Gender disparities in STEM fields emerge starting in the fourth grade, when girls are less likely than boys to express interest in STEM fields. Outreach events targeted to girls during this crucial developmental period can foster a sense of belonging in STEM. Women+ Excelling More in Math, Engineering, and the Sciences (F.E.M.M.E.S.) is a…

Providing consistent, individualized feedback to teachers is essential for improving instruction but can be prohibitively resource intensive in most educational contexts. We develop an automated tool based on natural language processing to give teachers feedback on their uptake of student contributions, a high-leverage teaching practice that…

Digital badges (i.e., digital credentials for achievements) have been suggested as a useful and scalable implementation of gamification. Digital badges (hereafter "badges") provide two potential supports for learning: (1) badges provide support for motivation by rewarding achievement and (2) badges provide implicit learning goals. The…

This study investigates the implementation of virtual choir recordings in a choir class during distance learning. In this particular study, a virtual choir is defined to be a computer-generated sound recording that emulates a realistic choir sound. Students (n=21) practiced their parts using virtual choir recordings for a period of eight weeks;…

Overall the social capital of MOOCs is under-exploited. For most students in MOOCs, autonomous learning often means learning alone. Students interested in adding a social dimension to their learning can browse discussion threads, join social medias and may message other students but usually in a blind and somehow random way, only hoping to find…

"Harvard Education Letter" is published bimonthly at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. This issue of "Harvard Education Letter" contains the following articles: (1) Course Credits on the Quick: Controversial Online Recovery Programs Speed the Path to Graduation (Andrew Brownstein); (2) Collaborating to Make Schools More Inclusive…

The 2013 study, "Interactive Learning Online at Public Universities: Evidence From a Six-Campus Randomized Trial," examined the impact of interactive learning online (ILO) on the pass rates of 605 students enrolled in introductory statistics courses at six public universities. ILO is a form of online course instruction in which…

With the vast array of contextual factors, pedagogical approaches, models of implementation, and purposes of education and training related to online learning, educators, learners, and the general public alike are seeking answers regarding utility and effectiveness of online learning. This article identifies and responds to many of the challenges…

Online courses are increasingly seen as a viable way to expand the number and types of courses offered and broadening access to key courses, particularly in small and rural schools. Algebra I in middle school exemplifies an important course that educators and policymakers want to be more available to students. To study the effectiveness of using…

University learning increasingly includes online learning experiences embedded within teaching with the dual policy intentions of increasing flexibility and learner engagement. In this research project, three university lecturers from different teaching contexts selected technologies for online learning to enhance learner engagement by encouraging…

People who deal with at-risk teens say dropping out is not an event; it's a process. Youngsters miss school and get "backed up" in class, so they miss more school because they're bewildered or embarrassed, and fall further behind. In the three years the 75-seat Hampton Performance Learning Center (PLC) has been open, it claims to have…

The purpose of this study was to assess teacher perceptions regarding the effectiveness of online courses as a delivery method for professional development. Participants were divided into two groups, educators who have participated in and now teach professional development courses online (instructors) and educators who have participated in the…

The Faculty of Education, University of Brasilia, implemented an online undergraduate degree program for classroom teachers (student-teacher) who have not yet completed their studies. There are 1800 classroom teachers in the Brazilian state of Acre, bordering Peru and Bolivia, who have completed only high school. However, a new directive from the…

This study examined the effects of learning styles on learner perceptions of the use of interactive online tutorials. Learners were categorised into five learning style categories and four learning modalities. The responses to a questionnaire with four survey dimensions were analysed in order to ascertain differences based on learning styles,…

Background: Spaced education (SE) is a novel, evidence-based form of online learning. We investigated whether an SE program following a face-to-face continuing medical education (CME) course could enhance the course's impact on providers' clinical behaviors. Methods: This randomized controlled trial was conducted from March 2009 to April 2010,…