Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research Commons^™

2024 Merc Annual Report, David Naff, Jesse Senechal, Paula L. Ogston-Nobile

MERC Publications

This is the annual report of the Metropolitan Educational Research Consortium (MERC) in the School of Education at Virginia Commonwealth University for the 2023-2024 academic year. It includes vignettes depicting MERC activities in the past year that align with each of its five principles: research, relevance, rigor, multiple perspectives, and impact. It concludes with a discussion of MERC's commitment moving forward.

Understanding The Virginia Literacy Act, Candace Bechtold, Kimberly Bridges, David Naff, Joan A. Rhodes, Valerie Robnolt, Tara Davison, Suzanne Alexandre, Michael Crusco, Karli Johansen, Amber Butler, Allison Yandle, Jennifer Askue-Collins, Jean Samuel, Sharrie Merritte, Regina Frazier

MERC Publications

This research and policy brief from the Metropolitan Educational Research Consortium (MERC) offers an overview of the Virginia Literacy Act. It is structured to explore the following questions: 1) What are the recent trends in reading achievement in Virginia? 2) What are the policy implications of the VLA for Virginia school divisions? 3) What does the research say about Science of Reading (SoR)? 4) What core instructional programs are approved to meet the VLA? It concludes with a series of key takeaways and recommendations.

Click here to listen to our podcast episode on the Virginia Literacy Act and click here …

Online Teaching Rubric, Brooke N. Burk

Online Teaching Resources

This rubric is designed to help instructors teaching on online to design a course that supports student learning.

Integrating Digital Literacy Skills Into Chemistry Assessment In Secondary Schools: A Case Study Of Lindi Municipal, Tanzania, Francis Gaspar Sasu

Master of Education

In an era dominated by technology, the demand for digital literacy skills is ever-growing. As technology continues to shape our lives, the need for proficiency in digital literacy extends beyond mere usage, becoming crucial in both learning and assessment contexts. This study addresses the need to bridge the gap between traditional assessment practices and the demand for digital literacy skills in 21st-century education contexts, with a focus on secondary school chemistry assessments in Lindi Municipal, Tanzania.The study enlisted a qualitative approach and case study design in which four secondary schools within Lindi municipal were involved. It utilized diverse data collection …

Teachers’ Assessment Practices In An Inclusive Refugee Setting: An Exploration Of How It Influences The Learning Of Learners With Disabilities., Julius Odongo Mireri

Master of Education

Assessments play a pivotal role in determining learning outcomes and educational experiences for refugee learners with disabilities (RLWD). However, their circumstances present unique challenges to traditional assessment practices. This study explored how teachers' assessment approaches influence learning for RLWD enrolled in an inclusive refugee school in Kakuma Kenya. The objectives were to examine how assessments are adapted to meet diverse learner needs, investigate how the refugee context shapes assessment practices, determine how assessments influence learning, and identify challenges faced in assessment. A qualitative case study design was employed. Data collection methods included individual interviews with 8 teachers and the head …

University Student Worker Productivity: A Qualitative Analysis, Amanda S. Mansfield

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

Student worker productivity is an important aspect of higher education, since many functional units rely on student employees to operate. Student workers communicate with all stakeholders of universities, including incoming and current students and their families, alumni, faculty, staff, and community members. Universities facing issues related to budgeting, enrollment, retention, and employability of their graduates can combat those issues by strengthening the largest labor pool on campus, student workers. The study explored what it means to be a productive university student worker within the framework of Social Exchange Theory and Grounded Theory. The study sought to provide recommendations to universities …

Enhance Students’ Learning Outcomes By Redesigning Individual Learning Activities Into Group Activities For Introductory Level Physics Courses, Kalani Hettiarachchilage, Neel Haldolaarachchige

Publications and Research

The evolution of science education is a dynamic process driven by advances in pedagogy, technology, and especially, our understanding of how students learn. Educators are exploring innovative teaching and learning methodologies such as active learning, incorporated technology, interdisciplinary approaches, flipped classrooms, personalized teaching, and many more. The goal of all these evolving methodologies is to empower students with not only a strong foundation in scientific knowledge but also with the skills and mindset required to thrive in the future world. By adopting these innovative approaches, educators can help students become effective problem solvers, critical thinkers, and life-learning citizens. Our focus …

2023-2024 Annual Student Assessment Report, Southwestern Oklahoma State University

Assessment Center Reports

Annual Student Assessment Report produced by the SWOSU Assessment Center.

