Background/Context: Social network analysis has been used to demonstrate an association between individuals' relationships and their engagement in areas such as public health (Perry & Pescosolido, 2015) and teacher professional development (Penuel, 2009). We extend and apply this approach to the higher education context. We operationalize…

While many studies examine tools and techniques to improve survey response rates, it remains unclear as to which are effective, and response rates continue to decline. In this study, we examine the effect of four variables expected to influence mail survey response rates: (1) the use of semi-transparent envelopes versus ordinary paper envelopes…

Faculty and administrators at postsecondary institutions continue to grapple with understanding the dynamic nature of student activism. In response, the National Survey of Student Engagement administered a supplemental item set following the 2016 presidential election, in which more than 3,000 respondents were asked about their involvement in…

The presented paper aims to examine the influence of principal leadership on teaching practices in order to reveal direct and indirect effects of instructional and distributed leadership models on teachers' instructional quality, with the mediating effect of teacher collaboration and job satisfaction. This research conducted secondary data…

Across many countries, schools and classrooms are becoming culturally diverse. In response to this global trend, culturally responsive teaching (CRT) has been highlighted. Within this context, we have a two-fold goal in this study; to explore 1) whether and how pre-service teachers' international study experiences can impact their self-efficacy in…

The purpose of the study was to determine the characteristics of teachers who were effective in classifying low- and high-performing schools in PISA 2012 for Singapore. The TALIS 2013 teacher survey was used to identify the variables, and the data were obtained from the OECD official website. All schools participating in the PISA 2012 were ranked…

Identifying illicit behavior in survey research is inherently problematic, since self-reports are untrustworthy. We argue that fraudulent interviewers can, however, be identified through statistical deviance of the distributional parameters of their interviews. We document that a high proportion of the variation in the data is due to the…

Background: There is growing interest in and recognition of the need to use scientific evidence to inform policymaking. However, many of the existing studies on the use of research evidence (URE) have been largely qualitative, and the majority of existing quantitative measures are underdeveloped or were tested in regional or context-dependent…

Interaction is the distinctive feature of focus groups, yet little attention has been devoted to understanding techniques for enhancing the quality of interactions. We argue that using a quantitative survey instrument with focus groups has specific benefits beyond traditional open-ended topic lists or questions. We describe particular features of…

Respondent-driven sampling (RDS) is a methodology for sampling and analysing survey data from rare and elusive populations that has gained increasing attention in migration research in recent years. Since its introduction in 1997, it has been applied in numerous surveys in the field of epidemiology (mainly for the estimation of HIV/AIDS prevalence…

When education leaders utilize survey results to inform their decisions, they are often left wondering if the "right" survey questions were asked. To help state and local leaders improve existing instruments or create better instruments for data collection, this quick reference guide highlights best practices in designing effective…

This study explores the significance of webinars as tools for supporting teachers' professional development and growth beyond the COVID-19 pandemic, as perceived by the teachers themselves. The study employs a mixed methods approach, involving 394 teachers registered on a popular virtual community of practice (vCoP) who completed a survey, with…

Probes are follow-ups to survey questions used to gain insights on respondents' understanding of and responses to these questions. They are usually administered as open-ended questions, primarily in the context of questionnaire pretesting. Due to the decreased cost of data collection for open-ended questions in web surveys, researchers have argued…

IEA's International Computer and Information Literacy Study (ICILS) 2018 investigated how well students are prepared for study, work, and life in a digital world. ICILS 2018 measured international differences in students' computer and information literacy (CIL): their ability to use computers to investigate, create, participate, and communicate at…

Increasing student engagement leads to improved educational outcomes, promotes positive student experiences, and reduces attrition rates. In Aotearoa (New Zealand), Maori students now account for 20% of university enrolments, but first-year attrition rates are approximately 17%. Both Maori and Pasifika students are more likely to drop-out during…