ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
Improving Achievement in Gaelic. Improving Series
Author: Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Education (HMIe) (Scotland)
Date: 2005-06-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Evidence,Secondary Schools,Educational Change,Foreign Countries,Elementary Schools,Preschool Education,Nursery Schools,Instructional Improvement,Inspection,Academic Achievement,Second Language Instruction,Second Language Learning,Second Languages,Students,Language Teachers,Courses,Student Evaluation,Student Needs,Instructional Leadership,Teacher Education,Teacher Recruitment,Indo European Languages

The aim of this report is to provide an overview of the development of provision for Gaelic education in Scottish schools, 11 years on from the Inspectorate's last major review of the area. The report sets out to provide an update showing what progress has been achieved since that time, with a specific focus on pre-school, primary and secondary education sectors. More specifically it is designed to: (1) indicate the scope and impact of national and local developments; (2) identify and describe good practice; and (3) indicate areas where there is scope for improvement. This report is based on evidence drawn from the inspections of Gaelic-medium primary classes and Gaelic language classes in secondary schools between 1997 and 2005. The report also makes reference to provision for Gaelic learners in primary schools (GLPS) and the teaching of subjects other than Gaelic in secondary schools through the medium of Gaelic. However, in these aspects of provision direct inspection evidence is very limited and it is therefore not possible to make comment on the quality of delivery or attainment in these areas at this stage. Each section of the report identifies strengths and issues, as appropriate, at the pre-school, primary and secondary stages. Common features are identified and comment is made on features applicable to specific stages. The report also provides a series of questions which schools should find helpful in evaluating and improving their own practice. Appended are: (1) Some Significant Dates in the Recent Development of Gaelic Education; and (2) Local Authorities in Receipt of Specific Grants for Gaelic Education. (Contains 1 footnote.)
ACT and College Success
Author: Bleyaert, Barbara
Date: 2010-02-05
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Aptitude Tests,College Entrance Examinations,Academic Aptitude,Grade Point Average,High Schools,Correlation,Academic Achievement,Course Selection (Students),Difficulty Level,Mathematics Instruction,Science Instruction,Prediction,Access to Education

What is the relationship between ACT scores and success in college? For decades, admissions policies in colleges and universities across the country have required applicants to submit scores from a college entrance exam, most typically the ACT (American College Testing) or SAT (Scholastic Aptitude Test). This requirement suggests that high school students' performance on these exams can help predict their academic success as college students. In fact, research conducted over the past four decades on the efficacy of the ACT assessment as a predictor of college success generally supports this belief; there is a strong positive relationship between performance on the ACT and college GPA (Noble, 1991; Noble, Davenport, Scheil, Pommerich, 1999; Noble &amp; Sawyer, 2002; Paszczyk, 1994; Price &amp; Kim, 1976; Stumpf &amp; Stanley, 2002; Thornell &amp; Jones, 1986). Although ACT scores can be highly successful in predicting future success in college, students' performance on the ACT is largely determined by the courses students take during high school (Paszczyk, 1994), and the high school they attended (Noble et al., 1999). The &quot;quality of the education they receive&quot; during high school, the rigor of their course work, and access, especially to rigorous math and science courses regardless of the grades they receive in those courses, largely determine their performance on the ACT--and their future success in college. A list of references and online resources is included.
ADHD--To Medicate or Not? Research Brief
Author: Walker, Karen
Date: 2009-09-16
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Adolescents,Developmental Delays,Drug Abuse,Attention Deficit Disorders,Rewards,Elementary School Students,Drug Therapy,Philosophy,Health Services,Eating Disorders,Stimulants,Decision Making,Parent Attitudes,Outcomes of Treatment,Brain Hemisphere Functions

What does the research indicate are the effects of medicating or not medicating adolescents with ADHD? Many parents and health care providers are rethinking and questioning the long-term effects of medication on children. Whether or not to medicate adolescents with ADHD is a conundrum that many parents face. Some parents believe their child will grow out of it, others feel that living a healthy lifestyle is the answer, while a number of parents are certain that medication will help. Research shows that there is not single right answer. In a study of 53 adults with ADHD who had never received medication to treat it, and 44 adults that did not have ADHD, it was found that those with ADHD had lower levels of dopamine receptors and transporters. These affect a person's attention and motivation levels and their response to rewards. It was suggested that those with low dopamine levels might be more prone to drug abuse and over eating because these things can stimulate the reward receptors. A recent study of elementary school students with ADHD showed that those who had taken medication for the condition appeared to score 2.9 points higher in math and 5.4 higher in reading than their peers who had not taken medication. In other research, it was found that there was on average, a three-year developmental delay in the frontal cortex among students with ADHD. Two other studies offer some guidance. In one study it was reported that as people who have ADHD age, there is more of a tendency to voluntarily stop taking medication, taking it sporadically or over medicating. The second study reported that the longer a stimulant was taken, the less effective it became. More than 60% stopped taking their medication within eight years while 20% did not benefit from stimulants. (Contains 17 online resources.)
Success in Advanced Placement Courses. Research Brief
Author: Hansen, Angela L.
Date: 2005-09-21
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Advanced Placement,College Credits,Advanced Placement Programs,Equivalency Tests,Academic Achievement,Minority Group Students,Enrollment,High School Students

