Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research Commons^™

Evaluating The Impact Of Research Equipment Availability On Scientific Rigor, Reproducibility, And Innovation Across Stem Disciplines, Lyndi G. Hraban

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

Research infrastructure plays a central role in shaping the quality and innovative capacity of scientific research. This study evaluates how the availability of research equipment influences scientific rigor, reproducibility, and innovation across STEM disciplines. Drawing on literature from science-to-science research, policy studies, and discipline-specific analyses, this project synthesizes existing scholarship to explore the relationship between access to infrastructure and key research outcomes. Findings across the literature indicate that access to advanced and well-maintained equipment can strengthen scientific rigor by enabling more precise measurements, improved experimental control, and the implementation of standardized research protocols. Shared and centralized facilities are also associated …

Pisa In Brief Australia 2025: Student Performance, Lisa De Bortoli, Catherine Underwood

OECD Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) Australia

PISA in Brief summarises the key findings from PISA 2025 for Australian students. It compares Australia’s performance with other participating countries and economies, examines trends over time, and highlights differences in achievement across Australian states and territories and key demographic groups. PISA uses 2 main measures to describe student achievement. Mean scores show overall performance, while proficiency levels (ranging from below Level 1 to Level 6) explain the types of knowledge and skills students can typically demonstrate. This report focuses on differences that are statistically significant (in other words, differences that are unlikely to have occurred by chance). The report …

Pisa 2025: A First Look At Student And School Characteristics For Australia, Lisa De Bortoli, Catherine Underwood

OECD Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) Australia

This report presents a first overview of Australia’s PISA 2025 contextual results. It focuses on selected constructs related to 15-year-old students’ attitudes towards school and their experiences in the classroom and at school, including sense of belonging at school, disciplinary climate in science classes, perseverance, feeling safe at school, enjoyment of science, exposure to bullying, negative school climate, and time spent on digital devices by purpose. It also provides initial insights into equity in education in Australia from an international perspective, and Australian students’ self-reported effort. The report compares Australia’s results with those of other participating countries and economies, as …

Pisa 2025: Reporting Australia's Results. Volume I: Student Performance, Lisa De Bortoli, Catherine Underwood, Jonas Bertling

OECD Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) Australia

This Volume I report presents Australia’s PISA 2025 results at the international and national level, including results for key student groups. It examines recent trends since PISA 2022 and longer-term trends since reading (2000), mathematics (2003) and science (2006) were first assessed as the focal domains. The results in this report are based on a nationally representative sample of Australian 15-year-old students, stratified using variables of jurisdiction; school sector; geographic location; student sex composition; and a measure of socioeconomic background.

Illinois Model Programs Of Study: Overview Guide (Draft For Public Comment), Education Systems Center

Practitioner Toolkits and Resources

This draft is available for public comment through September 30, 2026. Share your public comment at:

https://forms.gle/VDKeCdf5HycEerMr7

Illinois Model Programs Of Study Guide: Digital Technology (Draft For Public Comment), Education Systems Center

Practitioner Toolkits and Resources

This draft is available for public comment through September 30, 2026. Share your public comment at:

https://forms.gle/VDKeCdf5HycEerMr7

Illinois Model Programs Of Study Guide: Education (Draft For Public Comment), Education Systems Center

Practitioner Toolkits and Resources

This draft is available for public comment through September 30, 2026. Share your public comment at:

https://forms.gle/VDKeCdf5HycEerMr7

Illinois Model Programs Of Study Guide: Physical Health (Draft For Public Comment), Education Systems Center

Practitioner Toolkits and Resources

This draft is available for public comment through September 30, 2026. Share your public comment at:

https://forms.gle/VDKeCdf5HycEerMr7

Understanding Primary Level Learner Progression In Scotland: Insights From Scottish Online Formative Assessments (Sofa) Data From The Highland Local Authority, Alexander Towne, Sladana Krstic

Assessment and Reporting

This report presents findings from more than 30,000 Scottish Online Formative Assessment (SOFA) assessments completed across one Scottish local authority during the 2024-2025 academic year. It demonstrates how SOFA can be used to monitor learning progression across numeracy, reading and writing, identify attainment gaps between learner groups, and provide detailed diagnostic evidence to support classroom practice, school improvement and local authority panning. Although based on a single local authority, the study illustrates how curriculum-aligned formative assessment can complement national assessment evidence by providing richer insight into learner development.

