This report draws on 53 focus group interviews conducted with students aged 13 and 15 in both representative and innovating UK secondary schools. The schedule for these discussions covered a wide range of issues relating to the use of Web 2.0 services both in and out of school. These young people were often deeply engaged with this technology and…

The study analyzed 2005 posttest data compared to 2008 posttest data to determine student end of school year academic achievement outcomes across three academic levels (above average, average, and below average chemistry potential) and two teacher homework evaluation methods (assigned but not graded and assigned and graded) on teacher prepared…

We present evidence on the impact of piece rate financial incentives on students' school outcomes from a randomized field experiment in Nepal. Despite several experimental and institutional factors making it less likely of finding a positive treatment effect, I find that incentives increase average aggregate scores by 0.09 standard deviations.…

The present study conducts an experimental investigation to compare the efficiency of the cooperative learning method with that of the traditional learning method. A total of 42 engineering students are randomly assigned to the two learning conditions and are formed into mixed-ability groups comprising three team members. In addition to the…

Enabling children and young people to act as researchers is increasingly viewed as useful in supporting their increased "participation" within settings where they live, work or receive services. This paper reports upon a project conducted by two educational psychologists (EPs) with two primary school class groups, in which the children…

This study examined the effects of selected classroom factors (the emphasis on a student-centred approach, the shortage of instructional resources and homework) on the science and mathematics achievement of Jordanian eighth graders using data from the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study of 2007. The analytical model also included…

In many of the secondary classrooms across the country, including the research site for this study, students are passively engaged in the mathematics content, and academic performance can be described, at best, as mediocre. This action research study sought to bring about improvements in student engagement and performance in the secondary…

A common practice in classroom discourse is the IRF sequence (teacher initiation-student response-teacher feedback; Sinclair & Coulthard, 1975; cf. IRE in Mehan, 1979). Based on a single case analysis from an adult English as a second language (ESL) class, this article demonstrates how one ESL student manages, in close coordination with the…

In this article, the author reflects on the impact of homework on his children, and more generally about the value of homework as an educational activity. Putting aside the question as to whether this is in fact homework or just schoolwork done at home, the first fundamental question is whether homework is indeed useful and necessary in a…

The study examined differences in students' reported homework value, motivation, and metacognitive strategy use during homework completion among two grades, gender, and three achievement levels. Differences among six homework self-regulation constructs (utility value, intrinsic value, effort, persistence, planning, and self-checking) were also…

Over the past two decades there has been increasing movement toward the use of computers and the internet in conjunction with many courses across the educational spectrum. In addition to having consequences for course delivery, both inside and outside of the classroom, this movement has had an impact on the coursework that is required of students.…

While there has been much quantitative research done in the area of attitudes and self-efficacy beliefs, this study sought hear the voices of the middle school child. Therefore, this qualitative study investigated the attitudes toward mathematics and mathematics self-efficacy beliefs of middle school students in one middle school in western…

The changing demographic situation in the U.S. creates paramount social problems as the population of immigrants grows. Because the higher education is the most effective tool for incorporating the immigrant populations into the society, the purpose of the proposed study was to determine what students' characteristics, parents' characteristics, as…

Inspired by a new generation of librarians and children, Walter reconsiders the legacy passed on by the matriarchs of children's services and examines more recent trends and challenges growing out of changes in educational philosophy and information technology. This thoroughly researched book includes the current issues and trends of: (1)…

Before and after the interventions of summer classes for parents and an interactive homework program, parents of children in an inner-city southeastern U.S. elementary school were interviewed and teachers surveyed to determine home and school factors that impacted parental involvement in their children's education. Beliefs about roles and…