ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
The Impact of Vocational Schooling on Human Capital Development in Developing Countries: Evidence from China
Author: Loyalka, Prashant
Date: 2014-00-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Vocational Education,Outcomes of Education,Human Capital,Developing Nations,Vocational High Schools,High School Students,Dropout Rate,Skills,Disadvantaged,Regression (Statistics),Student Surveys,Statistical Analysis,Least Squares Statistics

A number of developing countries currently identify vocational education and training (VET) as a key approach to building human capital. For example, the promotion of VET at the high school level (&quot;vocational high school&quot;, which is used here interchangeably with VET throughout the paper) has become a policy priority among emerging economies such as Brazil, Indonesia, Mexico and China (Newhouse and Suryadarma, 2011; National Congress of Brazil, 2011; Ministry of National Education of Indonesia, 2006; China State Council, 2010). The rationale underlying these policies is that increases in the proportion of vocational--as opposed to academic--high school enrollments can more effectively build human capital. For VET to successfully build human capital in these countries, however, it must meet two prerequisites. The first prerequisite is that VET must help students learn specific (vocational) skills. Vocational high school, in particular, must help youth acquire specific, medium-level skills that can either directly be used in the labor market after graduation or serve as a foundation for vocational college (Kuczera et al., 2008). Second, in addition to specific skills, for VET to be considered successful, it must help students acquire general skills (Kuczera et al., 2008; Chiswick, Lee and Miller, 2002). Despite the increasing interest in VET among policymakers, there is surprisingly little evidence from developing countries as to whether vocational high school, especially in comparison to academic high school, actually helps students acquire specific and general skills. The authors aim to begin to fill what appears to be a gap in the literature on VET in developing countries by examining whether vocational high school students are, in fact, learning specific and/or general skills. Toward this overall aim, they seek to accomplish three goals: (1) to assess the impact of attending vocational versus academic high school on the dropout rates, specific skills and general skills of the &quot;average&quot; student that is attending academic and vocational high schools; (2) to estimate the &quot;heterogeneous impacts&quot; of attending vocational versus academic high school on the dropout rates and skill levels of disadvantaged (low-income or low-ability) students; and (3) to establish whether vocational high school leads to any absolute gains in specific and general skills. Results indicate that attending vocational (relative to academic high school) substantially reduces general skills without improving specific skills. Attending vocational high school also increases dropout, especially among disadvantaged (low-income and low-ability) students.
Teachers' Helpers: Experimental Evidence from Costa Rica on Computers for English Language Learning
Author: Humpage, Sarah
Date: 2014-00-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Computer Uses in Education,English (Second Language),Second Language Learning,Teaching Methods,Computer Software,Control Groups,Experimental Groups,Scores,Effect Size,Gender Differences,Language Proficiency,Surveys,Intelligence Tests,Adults,Elementary School Students,Grade 3,Comparative Analysis

Computers have taken an increasingly prominent role in education around the world in recent years in developed and developing countries alike. As developing country governments have turned their focus from increasing enrollment to improving the quality of education in their schools, many have made access to computers a key component to their strategies (Trucano, 2005). There is an emerging body of research now that shows that these strategies, which often come with a hefty price tag, have varied effects (Glewwe et al., forthcoming). This paper contributes to this literature by comparing the use of computer-assisted language learning software to traditional methods of English instruction in Costa Rica. The authors also compare two different software programs to one another. Because schools were randomly assigned to one of these two treatment groups or a control group, this research permits a rigorous comparison of the differential effects of two software programs, holding contextual factors constant. The following research questions are addressed: (1) What is the impact of each of the two English language learning software programs on test scores, as compared to a teacher alone; (2) what is the magnitude of the effect of each program compared to the other; and (3) do these effects vary by school-level baseline performance, students' baseline test scores or gender? The main finding of this research is that academic software can be an effective learning tool, but that this depends on the software. Previous research has already shown that technology can be effective in some cases and ineffective in others. One of this paper's contributions is to show that these heterogeneous effects are not simply the product of using technology in different contexts (although that is likely to be important as well). By randomly assigning two different software packages to students in similar schools, this research has shown that the type of technology used matters, holding other factors constant. Furthermore, technology's effectiveness also depends on student characteristics like baseline abilities and gender. Tables and figures are appended.
Results of a Randomized Controlled Trial of Student Success Skills
Author: Webb, Linda
Date: 2014-00-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Randomized Controlled Trials,Success,Cognitive Ability,Metacognition,Goal Orientation,Progress Monitoring,Organization,Memory,Interpersonal Competence,Problem Solving,Listening Skills,Teamwork,Self Management,Attention,Motivation,Emotional Response,Skill Development,Intervention,Program Evaluation,Program Effectiveness,Grade 5,Elementary School Students,Hierarchical Linear Modeling,Student Behavior,Behavior Problems,Self Efficacy

