Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research Commons^™

What Makes Implicit Bias Training Effective? An Examination Of Training Program Interventions And K-12 Educator Experiences, Kyleigh K. Mcaloon

McNair Summer Research Program

Differences in disciplinary referrals based on race have led many to argue that bias may influence disciplinary decisions. Implicit bias (IB) training is designed to address such disparities by raising awareness of biases that may impact assessment of behavior and disciplinary decisions. In recent years, many have questioned the validity of IB as a construct and also the potential impact of training. Some scholars argue that these programs fail to produce meaningful behavioral change and may unintentionally reinforce or increase bias. The aim of the present study was to investigate how individuals receive and respond to such training. Sixteen K-12 …

Best Practices For Classroom Seating Arrangements: A Narrative Literature Review, Sophia M. Williams

Graduate Student Research Symposium

Every K-12 classroom has a unique dynamic produced by students and managed by its teachers. The relationships between peers, as well as the relationships between students and their teacher play an integral role in how students work and behave each day. An important aspect of the classroom dynamic that teachers’ control is seating arrangements. Indeed, extant research has debated on the best practice for seating arrangements in classrooms to create optimal learning environments that benefit both pupil and teacher. Some studies suggest that students work better when they are working with people that they have positive relationships with. Contrarily, others …

Preparing Teachers To Read The Data: Strengthening Data Literacy For Early Literacy Decision-Making, Tevia Q. Strand

The Interactive Journal of Global Leadership and Learning

Teachers are increasingly expected to use literacy screening and benchmark data to guide instruction, identify student needs, and participate in multi-tiered systems of support. However, pre-service and early-career teachers may enter the profession without sufficient preparation to interpret assessment data or connect benchmark patterns to instructional action. This white paper examines the gap between teacher preparation and the realities of K-12 data use, with particular attention to early literacy decision-making. Drawing from Bradbury’s discussion of teacher preparation and the changing realities of education, this paper argues that data literacy is an essential part of preparing teachers for equitable classroom practice. …

Influence Of Stormwater Flooding Events On The Mobile County School District Student Population, Kadence Kali Johnston

Honors Theses

Mobile County, Alabama, receives among the highest annual rainfall totals in the United States resulting in frequent stormwater flooding that intersects with existing socioeconomic vulnerabilities. Within the Mobile County Public School System (MCPSS), 77% of students are economically disadvantaged and over 10% experience homelessness, creating heightened risk for educational disruption during flood events. This study investigates how stormwater flooding influences school attendance, closures, and academic performance across MCPSS, providing insight into how climate-driven hazards exacerbate educational inequities. The research integrates flood frequency, school performance metrics, and GIS flood-zone mapping and teacher perceptions to understand how flooding affects student learning opportunities. …

The Relationship Between School Connectedness And Well-Being Among Racial Minority English Language Learners: Implications For School Counselors, Laura Craven, Jonathan Ohrt, Keeland Lodato

Journal of English Learner Education

Students who feel connected to their school experience better academic performance, social competence, and mental health. English Language Learners (ELL) face unique challenges to school connectedness compared to their English-speaking peers. In this study, we explored the relationship between school connectedness and well-being for 205 racial minority ELL students. ELL students’ perceived school belonging was a significant predictor of well-being. We discuss implications for school counselors, including specific strategies for increasing ELL students’ school connectedness.

Perceptions Of Giftedness: A Mixed Methods Study Of General Education Classroom Teachers And Gifted And Talented Specialists, Rachel J. Martino

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This convergent mixed methods study examined similarities and differences in perceptions of giftedness held by general education teachers and gifted specialists in two suburban elementary school districts. Grounded in social constructivism and labeling theory, the study explored how educator role shapes understandings of giftedness and gifted education. Survey data from 70 educators and interviews with eight participants were analyzed and integrated. Findings revealed alignment regarding the multidimensional and social–emotional nature of giftedness, but statistically significant differences in perceptions were found related to instructional practices and differentiation, identification, autonomy, and service models. Findings also revealed a gap between belief and practice, …

Book Review: Transformational Teaching By Kenneth S. Coley, Deborah L. Maccullough, & Martha E. Maccullough: A Comprehensive Resource For Christian Educators, Michele S. Worley

Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching & Learning

This review of Transformational Teaching by Kenneth S. Coley, Deborah L. MacCullough, & Martha E. MacCullough examines the book as a Christian resource for educators. The book covers four main areas of education: foundational philosophy and learning theory, instructional design, learning community and semantics in discipline content structure in teaching. Each area is biblically founded and combines theory with real-world application and examples from Scripture. This invaluable resource equips current and prospective educators to blend faith with pedagogy and cultivate an individualized Christian worldview while pursuing instructional excellence.

