ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
A Case Study of an International Performance-Based Assessment of Critical Thinking Skills
Author: Wolf, Raffaela
Date: 2014-00-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Case Studies,International Assessment,Performance Based Assessment,Critical Thinking,Writing Skills,Writing Evaluation,Feasibility Studies,College Students,Student Evaluation,Foreign Countries,Comparative Education,Test Format,Test Bias,Student Attitudes,Test Validity,Test Interpretation,Scores,Test Construction,Scoring,Statistical Analysis,Factor Analysis

The measurement of higher-order competencies within a tertiary education system across countries presents methodological challenges due to differences in educational systems, socio-economic factors, and perceptions as to which constructs should be assessed (Blömeke, Zlatkin-Troitschanskaia, Kuhn, &amp; Fege, 2013). According to Hart Research Associates (2009), there is substantial merit in assessing twenty-first century skills such as critical thinking and writing since about 78% of academic institutions in the United States have established crossdiscipline learning outcomes, so called meta domains (Porter, McMaken, Hwang, &amp; Yang, 2011), that all undergraduate students should possess upon graduation. Furthermore, changing skill demands of graduating students have been observed around the world since the 1990s (Levy &amp; Murname, 2004). Meeting the demands of today's world requires a shift in assessment strategies to measure the skills now prized in a complex global environment. More specifically, assessments that only foster the recall of factual knowledge have been on the decline, whereas assessments that evoke higher-order cognitive skills have seen an accelerating demand in the twenty-first century. As an example, CAE (the Council for Aid to Education) has been developing assessments that target higher-order skills. The Collegiate Learning Assessment-plus (CLA+) is a measure that emulates critical-thinking and writing skills. In late 2012, the Agenzia Nazionale di Valutazione del Sistema Universitario e della Ricerca (ANVUR) approached CAE proposing a research study to test the feasibility of adapting, translating, and administering CLA+ to higher education students in Italy. The purpose of this feasibility study was twofold. The first purpose was to see if it was possible to assess Italian students' higher-order skills as outlined in Table 1. The second purpose was to see if the Italian students' performance was comparable to their American counterparts. CLA+ is a mixed-format type assessment; thus this paper presents the results from the feasibility study as a case study of the successful adaption, translation, and administration of CLA+ in 12 Italian institutions. A discussion is provided regarding how different biases may be addressed within an international context. A second analysis examined whether students from Italy and the US ascribe the same meanings to different item formats (PT and SRQs) thus addressing the issue of measurement equivalence and the feasibility of cross-cultural score comparisons. Results are interpreted within a validity framework.
Successful Leaders for Successful Schools: Building and Maintaining a Quality Workforce. Report of the NASBE Leadership Development Study Group
Author: Hull, Robert
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Principals,School Administration,State Policy,Leadership,Professional Development,Models,Rural Schools,Nontraditional Education,Administrator Education,National Programs,State Programs,Talent Development,State Boards of Education,Elementary Secondary Education

A large and growing body of evidence over the past several decades has shown that school leadership is a key factor in improving school performance and student outcomes. Increasingly, funders and developers of school leadership programs are articulating talent development frameworks, or leadership development pipelines, that conceive of school leadership development as identifying, recruiting, developing, monitoring, compensating, and retaining talented school leaders. However, states' systems to support leadership development have received relatively scant attention and resources. This gap spurred NASBE in partnership with the Consortium for Policy Research in Education (CPRE) to: (1) examine the problem from a state policy perspective; (2) to offer a framework, guidance, and resources to help states develop and keep effective leaders; (3) provide examples of promising practices for rural schools; and (4) share insights from partner organizations. This report details the Leadership Study Group's recommendations. [The following is a companion piece to this report, &quot;State Leadership Development Policies: An Analysis of 50 States and Territories,&quot; see ED582122.]
State Leadership Development Policies: An Analysis of 50 States and Territories
Author: Newman, Bobbi
Date: 2017-00-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Principals,School Administration,State Policy,Leadership,Professional Development,Administrator Education,State Programs,Talent Development,State Boards of Education,Elementary Secondary Education

This report presents school leadership development policies and practices across all 50 states and select U.S. territories. Researchers Bobbi Newman, Jonathan Supovitz, and Greg Collins from the Consortium for Policy Research in Education (CPRE), in collaboration with National Association of State Boards of Education (NASBE) staff, interviewed state board members and staff members from state education agencies to learn about their states' school leadership development policies and practices and identify the organizational and individual supports that states have established. This new analysis provides a wealth of information for state leaders interested in learning about promising policies and programs across the country that support the school leadership pipeline. [The following is a companion piece to this report, &quot;Successful Leaders for Successful Schools: Building and Maintaining a Quality Workforce. Report of the NASBE Leadership Development Study Group,&quot; see ED582121.]
A Strategy for Increasing Student Motivation on Low-Stakes Assessments
Author: Kornhauser, Zachary G. C.
Date: 2014-00-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Motivation Techniques,Student Motivation,Undergraduate Students,Student Evaluation,Multiple Choice Tests,Critical Thinking,Abstract Reasoning,Problem Solving,Outcome Measures,Test Validity,Scores,Experimental Groups,Control Groups,Correlation,Grade Point Average,Student Surveys,Statistical Analysis

