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Descriptors:
Academic Achievement; Females; Ethnography; Disproportionate Representation; Middle School Students; Science Instruction; Science Education; Science Activities; Communities of Practice; Expertise; Case Studies; Grade 6; Grade 7; Grade 8; Clubs; Science Achievement

Abstract:
The underrepresentation of girls from nondominant backgrounds in the sciences and engineering continues despite recent gains in achievement. This longitudinal ethnographic study traces the identity work that girls from nondominant backgrounds do as they engage in science-related activities across school, club, and home during the middle school years. Building a conceptual argument for identity trajectories, the authors discuss the ongoing, cumulative, and contentious nature of identity work and the mechanisms that foster critical shifts in trajectories. The authors argue that the girls view possible future selves in science when their identity work is recognized, supported, and leveraged toward expanded opportunities for engagement in science. This process yields layered meanings of (possible) selves and of science and reconfigures meaningful participation in science. (Contains 2 tables, 1 figure, and 1 note.) Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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Descriptors:
Classroom Environment; Communities of Practice; Programming; Expertise; Knowledge Level; Grade 6; Social Status; Role; Change; Group Dynamics; Teacher Student Relationship; Peer Relationship; Recognition (Achievement)

Abstract:
Changing an established role in a classroom is difficult. It involves constructing a new set of relations within a community. In this article we investigate how students with newly developed interest and experience in programming developed outside the classroom pick up and establish their roles as experts in programming within the classroom community. More specifically, we focus on how two 11-year-old software designers shifted their established roles in their classroom to gain status as expert programmers. We use an identity lens to understand how peer expertise was established in the context of a classroom community, adopting a multifaceted perspective of identity by focusing on an individual's narrativization of self, full, or peripheral participation among a group of people, and individuals' social recognition by others. Our findings point to the importance of both positive positioning by authority figures in the classroom and activities and roles that provide opportunities to establish intersubjectivity among peers in facilitating students' identities as experts in the classroom. Students' willingness to take up a new position in the established activity system also played a role. We consider implications of how making roles flexible within classroom stratification may provide opportunities for more students see themselves as experts. (Contains 3 footnotes.) Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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Descriptors:
Academic Achievement; Validity; Motivation; Physical Education; Construct Validity; Factor Structure; Self Determination; Grade 5; Grade 6; Elementary School Students; Middle School Students; High School Students; Scores; Correlation; Foreign Countries; Team Sports; Likert Scales; Goodness of Fit; Reliability

Abstract:
The present study investigated the nomological validity of the Amotivation Inventory-Physical Education (Shen, Wingert, Li, Sun, & Rukavina, 2010b) scores by examining the associations of ability, effort, value, and task characteristics amotivation beliefs with self-determination theory variables. Data were collected from 401 fifth- and sixth-grade students, 416 middle-school students, and 401 high-school students. After providing support for the correlated four-factor structure, the hierarchical structure, internal consistency, and composite reliability of the Amotivation Inventory-Physical Education scores, large negative correlations emerged with perceived autonomy support by the PE teacher; needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness; identified regulation; intrinsic motivation; and students' subjective vitality. Strong positive correlations were obtained with unidimensional amotivation and external regulation, and weak correlations were obtained with introjected regulation. Also, multidimensional amotivation beliefs partially mediated the relationship between the need for autonomy and subjective vitality. The results provided support for the nomological aspect of construct validity of the Amotivation Inventory-Physical Education scores. (Contains 5 tables and 4 figures.) Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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Descriptors:
Academic Achievement; Mathematics Achievement; Program Effectiveness; Foreign Countries; Feedback (Response); Family Characteristics; Numeracy; Case Studies; Comparative Analysis; Models; Outcomes of Education; Scores; Accountability; Achievement Gains; Reading Achievement; Grade 6; Grade 4; Grade 5; Elementary School Students