Numerous authors have reviewed research to determine which skills are considered fundamental to successful academic and social outcomes for students (Hattie, Briggs, &amp; Purdie, 1996; Masten &amp; Coatworth, 1998; Wang, Haertel, &amp; Walberg, 1994; Zins, Weissberg, Wang, &amp; Walberg, 2004). These skills include: (1) cognitive and meta-cognitive skills such as goal setting, progress monitoring, organization and memory skills; (2) social skills such as interpersonal, social problem-solving, listening, and team-work skills; and (3) self-management skills such as managing attention, motivation, and anger. If students are taught these fundamental cognitive, social, and self-management skills in a caring, supportive, and encouraging environment where they feel safe to take risks as they try new strategies, their confidence in their abilities increases, as does their effort in the classroom, eventually leading to improved academic outcomes. The Student Success Skills (SSS) classroom-based intervention was developed to systematically teach students fundamental social, emotional, and learning skills. The purpose of the project described here was to allow for rigorous research to evaluate both the proximal and distal outcomes resulting from classroom level student participation in SSS when facilitated by school counselors and reinforced by classroom teachers. Participants were 4,321 fifth grade students in 235 classrooms in 60 schools across two school districts (15 treatment and 15 control in each district). The study employed a hierarchical design, often referred to as a cluster-randomized design, where schools (i.e., clusters) were randomly assigned to either treatment or control conditions. Therefore, the unit of randomization was the school. Hierarchical Liner Modeling (HLM) results suggest that Student Success Skills (SSS) has a beneficial effect on student academic-related behavior. Specifically, these results suggest that participation in the SSS program resulted in lower levels of test anxiety, higher levels of engagement in classroom work, higher levels of appropriate assertion in classroom interactions, and higher levels of cooperation. In addition, participation in Student Success Skills prevented a rise in disruptive behavior over the school year that was observed in Control students. These results indicate that SSS enhanced students' ability to perform under pressure, increased students' motivated engagement in school-work, enhanced classroom social skills, and decreased students' disruptive behavior. Data analysis tables are appended.
The Synthesis of Single-Subject Experimental Data: Extensions of the Basic Multilevel Model
Author: Van den Noortgate, Wim
Date: 2014-00-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Research Methodology,Simulation,Bias,Statistical Inference,Research Design,Models,Regression (Statistics),Equations (Mathematics),Hierarchical Linear Modeling

Due to an increasing interest in the use of single-subject experimental designs (SSEDs), appropriate techniques are needed to analyze this type of data. The purpose of this paper proposal is to present four studies (Beretvas, Hembry, Van den Noortgate, &amp; Ferron, 2013; Bunuan, Hembry &amp; Beretvas, 2013; Moeyaert, Ugille, Ferron, Beretvas, &amp; Van den Noortgate, 2013c; Petit-Bois, Baek &amp; Ferron, 2013) each studying empirically one particular extension of the basic two-level or basic three-level model that can be used to synthesize SSED data across cases (i.e., two-level model) and across cases and studies (three-level model). Each extension is discussed and examined through intensive simulation studies by looking at the bias and precision of the parameter estimates, and the validity of statistical inferences. The results indicate whether the extended two- and three-level models are recommended to summarize SSEDs and in which conditions. This is a timely issue, since the number of published SSEDs is increasing rapidly together with the need for adequate techniques to analyze and meta-analyze SSEDs answering the same underlying research question. The authors conclude that the multilevel model is flexible enough to be extended and is found to be appropriate for combining SSEDs. However, there are still a lot of other extensions that are not discussed here that are being investigated and that still remain to be investigated such as other estimation procedures (i.e., bootstrapping and Bayesian estimation), count outcomes, and multiple dependent outcome variables.
Teacher-to-Parent Communication: Experimental Evidence from a Low-Cost Communication Policy
Author: Kraft, Matthew A.
Date: 2014-00-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Parent Teacher Cooperation,Parent Participation,Communication (Thought Transfer),Parents,Educational Legislation,Federal Legislation,Academic Achievement,Urban Schools,School Districts,Educational Change,Parent Role,Repetition,Required Courses,Credits,Program Effectiveness,High School Students,Intervention,Comparative Analysis,Control Groups,Experimental Groups

