Tag: Meta-analysis

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Educational Administration and Leadership K-12 Education

The link between STEM teacher PD and student achievement

Although schools invest heavily in professional development to improve math and science instruction, there has been limited clarity on how these efforts affect teachers and whether changes at the teacher level lead to student learning gains. A new EdWorkingPaper from the Annenberg Institute at Brown University synthesizes findings from 46 randomized controlled trials to investigate the chain of effects from teacher PD to student outcomes.

On average, PD programs produced a large positive impact on teacher outcomes, including knowledge and instructional practice (ES = +0.52). Not all improvements were equally consequential for students. A one standard deviation improvement in instructional practice was associated with a +0.24 standard deviation gain in student achievement, while changes in teacher knowledge showed a smaller and non-significant relationship. PD programs that emphasized formative assessment or included a clear focus on deepening teacher knowledge were more likely to improve instruction.

These findings suggest that strengthening classroom instruction is a critical mechanism for translating teacher professional development into better student outcomes in math and science.

 

Source (Open Access): Lynch, Kathleen, Kathryn E. Gonzalez, Heather C. Hill, and Ramsey Merritt. (2025). A Meta-Analysis of the Experimental Evidence Linking Mathematics and Science Professional Development Interventions to Teacher Knowledge, Classroom Instruction, and Student Achievement. (EdWorkingPaper: 24-1023). Retrieved from Annenberg Institute at Brown University: https://doi.org/10.26300/r79z-tf23… Read the rest

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Educational Administration and Leadership K-12 Education Language Development

Learning to read: The dis-advantage of digital practices for younger learners

As digital devices replace physical books in classrooms and homes, many parents, teachers, and school administrators wonder whether this digital reading practice has the same benefits for developing readers as traditional books. Altamura, Vargas, and Salmeron tackled this question in a recently published study in the Review of Educational Research, specifically studying the effect of “leisure” reading on a digital device on reading comprehension. They reviewed 26 studies (representing 469,564 individuals) published between 2000 and 2022.

The authors found an effect size (correlation) of r = 0.06. This shows a link between greater leisure digital reading activities and greater reading comprehension. However, this effect size pales in comparison to prior effect sizes from reviews of print-reading leisure on reading comprehension, which averages closer to r = 0.35 for grades 1-12. The authors also identified substantive variation in this effect by age group: the relationship was negative for students in primary and middle school grades but positive for high school and college age, implying that digital reading in younger students has a negative impact on their reading comprehension.

Of note for interpreting this effect size, the digital reading activities included not just reading of virtual texts but other online “reading” activities including email, browsing the internet, chatting online, etc. However, the authors’ investigation comparing more text-based (“linear”) activities to more social-communicative activities did not reveal a significant difference in the relationship to reading comprehension.

These findings mirror conclusions found in other research studies of print vs digital reading that have been summarized in BEIB and may be accessed here.

 

Source: Altamura, L., Vargas, C., & Salmerón, L. (2025). Do new forms of reading pay off? A meta-analysis on the relationship between leisure digital reading habits and text comprehension. Review of Educational Research, 95(1), 53–88. https://doi.org/10.3102/00346543231216463… Read the rest

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Educational Administration and Leadership Primary School Education Secondary School Education

Understanding the impact of cyberbullying over time: Insights from longitudinal studies

While research has established a strong link between traditional bullying and mental health problems, far less is known about how cyberbullying impacts young people over time. To address this gap, a recent meta-analysis focused exclusively on longitudinal studies to provide a more robust understanding of the temporal relationship between cyberbullying victimization and various mental health outcomes, including depression, anxiety, loneliness, and post-traumatic stress. The analysis synthesized findings from 27 longitudinal studies, encompassing 27,133 participants 8-19 years old.

The results revealed a significant positive association between cyberbullying victimization and general mental health difficulties over time (r = 0.23). The association was particularly strong for depression (r = 0.27) and anxiety (r = 0.23). While positive correlations were also found for loneliness (r = 0.17); body image concerns, negative cognition, low self-esteem, psychological distress (r = 0.02); and somatic complaints, sleep issues, and stress (r = 0.23), these did not reach statistical significance—likely due to the limited number of studies available for these specific outcomes.

Cultural background and the time interval between assessments did not significantly moderate these associations. Further analysis through meta-regression revealed that the negative impact of cyberbullying victimization was more pronounced among older children, in samples with a higher proportion of males, and in more recent studies—perhaps reflecting growing awareness or shifts in digital behaviors.

 

Source (Open Access): Lee, J., Choo, H., Zhang, Y., Cheung, H. S., Zhang, Q., & Ang, R. P. (2025). Cyberbullying victimization and mental health symptoms among children and adolescents: A meta-analysis of longitudinal studies. Trauma, Violence, & Abuse, 15248380241313051. https://doi.org/10.1177/15248380241313051… Read the rest

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K-12 Education Language Development Maths and Science Learning

How early do STEM and verbal abilities stereotypes start among children?

In a recent meta-analysis on children’s gender stereotypes about STEM and verbal abilities, data from 98 studies across 33 nations involving more than 145,000 children were integrated. The findings reveal that verbal stereotypes favoring girls’ abilities (b = 0.19) are stronger than aggregated STEM stereotypes (b = 0.09). A closer look shows that at age 6, stereotypes reflected in-group bias—boys favoring boys, and girls favoring girls. These gender differences declined with age, and by age 16, the stereotypes tended to align with traditional gender roles: boys were favored in STEM ability, and girls in verbal ability.

