In this study, we examine students' mathematical reasoning within a technological environment designed to support understanding of relationships between quantities with adjustable measuring units. In particular, we provide a cross-sectional snapshot of how 30 elementary students (Grades 3-5) engaged in a series of fraction-as-measurement tasks…

This experimental research examined the effectiveness of using chatbots in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classrooms at a Chinese elementary school. Seventy-four students were divided into two groups: one employing traditional methods, and the other using chatbots. Before and after the 3-month teaching period, pre- and post-tests were used to…

We present two types of validity evidence to support inferences and decisions about use of easyCBMs in relation to state testing programs. The first type involves the use of Benchmarks in reading to use in making predictions of performance on the Smarter Balanced (SB) test. These predictions can be made both well in advance (several months) or…

Zearn Math is a popular software platform for K-8 mathematics learning, designed to enable all students to successfully access grade-level content. RAND researchers collaborated with Zearn, the product's developer, to design this evaluation. Then RAND conducted the study independently, randomly assigning 64 schools in an urban Texas district to…

This study investigated the understudied area of virtual reality (VR) creation among elementary-aged youth, exploring their engagement in VR creation and the ways in which educators can facilitate this creative process. Using an embedded case study, the researcher examined how the youth visualize writing using the VR creation tool, CoSpaces. To…

This developmental research aims to: (1) examine the developmental processes of the application called MagicSpells, a haptically-enhanced, digital, vocabulary acquisition application design for learners with dyslexia, (2) investigate the structure and design of the application, and (3) analyze the results of the reviews and usability tests…

This dissertation consists of three papers. In each paper, I leverage a different quantitative method to study a downstream effect of technology on educational outcomes. In the first paper, I study the impact of an online math learning program on 3rd through 5th grade math achievement in Louisiana. Employing Zearn Math usage metrics and…

A randomized controlled trial group design study funded by IES NCR Grant R305A090527 was conducted in which 16,307 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade students in 52 school grade-level clusters were randomly assigned to receive ST Math (program revision Gen3), a supplemental mathematics software instructional intervention, or to a business-as-usual…

The purpose of this design-based research study was to provide a holistic perspective on the pedagogical and contextual factors of interactive mobile technology on English learners and investigate the theoretical potential of audio-video software interventions for second language acquisition. Specifically, the study explored current virtual…

Because students have often been conditioned as passive learners and receivers of knowledge, it can be difficult for them to persevere in solving authentic problems. Nevertheless, teachers must persist in preparing students as problem solvers and critical thinkers. In an urban inner-city neighborhood school in the southeast, students embarked on a…

This study investigated a new conversation-based assessment for English language learners. In this assessment, students converse with animated agents in natural language conversations to assess various aspects of English language learning. In a between subjects design, 31 students (N = 31) were asked questions by either the newly created system or…

This study evaluated the feasibility and effectiveness of an abbreviated computerized cognitive behavioral therapy (CCBT) software program, Camp Cope-A-Lot, in an after-school setting for elementary students identified as at risk for anxiety and other behavioral problems. Analysis of data from a small sample of students randomly assigned to a…

Houston's experience with the Educational Value-Added Assessment System (R) (EVAAS) raises questions that other districts should consider before buying the software and using it for high-stakes decisions. Researchers found that teachers in Houston, all of whom were under the EVAAS gun, but who taught relatively more racial minority students,…

The MIND Research Institute contracted with the Evaluation Research Program at WestEd to conduct an independent assessment of mathematics outcomes in elementary school grades across California that were provided with the ST Math program. Spatial-Temporal (ST) Math is a game-based instructional software designed to boost K-5 and secondary-level…

The overarching questions guiding this interprofessional design-based research study are: (1) How might a suite of assessment tools help K-7 educators visualize learning in their classrooms and (2) How might these visualization approaches inform K-7 educators' changes in classroom assessment? Recognized by their administrators as having…