The performance decision tree (PDT; Fulcher et al., 2011) is a rubric style that is applicable to performance assessment, with origins in Upshur and Turner's (1995) empirically derived binary-choice, boundary-definition (EBB) scale. It is easier for raters to assess performance by evaluating multiple binary-choice descriptors. Additionally,…

Using data from students in Grades 3-8 in school years 2018-2019 (N = 1,871) and 2021-2022 (N = 1,740), we examined the strength of fall math screening using Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) for predicting end-of-year state math assessment performance levels and whether this prediction varied across English language proficiency (ELP). In…

Children can be reliably diagnosed with autism as early as 3 years of age, and early interventions are initiated. There is often a significant gap between the age of onset of symptoms (2-3 years) and diagnosis (8-10 years) in Africa. We conducted a study to validate the Social Communication Questionnaire (SCQ) as a screening instrument in a rural…

This study presents the development and validation of a novel multiple-choice test designed to assess university students' conceptual understanding of electric field, force, and flux. The test of understanding of electric field, force, and flux was constructed based on the results of previous studies using a phenomenographic approach to classify…

Teacher happiness is a critical component of effective teaching. When teachers are happy, it often translates into more effective and engaging teaching. This exploratory sequential research primarily aimed to explore the characteristics and sources of happiness of public-school teachers in the new normal and eventually develop a public-school…

The majority of U.S. college students have experienced a traumatic event that could impact their health, social life, and academic success. While faculty are encouraged to implement trauma-informed teaching practices, rigorously studied resources do not exist for online courses. We address this gap by presenting findings from an initial study of…

Many schools attempt to identify and service students at risk for poor mental health outcomes within a multi-tiered system of support (MTSS). Universal screening within a MTSS requires technically adequate tools. The Social, Academic, and Emotional Behavior Risk Screener (SAEBRS) has been put forth as a technically adequate screener. Researchers…

Recruiting and retaining excellent teachers remains a pressing policy issue in education systems worldwide. According to UNESCO estimates, 68.8 million teachers will need to be recruited globally to meet Sustainable Development Goal 4. However, simply recruiting more teachers will not be enough to meet this challenge: we need to recruit…

The current article evaluates a national English language proficiency test known as the "MSRT test" which is used to determine the eligibility of candidates for admission to and completion of higher education programs in Iran. Students in all majors take this standardized, high-stake criterion-referenced test to determine if they have…

The article demonstrates how a questionnaire gauging students' experiences of participation in decision-making at their school can operationalise student participation in a whole school approach (WSA) to education for sustainable development model. Some 902 students in three upper secondary schools participated in the study by giving their answers…

In an attempt to measure the dynamic features of foreign language enjoyment (FLE), we adopted a longitudinal confirmatory factor analysis-curve of factors model (LCFA-CFM) approach to substantiate the validity of the original FLE scale (Dewaele and MacIntyre [(2014. "The Two Faces of Janus? Anxiety and Enjoyment in the Foreign Language…

This study detected patterns in teacher educators' and pre-service teachers' beliefs and practices regarding the degree project. Requirements in policy documents were also considered. The analysis centred on validity, teacher cognition and grounded theory. Conversations were conducted with instructors and students at three departments for teacher…

This article details the challenges and best practices of evaluating second language learners for placement into postsecondary Spanish language courses. The literature on testing for placement purposes in second language acquisition and language testing provides a great deal of insight, but language programs must make many decisions as well that…

In this study we evaluated the performance of the Elementary Reading Attitude Survey (ERAS) in a sample of 189 students in Grades 3 and 6 who attended a middle-tier private school in Karachi, Pakistan, where the medium of instruction was English (L2) and the majority language was Urdu (L1). We took a holistic approach and employed several…

Learning a second language is a life-long process requiring acquaintance with a repertoire of language learning strategies (LLS). Despite copious research on LLS and their role in fostering autonomous learning, few studies have examined strategies employed when trying to master specific subsystems of the target language, especially grammar.…