Low-stakes assessments are increasingly being used by institutions of higher education as measures of student learning. One issue facing the validity of these assessments is that of student motivation, as research indicates that student motivation may play a large role in influencing test scores. To address this issue, the current study sought to increase motivation and, in turn, performance by appealing to students' sense of academic citizenship. Results of the study reveal that this manipulation does not appear to lead to increases in motivation or improved performance on low-stakes assessments.
Documentation to the NCES Common Core of Data Local Education Agency Universe Survey Dropout and Completion Data File: School Year 2001-02. Preliminary File, December 2004. NCES-2005-349
Author: Sable, Jennifer
Date: 2004-12-00
Type: Reports - Evaluative
Subjects: Documentation,Dropouts,Graduation,High School Graduates,Student Characteristics,Surveys,School Districts,Instructional Program Divisions,Racial Differences,Ethnicity,Gender Differences,Enrollment,Geographic Location,Databases,Elementary Secondary Education,Middle School Students,Educational Attainment,Definitions,Guidelines

The Common Core of Data (CCD) Nonfiscal surveys consist of data on the status of public elementary and secondary education submitted annually to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) by state education agencies (SEAs) in the 50 states, the District of Columbia, American Samoa, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, the Department of Defense, and the Bureau of Indian Affairs. The &quot;Local Education Agency Universe Survey Dropout and Completion Data File&quot; was first created starting with the 1997-98 School Year with only dropout data. Prior to the 1997-98 dropout file, dropout data were available only on the Local Education Agency Universe Survey. In 2000-01, High School Completer fields were added to the file. This file is constructed from data collected through the &quot;Public Elementary and Secondary School Universe&quot; and &quot;Local Education Agency Universe Surveys.&quot; In addition to the dropout and completer counts, several other fields were created for this file: dropout rates, enrollment bases for the dropout rates, completion rates, and the completion rate bases. Dropout and completer data for a particular year are reported on the &quot;Local Education Agency Universe Survey&quot; for the following year.
The Effect of Attaching Stakes to a Performance-Base Assessment of Critical Thinking and Written Communication
Author: Lehrfeld, Jonathan
Date: 2017-04-10
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Performance Based Assessment,Critical Thinking,Writing Skills,College Students,Student Motivation,Performance Factors,Standardized Tests,Scores,Probability,Regression (Statistics),Test Results

Low motivation to perform well on a test is a potentially problematic source of construct-irrelevant variance (Messick, 1980), especially when there are low or no stakes attached to performance. That is, interpretations of test scores as indicators of students' knowledge and skills may be compromised if those students do not put forth the effort necessary to demonstrate the full extent of their abilities. High motivation has been reported in some international testing contexts (Baumert &amp; Demmrich, 2001; Eklöf, 2007), owing to factors including social responsibility, competitive spirit, interest, and personal or intrinsic motivators (Eklöf, 2008). Such findings sharply contrast with U.S. students taking low-stakes tests like NAEP where a large percentage of students report a low sense of importance and low effort (ETS, 1993). This study investigates two cohorts of students and the possible associations with effort and performance on CLA+, an international assessment of college students' critical-thinking and writing skills. The first cohort was administered the assessment in a low-stakes condition where student performance was not associated with any outcomes. The second cohort was administered the assessment in a high-stakes condition where the students' CLA+ results would be used in conjunction with other criteria (e.g., GPA) to decide on their placement into a post-university program.
The Relationship between Effort and Performance on a Low-Stakes Exam across High School and College Freshmen
Author: Kornhauser, Zachary G. C.
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Correlation,High School Freshmen,College Freshmen,Tests,Student Motivation,Undergraduate Students,Performance,Gender Differences,Statistical Analysis

Low-stakes assessments are commonly used in educational institutions as measures of student learning, but suffer from some threats to validity. Low-student motivation is one issue facing the validity of these assessments, as research has found student motivation to impact performance on low-stakes exams. The current study aimed to determine (a) if effort on a lowstakes exam is consistent across both high school and college freshmen, (b) if the relationship between effort and performance is consistent across high school and college freshmen, and (c) if effort on a low-stakes exam is dependent on the type of task students are presented with. Results indicate that high school students expended more effort than did college students on a low-stakes assessment, and that effort was higher for essay-based items than multiple-choice items for both high school and college students.
Leveling the Playing Field from College to Career
Author: Benjamin, Roger
Date: 2016-03-11
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Equal Education,Postsecondary Education,Access to Education,Disproportionate Representation,Selective Admission,Minority Group Students,Employment Qualifications,Employers,Job Applicants,College Graduates,Labor Market,Critical Thinking,Thinking Skills,Racial Differences,Ethnicity,Job Skills

