Research shows that the beliefs individuals hold about knowledge and knowing (epistemic beliefs) influence learning approaches and outcomes. However, little is known about the nature of children's epistemic beliefs and how best to measure these. In this pilot study, 11 Australian children (in Grade 4 or Grade 6) were asked to "draw, write and…

The evaluation of promisingness is central to knowledge building and knowledge creation but remains largely unexplored. As part of a design-based research program to support promisingness judgments, the present study implemented an intervention in a sixth grade science class, with the goal of exploring the potential of promisingness judgments to…

In this study, we describe the methodology used to identify and validate a set of expert-defined fraction subtraction related attributes. These attributes are expected to be mastered by 6th grade students toward proficiency in fraction subtraction. This research argues and demonstrates that state standards guiding subject instruction plays an…

Purpose: The purpose of this journal-ready dissertation was to determine the extent to which differences were present in Disciplinary Alternative Education Program placement by student demographic characteristics for Grade 6, 7, and 8 students in Texas schools. In the first investigation, the degree to which Disciplinary Alternative Education…

The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA, 2015), which replaced the federal government's education policy called the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB, 2002), takes full effect in the 2017-2018 school year with renewed focus on accountability systems established by each state. States must have for their middle schools rigorous accountability systems in…

This research brief describes changes in enrollment counts from Fall 2014 to Fall 2015 for 6th graders. A separate full report on all grade levels also was published. [For "Enrollment from Fall 2014 to Fall 2015: Trends by Grade Level, Student Group, Vertical Team, and School. Publication 15.07 RB," see ED626926.]

State-mandated tests have taken center stage for assessing student learning and for holding teachers and students accountable for achieving adequate progress. What types of early knowledge predict performance on these tests, especially among low-income children who are at risk for poor performance? We report on a longitudinal study of 519…

The purpose of this quantitative simple linear regression study was to examine the degree to which the level of spirituality predicted the level of occupational stress among 105 middle school teachers. Specifically, this study examined the influence of spirituality, as measured by the Daily Spiritual Experience Scale on occupational stress as…

The purpose of this study was to determine if reading a standardized tests aloud is an effective accommodation to address impairment associated with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) as demonstrated by a differential boost to those with ADHD relative to same aged typically developing peers and if the size of the differential boost…

This mixed methods study is aimed to examine the feasibility of integrating mathematical problem solving with architectural design via a 3D epistemic simulation game to promote active mathematics learning for middle-school students. The experimental-control pretest/posttest group design was adopted to examine whether the experience of interacting…

Adolescence is a developmental period when youth are increasingly likely to turn to their peers for support, and it is also a time of increased salience and development of ethnic-racial identity (ERI). Ethnic-racial centrality, a dimension of ERI, could be a predictor in the development of peer support, as youth with a stronger self-concept on the…

The study explores how literacy sponsorship (Brandt, 2001) is constructed in a United States rural region by focusing on the discourse of rural teachers and students. Data included interviews with teachers and students, classroom observations, an environmental print literacy scan, and analysis of community and classroom-based texts. A multi-cycle…

In this single-case design study we examined the effects of a summarizing strategy on the written summaries of students with learning disabilities (LD). Three students with LD in fifth and sixth grades learned a mnemonic-based strategy (WINDOW) for writing summaries taught using the self-regulated strategy development (SRSD) approach. Visual…

This article describes a learning trajectory on expressions and equations based on the sixth-grade Common Core State Standards for Mathematics (NGA/CCSSO, 2010). A classroom teaching experiment using design research (Lamberg & Middleton, 2009) was conducted. The data was analysed using Corbin and Strauss' (2014) Constant Comparative method and…

Language tests are widely used in education as the primary mode of assessing students' learning. These, however, more often than not, generate high levels of anxiety in students, which, in turn, obscures the observed learning behaviours. The present study aimed to determine whether or not 6th graders' levels of test anxiety could be reduced…