In the context of Bayesian factor analysis, it is possible to compute plausible values, which might be used as covariates or predictors or to provide individual scores for the Bayesian latent variables. Previous simulation studies ascertained the validity of mean plausible values by the mean squared difference of the mean plausible values and the…

This study compares the estimated grammar school effect in different regression models, and explains why previous evidence of the effectiveness of grammar school is mixed. Like most studies of school effectiveness evaluation, previous research on grammar school effect usually applies regression to control for confounding between-school factors and…

Test-takers, policymakers, teachers, and institutions are increasingly demanding that testing programs provide more detailed feedback regarding test performance. As a result, there has been a growing interest in the reporting of subscores that potentially provide such detailed feedback. Haberman developed a method based on classical test theory…

As markets are changing in the beef industry, producers are seeking new opportunities for value-added beef production. A select group of beef industry experts and experienced beef producers have come to consensus regarding challenges that producers face in the current marketplace. They identified competencies that would be a positive addition to a…

School effectiveness refers to an educational institution's ability to achieve its predetermined goals, especially regarding student learning outcomes, development, and well-being. Although forming and strengthening partnerships between schools is commonly used to improve school effectiveness, empirical evidence on the connection between school…

Measuring teacher effectiveness has been debated and studied for numerous years. While some progress has been made, consensus has yet to be reached regarding what it means to be an effective teacher and how to measure effectiveness. This study uses administrative data from North Carolina to assess the relationship between school principal…

Quality of universities is best viewed through the eyes of stakeholders. Yet, in the United Kingdom and elsewhere, rankings conducted by various agencies purport to provide one overall measure of university quality. This article re-examines some of the data used by university rankers. In so doing, it shows that their information can be repackaged…

Students' valuing of academic content impacts their engagement in learning and plays a pivotal role in shaping their future academic and career choices. Fortunately, practicing educators can integrate many readily applicable strategies into teaching to enhance students' valuing of academic content. Drawing from expectancy-value theory, Eric M.…

This article reviews the impact of further education (FE) colleges -- in particular, mixed economy colleges -- on the surrounding environment and community, and attempts to answer the question of whether the mixed economy college can still be considered an anchor in the community. A mixed methods small-scale case study of a medium-sized mixed…

Social media has been shown to be an efficient way to engage in networked participatory scholarship (NPS), which is defined as the use of online social networks to share and further develop scholarship. As leaders in the field, educational technology scholars should be at the forefront of this practice. We used social network analysis (SNA) to…

To measure "treatment" effects, social science researchers typically rely on nonexperimental data. In education, school and teacher effects on students are often measured through value-added models (VAMs) that are not fully understood. We propose a framework that relates to the education production function in its most flexible form and…

In his 1837 essay "The American Scholar," Ralph Waldo Emerson offers a challenge that is appropriate for honors practitioners today--namely, to figure out just how good a time this is to be doing the work we do. Honors students, faculty, and staff occupy every part of the institutions we call home, so we should take advantage of our…

In this study, we estimated the relationship between two popular measures of teacher effectiveness--teachers' value-added model (VAM) estimates, represented in this study via median growth percentiles (MGPs), and teachers' observational scores, derived from the TAP System for Teacher and Student Advancement. We examined the relationship between…

In this study of trust in academic development, we propose a framework to build trust between developers and faculty. This framework was conceptualized while reflecting on a teaching and learning programme and analysing the strategies for building trust that were apparent in its design. Our findings reveal that trust is built and sustained by…

Amid the global surge of learner-centered pedagogy (LCP) as a "universal panacea," this article proposes an alternative pedagogical framework in Tanzania encompassing (1) historically nurtured pedagogies, (2) currently valued pedagogies, and (3) globally promoted LCP. Using the comparative case study (CCS) approach and the capability…