This dissertation is guided by my driving research question: what works for whom in education and why? I examine issues of instruction, assessment, and research approaches that begin to answer this question. Study 1 examines a classroom intervention's child x instruction interactions. Study 2 examines underlying cognitive factors, including…

Panahi and Mohebbi review James Dean Brown's 50-years of research in language testing, curriculum development and research statistics with reference to an impressionistic framework for analysis containing two components with their subcomponents: Annotations (i.e., briefing and implications) and main concepts and themes (i.e., testing and teaching…

The present study aimed to examine the effect of collaborative practices among teachers on student achievement in state-tested science courses. Using an action research model, the author planned, implemented, and evaluated the effect of teachers collaborating in PLCs in science classes in a rural school district. Prior to the study, teachers in…

Standardized tests have been applied as student knowledge assessment in many countries, including Azerbaijan. However, studies have shown that standardized tests are not an effective way of measuring students' knowledge because they limit students' creativity and prevent instructors from applying individual teaching methods due to the pressure of…

This paper reports on a study exploring metacognition in young children. Developing metacognitive skills helps children become responsible and 'thoughtful about their learning' [Chatzipanteli, A., Grammatikopoulos, V., & Gregoriadis, A. (2014). Development and evaluation of metacognition in early childhood education. "Early Child…

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…

Research integrated into undergraduate education is important in order for medical students to understand and value research for later clinical practice. Therefore, attempts are being made to strengthen the integration of research into teaching from the first year onwards. First-year students may interpret attempts made to strengthen research…

This dissertation focuses on the development and implementation of an action research study that seeks to determine the impact of integrating literacy strategies in the biology classroom on standardized test scores. The teacher-researcher identified the problem of practice in her classroom after four years of observation of ninth-grade biology…

Teacher achievement goal orientation is how a teacher approaches his or her profession and defines success in the differing tasks and goals found within the field. Research in the area of teacher achievement goal orientation has occurred for the last decade. While the findings from previous research suggest that of the four orientations (mastery,…

While fluency in second language speaking can be a challenging construct to measure, it is important to identify the discourse features that contribute to it. This small-scale classroom research project examined the effect of formulaic language sequences on fluency as measured by computer-based speaking tasks of young English learners. Thirty-six…

Research has demonstrated that in controlled experiments in which small groups are being tutored by researchers, reading-strategy instruction is highly effective in fostering reading comprehension (Palincsar & Brown, "Cognition and Instruction," 1(2), 117-175, 1984). It is unclear, however, whether reading-strategy interventions are…

Improving mathematical student performance in K-12 education has been a focus in the U.S. Students in the U.S. score lower on standardized math assessments than students in other countries. Preparing students for a successful future in a global society requires schools to integrate effective digital technologies in math classroom curricula.…

Improving Indigenous students' literacy is a major priority area for the Australian Government, receiving significant funding to address below benchmark English literacy standardised test results. Despite this, recent benchmark tests suggest Indigenous students continue to achieve well below the national average. This systematic review discusses…

This article, an initial report on a section of a larger research study, examines the institutional logics that underpin teacher decision making in response to changes in Australian curriculum and assessment. The research analyses secondary school teachers' accounts of their work enacting the "Australian Curriculum: English" and the…

The purpose of the transcendental qualitative phenomenological research is to describe the characteristics and strategies of teachers who share the same experiences in teaching science, a non-assessed content, in a high-stakes assessment environment at the third and fourth grade levels. Teacher curriculum choices are dictated by the need to…