Throughout the years, United States education reform has sought to target the most disadvantaged students. Nonetheless, during this same period, proficiency rate disparities seem to have emerged among student subgroups. This study was designed to find ways for school districts to begin closing the achievement gaps between student subgroups,…

This non-consecutive, three-year qualitative study explored the testing experiences of high school juniors who used Chromebooks to take their Smarter Balanced Standardized Assessments (SBAC) in English Language Arts and Mathematics. The study began in 2015, the first year in which SBAC was administered to students across California and other…

This applied dissertation examined the use of technological tools in formative assessment activities. These phenomena have left teachers searching for timely methods to perform formative assessment or assessment for learning activities. The problem addressed by this study was that standardized testing, large class size, and increasing distance…

The purpose of this ethnographic study was to examine the relationship between focused keyboarding instruction and the required standardized assessments mandated by Federal and State authorities. Initial mandates required that the first assessment to be administered online would be the Writing Assessment by year 2014. The assessment given in…

This research study investigates the impact of the rapid transition from paper-based to online administration of the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) exams on student performance in a South Texas school district. The transition, mandated by House Bill 3261, presented Texas public schools with a tight timeline for adapting…

This study will utilize a quantitative method to the explore the association between third grade students' home computer access and their ability to attain a proficient score on the Fall 2019 English Language Arts standardized state assessment. The secondary focus will explore the association between third grade students' home computer access and…

Students are expected to complete high-stakes standardized tests on computers, but many are disadvantaged due to their lack of technical skills and experience. While students complete a required state practice test, the brief overview of the technology used during testing is often not enough to ensure that students can successfully navigate the…

Curriculum Based Measurements (CBM) are a widely-used tool for Response to Intervention (RTI) progress monitoring. In addition, they can be used in the determination of learning disabilities and special education qualification. The most widely used type of CBM is a measure of oral reading fluency (ORF). This type involves having a student read out…

Educators have been faced with increasing demands to not only achieve, but also improve reading scores across the nation. Educational research of literacy abilities and reading achievement performance on state assessments have been researched and documented for decades. However, there has been little research on middle school literacy and state…

This quantitative study examined seventh-grade reading scores to determine the extent to which certain demographic variables (race/ethnicity, gender, socioeconomic status) explain and MAP reading scores predict reading scores on the State of Texas Assessment of Academic Readiness (STAAR) in a selected northeast Texas public school. Standardized…

Intelligent Computer Assisted Language Learning (ICALL) uses advanced technology to provide customized learning and individualized feedback to foreign language students (Heift & Schulze, 2007). Some comprehensive ICALL programs claim the ability to take learners from no knowledge of a language to levels of advanced knowledge and comprehension.…

This mixed methods action research study explored how students reacted to using literature circles to enhance their knowledge and understanding of reading nonfiction text as compared to students using guided reading. This study showed a minimal improvement for students participating in the literature circle group in overall understanding of…

This quantitative study extends previous research on the impact of one to one (1:1) laptop environments on student outcomes in English Language Arts (ELA) by focusing on students from various socio-economic backgrounds, while using a new technology-enhanced, state-administered assessment to measure performance. This study is significant because…

American students in the 21st century are growing up with Internet accessible technology available at their fingertips. Considering this and the continued pressure to compete in a global society, The United States' Department of Education's National Education Technology Plan (NETP) (2010) calls for educators to leverage technology in order to…

Standardized testing and assessment packages have been implemented by nursing program directors to predict and improve pass rates on the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX). The methods of implementation vary from program to program, and as a result, the outcomes in the programs vary. The purpose of this quantitative study was to…