What factors affect student success in AP courses? The College Board's Advanced Placement Program (AP) is widely recognized as the premier program for advanced placement and credit by examination. Originally established in 1955 as an opportunity for a few elite groups of students to take on college level work, the AP program has expanded to include more than 700,000 students, more than one million exams administered yearly, in more than 13,000 schools. Research indicates that students completing AP courses were better prepared to take on college course work and were able to earn college credit when successful on the AP exams. In addition, teachers participating in AP professional development have been credited with greater content and pedagogical knowledge. Finally, Advanced Placement programs are credited with improving the overall curricula of the school by creating a need for more rigorous prerequisite courses. However, in spite of the many benefits of Advanced Placement programs, problems exist. This paper presents several key issues that were identified as concerns about teaching AP courses and offers recommendations for improving success in AP courses. (Contains 5 online resources.)
AP Courses. Research Brief
Author: Walker, Karen
Date: 2006-05-08
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Advanced Placement Programs,Enrollment,Minority Group Students,White Students,Program Effectiveness,Educational Policy,Courses,College Preparation,Secondary School Curriculum,Standardized Tests,Educational Strategies,Guidelines,Educational Resources,Web Sites,Annotated Bibliographies,Educational Research,High School Students

What are ways to encourage minority students and those from low socioeconomic backgrounds to take and succeed in AP classes? Advanced Placement courses and their final national standardized exams began in 1954 to help students, mostly white males, get through college more quickly so that they would have more time in the work force. 50 years later, these courses and subsequent test results are being used to gain entrance into college. One research study found that high school seniors who took no AP courses, graduated from college at a rate of only 33% by age 30. Other studies have found that just being in an AP class without taking the exam and/or not passing with a 3 or higher, do not have the same benefits as passing the exam. By passing the exam, the chances of completing college and receiving a degree are greatly increased. Currently, there is a push to offer more AP courses and encourage more minority students and those from low socioeconomic backgrounds to take them. This paper lists issues surrounding offering more courses, as well as things being done to encourage and support more student enrollment in AP courses. (Contains 25 online resources.)
Fine Arts Education. Research Brief
Author: Walker, Karen
Date: 2006-01-03
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Art,Fine Arts,Federal Legislation,Academic Achievement,Music Education,Art Education

What are the benefits of a Fine Arts education? With the advent of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2000, extreme pressure has been put on schools to concentrate the majority of their efforts and resources on reading, math and science skills. Yet, NCLB also states that every child should be well-versed in the arts. Some research has shown that when students study the arts, it leads to higher achievement in other academic areas, especially when the arts are meaningfully integrated throughout different content areas. Studies in Chicago indicated that test scores of students who studied the arts went up two times faster than those in comparable schools. A well-rounded education in the fine arts helps students develop skills such as observation skills, critical thinking skills, deeper and more complex thinking skills, spatial reasoning and temporal skills, presentation and performance skills, and reasoning skills. Gardner stated &quot;... that skill and craft gained in the arts help students to understand that they can improve in other consequential activities and that their heightened skill can give pleasure to themselves and others&quot; (The Arts and the Transfer of Learning, p. 154). Characteristics of successful fine arts programs are listed. (Contains 2 resources and 19 online resources.)
Improving Achievement in Science in Primary and Secondary Schools. Improving Series
Author: Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Education (HMIe) (Scotland)
Date: 2005-03-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Academic Achievement,Evidence,Sciences,Secondary Schools,Best Practices,Science Achievement,Elementary Schools,Student Improvement,Educational Assessment,Student Evaluation,Foreign Countries,Courses,Science Education,Student Needs,Teacher Student Relationship,Instructional Leadership,Leadership Effectiveness