Exploring Social Cognitive Learning In Simulation-Enhanced Interprofessional Education: A Case Study, William Nicholas Vasios Iii

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this single-case design study is to explore the impact of observational and vicarious learning during simulation-enhanced interprofessional education (Sim-IPE) on the confidence and perceived self-efficacy of nursing students and IM residents at a southeastern university. Guided by Bandura’s social cognitive learning theory, which addresses the personnel, behavioral, and environmental factors of Sim-IPE, while answering the central research question: How does observational and vicarious learning during Sim-IPE impact participant confidence and perceived self-efficacy? This qualitative single-case study was conducted at a university in the southeastern United States, using data collected through visual confidence analog scale surveys, interviews, and …

Exploring Experiences Of Home Education Parents In Homeschool Curriculum Modification: A Transcendental Phenomenological Study, Anne Elizabeth Smoak

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study is to explore the experiences of home education parents modifying the curriculum at their homeschool. The theory guiding this study is the expectancy-value theory, as it shows the connection between attainment value, intrinsic value, and utility value in the context of parents who choose to modify home education. The central research question is as follows: What are the lived experiences of parents modifying curriculum at their homeschool? The examination of these experiences was explored using a qualitative methodology for the research, and the chosen research design for this study is a transcendental phenomenological …

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 …

The Ilese Project: Building An Evidentiary Database About Students' Use Of Learning Environments, W. Imms, J. E. Morris, K. Day, C. Bradbeer, L. Lockhart-Barker, C. Campbell

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

This paper presents the progress of a unique study of significant scope. The industry-funded innovative Learning Environments and Student Experience (ILESE) study asked two questions: In what ways has more than two decades of learning spaces research culminated in readily used evidence that meets the needs of those involved in providing innovative education infrastructure? Second, based on perceived strengths and gaps, how do we design research to address identified gaps? This paper reports on the findings to these questions. It draws on the results of a large-scale Scoping Study that sought perspectives from experts equally distributed across (1) industries providing …

Generative Ai Adoption And Perceived Academic Impact Among Undergraduate Students: A Cross-National Study In Indonesia, Tajikistan, And The United States, Vyacheslav Dushenkov, Ernawati Sinaga, Astri Rozanah Siregar, Alamkhon Akhmedov, Saidbeg Satorov

Publications and Research

Generative artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly transforming higher education, yet comparative evidence from diverse international settings remains limited. This cross-national study examined undergraduate students’ adoption and perceived academic impact of generative AI tools at institutions in Indonesia, Tajikistan, and the United States. A harmonized online survey was administered to 584 undergraduates during Spring 2026 (Indonesia n = 235; Tajikistan n = 226; United States n = 123). The survey assessed AI familiarity, adoption patterns, frequency and purpose of use, perceived academic impact, and factors encouraging AI engagement. AI adoption differed significantly across sites, with the highest adoption observed in Indonesia …

Using “You” As A Subject In Biology Assessment Questions: Examining Student Preferences For Second-Person Framing, Noelle Clark, Kate Hill, Jeremy L. Hsu

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

In college biology courses, exams and quizzes are often used to assess students’ knowledge and performance. Since assessments are a crucial part of biology classes, there has been a wide range of work examining how assessment questions are written, revealing that small changes in how such questions are worded may have large impacts on students’ reading comprehension and performance. One aspect that instructors consider when writing a question is subject framing, i.e., which individual, if any, is being placed as the focal point of the question. In this study, we focus on the following subject framings, an authentic scientist, a …

Ai-Resistant And Ai-Resilient Assessment In Higher Education: A Systematic Review Of Validity-Grounded Strategies, Institutional Frameworks, And Equity Implications, Asrat Genet Amnie

Publications and Research

The emergence of large language models has precipitated a fun damental disruption to higher education assessment. Conventional instruments are susceptible to AI-assisted completion, threatening construct validity across disciplines and institutional contexts. When submitted work reflects AI capability rather than student competency, the inferential chain from performance to qualifica tion is invalidated – a problem of design rather than detection. This systematic review makes two contributions. First, it theorises and grounds the distinction between AI-resistant assessment, which seeks to prevent or impede AI access through containment, and AI-resilient assessment, which assesses genuine human cogni tive performance of intrinsic educational value regardless …

From Hermeneutic Theory To Pedagogical Practice: Dialogue, Fusion Of Horizons, And Tradition In The Philosophy For Children Classroom, Leon Benade

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

This article brings Hans-Georg Gadamer’s philosophical hermeneutics into critical conversation with the pedagogical practice of philosophy in schools, focusing particularly on Philosophy for Children (P4C). While P4C offers a rich pedagogical model for developing reasonableness through the Community of Inquiry (CoI), its account of the conditions under which understanding occurs remains somewhat underdeveloped. Although some scholars have situated P4C in relation to hermeneutics, this engagement is limited. Addressing this gap, the key Gadamerian ideas of tradition, prejudice, and the fusion of horizons and dialogue are explored here to deepen and extend the theoretical considerations of inquiry in P4C. The discussion …