There is much to discuss, and debate, about the sources and effects of inequality on economic growth and social mobility, and the relationship between education and economic growth. However, an undergraduate degree from a highly selective and elite college gives students a strong advantage in gaining employment in jobs that promise greater lifetime earnings. The widely held assumption is that the prestige of the college is a useful proxy for the quality of the graduates of that institution. Irrespective of the relationship between education and economic growth, post-secondary education is imperative to the enhancement of human capital and a rich source of talent for employers. If there are significant bottlenecks, or structural impediments, that block equal opportunity for students of high ability that do not go to elite colleges, we should identify the problem and attempt to reduce or eliminate it. In the United States, achieving equal opportunity in post-secondary education is typically described in terms of enrolling more underrepresented groups in selective colleges. The belief is that if this step is accomplished, it will have a fundamental impact on the problem of inequality at the national level. However, what if there are not enough places for students in selective colleges to accomplish this goal? What if selective colleges do not have enough capacity to make a significant impact on the problem of serving students from underrepresented groups with demonstrated high abilities? These questions are addressed in this report.
Race for Results: Building a Path to Opportunity for All Children. KIDS COUNT 2017 Policy Report
Author: Annie E. Casey Foundation
Date: 2017-00-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Equal Education,Racial Differences,Ethnicity,Barriers,Immigrants,Minority Group Students,Student Needs,Socioeconomic Influences,Racial Bias,Racial Composition,United States History,Public Policy,Undocumented Immigrants,Geographic Location,Law Enforcement,Parent Background,Educational Attainment,Reading Achievement,Mathematics Achievement,Family Relationship,Child Development,Employment Opportunities,Social Services

In this KIDS COUNT policy report, the Foundation explores the intersection of children, opportunity, race and immigration.The report features updated data for the Race for Results Index, which measures how children are progressing on key milestones by race and ethnicity at the national and state levels.The report also explores the significant barriers facing children in immigrant families, the majority of whom are also children of color, and offers recommendations for helping children in these families secure the stability, economic resources and opportunities all of the nation's children need to thrive. In conjunction with this report, the Foundation released a methodology document describing the Race for Results Index, an expanded look at the data definitions and sources. [The Population Reference Bureau was instrumental in the development of the Race for Results Index and in the collection and organization of data presented in this report. Other Foundation staff who contributed to this report include Leslie Boissiere, Rosa Maria Castañeda, Florencia Gutierrez, Lisa Hamilton, John Hodgins, Angelique Kedem, Laura Speer, Nonet Sykes, Norris West, Christina Rosales and Gretchen Test. To read the report &quot;Race for Results: Index Methodology. Comparing Children's Success across and within States. KIDS COUNT 2017 Policy Report,&quot; see ED582140.]
NMC Horizon Report: 2017 Higher Education Edition
Author: Adams Becker, S.
Date: 2017-00-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Higher Education,Technology Integration,Educational Technology,Technology Uses in Education,Educational Innovation,Teaching Methods,Student Evaluation,Blended Learning,Cooperative Learning,Barriers,Technological Literacy,Informal Education,Achievement Gap,Access to Computers,Equal Education,Teacher Role,Telecommunications,Handheld Devices,Internet,Integrated Learning Systems,Artificial Intelligence,Employment Qualifications,Cooperation,Skill Development,Role of Education,Lifelong Learning

What is on the five-year horizon for higher education institutions? Which trends and technology developments will drive educational change? What are the critical challenges and how can we strategize solutions? These questions regarding technology adoption and educational change steered the discussions of 78 experts to produce the &quot;NMC Horizon Report: 2017 Higher Education Edition,&quot; in partnership with the EDUCAUSE Learning Initiative (ELI). This report charts the five-year impact of innovative practices and technologies for higher education across the globe. The expert panel identified 18 topics very likely to impact technology planning and decision-making: six key trends (Blended Learning Design, Collaborative Learning, Growing Focus on Measuring Learning, Redesigning Learning Spaces, Advancing Cultures of Innovation, and Deeper Learning Approaches), six significant challenges (Improving Digital Literacy, Integrating Formal and Informal Learning, Achievement Gap, Advancing Digital Equity, Managing Knowledge Obsolescence, and Rethinking the Roles of Educators), and six important developments in educational technology (Adaptive Learning Technologies, Mobile Learning, The Internet of Things, Next-Generation LMS, Artificial Intelligence, and Natural User Interfaces). The three sections of this report constitute a reference and technology planning guide for educators, higher education leaders, administrators, policymakers, and technologists.
English Learners (ELs) and College and Career Readiness. Fast Facts
Author: Office of English Language Acquisition (OELA) (ED)
Date: 2017-04-00
Type: Numerical/Quantitative Data
Subjects: English Language Learners,College Readiness,Career Readiness,Student Participation,Enrollment,College Entrance Examinations,Incidence,Algebra,Calculus,Physics,Statistical Data