Abstract:
Educational effectiveness research often appeals to "value-added models (VAM)" to gauge the impact of schooling on student learning net of the effect of student background variables. A huge amount of cross-sectional studies do not, however, meet VAM's requirement for longitudinal data. "Contextualised attainment models (CAM)" measure the influence of schools on student outcomes controlling for family background characteristics in cross-sectional studies. It is argued that the latter are adequate substitutes for student prior attainment. Drawing on data from a 3-point longitudinal study in the city of Berlin, Germany (n = 3,074), reading and mathematics achievement of primary students are investigated to assess effectiveness measures of schools. Estimates are compared for a 3-level growth curve analysis (VAM), a hierarchical linear model controlling for background characteristics (CAM), and one additionally controlling for prior achievement scores (prior attainment model). The article contributes to the enhancement of a feedback culture for cross-sectional study results. (Contains 5 tables, 5 figures and 6 notes.) Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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Foreign Countries; Elementary School Students; Mathematics Instruction; Mathematical Logic; Grade 6; Validity; Elementary School Mathematics; Persuasive Discourse; Mathematics Skills; Questionnaires

Abstract:
Research and classroom experience reveal that the construction of mathematical proofs is difficult for all students. While many contemporary mathematics curricula recognize the importance of teaching reasoning and proof, in Greece these concepts are introduced at the secondary education level. In this study, we will attempt to investigate a group of 19 grade 6 elementary school students' ability to reason logically, to justify an argument, and to prove mathematical conjectures. The results of this study indicate that, even though the process of justification is difficult for students, they were able to demonstrate skills related to mathematical proof. (Contains 4 tables and 1 figure.) Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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Descriptors:
Teaching Methods; Grade 6; Grade 7; Algebra; Mathematical Concepts; Mathematics; Cognitive Structures; Mathematics Achievement; Middle School Students

Abstract:
Previous research has demonstrated the effectiveness of particular instructional practices that support students' constructions of the partitive unit fraction scheme and measurement concepts for fractions. Another body of research has demonstrated the power of a particular mental operation--the splitting operation--in supporting students' development of advanced fractional knowledge and algebraic reasoning. Steffe (2010) has hypothesized that students construct splitting through the unification of partitioning and iterating operations contained within the partitive unit fraction scheme. We used written assessments of 49 students, across sixth and seventh grades, to test this hypothesis. Our results show that students who have constructed a partitive unit fraction scheme go on to construct splitting within a relatively short period of time. Conversely, students who have not constructed a partitive unit fraction scheme generally do not construct splitting. We discuss these results and their implications for designing instruction and curricula that support students' development of algebraic reasoning. (Contains 10 figures, 5 tables and 1 footnote.) Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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Descriptors:
Mathematics Instruction; Mathematics Skills; Class Activities; Mathematics Activities; Worksheets; Lesson Plans; Instructional Materials; Visual Aids; Teaching Guides; Glossaries; Academic Standards; Relevance (Education); Grade 7; Grade 8; Measurement; Geometry; Grade 6; Geometric Concepts

Abstract:
"Setting the Stage with Geometry" is a new math program aligned with the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) standards that is designed to help students in grades 6-8 build and reinforce basic geometry skills for measuring 2D and 3D shapes. Developed by The Actuarial Foundation, this program seeks to provide skill-building math activities to help students become successful in the classroom and in real-world situations outside of school. Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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Descriptors:
Reading Motivation; Elementary School Students; Secondary School Students; Reading Difficulties; Special Needs Students; Disabilities; Reading Attitudes; Negative Attitudes; Reading Skills; Reading Strategies; Barriers; Reading Improvement; Adolescents; Grade 4; Grade 5; Grade 6; Grade 10; Grade 11; Grade 12

Abstract:
Lack of reading motivation impedes upper elementary and secondary school students' willingness to improve critical reading skills and strategies to be successful in school. Struggling readers often show a negative attitude towards reading tasks and manifest low motivation to read. Although the importance of motivation is clear, there is limited research on reading motivation of struggling adolescents with disabilities. This study examined whether reading motivation of struggling readers with and without disabilities significantly changed after an eighteen week period of reading instruction in two elementary schools and one high school in a Midwest state of the United States of America (USA). Findings yielded significant improvement in motivation for adolescents without disabilities while motivation scores declined for students with disabilities. An overview of students' answers to survey questions is provided and some evidence-based methods that teachers can utilize to improve reading motivation of upper elementary and high school students are summarized. (Contains 4 tables.) Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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Descriptors:
Physical Education; Nutrition Instruction; Intervention; Middle School Students; Grade 6; Grade 7; Grade 8; Physical Activity Level; Physical Education Teachers; Middle School Teachers; Faculty Development; Inservice Teacher Education; Public Schools; Instructional Effectiveness; Educational Research

