Previous research used the learning hierarchy (LH) as a heuristic to select reading interventions based on the level of accuracy defined as the percentage of words read correctly. The current study examined the validity of the LH by reporting the prevalence of reading profiles proposed by the framework: Acquisition phase--inaccurate and slow,…

Drawing on recent emotion and multimedia research, we conducted an experimental study with university students combining induction of enjoyment or anger prior to learning with boring learning environment to scrutinise how emotions experienced prior to learning relate to experiencing boredom, anger, and enjoyment during learning and to students'…

We conduct a randomised control trial at an Italian university to investigate the impact of test anxiety on high-stakes exams. Students are subjected to two different interventions -- silence and music -- designed to influence their pre-test anxiety levels. We monitored and compared individual biomarkers before and after each treatment to measure…

In international large-scale assessments, student performance comparisons across educational systems are frequently done to assess the state and development in different domains. These results often have a large impact on educational policy and on the perceptions of an educational system's performance. Early assessments, such as the First and…

This paper uses data from the largest college application platform in the U.S. to describe application and enrollment changes in response to widespread test-optional admissions adoption between 2018-2021. Although test-optional policies aimed to expand college access, underrepresented students did not apply to Elite colleges at higher rates and…

Background: Computational thinking (CT) is an essential skill for preparing the younger generation to succeed in an AI-driven world, with pair programming emerging as a widely used approach to foster these skills. However, the role of individual factors and mutual engagement in shaping CT skills within pair programming remains underexplored,…

Background: In their recent paper, Del Giudice and Haltigan argue that attachment in childhood and attachment representations in adulthood are influenced by the cognitive capabilities of children and parents, that would causally link parents' attachment states of mind to children's attachment. In the current pre-registered study, we empirically…

This research examines the integration of mobile applications with the Egyptian Knowledge Bank (EKB) to support the professional development of teachers, with a particular focus on computer science educators. Given the barriers teachers face in attending traditional training programs, such as time constraints, location, and costs, Mobile Learning…

In recent years, many state legislatures in the United States have implemented legislation and regulations requiring public schools to use evidence-based reading curricula. This study of reading achievement in public Montessori schools in Arizona was conducted to comply with one such piece of legislation. It compares public Montessori students'…

The current study aims to evaluate the performance of three non-IRT procedures (i.e., normal approximation, Livingston-Lewis, and compound multinomial) for estimating classification indices when the observed score distribution shows atypical patterns: (a) bimodality, (b) structural (i.e., systematic) bumpiness, or (c) structural zeros (i.e., no…

In this digital ITEMS module, Dr. Michael Bunch provides an in-depth, step-by-step look at how standard setting is done. It does not focus on any specific procedure or methodology (e.g., modified Angoff, bookmark, and body of work) but on the practical tasks that must be completed for any standard setting activity. Dr. Bunch carries the…

The purpose of this study was to compare the effectiveness of interdependent and independent group contingencies on pre-service teachers' performance on class quizzes that reflected their knowledge of evidence-based practices for students with extensive support needs. In the interdependent condition, the course instructor awarded extra credit…

This study builds on the simulation framework of a recent paper by Stanley and Doucouliagos ("Research Synthesis Methods" 2023;14;515--519). S&D use simulations to make the argument that meta-analyses using partial correlation coefficients (PCCs) should employ a "suboptimal" estimator of the PCC standard error when…

When randomized control trials are not possible, quasi-experimental methods often represent the gold standard. One quasi-experimental method is difference-in-difference (DiD), which compares changes in outcomes before and after treatment across groups to estimate a causal effect. DiD researchers often use fairly exhaustive robustness checks to…

Research shows that third-grade reading proficiency is the most significant predictor of future success, including graduation rates, earning potential, crime, and health. Mastery of foundational literacy skills during preschool bolsters students' ability to learn to read before fourth grade when the transition from learning to read to reading to…