This report is based on inspections of science in primary and secondary schools carried out between September 2000 and March 2004. In addition to schools inspected as part of the generational cycle, HMI also visited other primary and secondary schools to observe and describe aspects of best practice. The report also draws on other major sources of evidence about pupils' attainment, including results of examination awards from the Scottish  Qualifications Authority (SQA), the Assessment of Achievement Programme (AAP), the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) and Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS). The focus of this report is action for improvement. The starting point is the existing good practice which many schools are using to strengthen pupils' learning and to raise achievement. A number of previous reports have identified strengths and areas for improvement in aspects of science provision. In particular, this report builds upon the earlier HMIE findings in &quot;Effective Learning and Teaching in the Sciences&quot; (1994), &quot;Improving Science Education 5-14&quot; (1999) and &quot;Standards and Quality in the Sciences 1995-2000&quot; (2000). Particular questions addressed through the report include the following: (1) How good are attainment, courses, learning and teaching, ethos and leadership?; (2) Is there any evidence of improvement?; (3) What are the strengths of existing good practice?; and (4) Where is the scope for further improvement? Each section of the report identifies strengths and issues common to both the primary and secondary stages. Comment is made on features applicable to specific stages. The report also provides a series of prompt questions which schools should find helpful in evaluating and improving their own practice. (Contains 6 figures and 7 footnotes.)
Four-Day Week Schedule. Research Brief
Author: Marx, Gary E.
Date: 2007-05-25
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Teacher Attendance,School Schedules,Nontraditional Education,School Districts,Attendance,Academic Achievement

What does research say about the four-day week as an alternative school schedule? More than 100 districts in at least 12 states currently use a four-day week alternative schedule. Most are located in rural areas, serve less than 1000 students, and made the move to a shorter school week with longer instructional days for financial reasons. Although four-day week schedules have been in place since the early 1980s, research about the effects of this non-traditional approach is very limited. The studies that have been conducted confirm that a four-day week schedule saves money, primarily in the areas of transportation, energy, food service and substitute teacher expenses. Student and teacher attendance tend to increase when a four-day week is implemented. A number of districts cited fewer disruptions of instructional time and increased on-task behavior by students as benefits. Despite these benefits, the literature indicates that the change to a four-day schedule rarely increased student achievement. On the plus side, the shortened week had no adverse affect on achievement over time. For the most part, parents, teachers and students expressed positive feelings about the four-day week schedule, but some negative perceptions related to local implementation issues or circumstances were also cited. As economic and demographic conditions change across the country, more districts are considering the four-day week as an alternative school schedule. This paper presents a summary of implementation ideas and recommendations from the literature. (Contains 7 online resources.)
Group Work. Research Brief
Author: Walker, Karen
Date: 2010-02-11
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Long Term Memory,Retention (Psychology),Group Activities,Skill Development,Student Development,Classroom Techniques,Instructional Effectiveness,Educational Research,Principals,Administrator Role,Education Work Relationship,Guidelines,Educational Resources,Web Sites,Annotated Bibliographies,Elementary Secondary Education,Teacher Administrator Relationship

According to Johnson and Johnson, group work helps increase student retention and satisfaction, develops strong oral communication and social skills, as well as higher self-esteem (University of Minnesota, n.d.). Group work, when planned and implemented deliberately and thoughtfully helps students develop cognitive and leadership skills as well as a sense of responsibility, all of which are required in the contemporary work place. Learning goes into one's long-term memory when it is challenging, meaningful, and relates to the real world. When students are asked to solve genuine problems, they own the problem and will work diligently to solve it. Group work provides these indispensable experiences for students. (Contains 15 resources.)
High Level Thinking and Questioning Strategies. Research Brief
Author: Burton, Ella
Date: 2010-02-23
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Thinking Skills,Educational Strategies,Teachers,Teaching Methods,Classification,Critical Thinking,Professional Development,Academic Achievement,Students,Principals

Higher-order thinking is an instructional strategy supported by research. Often referred to as critical thinking skills, it is more than simple recall of facts or information. It is a function of the interaction between cognitive strategies, meta-cognition, and nonstrategic knowledge when solving problems. Higher-order thinking is based on the concepts in the cognitive domain of Bloom's Taxonomy. It suggests that some types of learning require more cognitive processing than others. Bloom's Taxonomy suggests that skills involving analysis, evaluation and synthesis are of a higher order, requiring different instructional practices. It also suggests that higher-order thinking involves "the learning of complex judgmental skills such as critical thinking and problem solving." Higher-order thinking is thought to be more useful because such skills (analysis, synthesis) are considered more likely to be useable in situations other than those in which the skill was initially learned. Questioning is one of the "essential nine" instructional practices identified by Marzano, Pickering & Pollock, 2001). It is closely linked to higher-level thinking and Bloom's Taxonomy. While teachers' use of questions is predominantly low-level, professional development can help teachers develop the skill to design and use questions that engage students in higher-level instructional processes. (Contains 14 resources.)
High Schools that Work. Research Brief
Author: Bleyaert, Barbara
Date: 2009-01-27
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Technical Assistance,State Aid,Educational Change,Data Analysis,High Schools,Middle Schools,Academic Achievement,Learner Engagement,Academic Persistence,College Preparation,Career Development,Change Strategies,Achievement Gains,Educational Environment,Success,Student Evaluation,Evaluation Methods,Teacher Expectations of Students,Teamwork,Teacher Collaboration