The Office of English Language Acquisition (OELA) has synthesized key data on English learners (ELs) into two-page PDF sheets, by topic, with graphics. This document presents highlights relating to English learners and college and career readiness covering school-year (SY) 2013-2014. The topics for this report include: (1) Percentage of ELs participating in college- and career-readiness related programs: SY 2013-14; (2) Percentage of students enrolled in schools offering the SAT or ACT exam and participating in the SAT or ACT exam who were ELs: SY 2013-2014; (3) Percentage of ELs enrolled in schools offering Algebra II: SY 2013-2014; (4) Percentage of ELs enrolled in schools offering calculus: SY 2013-2014; and (5) Percentage of ELs enrolled in schools offering physics: SY 2013-2014. [For &quot;English Learners (ELs) and College and Career Readiness. Fast Facts&quot; covering SY 2011-2012, see ED564268.]
English Learners (ELs): Absenteeism, Retention, and Suspension. Fast Facts
Author: Office of English Language Acquisition (OELA) (ED)
Date: 2017-03-00
Type: Numerical/Quantitative Data
Subjects: English Language Learners,English (Second Language),Attendance Patterns,Grade Repetition,Suspension,Instructional Program Divisions,Elementary Secondary Education,Public Schools,School Districts,Preschool Children,Elementary School Students,Middle School Students,High School Students

The Office of English Language Acquisition (OELA) has synthesized key data on English learners (ELs) into two-page PDF sheets, by topic, with graphics, plus key contacts. This document presents highlights relating to English learners and absenteeism, retention, and suspension for school year (SY) 2013-2014. The topics for this report include: (1) Percentage of ELs and non-ELs chronically absent, all grade levels; (2) Percentages of ELs and non-ELs chronically absent, by grade level; (3) Percentages of ELs and non-ELs chronically absent in high school (grades 9-12); (4) Percentages of ELs and non-ELs enrolled and retained in high school (grades 9-12); and (5) Percentage of ELs and non-ELs enrolled and receiving out-of-school suspensions. This fact sheet uses data from the 2013--14 Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC). CRDC is a survey of all public schools and school districts in the United States.
Discretionary Grants and Dissemination Brief. Fast Facts
Author: Office of English Language Acquisition (OELA) (ED)
Date: 2017-10-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: English (Second Language),Second Language Learning,Language Proficiency,Grants,Information Dissemination,Educational Research,Educational Practices,Educational Policy,Data Collection,Data Analysis,American Indian Education,Alaska Natives,Asian Americans,Pacific Islanders,Professional Development,Higher Education,Elementary Secondary Education

The U.S. Department of Education's Office of English Language Acquisition (OELA) helps to ensure that ELs attain English proficiency and achieve academic success. OELA accomplishes these goals by administering discretionary grant programs to prepare professionals for teaching and disseminating information about educational research, practices, and policies for ELs, among other activities. This report describes OELAs three discretionary grant programs and its primary vehicle for collecting, analyzing, synthesizing, and disseminating high-quality information.
The Roles of Patterning and Spatial Skills in Early Mathematics Development
Author: Rittle-Johnson, Bethany
Date: 2018-00-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Preschool Children,Mathematics,Mathematics Skills,Knowledge Level,Predictor Variables,Spatial Ability,Cognitive Ability,Prior Learning,Mathematical Concepts,Hypothesis Testing,Preschool Education,Visual Perception,Short Term Memory,Cognitive Development,Intelligence Tests,Young Children,Children,Language Tests,Language Skills,Statistical Analysis

Because math knowledge begins to develop at a young age to varying degrees, it is important to identify foundational cognitive and academic skills that might contribute to its development. The current study focused on two important, but often overlooked skills that recent evidence suggests are important contributors to early math development: patterning and spatial skills. We assessed preschool children's repeating patterning skills, spatial skills, general cognitive skills and math knowledge at the beginning of the pre-kindergarten year. We re-assessed their math knowledge near the end of the school year, with complete data for 73 children. Children's repeating patterning and spatial skills were related and were each unique predictors of children's math knowledge at the same time point and seven months later. Further, repeating patterning skills predicted later math knowledge even after controlling for prior math knowledge. Thus, although repeating patterning and spatial skills are related, repeating patterning skills are a unique predictor of math knowledge and growth. Both theories of early math development and early math standards should be expanded to incorporate a role for repeating patterning and spatial skills. [This article will be published in &quot;Early Childhood Research Quarterly.&quot;]