Career And Technical Education: Historical Insights, Current Impacts, And Policy Implications, Meleah Ellison, David B. Naff, Phelton Moss, Jenna Lenhardt, Morgan Meadowes, Jonathan Staylor, Latonja Y. Wright, Luke Parker, Andy Bristow, Kelsey Pacer, Samantha Hope, Shelby Garofalo, Singith Nawagamuwage Perera, Georgia Youngquest, Rachel Hale, Sharrie Merritte

MERC Publications

This research and policy brief from the Metropolitan Educational Research Consortium (MERC) summarizes recent peer reviewed literature, publicly available trend data, and policies at the federal, state, and school division level related to Career and Technical Education (CTE) courses. It explores the following questions:

1. What are the purposes of CTE courses?
/="/">2. What are the trends in CTE participation and how does this vary by student and school demographics?
/="/">3. What are the impacts or benefits of CTE?
/="/">4. What are evidence-based practices and innovative programs related to CTE?
/="/">5. What are policies guiding the …

Interviewing K-12 Education Experts And Elites, Jose Eos Trinidad

Interdisciplinary Studies Faculty Publications

Understanding education experts and elites is crucial in the context of their larger influence on education and the public’s greater skepticism and criticism of their work. This paper distinguishes between traditional and expert/elite interviews (EEIs), and highlights strategies for conducting them. Experts and elites have relatively broader influence, more synthesized but less situated knowledge, more embedded professional networks, and less anonymity than the lay public—and interviews need to adjust to these differences. To do so, researchers should consider strategies for (1) access, (2) trust, (3) preparation for interviews, and (4) asking sensitive and awkward questions in contexts of significant power …

Making The Most Of What You Have: Data To Optimize Space And Achieve Research Goals, Paul Leef

Research Analytics Summit 2024

Every institution has a strategic goal for more research funding and results. The drive for funding is inextricably tied to competition for top researchers, and competition for researchers is directly related to investments in and optimization of research space on university campuses. The case for focusing on space is critical when you expect each lab to produce $1 million or more in expenditures every 4 years. How can you use data analytics to optimize space allocation for research? How can you creatively use under-utilized spaces for short- and long-term research investments? This session will discuss Carnegie R2 and R1 and …

Introducing A ‘Research Impact Roadmap’ In A Young University: Challenges And Opportunities, Roopa Rajashekar

Research Analytics Summit 2024

‘Research Impact’ as a defined concept is expanding and garnering more attention globally. What was once positioned more narrowly and often confused with basic outcomes reporting has since risen to a primary focus for sponsor agencies across all stages of R&D. Hence, building a comprehensive research impact framework provides a critical map for universities to strengthen the R&D ecosystems in which it engages in innumerable ways.

Khalifa University of Science and Technology (KU), located in Abu Dhabi, UAE, is a relatively a young university, by Times Higher Education definition). Even so, KU ranked 238 in the QS World University Rankings …

The Power And Peril Of Program Reviews: The Resource Paradox Of Assessing For Improvement, Justin Rogers-Cooper, Rejitha Nair, Arthur O'Keeffe

Publications and Research

In this essay, we explore program reviews as important sites for the tension Peter Ewell defines at the core of outcomes assessment practices: that is, between assessing for accountability and assessing for improvement. We address this tension through the example of our Industrial Design program on our urban campus in New York City. In exploring Ewell’s tension between accountability and improvement, we develop the concept of the resource paradox. Simply stated, program reviews require institutions to invest time and resources to close the loop on implementing improvements – yet those actions often require resources many institutions lack. Using our case …

Art Teams: Teaching With Arts And Emerging Media Infographic, Elizabeth Valerio-Boster, Guy Trainin

Research and Evaluation in Education, Technology, Art, and Design

Infographic from Art TEAMS at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln about teaching with arts and emerging media.