&quot;High Schools That Work&quot; (HSTW) is the oldest and largest of Southern Regional Education Board's (SREB's) several school improvement initiatives (which also include &quot;Middle Schools That Work&quot;). The central purpose of HSTW is to engage students so fully in their learning that they stay in school and complete a rigorous, relevant curriculum that prepares them for a successful transition to post-secondary studies and/or the world of work. HSTW is a reform model shaped by these beliefs: (1) Most students can master a rigorous academic and career/technical curriculum and should have access to such a curriculum; (2) Greater gains can be made for students when educators adopt an &quot;effort-based&quot; focus rather than an &quot;ability-based&quot; focus; and (3) Teachers and school leaders have the capacity to create an environment that motivates students to make the effort necessary for success. Begun in 1987, HSTW is currently being implemented in more than 1200 sites across the United States. SREB supports the schools with technical assistance, professional development, and data analysis. Thirty-two states have chosen to become &quot;HSTW States,&quot; entering into a consortium with SREB and agreeing to develop and maintain a state support network for schools implementing the initiative. Implementation of this comprehensive reform initiative is guided in each school by a clearly articulated framework of goals and key practices summarized in this paper. (Contains 8 online resources.)
Successful Transition to High School. Research Brief
Author: Education Partnerships, Inc. (EPI)
Date: 2012-00-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Academic Support Services,School Personnel,Interaction,High School Students,Grade 8,Parent Participation,Middle School Students,Grade 9,Secondary School Teachers,Parent School Relationship,Peer Relationship,Parent Teacher Cooperation,School Orientation,Student Adjustment,Middle School Teachers

What steps can be taken to assure that 8th graders make a successful transition to 9th grade? More students fail ninth grade than any other grade level. When middle school students took part in high school transition programs with a variety of different articulation activities, fewer students were retained in ninth grade. Ideally, these transition programs include activities that provide students and parents with current information about the new school, provide students with social support and opportunities for peer interaction during the transition, provide opportunities for parent involvement and bring middle school and high school personnel together to learn about one another's curriculum, special programs, requirements and expectations. School leaders can ease students' transition into high school by implementing transition programs that address the needs of students and their parents and that facilitate communication between middle school and high school teachers and support staff. Effective high school transition programs address the following key areas: (1) Providing parents and students with information about the new school; (2) Provide opportunities for peer interaction and social support; (3) Provide opportunities for parent involvement; (4) Provide opportunities for communication between middle and high school teachers and support staff; and (5) Provide academic support for incoming ninth graders. (Contains 5 online resources.)
Hispanic Student Achievement. Research Brief
Author: Hansen, Angela L.
Date: 2005-11-15
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Academic Achievement,Teacher Effectiveness,Hispanic American Students,High School Students,Achievement Gap,Low Income Groups,Disproportionate Representation,Educational Quality,Teacher Expectations of Students,Social Bias,Teacher Competencies,Faculty Development,Time Factors (Learning),Family Involvement,Curriculum,Access to Information,Access to Education,College Preparation,Social Support Groups,Cultural Influences,Social Influences,Socioeconomic Status,English (Second Language),School Community Relationship,Family School Relationship

What are the factors affecting the achievement of Hispanic high school youth? Hispanic Americans are the largest growing population in the United States. Currently, Hispanic students make up more than 20% of the U.S. school population and, in 23 of the 50 states, Hispanic students outnumber African American and Asian students. During the 1970s and 1980s the gap between the achievement of Hispanic students and white students narrowed; however, since the 1990s, progress in the academic achievement of Hispanic students has virtually stopped. Like other minority and low-income students, Hispanic students often face challenges within school which can hamper their success, such as: (1) Being enrolled in less rigorous and challenging academic courses; (2) Having under-prepared, less experienced teachers; and (3) Facing low teacher expectations and possible discrimination. Research by groups such as the Education Trust (2003), the North Central Regional Education Laboratory (2004), the Center on Education Policy (2001), and the Tomas Rivera Policy Institute (2003) have identified several factors affecting the academic achievement of Hispanic students as well as suggestions for improving their education opportunities: (1) Teacher Quality and Professional Development; (2) Teacher Expectations; (3) Extended Learning Time; (4) Parent and Community Support; (5) Social Support; (6) A Rigorous Curriculum; (7) Knowledge about and Access to Higher Education; and (8) Learning Resources. (Contains 6 online resources.)