Unfreezing Language: A Decolonial Reframing Of Translanguaging Pedagogies In English As A New Language & Dual Language Bilingual Education Settings, Cristian R. Solorza

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

This qualitative multi-case study examines how elementary teachers in English as a New Language (ENL) and Dual Language Bilingual Education (DLBE) settings conceptualize, implement, and reflect upon translanguaging pedagogies, with particular attention to translanguaging rings as tools for language differentiation. Grounded in a rearticulation of language as a dynamic, socially, politically, and historically constructed subject and object, this study challenges monoglossic ideologies that position named languages as bounded systems at the center of language education. Instead, it centers students’ lived, embodied, and agentive language practices as foundational to language learning and to their participation as knowledge producers in ENL and …

Pa 146: What Is Clear, What Is Fuzzy, And What Should We Do Next?, Jenelle Williams, Nicole Peterson

Michigan Reading Journal

Michigan’s Public Act 146 (PA 146), the state’s K–12 Literacy and Dyslexia Law, establishes new requirements for screening, evidence-based instruction, structured literacy practices, professional learning, and strengthened multi-tiered systems of support to improve reading outcomes. While the law provides detailed and prescriptive guidance for elementary schools—particularly regarding decoding-focused instruction aligned to the science of reading, universal screening, and intervention planning—its implications for grades 4–12 are less clearly defined. This article examines what is explicit in the legislation, what remains open to interpretation in secondary contexts, and how districts can move forward strategically as they prepare for full implementation by 2027–2028. …

Development And Preliminary Effectiveness Of Sel-Based Puzzle Media For Improving Emotional Regulation In Second-Grade Elementary Students, Kun Widya Nurfiani, Diana Septi Purnama

Jurnal Pendidikan: Teori, Penelitian, dan Pengembangan

This study developed and evaluated the feasibility, practicality, and preliminary effectiveness of the Social Emotional Learning (SEL)-based Puzzle Expression Emotion media to improve emotional regulation among second-grade elementary school students. The study used a Research and Development design following the ADDIE model. Feasibility was assessed by subject-matter and media experts, practicality by classroom teachers, and preliminary effectiveness through a one-group pretest-posttest field trial involving 51 students from two public elementary schools in Surakarta. Data were collected through interviews, observations, validation sheets, practicality questionnaires, and an emotional regulation instrument. Quantitative data were analyzed descriptively, followed by a paired-sample t-test and N-gain …

An Equity-Based And Culturally Responsive Bill Of Rights For Early Childhood Students Of Color With Exceptionalities, Evette Simmons-Reed, Michelle Frazier Trotman Scott, Gloria Tardash, Mildred Boveda, Donna Y. Ford

Perspectives on Early Childhood Psychology and Education

The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated existing disparities in early intervention (EI) and early childhood special education (ECSE) services for culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) disabled children, exposing critical gaps in access, services and support. systemic inconsistencies in implementation, training, and funding, remain barriers limit opportunities for CLD students to benefit, despite the aims of the Individuals with Disabilities Improvement Act (IDEA). To address these inequities, this manuscript proposes an expanded and updated Culturally Responsive Equity-Based Bill of Rights for EI and ECSE. Building upon Ford and colleagues' (2018) work, this revised document extends protections to children aged zero to five, emphasizing …

Guest Editor's Introduction: Methodological Innovations For Advancing Early Childhood Educational And Psychological Research, Anthony Mangino Ph.D.

Perspectives on Early Childhood Psychology and Education

The goal of this special issue is to provide you, the inquisitive reader and developmental scientist, with some of the methodological tools to aid in augmenting your analytic capacity.

The Impact Of The Science Of Reading Initiative On Reading Test Scores Among Rural Elementary Students In Arkansas, Julie A. Ferguson

ATU Theses and Dissertations 2021 - Present

This study examines changes in reading achievement among rural elementary students in Arkansas following the statewide implementation of the Science of Reading initiative. Beginning in 2019, Arkansas required educators in kindergarten through sixth grade to receive training in evidence‑based literacy practices emphasizing phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. Despite these efforts, rural districts continue to face challenges related to staffing, access to professional development, and instructional resources, raising questions about whether statewide reforms have produced measurable improvements in reading outcomes.