Alumni Voices. Beyond Graduation: The Lifelong Global Impact Of A Uk Education, Sladana Krstic, Alexander Towne

Higher education research

The third round of the British Council Alumni Voices survey provides robust and timely evidence of the enduring value of a UK higher education experience. Drawing on three years of longitudinal survey data, supplemented by a number of interviews, the findings highlight how UK education continues to deliver skills, support professional progression, and foster long lasting international networks that extend well beyond graduation and national borders. Nearly three quarters of respondents report that in the last 12 months they have maintained contact with people they first met during their UK studies, and almost 84 percent have recommended a UK study …

Sdg 4.1.1 Minimum Proficiency Levels. Definition And Blueprint For Assessment, Prue Anderson, Andrew Mannion, Ursula Schwantner, Maurice Walker, Colin Watson, Toby Simmer

Global education monitoring

Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4 aims to ensure that, by 2030, “all girls and boys complete free, equitable and quality primary and secondary education leading to relevant and effective learning outcomes.” The primary indicator 4.1.1 concerns the proficiency of girls and boys in two learning areas (reading and mathematics) at three stages of education: at the end of lower primary, at the end of primary, and at the end of lower secondary. Large-scale learning assessments are essential tools to capture data on learning outcomes and to provide system-level evidence on education quality and equity. In the context of SDG 4, …

Research Integrity Policy, Munster Technological University, Ireland

Policies & Procedures Documents

This policy outlines the principles of research integrity and the most serious types of research misconduct aligning with university, national and international practices.

Effectiveness And The Music Teacher: A Correlational Study Of Emotional Intelligence In Secondary Music Instruction, Rachel Gonzales

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This quantitative correlational study examined the relationship between emotional intelligence and teacher effectiveness among secondary music educators in Texas. Emotional intelligence was measured using the Emotional Intelligence Assessment for Secondary Music Educators (EIASME), a researcher-developed instrument comprised of the four domains of emotional intelligence: self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, and relationship management. Teacher effectiveness was assessed using the Texas Teacher Evaluation and Support System (T TESS) and the University Interscholastic League Concert and Sightreading (UIL C/SR) assessments. Data were collected via a digital Qualtrics survey completed by seventy-five qualifying respondents representing secondary directors in band, choir, and orchestra. Descriptive statistics and …

Queer, Hybrid Participatory Design: Relational Practices And Norms For Coalition Building With Rural, Lgbtq+ Communities, Luettamae Lawrence, Maureen Boyle, Chasity Mayo, Catherine A. Rushworth, Moira Anderson, Dorothy Wallis, Jayme Walters

Instructional Technology and Learning Sciences Faculty Publications

This paper examines the first year of collaboration between the Bear River Region LGBTQ+ Community Coalition and queer residents in rural northern Utah, United States, using a hybrid participatory design (PD) approach. Using Yep’s queer relationality theory, we examine how hybrid spaces were designed and iteratively adapted to support inclusion, care, and collective agency among LGBTQ+ community members. Drawing on Community Coalition Action Theory and queer PD, we analyze four cases from May 2024 to June 2025 including workshops and regular meetings to explore how relational practices evolved across different formats and phases of coalition development. In this paper, we …

Emotional Intelligence And Teamwork In A Ship’S Bridge : A Proposed Training Framework For Upskilling, Sofia Kallou, Nikitas Nikitakos, Dimitrios A. Papachristos, Dimitrios Dalaklis, Momoko Kitada

Articles

The notion that computers equipped with software and artificial intelligence (AI) applications can effectively replace human intelligence is under the existing paradigm of operations. This is the leading facilitator of task automation on board a ship to fulfill various jobs and is often supported by numerous scientists/academics who contribute to gaining today’s momentum in public opinion. The discourse of Industry 4.0 in the maritime domain, however, tends to focus heavily on technological contexts and overlooks socio-economic contexts. This gap is evident in the strong emphasis on technical and digital skills for future maritime professionals. This paper, therefore, argues that the …

Student Perceptions Of Artificial Intelligence: A Freelisting Study, Gary Kaplan, Mslis, Ahip, Jessica G. Hamilton, Mls, Rebecca Miller, Mlis, Rosemary Frasso, Phd, Cph

Thomas Jefferson University Faculty Days

Background

Librarians typically provide guest lectures on topics in information literacy, connecting students to the scholarly literature. Hervieux & Wheatley’s Six Frames for AI Literacy emphasize the need to engage in AI discourse. As artificial intelligence changes the way students often interact with information, librarians must adjust their approach, whether changing the framing while retaining the traditional content, or changing the content. In the 2025-26 academic year, we experimented with various approaches. Here we describe a brief freelisting exercise we conducted before the lessons to surface students’ perceptions of artificial intelligence.

