Through a synthesis of test publisher norms and national longitudinal data sets, this study provides new national norms of academic growth in K-12 reading and math to help reinterpret conventional effect sizes in time units. We propose "d'," a time-indexed-effect-size metric to estimate how long it would take for an "untreated"…

Student persistence in online learning environments has typically been studied at the macro-level (e.g., completion of an online course, number of academic terms completed, etc.). The current examines student persistence in an adaptive learning environment, ALEKS (Assessment and LEarning in Knowledge Spaces). Specifically, the study explores the…

The United States Department of Education (2005) cited that during 2005-2006 academic school year an estimated 2 million students across the nation were eligible to receive after-school services. The after-school tutoring program is one of the most effective instructional strategies to assist low-performing students to meet criteria mandated by…

Researchers have confirmed that students' motivation is one of the most important factors educators can target to improve learning (Williams & Williams, 2011). This study explored the role which student's motivation played in the retention of first-time, full-time freshman (FTFTF) STEM majors at University (U) (blinded). Student motivational…

Black middle school students in the United States continue to perform poorly on standardized reading achievement tests in comparison to other racial and ethnic groups. The purpose of this research study was to examine the effectiveness of a vocabulary-focused test preparation program for Black middle school students. The theoretical framework…

Response to Intervention and Instruction (RTI) is now the process for providing and monitoring reading interventions for students. In Tennessee, RTI is also used to identify students who may have a learning disability in the area of reading. For this reason, school districts are continuously evaluating the success of their RTI efforts in order to…

Response to Intervention and Instruction (RTI) is now the process for providing and monitoring reading interventions for students. In Tennessee, RTI is also used to identify students who may have a learning disability in the area of reading. For this reason, school districts are continuously evaluating the success of their RTI efforts in order to…

Response to Intervention and Instruction (RTI) is now the process for providing and monitoring reading interventions for students. In Tennessee, RTI is also used to identify students who may have a learning disability in the area of reading. For this reason, school districts are continuously evaluating the success of their RTI efforts in order to…

This study examined the effectiveness of using a Facebook group to increase pre-service teachers' knowledge of core technology topics. Further, it examined their use of Facebook, their use of a course-related Facebook group, their participation habits in the group, and their perceptions of using Facebook for educational purposes. Results revealed…

This study examined seventh grade student achievement in math, reading, and language arts relating to the allocation of instructional minutes per subject. The treatment group consisted of students assigned to 90 minute classes in the core content. The control group consisted of students assigned to 55 minute classes in the core content.…

Ever since Becker and Watts (1996) found that economic educators rely heavily on "chalk and talk" as a primary teaching method, economic educators have been seeking new ways to engage students and improve learning outcomes. Recently, the use of social media as a pedagogical tool in economics has received increasing interest. The authors…

Through a synthesis of test publisher norms and national longitudinal datasets, this study provides new national norms of academic growth in K-12 reading and math that can be used to reinterpret conventional effect sizes in time units. We propose d' a time-indexed effect size metric to estimate how long it would take for an "untreated"…

This quantitative method, quasi-experimental design study examined the possible effect of foreign language study in Tennessee middle schools on mathematics achievement. The population was 1,708 historical student test scores of a single cohort spanning 6th through 8th Grades from the same schools within a large urban public school district. NCLB…

Background: Since 1984, Students Taking a Right Stand (STARS) Nashville has implemented Student Assistance Programs (SAPs) in the middle Tennessee area, to include 14 counties and 16 school districts. STARS Nashville serves K-12 with a focus in middle and high schools. Methods: The current study reviewed studies that utilized quasi-experimental…

In an ex post facto causal-comparative research design, this study investigated the effectiveness of Automated Writing Evaluation (AWE) programs on raising the student writing achievement. Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program (TCAP) writing achievement scores from the 2010 administration were utilized for this study. The independent variable…