Using a quantitative, longitudinal, quasi‑experimental design, this study analyzes ACT Aspire reading assessment data collected from rural Arkansas schools …

Is The School Environment The Leading Cause Of The Rise In Burnout Rates Among Tenured Teachers?, Jazalyn A. Brown

Honors College Theses

Teacher burnout has become an increasingly significant issue within the field of education, affecting not only teachers themselves but also the learning environments within schools. Many educators face growing pressures, including overwhelming workloads, limited resources, and a lack of consistent administrative support, which can lead to emotional exhaustion and frustration over time. As more teachers report experiencing burnout or leaving the profession altogether, it becomes increasingly important to better understand the factors that contribute to this issue and how schools can respond to it. This thesis explores how school environments and leadership practices influence teacher burnout and why stronger support …

Incorporating Play-Based Learning While Meeting State Standards, Alicia Muer

Graduate Teacher Education

This paper reviews the benefits of incorporating developmentally appropriate practices into the classroom through a play-based approach. This is a controversial topic, as most teachers are more concerned with teaching to the standards than with the needs of students as a whole. Fifteen studies, including qualitative, quantitative, mixed-methods, and action research, were used to examine what developmentally appropriate practices are. Three themes emerged from the studies: play-based learning, professional development, and teacher-student collaboration. In the play-based theme, a sub-theme emerged which focused on games and gaming. The findings showed that students thrive more in an environment where play-based learning is …

The Transformational Role Of Perceived Self-Efficacy In Combating Online Exam Anxiety, Ana Pereles, Carmen Romero-García

Higher Learning Research Communications

Objective:This study investigates how university students’ perceived self-efficacy influences anxiety levels during online examinations, a pressing issue amplified by disruptions caused by coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and the rise of artificial intelligence (AI)–driven assessment concerns. The aim is to analyze the relationship between self-efficacy and online test anxiety, identifying effective strategies to mitigate its effects.

Method: A systematic review following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) methodology was conducted. Searches in Scielo, Web of Science, Scopus, ProQuest Education, Google Scholar, and Dialnet databases included peer-reviewed articles in education, psychology, social sciences, and computer sciences, published …

Comparing Two Emergent Literacy Screeners: The Reading House And Star Early Literacy In A Florida Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten (Vpk) Program, Jaime D. Swenbeck

Poster Presentations

Emergent Literacy (EL) refers to the foundational skills that develop from birth through the preschool years and support later reading success (National Early Literacy Panel, 2008; Levy et al., 2006). These include basic Print Concepts, Phonological Awareness, Vocabulary, Letter-Sound Knowledge, and Emergent Writing (Piasta et al., 2021; Puranik et al., 2011). Because they serve as predictors for later literacy success, accurate identification of children struggling to learn EL skills is important. There are various types of tools, ranging from screening tools to diagnostic assessments, that measure children’s EL skills, with assessment times ranging from 10-15 minutes to 45-60 minutes. In …

Benefits Of Being Bilingual On The Academic Success Of The Spanish-Speaking English Language Learners, Shary Vaca

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Reframing bilingualism as an academic asset rather than a limitation, this senior capstone research project examines how bilingualism supports the academic success of Spanish-speaking English language learners (ELLs) in early education within California’s diverse and growing Hispanic student population. Using a combination of literature reviews, teacher interviews, and surveys from former English language learners, the findings indicate that bilingualism is one of three key benefits for English language learners: enhancing communication skills, strengthening critical thinking, and increasing language competence. In addition, bilingual students demonstrate a unique ability to collaborate effectively, think flexibly across languages, and transfer linguistic knowledge to support …

Benefits Of Contemporary Literature On Literacy And Cognitive Development In Elementary School Students, Autumn R. Hemenway

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

The purpose of this capstone research project is to examine the benefits of contemporary literature on the literacy and cognitive development of elementary school students. Contemporary literature includes modern texts that reflect diverse experiences, identities, and real-life issues that students can relate to. This study reviews academic articles and interviews with elementary school teachers and school librarians to explore how these resources influence vocabulary development, reading comprehension, student engagement, and critical thinking. The findings indicated that contemporary literature supports literacy growth by increasing student motivation and connection to reading, while also promoting cognitive development through interpretation, perspective taking, and deeper …

Analyzing Professional Development To Foster Agency And Professional Growth Among Educators, Kameron Kimbrough