Multimodal Narratives Of Adolescents’ Music-Wellbeing Literacy Capabilities In A Music-Focused Secondary School, Jason Goopy

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Meaningful and practical wellbeing strategies are needed to support young people living healthy lives. Wellbeing literacy is a positive psychology capability model for how people communicate about and for their wellbeing experiences, providing a framework for individuals to intentionally comprehend and create wellbeing languages to sustain and improve their own and others’ wellbeing. Contemporary views of literacy consider music a multimodal symbolic language and music is gaining recognition for its wellbeing benefits. This applied interdisciplinary study brings together theory and practices from positive psychology, education, and music to advance our understanding of the multimodality of wellbeing languages. A case study …

Submission To The Parliamentary Inquiry Into Educational Attainment, Australian Council For Educational Research (Acer)

Shaping educational policy

The 2026 Australian House of Representatives Standing Committee on Education Inquiry into the factors driving educational attainment considered the factors that drive variations in educational attainment including between and among boys and girls, from early learning, through school education, (including vocational education and training (VET) in schools), to tertiary education. It sought to identify the factors driving differential engagement, participation, and outcomes at all levels and transitions from lower to senior secondary school; from school to tertiary education; and from education into the workforce and broader society. The Australian Council for Educational Research's submission draws on evidence from four major …

How To Save The Take-Home Essay With Oral Assessments, Matthew Hammerton, Jacqueline Ho

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

In a commentary, the authors opined that pairing take-home essays with oral assessments is a more effective response to AI than policing its use. Students who cannot adequately explain their work can be marked down, reducing incentives to rely on AI. They noted that oral exams help preserve key elements of university education – intellectual effort, ownership, and human relationships – while allowing take-home essays to remain relevant in an AI-driven landscape that demands greater emphasis on understanding, responsibility, and dialogue.

Ai-Augmented Pedagogy In Higher Education: An Ethical And Equitable Framework For The Governance And Operational Integration Of Ai In Teaching And Learning, Asrat G. Amnie

Publications and Research

Abstract

Higher education faces a convergence of pressures that no single institutional response has yet resolved: widening demographic diversity, pandemic-exposed structural fragility, and the persistent inequity of whose learning gets supported and how. Artificial intelligence (AI) has entered this landscape not as an optional enhancement but as an infrastructural reality— embedded in adaptive platforms, feedback systems, and early-alert protocols at institutions worldwide. Yet adoption has consistently outpaced governance, and tools celebrated for democratizing access carry real risks of encoding and amplifying the inequities they promise to address. This article introduces the AI-Augmented Pedagogy (AAP) framework, developed through a Sequential Explanatory …

“It's Because Of Me – I Made Myself Get Here”: First-Generation College Students In Stem Motivations For, And Experiences With, Academic Advising, Desiree Forsythe, Amy C. Moors, Quaylan Allen, Jeremy L. Hsu

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

Academic advising plays a major role in shaping undergraduate life sciences students’ experiences through college. However, despite the critical nature of advising, there have been relatively few studies examining students’ experiences with advising and how these experiences may influence their academic journeys. Here, we investigate first-generation college students’ experiences with academic advising in biology and throughout STEM. Through the lens of community cultural wealth, we found several themes such as balancing independence and pressures to succeed, identity as a source for empowerment and motivation, wanting reassurance and support from advisors, as well as negative outcomes during interactions with advisors. We …

From Learners To Leaders: A Peer-Led Simulation Program For Anesthesia Procedural Skills Training In Medical Students, Noah S. Kos, Ryan Beyers, Chloe Sutlick, Benjamin Sun, Tochi Mbagwu, Dr. John D. Mitchell Md

Medical Student Research Symposium

Title: From Learners to Leaders: A Peer-Led Simulation Program for Anesthesia Procedural Skills Training in Medical Students

Authors: Noah Kos, Ryan Beyers, Chloe Sutlick, Benjamin Sun, Tochi Mbagwu, John D. Mitchell, M.D.

Background: Procedural skill competency is vital in medical education, but limited faculty availability poses challenges. We implemented a peer-led simulation program teaching peripheral IV insertion (PIV) and endotracheal intubation, with a focus on student leadership.

Methods: Sixteen peer educators, trained by attendings, conducted monthly workshops from July-October 2025. Students practiced at PIV and intubation stations, assessed via validated rubrics (17 items for PIV, 21 for intubation; 5-point scale). …