The Finnish Line: An International Teacher Exchange Program, Anthony Marano

West Chester University Master’s Theses

This delve into the educational landscape of the United States and Finland uncovers areas of potential growth in the United States with the incorporation of the Finnish Model. By examining first hand experiences inside the Finnish education system, this study proposes a program that could bring international developments in academics, and overall happiness into our domestic education system. First will be presented the position and philosophy from which this thesis will be approached. This will help to prove relevance when viewed through this specific and critical lens. Next, will be a brief historical overview of the systems in question and …

"I Signed The Form, And I Just Walked Out”: A Qualitative Analysis Of Undergraduate Student Stop Out And Return Behavior, Veronica D. Williams

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This phenomenological qualitative study sought to understand reasons contributing to Black or African American students’ initial stop out, the decisions that led them to return to college, and the processes used to facilitate their return to college after being away from college for one year or more. This research was guided by the following questions: What experiences contributed to the student’s withdrawal from the institution? What experiences contributed to the student’s return to the institution? What retention strategies and programs were used during the withdrawal and re-enrollment processes? The participants’ lived experiences were applied to two theoretical frameworks: Tinto’s (1993) …

Exploring The Influence Of Self-Efficacy On Competency-Based Teaching And Learning Outcomes In Grade Seven Junior Secondary School In Trans-Nzoia County, Kenya., Shitemi Khakhuli Consolata

Master of Education

Based on Bandura's social cognitive theory, this study dives into the connections between self-belief, motivation, and how well students perform academically in the Competency-Based Education (CBC) framework. The researcher explores where students get their confidence, how getting encouragement affects their motivation, and how their belief in themselves influences how actively they engage in learning. The researcher investigated all these aspects in a complete educational environment with 112 seventh-grade students and 2 Junior Secondary School (JSS) teachers participating.

The literature review establishes the critical importance of self-efficacy in influencing students' attitudes, behaviors, and academic outcomes. Using a comprehensive mixed-methods approach, the …

Unveiling Gender In Competency-Based Formative Assessment: A Focus On Homework Assignments As A Tool Of Assessment For Learning In A Public Junior Secondary School In Taita-Taveta County, Kenya, John Habwe

Master of Education

This qualitative case study explored how gender influences competency-based formative assessment, specifically focusing on the use of homework assignments. The research was conducted at a public junior secondary school in Kenya using interviews, a focus group discussion, document analysis, and observations. 20 students, 4 teachers, and 4 parents obtained through purposive sampling technique participated in data collection. Data that was obtained from the interviews and FGD audiotaped files were transcribed in the field concurrently with data collection, hence continuous and timely analysis allowed the researcher to carefully do a word-for-word transcription of the audiotaped data after which transcripts were critically …

2023-2024 Service Learning Report, Southwestern Oklahoma State University

Assessment Center Reports

In 2004, Southwestern Oklahoma State University (SWOSU) joined the Campus Compact coalition, a partnership of over 1,000 colleges and universities committed to the public purposes of higher education. SWOSU shares the ideals of Campus Compact, building democracy through civic education and community service (Campus Compact, n.d.)

การวิจัยและพัฒนาแนวทางสำหรับหลักสูตรครุศาสตร์เพื่อส่งเสริมสมรรถนะพหุวัฒนธรรม โดยใช้การวิเคราะห์วาทกรรมพหุวัฒนธรรม, ธีรยุทธ สัจจะบุตร