Dissertations

This study explores how professional development (PD) and leadership systems influence teacher agency and instructional coherence at a high-poverty, predominantly Black K–8 school in Chicago. Midwest Elementary Academy has faced persistent achievement gaps and systemic instability that hinder collaboration and teacher growth. Guided by three research questions, this exploratory case study used a mixed-methods design to examine educator perceptions of PD quality, instructional autonomy, and leadership structures. Data were collected through anonymous surveys, semi-structured interviews, classroom observations, and document reviews with four educator participants. Qualitative data were coded using open and in vivo methods, and survey responses were analyzed descriptively …

Fiesta De Día De Muertos: Integración De Artes Visuales, Artes Literarias, Artes Escénicas Y Patrimonio Cultural En Una Celebración Escolar De Nivel Primaria, Mayra Urbina, Linda Judith Palafox

The Transdisciplinary STEAM+ Journal

Esta nota de campo documenta un festival transdisciplinario de Día de Muertos organizado en el Colegio México, una escuela primaria ubicada en la colonia El Tapatío, San Pedro Tlaquepaque, Guadalajara, México. El evento integró artes visuales mediante la construcción de tumbas decorativas y el montaje de un altar, artes literarias a través de calaveritas literarias escritas por los alumnos, y artes escénicas mediante coreografías de baile y representación teatral, todo ello vinculado con contenidos de estudios sociales sobre el patrimonio cultural mexicano. Aproximadamente 30 alumnos de primero a sexto grado (edades de 6 a 12 años) participaron como intérpretes, escritores …

Fiesta De Día De Muertos: Integrating Visual Arts, Literary Arts, Performing Arts, And Cultural Heritage In An Elementary School Celebration, Mayra Urbina, Linda Judith Palafox

The Transdisciplinary STEAM+ Journal

This field note documents a transdisciplinary Day of the Dead (Día de Muertos) festival organized at Colegio México, an elementary school, in La colonia El Tapatío, San Pedro Tlaquepaque, Guadalajara, Mexico. The event integrated visual arts through decorative tomb-building and altar construction, literary arts through student-authored calaveritas literarias, and performing arts through dance choreography and theatrical performance, all in connection with social studies content on Mexican cultural heritage. Approximately 30 students across grades 1–6 (ages 6–12) participated as performers, writers, and artists, while parents and community members also actively contributed, including through participation in a theatrical skit, …

All Flourishing Is Mutual: Cultivating A Gift Economy Of Literacy, Lindsey Lush, Melissa Kurtz

Occasional Paper Series

In this paper, two scholars and practicing elementary educators argue that the policies and practices of the Science of Reading (SoR) movement in early literacy education are being constructed with the logic of a market economy, shaped by neoliberal ideologies of individualism, scarcity, and competition. Compelled by our concerns for the bodies and beings of readers and reading teachers in the context of our Northeast Georgia public elementary school and provoked by our shared engagement with The Serviceberry, Indigenous scientist and scholar Robin Wall Kimmerer’s book on lessons from the natural world, we engage a postqualitative approach to emergent, relational …

When Science Of Reading Policy Meets Classroom Reality: The Nonsense Word Problem, Lisa Dewing-Birno, Luis Lopez

Occasional Paper Series

A central feature of many Science of Reading (SoR)-aligned curricula is the use of nonsense words in early literacy assessment to measure a student's ability to decode unfamiliar words using knowledge of letter-sound correspondences. However, the research base for using nonsense words as an instructional tool is much weaker and more contested. Through two narratives, we illustrate how the implementation of SoR instruction with nonsense words can be particularly problematic. We argue that effective literacy instruction demands what we call pedagogical clarity, the ability to integrate pedagogical practices with deep understanding of individual learners, their cultural and linguistic resources, and …

Uplifting The Legacy Of Black Teachers: Loving And Liberatory Pedagogies In A Science Of Reading Context, Natasha A. Thornton, Amanda L. Armstrong, Brooke Blacknall, Jordan Freeman, Elaine Nevers-Williams, Mukkaramah Smith

Occasional Paper Series

This article explores Black liberatory pedagogy (BLP) as a critical approach to navigating current Science of Reading (SoR) mandates, which are often restrictive and fail to honor the literacies and linguistic practices of Black children. Through the narratives of six educators—classroom teachers, teacher candidates, and teacher educators—the article examines how they have experienced and responded to the implementation of SoR standards and curriculum shifts. These stories also illuminate what becomes possible when teachers are in spaces that allow for autonomy, imagination, and culturally responsive pedagogy. The educators’ experiences, expertise, and cultural wisdom are centered, demonstrating how they enact BLP through …

Motivational Systems In Education That Encourage Academic Achievement & Student Leadership, Hannah A. Lockhart, Angela Elsass

2026 Honors Symposium

This research examines how school-based motivational systems influence academic achievement, student engagement, and leadership development in K–12 educational settings. Grounded in contemporary motivational theory, the project explores motivation as a multidimensional construct shaped by autonomy, competence, relatedness, and belonging. Using an expanded review of literature as the primary methodological framework, the research synthesized 97 scholarly sources retrieved through multiple academic databases, including the University of Arkansas Libraries system, and integrated qualitative insight from a semi-structured professional interview with educator Ron Clark. Findings suggest that intentionally designed motivational systems, including schoolwide frameworks that foster belonging, recognition, and student agency, have a …

(W)Holistic Approaches: Empowering The Whole Of Child, Annette Johnson, Tiarnah Hamlin, Jack Lundie-Jenkins, Erin King, Karen Malyon, Jennifer Cartmel

International Journal of Playwork Practice

Holistic approaches are an evolving pedagogy in the Outside of School Hours Care (OSHC) sector that, despite its recognised value, remain an elusive practice for many educators. This ambiguity has been acknowledged in My Time Our Place (MTOP): Framework for School Age Care in Australia 2.0 (AGDE, 2022). In alignment with this process, the ability for OSHC and extended learning to empower children’s self-identities is fundamental to supporting their holistic development. In a world emerging from the coronavirus pandemic, the ongoing impacts on children – the result of physical separation and societal stressors – cannot be ignored. Accordingly, the child’s …

Development Of A Problem-Based Learning Model Assisted By The Interactive Canva Application To Improve Critical Thinking And Collaboration Skills Of Fourth Grade Elementary School Students, Fitri Dwi Utami, Heris Hendriana, Galih Dani Septyan Rahayu

Jurnal Pendidikan: Teori, Penelitian, dan Pengembangan

Penelitian ini dimotivasi oleh rendahnya kemampuan berpikir kritis dan kolaborasi siswa kelas empat sekolah dasar yang disebabkan oleh pembelajaran konvensional dan kurangnya penggunaan media pembelajaran interaktif. Studi ini bertujuan untuk mengembangkan model Pembelajaran Berbasis Masalah (PBL) yang dibantu oleh aplikasi interaktif Canva yang layak dan efektif untuk meningkatkan kemampuan berpikir kritis dan kolaborasi siswa. Metode penelitian yang digunakan adalah model Penelitian dan Pengembangan (R&D) Borg & Gall yang meliputi tahapan analisis kebutuhan, perencanaan, pengembangan produk, validasi ahli, revisi produk, dan uji lapangan. Subjek penelitian terdiri dari 21 siswa pada uji terbatas, 30 siswa pada uji luas, dan 60 siswa pada …

The Effectiveness Of Wordwall-Integrated Game-Based Learning On Elementary School Students' Science And Social Studies (Ipas) Learning Outcomes, Maryanah Maryanah, Aynin Mashfufah, Riska Pristiani

Jurnal Pendidikan: Teori, Penelitian, dan Pengembangan

The implementation of IPAS learning at the elementary school level is still dominated by one-way learning strategies with limited media support. This condition has an impact on the low level of student activity, resulting in suboptimal conceptual understanding, especially for abstract material such as food chains. This study aims to examine the effect of applying digital game-based learning integrated with Wordwall on the IPAS learning outcomes of fifth-grade elementary school students. The research used a quantitative approach with a quasi-experimental design, involving a treatment group and a comparison group with equivalent initial abilities. Data collection was carried out using a …

Teachers' Lived Experiences Addressing The Benefits And Challenges Of Screen Based Technology Use In The Classroom: A Transcendental Phenomenological Study, Amanda M. Thompson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The researcher explored Title I elementary school teachers’ lived experiences in addressing the challenges and benefits of screen based technology (SBT) use in classroom spaces. Guided by Vygotsky’s (1978) sociocultural learning theory, a transcendental phenomenological approach was utilized by the researcher to explore the unique nuances of different learning spaces, buildings, and educational contexts. As SBT has become indispensable to modern education practitioners, teachers must balance the benefits to student learning with screen fatigue, reduced interpersonal interaction, and access disparities. The central research question states: How do Title I elementary school teachers describe their lived experiences in addressing SBT use …