Abstract:
The study reviewed in this paper examined the effect of the "Middle School Physical Activity and Nutrition" ("M-SPAN)" intervention on the physical activity level of middle school students. For this 2-year study, 24 middle schools from six districts in southern California were stratified by school district and then randomly assigned to either "M-SPAN" or a comparison condition. To assess students' physical activity levels and the content (referred to as "lesson context" in the article) of physical education (PE) classes, researchers observed students in PE classes on 11 randomly selected days for each school throughout the 2-year study period. Researchers documented the lesson content of the classes and observed a total of 1,849 lessons taught by 214 teachers (between seven and 14 teachers per school, with an average class size of 37.5 students). The study assessed the effectiveness of "M-SPAN" by examining moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), the amount of time students spent either walking or being very active, and other types of activities and PE lesson content across schools that received the "M-SPAN" training. The study found that the "M-SPAN" intervention caused a statistically significant improvement in the amount of time students spent in MVPA, and the What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) confirms this study-level finding. The WWC calculated the "M-SPAN" intervention as improving the MVPA in schools by an average of 3 minutes per lesson (approximately 0.79 school standard deviation units) across the 2-year period of the study. The research described in this report meets WWC evidence standards without reservations. Appended are: (1) Study details; (2) Outcome measures for each domain; (3) Study findings for each domain; and (4) Supplemental findings by domain. A glossary of terms is included. (Contains 3 endnotes.) Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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Descriptors:
Public School Teachers; Elementary School Teachers; Urban Schools; Academic Achievement; Elementary School Students; Grade 4; Grade 5; Grade 6; Grade 7; Grade 8; Teacher Persistence; Mentors; Teacher Leadership; Teacher Salaries; Incentives; Program Effectiveness; Educational Research

Abstract:
The study reviewed in this paper examined whether the Chicago Public Schools' Teacher Advancement Program (Chicago TAP), which provides mentoring, leadership opportunities, and financial incentives to teachers, improved student academic achievement and teacher retention. The study used two designs to answer distinct research questions. Under the first design, a randomized controlled trial, the authors examined the academic achievement of more than 7,600 students in grades 4-8 from 34 public schools in Chicago. In the spring of 2007 and again in the spring of 2009, groups of schools were randomly assigned either to participate in Chicago TAP during the coming school year or to serve as a comparison group for a year and participate in Chicago TAP during the following school year. The effect of Chicago TAP on academic achievement after one year of implementation was estimated by comparing the spring math, reading, and science achievement of students in Chicago TAP schools to the achievement of students in schools that had not yet implemented the program. Using the second design, a quasi-experiment, the study examined teachers' retention rates, defined as remaining in the same school from year to year. The effect of Chicago TAP on teacher retention was assessed by comparing the retention of teachers in Chicago TAP schools with the retention of a matched sample of teachers in non-TAP Chicago public schools (sample sizes varied across years). After one year of implementation, students attending Chicago TAP schools did not score significantly differently in math, reading, or science achievement, as measured by the Illinois Standards Achievement Test (ISAT), than students attending comparison schools. Sixty-seven percent of teachers who were employed in schools that first implemented Chicago TAP in the fall of 2007 were still teaching in the same school in the fall of 2010. In contrast, 56% of teachers employed in non-TAP public schools were retained during the same period. This 12 percentage point difference in three-year teacher retention rates between the original cohort of Chicago TAP and non-TAP schools was statistically significant. The analysis of student academic achievement meets the What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) evidence standards with reservations. The analysis of teacher retention meets WWC evidence standards with reservations. Appended are: (1) Study details; (2) Outcome measures for each domain; (3) Study findings for each domain; and (4) Supplemental findings by domain. A glossary of terms is included. (Contains 3 endnotes.) Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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