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

สมรรถนะพหุวัฒนธรรมเป็นหัวใจสำคัญสำหรับครูในการจัดการเรียนการสอนภายใต้บริบทของห้องเรียนที่ผู้เรียนมีความหลากหลายทางสังคมวัฒนธรรมที่แตกต่างกัน การวิจัยในครั้งนี้จึงมีวัตถุประสงค์ คือ 1) เพื่อวิเคราะห์และสังเคราะห์หลักสูตรครุศาสตรบัณฑิตเกี่ยวกับสภาพปัจจุบัน แนวโน้ม และทิศทางการส่งเสริมสมรรถนะพหุวัฒนธรรมในหลักสูตร 2) เพื่อวิเคราะห์และสังเคราะห์กระบวนการจัดการเรียนการสอนที่ส่งเสริมสมรรถนะพหุวัฒนธรรมด้วยวิธีการวิเคราะห์วาทกรรมพหุวัฒนธรรม และ 3) เพื่อจัดทำแนวทางการพัฒนาหลักสูตรครุศาสตรบัณฑิตที่มุ่งเน้นการส่งเสริมสมรรถนะพหุวัฒนธรรม การวิจัยแบ่งออกเป็น 3 ระยะ คือ ระยะที่ 1 เป็นการศึกษาสภาพทั่วไปและทิศทางของการส่งเสริมสมรรถนะพหุวัฒนธรรมในหลักสูตรผ่าน 3 ขั้นตอนหลัก คือ 1) วิเคราะห์สภาพทั่วไปของการส่งเสริมสมรรถนะพหุวัฒนธรรมจากเอกสารหลักสูตรครุศาสตร์ จำนวน 35 หลักสูตร 2) สังเคราะห์คุณลักษณะของตัวแทรกแซงที่มีประสิทธิภาพสำหรับการส่งเสริมคุณลักษณะพหุวัฒนธรรมของผู้เรียนระดับอุดมศึกษา จากบทความวิจัยทั้งในและต่างประเทศ จำนวน 18 บทความ และ 3) การวิเคราะห์แนวโน้มและทิศทางการส่งเสริมสมรรถนะพหุวัฒนธรรมในหลักสูตร จากการสัมภาษณ์ผู้เชี่ยวชาญ จำนวน 5 คน วิเคราะห์ข้อมูลโดยการวิเคราะห์เนื้อหา ระยะที่ 2 เป็นการวิเคราะห์กระบวนการจัดการเรียนการสอนที่ส่งเสริมสมรรถนะพหุวัฒนธรรมเพื่อนำไปใช้เป็นหลักคิดในการจัดทำแนวทางการพัฒนาหลักสูตร ตัวอย่างวิจัยเป็นผู้ใช้หลักสูตรครุศาสตร์ จำนวน 61 คน เครื่องมือที่ใช้ในการวิจัยเป็นแบบสัมภาษณ์กึ่งโครงสร้างซึ่งพัฒนามาจากข้อค้นพบที่ได้จากการวิจัยระยะที่ 1 เก็บรวบรวมข้อมูลโดยใช้การสัมภาษณ์เชิงลึก และวิเคราะห์ข้อมูลด้วยการวิเคราะห์วาทกรรมพหุวัฒนธรรม และระยะที่ 3 เป็นการจัดทำแนวทางการพัฒนาหลักสูตรเพื่อส่งเสริมสมรรถนะพหุวัฒนธรรมโดยสังเคราะห์มาจากข้อค้นพบที่ได้จากการวิจัย ซึ่งแนวทางการพัฒนาได้รับการวิพากษ์ความเป็นไปได้และประเมินความเหมาะสม จากผู้เชี่ยวชาญ จำนวน 5 คน วิเคราะห์ข้อมูลโดยใช้สถิติบรรยาย ผลการวิจัยที่สำคัญพบว่า 1. สภาพปัจจุบันของการส่งเสริมสมรรถนะพหุวัฒนธรรมในหลักสูตรครุศาสตร์มีการดำเนินการอย่างไม่เป็นระบบและขาดความชัดเจน หลักสูตรส่วนใหญ่เน้นการพัฒนาด้านวิชาการและเทคโนโลยีการศึกษา ถึงแม้ว่าคำสำคัญที่เกี่ยวข้องกับความหลากหลายทางวัฒนธรรมจะปรากฏอยู่บ้างในวัตถุประสงค์และผลลัพธ์การเรียนรู้ที่คาดหวังแต่ยังไม่ได้กำหนดให้ชัดเจน ประกอบกับการขาดกลไกสนับสนุนในเชิงระบบส่งผลให้การส่งเสริมสมรรถนะพหุวัฒนธรรมขึ้นอยู่กับความตื่นตัวของผู้สอนมากกว่าการถูกกำหนดให้เป็นองค์ประกอบหลักในระดับหลักสูตร 2. กระบวนการจัดการเรียนรู้ที่ส่งเสริมสมรรถนะพหุวัฒนธรรมที่ได้จากการวิเคราะห์วาทกรรมพหุวัฒนธรรม คือ 1) ควรมุ่งเน้นการสร้างเจตคติที่เปิดกว้างต่อความหลากหลาย พร้อมทั้งออกแบบระบบการเรียนรู้ให้เน้นการมีส่วนร่วม การลงมือปฏิบัติจริง และปลูกฝังสมรรถนะพหุวัฒนธรรมอย่างเป็นระบบในทุกช่วงชั้นปี 2) ควรออกแบบกระบวนการเรียนรู้ที่สัมพันธ์กับผลลัพธ์การเรียนรู้ด้วยกิจกรรมที่เน้นการแลกเปลี่ยนเชิงความแตกต่างทางวัฒนธรรม รวมถึงการออกแบบรายวิชาให้มีกิจกรรมกลุ่มที่คละพื้นฐานของนิสิตอย่างเป็นระบบ ตลอดจนจัดให้มีการเผชิญกับประสบการณ์ภาคสนามที่เน้นผู้เรียนจากหลากหลายวัฒนธรรมอย่างเป็นระบบ พร้อมด้วยกิจกรรมสะท้อนผลการเรียนรู้เพื่อยกระดับจากประสบการณ์ส่วนตัวสู่การตระหนักรู้ทางวิชาชีพ และ 3) พัฒนารูปแบบการประเมินผลที่ตอบสนองต่อกระบวนการปฏิสัมพันธ์ที่ตระหนักรู้ในความแตกต่างหลากหลาย 3. เอกสารแนวทางการพัฒนาหลักสูตรเพื่อส่งเสริมสมรรถนะพหุวัฒนธรรมที่พัฒนาขึ้นสามารถใช้เป็นสื่อกลางเชิงนโยบายและการปฏิบัติที่เชื่อมโยงระหว่างข้อเสนอเชิงวิชาการและแนวทางการพัฒนาที่สามารถประยุกต์ใช้ได้จริงในระดับสถาบันทั้งในด้านการออกแบบหลักสูตร การบูรณาการพัฒนาสมรรถนะพหุวัฒนธรรมผ่านเนื้อหารายวิชา วิธีการจัดการเรียนรู้ การประเมินผล ตลอดจนการใช้เป็นกรอบสำหรับการกำหนดทิศทางของนโยบายการผลิตครูที่ตอบสนองต่อสังคมพหุวัฒนธรรมในอนาคต

