To help faculty connect programmatic assessment with the advancement of their own scholarly agenda, a professional development series was created that introduces faculty to the mutual benefits of the scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL) and academic program assessment. An additional benefit to faculty for participating in assessment…

Teachers are implementing flipped instruction in an increasing number of mathematics classes but the research base is not yet well developed on this topic. Many studies of flipped instruction in mathematics have involved a small number of classes utilizing flipped instruction being compared to classes with non-flipped instruction, but this study…

Connecting assessment with teaching through faculty capacity building can be a design principle in any assessment project aimed at improving student learning. This design principle is supported by the evaluation capacity-building literature, backward design curriculum approach, research on learning, and inquiry-driven assessment-for-learning…

Each year, clinicians are invited to work with music ensembles at schools throughout the country, often in preparation for a contest or festival. Traditional clinics in which guest conductors refine and inspire students in the music-making process are wonderful events but arguably produce only short-term results, due in part to the limited amount…

Most program evaluation efforts concentrate on assessments of "program implementation" and "program outcomes." However, another area of programs that has not received sufficient attention in the literature is evaluating the plan of the program. Since the quality of the plan and planning process can influence program…

The Barreto-Bridge Method (BBM) introduces an innovative approach to educational content development that addresses the increasing gap between traditional teaching methods and modern learning requirements. This methodology uniquely combines narrative storytelling with technical content delivery, creating an effective bridge between experiential…

Education officials have long hoped that the statewide academic assessments most students take each year could be used not only for accountability but also to guide instruction. Congress established the Innovative Assessment Demonstration Authority (IADA) program in 2015 to help address this goal, offering up to seven states flexibility from…

Fidelity is defined as doing what is intended. The purpose of measuring fidelity is to assist with supporting implementation. Collecting fidelity data provides an opportunity to problem-solve throughout the process versus waiting for outcome data. More often than not, purchased programs and curriculum materials are missing a research-validated…

Walsh University's process of seeking more effective assessment practices has identified an overarching theme of university-wide continuous improvement resulting in several initiatives. The categories of these initiatives can be described as new formats in leadership, unique and collaborative improvements across campus, strategies in alignment…

A growing body of research demonstrating the benefits of high quality early care and education (ECE) programs for young children, particularly those in families with low incomes, has inspired a strong commitment from both federal and state officials to improve the quality of ECE programs nationwide. Policymakers, administrators, and program and…

Since its first notable appearance in the "Second Handbook of Research on Mathematics Teaching and Learning," the phrase productive struggle has garnered support from a few, yet very influential, educational researchers. However, since the phrase was popularized by Hiroko Warshauer in 2011, examinations of the productive struggle have…

Purpose: This practitioner-focused article highlights a collaborative, school-wide project at a PDS that showcased elementary students' strengths and talents. Based on the children's book, The Smart Cookie (John, 2021), teachers and the university professor-in-residence developed professional learning communities, which inspired the creation of a…

In this short piece, I will dwell on two passages from John Dewey's book "Human Nature and Conduct" (1922): the section entitled "Deliberation and Calculation" and the following section "The Uniqueness of Good." In these passages, Dewey explains the crucial differences between utilitarianism and his own philosophy,…

The principles of positive psychology have been studied for many years, but it seems to be only recently that the benefits of these techniques are being accepted by the wider community of mainstream educators. In this article, we first describe the principles of positive psychology, primarily through the work of Martin Seligman. Then we highlight…

Cost analysis examines the costs of specific programs--including interventions, education practices and policies, and tools--designed to improve students' academic outcomes. Cost analysis--(1) Describes the resources needed to run a program, whether related to personnel, facilities, or materials; (2) Attaches value (estimates prices) for those…