distance (adjacent vs. distant), instrument, teacher type (pre-service vs. in-service).

The authors suggest customizing study abroad programs to teachers’ needs, integrating reflective activities, and providing ongoing professional development opportunities.

Note: k = no. of effect sizes.

Source: Huang, Q., Cheung, A. C. K., & Xuan, Q. (2023). The impact of study abroad on pre-service and in-service teachers’ intercultural competence: A meta-analysis. Teaching and Teacher Education, 127, 104091. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2023.104091… Read the rest

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Educational Administration and Leadership Higher Education K-12 Education

Who wants to be a U.S. teacher?

According to a recent study, fewer American high school graduates, particularly those with strong grades and those from historically marginalized backgrounds, want to become a K-12 teacher. Researchers analyzed data from students who applied to a large Texas university between 2009-2020. They examined the number of applicants who expressed interest in teacher education, tracked transfers into and out of such programs while in college, and monitored how many became employed as teachers in Texas. In 2009, 13% of those applying through this common application were initially interested in teaching, while this number dropped to 6.7% by 2020.

The few studies that exist on who is strongly interested in teaching indicate that the population is heavily dominated by white, female students, particularly of lower academic achievement. A leading reason students may be interested in becoming a teacher is the enjoyment of working with children. Conversely, those uninterested in teaching often cite salary and opportunities for advancement to be drawbacks. Additionally, teaching requires a bachelor’s degree and typically certification as well. Gaps in access to and persistence in higher cognitive approach education across lines of race, ethnicity, and family income also contribute to the new teacher population closely matching the existing teacher population. Moreover, students with high academic credentials or those from historically marginalized backgrounds with a bachelor’s degree might have alternatives outside the teaching sector that offer higher pay or status.

Further research could seek to understand better why some young people have an initial interest in teaching, why some who have an initial interest follow through with enrolling in teacher education programs, and what contributes towards graduates’ decisions to enter the profession. This research can potentially enhance the overall size and diversity of the teacher pipeline in the U.S.

 

Source: Bartanen, B., & Kwok, A. (2023). From interest to entry: The teacher pipeline from college application to initial employment. American Educational Research Journal, 60(5), 941–985. https://doi.org/10.3102/00028312231185733… Read the rest

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Educational Administration and Leadership K-12 Education

What matters when considering effect-size benchmarks?

For consumers of educational research, effect sizes play a key role in understanding what strategies and interventions are likely to have the biggest impact on the learning process and student achievement. In a recent article in Educational Researcher, Kraft replicated his earlier analysis using a larger data set of effect sizes to realistically reflect what constitutes small, medium, and large effects of educational interventions. He argued for the need to reorient how we interpret effect-size benchmarks and more generally how we measure success in the education sector. Central to his approach is the recognition that many education interventions fail to produce substantial impacts on student outcomes, and rather than dismissing these results, they should be integral to interpreting the policy relevance of effect-size benchmarks and crucial to setting realistic expectations for what counts as meaningful impact.

While research designs and contexts differ in multiple ways that make interpreting effect sizes across studies not entirely straightforward, they are still useful in synthesizing large amounts of data, discovering patterns, and making broader inferences. This analysis included 973 studies and 3,426 effect sizes and replicated the findings that the effect-size distribution at the 30th percentile = +0.02, 50th percentile = +0.10, and 70th percentile = +0.21. Further breakdowns showed that 36% of effect sizes from standardized achievement measures in randomized control trials were smaller than +0.05. By anchoring effect-size benchmarks in the reality that a large portion of interventions do not significantly increase student achievement, it contributes to a better understanding of realistic growth.

Kraft’s article underscores the need for a nuanced interpretation of effect-size benchmarks, which are meant to help frame evidence-based policymaking and are intended to be coupled with information about statistical significance and the understanding that both the size and the precision of the effect-size estimates count. However, a singular focus on the magnitude of the effect size sometimes has the education community overlooking the less shiny interventions that produce incremental improvement. Overall, understanding effect sizes across the educational research landscape contributes to a more informed interpretation of the impact of educational interventions, facilitating evidence-based decision-making in educational policy and practice.

 

Source: Kraft, M. A. (2023). The Effect-Size Benchmark That Matters Most: Education Interventions Often Fail. Educational Researcher, 52(3), 183–187. https://doi.org/10.3102/0013189X231155154… Read the rest

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Educational Administration and Leadership

How to choose a tool for screening in systematic reviews

Title and abstract screening involve a rapid examination of the titles and abstracts of the records identified through a search strategy to determine their relevance for a review. It is one of the most time-consuming tasks in a systematic review.

A recent study conducted by Zhang and Neitzel from the Center for Research and Reform in Education (Johns Hopkins University) reviewed the tools developed to support the screening process. The authors conducted a review of the tools used in systematic reviews published in Review of Educational Research and assessed their features.

Results showed that only 4% of the identified studies reported the use of a screening tool, such as DistillerAI, EPPI-Reviewer, and Covidence. Based on the features analysis conducted by the authors, Covidence, DistillerAI, and EPPI-Reviewer were the top performing tools. In conclusion, the authors proposed a decision tree to support researchers in choosing the right tool to use in their review based on relevant features, such as full-text review function, cost, and machine learning.

 

Source: Zhang, Q., & Neitzel, A. (2023). Choosing the Right Tool for the Job: Screening Tools for Systematic Reviews in Education. Journal of Research on Educational Effectiveness, 0(0), 1–27. https://doi.org/10.1080/19345747.2023.2209079… Read the rest