A wide body of literature documents the important role that parents play in supporting children's academic success in school (Houtenville &amp; Conway, 2008; Barnard, 2004; Fan &amp; Chen, 2001). Drawing on this literature, national taskforces and federal legislation consistently identify increased parental involvement as a central goal of educational reform initiatives (e.g. No Child Left Behind, Title I, Part A, Section 1118). Schools attempt to promote greater parental engagement though a variety of efforts centered on teacher-parent communication (Epstein, 2008). Cheung and Pomerantz (2012) found that children whose parents were more likely to be involved with their learning were more likely to be motivated to meet their parents' academic expectations, and received higher grades. Recent experimental research has documented how two-way teacher-parent communication can lead to greater parental involvement, improved student engagement and academic achievement (Authors, 2013; Bergman, 2012). This study examines the effect of delivering to parents weekly messages written by teachers about each child's performance in school, and the authors explore how these effects differ across different message types. This is accomplished by conducting a field experiment during a summer credit recovery program in a large urban school district. Researchers randomly assigned participating students and their parents to one of three experimental conditions. Some parents received information throughout the summer program about what their students were doing well and should continue doing; others received information about what their students needed to improve upon, while a third group received no information. The research sought to answer two questions: (1) What is the effect of teacher-to-parent communication on the probability a student earns course credit in a credit recovery program; and 2) Are positive or needs-improvement messages more effective at increasing a student's likelihood of earning course credit? This research contributes to a growing body of evidence on the beneficial impact that teachers providing parents with individualized messages and information about their children's schoolwork can have on student achievement and advancement in school. This study also points to the importance of further examining how teachers and schools can improve the content and quality of their communication with parents. Tables are appended.
Testing with Extended Time on the SAT® I: Effects for Students with Learning Disabilities. Research Notes. RN-08
Author: Camara, Wayne J.
Date: 2000-01-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: College Entrance Examinations,Testing Accommodations,Learning Disabilities,Scores,Timed Tests,Achievement Gains,Verbal Tests,Mathematics Tests,High School Students

The number of students requesting accommodations has increased in recent years, and the effects of extended time have become increasingly important as this is the only accommodation for 7 of 10 of these students completing the SAT I. Allowing learning disabled students to retest with extended time clearly enables them to improve their SAT I scores, but gains associated with extended time are generally modest, with mean gains of 32 and 26 points on the verbal and math scales, respectively. Additional time should serve as a compensating factor for students with learning disabilities, but time and a half or double time may overcompensate for some students, permitting them to respond more leisurely and result in overprediction of college performance.
The Impact of Flagging on the Admission Process: Policies, Practices, and Implications. Research Report No. 2002-2. ETS RR-02-03
Author: Mandinach, Ellen B.
Date: 2002-00-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: College Admission,Admissions Officers,Surveys,Disabilities,Interviews,Scores,Counselor Attitudes,School Policy,Educational Practices,Focus Groups,Testing,Equal Education,Identification,College Applicants,Testing Accommodations,Learning Disabilities,Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder,Admission Criteria,College Entrance Examinations,Academic Support Services,Consultants,Guidelines,Self Disclosure (Individuals),School Counselors,Administrator Attitudes,Comparative Analysis

The study represents a first step in trying to gain a better appreciation for the complexity of the issues surrounding flagging test scores taken with nonstandard conditions and how the admission process can better serve students with disabilities. Surveys were sent to admission officers, guidance counselors, and disability service providers at colleges and universities to examine their institutional policies and practices. In addition, interviews and focus groups also were conducted. It is clear from the results of this study that perceptions about the use of the flag for nonstandard test administrations differ based on the role the respondent plays in the admission process. Although differences exist with regard to the use of the flag, all three groups perceived an equity problem concerning how students with disabilities are identified, what documentation is required, and what services are provided to these students. Respondents felt that some subgroups of students are not being served adequately by the current system. In addition, the three groups shared a concern that some nondisabled students are manipulating the system to receive diagnoses and accommodations, such as extended time, so as to gain a perceived advantage on the standardized tests. Five appendices are included: (1) Survey Instrument for Admission Officers; (2) Survey Instrument for Guidance Counselors; (3) Survey Instrument for Disability Service Providers; (4) Interview Protocol for Admission Officers; and (5) Interview Protocol for Guidance Counselors.
The Performance Assessment Study in Writing: Analysis of the SAT® II--Writing Subject Test. Report No. 99-4. ETS RR No. 99-24
Author: Breland, Hunter M.
Date: 1999-00-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: College Entrance Examinations,Writing Tests,College English,Predictive Validity,Writing Achievement,College Students,Grades (Scholastic),Self Evaluation (Individuals),Writing Ability,Essay Tests,Multiple Choice Tests,Correlation

