We have used an unsupervised machine learning method called latent Dirichlet allocation (LDA) to thematically analyze all papers published in the Physics Education Research Conference Proceedings between 2001 and 2018. By looking at co-occurrences of words across the data corpus, this technique has allowed us to identify ten distinct themes or…

Constructing scientific arguments is an important practice for students because it helps them to make sense of data using scientific knowledge and within the conceptual and experimental boundaries of an investigation. In this study, we used a text mining method called Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) to identify underlying patterns in students…

Survival analysis is an important analytic method in the social and medical sciences. Also known under the name time-to-event analysis, this method provides parameter estimation and model fitting commonly conducted via maximum-likelihood. Bayesian survival analysis offers multiple advantages over the frequentist approach for measurement…

Randomized controlled trials are not always feasible in educational research, so researchers must use alternative methods to study treatment effects. Propensity score matching is one such method for observational studies that has shown considerable growth in popularity since it was first introduced in the early 1980s. This paper outlines the…

In a study exploring how organizational identification impacted college retention and performance outcomes at a university in the United States, we found the mere act of taking the survey emerged as an unexpectedly strong result. Using propensity score matching, we found that those who took the voluntary survey during the first week of school were…

In this digital ITEMS module, Dr. Roy Levy describes Bayesian approaches to psychometric modeling. He discusses how Bayesian inference is a mechanism for reasoning in a probability-modeling framework and is well-suited to core problems in educational measurement: reasoning from student performances on an assessment to make inferences about their…

High probability request (high-"p") sequences, based on the momentum of behavior principle, have been an effective intervention for improving compliance and work completion for students who display challenging behaviors. They have been portrayed as a low-intensity intervention because of being perceived as simple, clear, and easy for any…

In learning, errors are ubiquitous and inevitable. As these errors may signal otherwise latent cognitive processes, tutors--and students alike--can greatly benefit from the information they provide. In this paper, we introduce and evaluate the Systematic Error Tracing (SET) model that identifies the possible causes of systematically observed…

Background/Context: Although dual enrollment (DE) programs have indicated positive impact on various high school and postsecondary outcomes, access to DE programs remains unequal; historically marginalized students are less likely than other students to attempt college credits in high school. Despite DE being a widely adopted program at the state…

In a signal detection theory (SDT) approach to multiple choice exams, examinees are viewed as choosing, for each item, the alternative that is perceived as being the most plausible, with perceived plausibility depending in part on whether or not an item is known. The SDT model is a process model and provides measures of item difficulty, item…

In the international literature, discussion of the impact of physical activities is mainly focused on improvements in quality of life, particularly in terms of health. However, sports can have other positive effects on individuals that may contribute to improving their academic performance. This study explores the effect of physical activities and…

The objective of this development research is to create an android application of probability theory of the same element permutation material based on RME as a learning medium, as well as to assess the quality of the apps created for utilize in learning mathematics. This research used research and development (R&D) method with the 4D…

Quantum computers are at the forefront of computing; however, few people understand how they work and their capabilities. We present two versions of an interactive activity designed for high school students (ages 13 to 18) that introduce a core quantum concept--"entanglement." The first version illustrates a simple connection between two…

Earlier studies established the role of demographic and temperamental features (DTFs) in the adaptation of childhood stuttering. However, these studies have been short on examining the latent interrelationships among DTFs and not utilizing them in predicting this disorder. This research article endeavors to examine latent interrelationships among…

Statistical modeling continues to gain prominence in the secondary curriculum, and recent recommendations to emphasize data science and computational thinking may soon position algorithmic models into the school curriculum. Many teachers' preparation for and experiences teaching statistical modeling have focused on probabilistic models.…