Girls showed stronger pro-female verbal stereotypes than boys, and while verbal stereotypes increasingly favored girls with age, STEM stereotypes remained more stable. Girls’ STEM beliefs shifted from pro-female to pro-male around ages 10–12, while boys’ verbal beliefs flipped to pro-female around ages 8–10. By age 8, verbal stereotypes already significantly favored girls. STEM stereotypes varied by domain, with stronger male-favoring beliefs in computer science, engineering, and physics (b = 0.25), and weaker or negligible biases in general math (b = 0.06) and science (b = 0.09). Background also mattered: children identified as Black held weaker STEM stereotypes than those identified as White, especially among girls. Black children’s views were largely gender-neutral, while White children slightly favored boys.

These results suggest that stereotypes emerge early, and may shape children’s interests and academic choices. Addressing these beliefs calls for cross-disciplinary collaboration and greater research focus on understudied areas like computing, engineering, and verbal ability development. Interventions could aim to challenge or broaden stereotypes and mitigate their impact, guided by a clear understanding of when such beliefs typically take root.

 

Source (Open Access): Miller, D. I., Lauer, J. E., Tanenbaum, C., & Burr, L. (2024). The development of children’s gender stereotypes about STEM and verbal abilities: A preregistered meta-analytic review of 98 studies. Psychological bulletin, 150(12), 1363–1396. https://doi.org/10.1037/bul0000456… Read the rest

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Educational Administration and Leadership Effective Teaching Approach K-12 Education

What kind of gamified learning is working: evidence from 37 studies

Gamification (adding game-like elements to lessons) can boost student engagement and learning. Studies show it works best when activities have clear rules, challenges that get harder over time, and fun surprises to spark curiosity. Research suggests that well-designed gamification can enhance academic performance and foster positive emotional experiences, such as increased confidence and enjoyment. However, designing effective gamified tasks requires careful planning, as poorly implemented elements—such as excessive competition or overly complex rules—may inadvertently demotivate learners or distract from core content.

A recent meta-analysis by Dai and colleagues, synthesizing 37 studies, offered actionable insights. The study found that gamified learning had a moderate positive impact on student outcomes (d = 0.57), with the strongest results seen in activities that included clear rules, challenges, and unexpected scenarios designed to stimulate curiosity at the same time—for example, mystery-solving tasks or narrative-driven quests.

Notably, effects varied by subject. Disciplines with structured knowledge systems, such as mathematics and engineering, showed greater benefits compared to humanities or arts, suggesting that gamification works best when aligned with concrete, step-by-step learning objectives. Practical recommendations for teachers include a) introduce simple gamified elements like point systems or progress badges to complement existing lessons, ensuring rules are easy to understand; b) regularly assess whether gamification enhances learning or causes distractions and c) embed storytelling or mystery elements to align challenges with learning goals.

 

Source: Dai, W.-A., Xu, W., & Xing, Q.-W. (2025). Gamified learning impact: A meta-analysis of game element combinations on students’ learning outcomes. Educational Technology Research and Development. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11423-025-10493-y… Read the rest

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K-12 Education Maths and Science Learning

The effects of integrated STEM education in K12

Integrated STEM education, which combines science, technology, engineering, and mathematics into interdisciplinary learning, has gained growing attention for its potential to prepare students for real-world challenges. A recent meta-analysis by Chen and colleagues synthesized 109 studies (experimental or quasi-experimental designs) conducted between 2010-2022 to examine its effectiveness in K-12 settings. The researchers examined the effects of integrated STEM education through three primary types of interventions:

  1. Comparing integrated STEM education to non-integrated approaches in STEM programs (70 studies)
  2. Implementing extra teaching and learning (T&L) strategies (like guided prompts and process modelling) versus not using them in integrated STEM programs (23 studies)
  3. Incorporating specific learning technologies (e.g., simulations, virtual reality) versus not using them in integrated STEM programs (16 studies)

The findings reveal that all three approaches yielded positive effects. Integrated STEM education showed large effects on cognitive skills (g=0.94), knowledge acquisition (g=0.62) and perceptions (g=0.37). Notably, quasi-experimental studies demonstrated larger effects compared to randomized controlled trials. Programs with shorter duration and smaller sample size tended to obtain relatively larger effect sizes. Design-based tasks enhanced student perception but were less effective for knowledge acquisition compared to inquiry-based tasks.

Extra T&L strategies exhibited small to medium effects on cognitive skills (g=0.71), problem-solving task (g=0.52), and perceptions (g=0.34). Using technologies in integrated STEM showed medium effects on knowledge acquisition (g= 0.61), social skills (g=0.54) and perception (g=0.47).

The authors discussed several practice implications that may benefit integrated STEM education. While quasi-experimental studies showed larger effects, the variation in effect sizes between research designs suggests the need for more rigorous randomized controlled trials to validate these findings.

 

Source: Chen, B., Chen, J., Wang, M., Tsai, C.-C., & Kirschner, P. A. (2025). The effects of integrated STEM education on K12 students’ achievements: A meta-analysis. Review of Educational Research, 00346543251318297. https://doi.org/10.3102/00346543251318297… Read the rest