This study examined the SAT® II: Writing Subject Test as a predictor of writing performance in college English courses. Writing performance was based on eight writing samples submitted as part of regular course work by students in eight colleges. The samples consisted of drafts and final papers submitted in response to four take-home writing assignments. The samples submitted were evaluated by 20 experienced readers of student writing using a common scoring scale. Each sample was read and scored independently by two different readers. In addition to this writing performance criterion, two supplemental criteria were used: English course grades and students' self-assessments of their own writing ability and experience. In evaluating the SAT II: Writing Test as a predictor of these three criteria, special attention was given to comparisons of the predictive effectiveness of the essay and multiple-choice components of the test. It was concluded that both components were good predictors of the three criteria; however, the 40-minute multiple-choice component tended to produce higher predictive correlations than the 20-minute essay component. The best predictions were obtained when the two components were combined. Appendices include: (1) Student Consent Statement; (2) Writing Experience Questionnaire; and (3) Performance Assessment Study in Writing.
The Recentering of SAT® Scales and Its Effects on Score Distributions and Score Interpretations. Research Report No. 2002-11. ETS RR-02-04
Author: Dorans, Neil J.
Date: 2002-00-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: College Entrance Examinations,Scores,Scaling,Scoring,Test Construction,Performance,Gender Differences,Racial Differences,Ethnic Groups,African American Students,Hispanic American Students,Asian American Students,White Students,High School Students,Mathematics Skills,Verbal Ability

The history of SAT® score scales is summarized, and the need for realigning SAT score scales is demonstrated. The process employed to produce the conversions that take scores from the original SAT scales to recentered scales in which reference group scores are centered near the midpoint of the score-reporting range is laid out. For the purposes of this paper, SAT verbal and SAT mathematical scores were placed on recentered scales, which have reporting ranges of 920 to 980, means of 950, and standard deviations of 11. (The 920-to-980 scale is used in this article to highlight the distinction between it and the old 200-to-800 scale. In actuality, recentered scores were reported on a 200-to-800 scale.) Recentering was accomplished via a linear transformation of normally distributed scores that were obtained from a continuized, smoothed frequency distribution of original SAT scores that were originally on augmented two-digit scales, i.e., discrete scores rounded to either 0 or 5 in the third decimal place. These discrete scores were obtained for all students in the &quot;1990 Reference Group&quot; using 35 different editions of the SAT taken between October 1988 and June 1990. The performance of this &quot;1990 Reference Group&quot; on the original and recentered scales is described. The effects of recentering on scores of individuals and the &quot;1990 Reference Group&quot; are also examined. Finally, recentering did not occur solely on the basis of its technical merit. Issues associated with converting recentering from a possibility into a reality are discussed.
The Effects of SAT® Scale Recentering on Percentiles. Research Summary RS-05
Author: Dorans, Neil
Date: 1999-05-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: College Entrance Examinations,Scores,Verbal Ability,Mathematics Tests,Statistical Data,Trend Analysis,Educational History

This summary explains how a student's relative standing in a particular group, as measured by a percentile score, is the same regardless of whether that student's score is on the SAT scale established in 1941 or on the recentered SAT scale, established with a 1990 reference group, and introduced in 1995.
The Effectiveness of the College Board's Test of Standard Written English for Placing Students in Entry-Level English Courses. Report No. 86-1
Author: Jackson, Rex
Date: 1986-00-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Writing Tests,English Instruction,Language Skills,Introductory Courses,Scores,College Students,Grades (Scholastic),Remedial Instruction,Regression (Statistics),Student Placement,Statistical Analysis,Screening Tests,Correlation

The effectiveness of the Test of Standard Written English (TSWE) as an aid in placing students into introductory English courses was studied by relating test scores to course outcomes for students entering the University of Houston between the fall of 1977 and the spring of 1981. For students placed into the regular introductory English composition course, TSWE scores were effective in predicting end-of-course grades, end-of-course essay scores, and endof- course test scores. Students with scores below 40 on the TSWE were estimated to have less than 58 chances in 100 of obtaining grades of C or higher in the regular course. For students who were placed into and completed the remedial course, large gains were found from precourse TSWE scores to postcourse TSWE scores. These findings support the placement uses made of the TSWE by the University of Houston. The evidence strongly suggests that students with low TSWE scores are unlikely to succeed in the regular introductory composition course and are likely to profit from the instruction provided in the remedial course. The following are appended: (1) Regression of Observed Retest on Observed Initial TSWE Scores Under Conditions of No True Change; and (2) Tables.