The study advances the instrumental approach to mathematics education (Drijvers et al., 2013; Trouche, 2003), aiming to elucidate the interplay between students' reasoning competency, conceptual knowledge and tool utilisation in dynamic digital geometry and algebra environments. The dynamic properties of these environments pose a nuanced…

In this research, we have explored the possible differences in students' performance in grade nine chemistry exams that could have been influenced by a different instructional approach in grade eight. We compared two groups of students: one group had received a transmissive propaedeutic approach in grade eight (especially related to the memorising…

Math anxiety can have an extraordinary impact on middle level students' ability to learn. However, certain classroom practices may be able to mitigate this impact. In terms of assessment practices, proficiency-based learning, also called competency-based learning or standards-based grading, may help establish a learning environment that either…

This quasi-experimental study aimed to determine if there is a statistically significant difference in student test scores when a modified instructional sequence in middle school science is used versus the instructional sequence suggested by the Commonwealth of Virginia. The Grade 8 science cumulative Standards of Learning (SOL) test results from…

Teacher concerns influence how teachers respond to education reform. The 12-Year Basic Education is a curriculum reform focusing on a competency-based curriculum and instruction in Taiwan. The aim of the current study was to investigate the stages and types of gifted education teachers' concerns about competency-based instruction based on the…

New Hampshire's Performance Assessment of Competency Education (PACE) innovative assessment system uses student scores from classroom performance assessments as well as other classroom tests for school accountability purposes. One concern is that not having annual state testing may incentivize schools and teachers away from teaching the breadth of…

Background: Competency-based education (CBE) has been implemented to varying degrees in the last several decades. New Hampshire has led the way in policy changes to promote its adoption. However, there has been a tension between the goals of the initiative and how teachers' beliefs inform implementation. Aims: The purpose of this study was to take…

This fourth book in the Marzano Academies series focuses on secondary school leadership for competency-based education. The beauty of the framework, however, is that any leader seeking guidance on innovative, equitable, and effective practices can use this book as a blueprint for positive change. This is your blueprint for how you, as a secondary…

In 2011, the state of Maine introduced a statute that required all diplomas to be awarded on the basis of proficiency by 2017. During this period of time, school districts moved to incorporate Proficiency-based Education (PBE) systems of instruction and learning. This prompted educators to bring clarity to standards, assessment, and grading…

The objective of this research is to develop a model for life skills training through the strengthening of academic, personal, social, and career competencies for middle school students. We designed this model to equip students with the necessary skills to navigate the complexities of life's challenges. Design-Based Research (DBR) serves as a…

This report examines the implementation and outcomes of personalized, competency-based learning in the Arizona Personalized Learning Network (AZPLN) districts. The study conducted by Research for Action (RFA) analyzed survey data from students and teachers, as well as publicly available school-level outcomes data to assess the progress and impact…

This study compared the relationships between the goal orientations, learning strategies, and mathematics achievement of Chinese Miao and Han students. A total of 211 Han and 321 Miao fifth- and sixth-grade students from Qiandongnan participated in the study. The results suggest that, in both samples, mastery orientation positively predicted the…

The recent round of curriculum reform in China has proposed the educational goal of developing key competencies. This study examined how key competencies are integrated into geography textbooks for middle schools through pre-designed activities. The results showed that the textbooks emphasized the regional awareness competency. The activities in…

Information and communication technologies (ICTs) in basic education, i.e. K12 education, have often been constrained by sociocultural context and limited to pedagogical aspects, and these innovations have not yet catalyzed curriculum reform as expected. To address this research gap, this study adopted a key-competence-based subject knowledge…

Drawing from different orientations, personalized, learner-centered environments and connected learning are two frameworks that work well together to renew classrooms and schools to focus on the needs and interests of the learner and make connections between experience, content standards, disciplines, and the community. This case study describes…