The primary goals of this research were to investigate the development of computational thinking (CT) skills among elementary students and to identify areas for improvement in their CT practices. Empirical investigations, accomplished in a learner-centered, problem-based learning curriculum for sixth-graders, sought to examine student proficiency…

In an era of social media, and amid the coronavirus pandemic, teachers' curation of instructional resources stands as an opportunity to observe teachers' planning and conceptualization of their practice in real time. This work explores the resources teachers curate, their rigor, and the effects on students' learning across years. Merging big data…

Academic literature and extensive studies indicate that a small fraction of incoming first-year college or university students have a foundational understanding or appreciation of entrepreneurship. Even fewer have the disposition or inclination to pursue an entrepreneurial path. The purpose of this proposed study is to measure the level of…

The focus of this research project was to examine how problem- based learning (PBL) impacts students' interest and knowledge in computer science (CS) at the elementary level. By focusing on a problem that emphasizes social activism, we hypothesized that PBL CS could increase interest for students. We employed an iterative design-based research…

The COVID-19 pandemic began in the late months of 2019, and by the spring of 2020, to limit transmission of the virus, schools across the globe closed and transitioned to emergency online teaching. While the move to online teaching and learning was inevitable, many learners, especially in rural and remote areas, found that online schooling had…

We use data from a large-scale experiment conducted in Indiana in 2009-2010 to examine the impact of two interim assessment programs (mCLASS and Acuity) across the mathematics and reading achievement distributions. Specifically, we focus on whether the use of interim assessments has a particularly strong effect on improving outcomes for low…

New analytical tools have facilitated the exploration of the trajectories of alcohol use; however, there are a limited number of studies that explore early adolescence. A sample of 5,903 youths followed from sixth through eighth grade was used to (1) examine the trajectories of alcohol use and (2) determine the degree to which common correlates…

The "GeoLiteracy for English language learners" (ELLs) program is a curriculum that enhances reading and writing skills while teaching geography content for US students in kindergarten through eighth grades. The program includes 85 lesson plans that address all US national geography standards, a quarter of which address environmental…

A vertical scale, in principle, provides a common metric across tests with differing difficulties (e.g., spanning multiple grades) so that statements of "absolute" growth can be made. This paper compares 16 states' 2007-2008 effect size growth trends on vertically scaled reading and math assessments across grades 3 to 8. Two patterns…

Until recently, empirical literature has focused on the effects of homework regarding specific subjects, rather than overall achievement. This study attempts to fill this void by comparing number of hours and number of homework days to three dependent variables: competency test scores, achievement test scores, and teacher-assigned grades for…

A study was conducted in order to determine the specific classroom qualities and characteristics that promote and motivate students to develop attitudes and behaviors conducive to civic participation. One classroom is a bi-lingual sixth grade, located in an older neighborhood school in a coastal southern California city and the other is a…

The third in a series of studies to assess the reading achievement of Indiana students, a study compared the reading achievement of sixth and tenth graders in 1944-45, 1976, and 1986. The same edition of the Iowa Silent Reading Test (ISRT) was administered to sixth- and tenth-graders in 1944-45, 1976, and 1986. The 1944-45 sample consisted of 25%…

Describes results of a study designed to discover the views of third, sixth, ninth, and twelfth graders about their need for family life and sex education. Data revealed strong desires of students for more information. (JD)

A study examined the effects of a remediation program initiated at Chauncey Rose Middle School, Terre Haute, Indiana, during the 1996-97 school year. After the ISTEP test was administered to the sixth-grade class, a pull-out program for remediation was started the following year using grant monies. Subjects were 14 sixth graders, selected because…