Unlocking Opportunities: Leveraging Generative Ai In University-Sponsored Programs Operations, Lisa A. Wilson, Tubal Yisrael, Alex Wagner

Research Analytics Summit 2024

Explore the transformative potential of generative AI in university-research administration. As universities strive to enhance research capabilities and support a culture of innovation, the need for efficient and effective management of sponsored programs has become paramount. This presentation will share lessons from deploying a sponsored programs’ Large Language Model Chatbot and how it optimizes research administration operations and unlocks opportunities. By harnessing the power of GenAI, a university office of sponsored programs chatbot can develop training materials, policies and SOPs. It can offer immediate support and guidance by analyzing queries and providing real-time responses, empowering staff members to overcome challenges …

A Focus On Motivation, Summary Of Focus Group Findings Asking Educators For Insights On Means To Improve Student Motivation In Math, Nathaniel Armour, Alyssa Spears, H. Colleen Sinclair, Judith L. F. Rhodes

Reports

The research team at the LSU Social Research and Evaluation Center of Excellence in the LSU College of Human Sciences and Education conducted six focus groups with educators in the East Baton Rouge Parish School System (EBRPSS) in the summer of 2024. During the focus group sessions, we shared with participants some of our findings from the Math Mind Measure (MMM) survey administered to 5th to 8th grade EBRPSS students in the 2023-2024 school year. The survey asked about student motivations affecting their ideas about math. We found that some of the 10 different types of motivation measured by the …

Learning Outcomes Of Hybrid In-Person And At-Home Orthosis Fabrication Instruction For Occupational Therapy Students, Evelyn Lee, Amanda Leung, Sylvia Langlois, Susan Hannah

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, occupational therapy students at one university received all orthosis fabrication education through an in-person laboratory-based environment supported by clinicians and instructional videos. Due to the pandemic restrictions, orthosis fabrication labs for occupational therapy students were transitioned to a hybrid in-person and at-home supported lab. Presently, there is no research investigating how a hybrid in-person orthosis lab and at-home orthosis fabrication experience impacts the professional practice skill development of occupational therapy students entering the workforce. This research examined the learning outcomes of participation in a hybrid orthosis fabrication experience consisting of one in-person laboratory-based experience and …

2023-2024 Profile, Morehead State University. Institutional Research & Analysis.

Office of Institutional Research & Analysis Publication Archive

2023-2024 issue of the Profile Website.

2024-2025 Common Data, Morehead State University. Institutional Research & Analysis.

Office of Institutional Research & Analysis Publication Archive

2024-2025 issue of the Common Data.

The University Education Model Collection 2024: “A University Way Of Being”, Fionnuala Darby, Shaun Ferns, Barry J. Ryan

Group Reports

The University Education Model (UEM) revolutionises our approach to education; this approach is grounded in transformative learning opportunities and experiences for all. The UEM is central to the TU Dublin Strategic Intent, which itself is informed by the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and in the case of the UEM, SDG 4 Quality Education. Embedding the UEM into our practice, processes and culture will empower TU Dublin to cater for the largest number of diverse learners, producing the most sought after, digitally literate, graduates.

The central focus of UEM are our learners, grounded in the three components that comprise the …

A Mixed Methods Study Of Efficacy And Digital Learning Competencies For School Administrators In A Rural North Carolina District, Stephanie B. Harrell

Doctor of Education Dissertations

The purpose of this mixed methods research study was to determine the efficacy of digital learning competencies for school administrators in a rural eastern North Carolina district. The study had four research questions that were answered through a survey and a focus group. The survey had 44 quantitative items that participants chose from a 4-point Likert scale and two open-ended questions. A total of 20 administrators from District A completed the survey. A focus group with four participants was conducted following the closing of the survey to gain a better understanding of the results from the survey. Previous research in …

The Impact Of Sensory Integration Developmental Delays And How To Minimize Their Effects On Early Childhood Academic Development At The Kindergarten Level, Theresa A. Goebel

Doctor of Education Dissertations

Sensory processing difficulties are traditionally associated with children with autism; however, typically developing children are increasingly demonstrating symptoms of SPD. Research has shown that targeted sensory development, based on Ayres Sensory Integration Theory, demonstrates positive results for children with autism. This study sought to determine if comparable results can be shown with typically developing students to address the increase in SPD concerns in the classroom. Based on a literature review and targeted research on Ayres Sensory Integration Theory, an intervention consisting of nine sense-targeted exercises was implemented with 100 kindergarteners over 6 weeks. Results were examined with a mixed methods …

The Relationship Between Internet Addiction Test Scores And Academic Achievement, Michael L. Houston, John Foubert

Growth: The Journal of the Association for Christians in Student Development

The purpose of this study was to analyze the relationship between the Internet Addiction Test (IAT) score and academic performance in college students. The IAT measured the students’ addiction to the internet based upon their use. Academic performance was measured by grade point average (GPA). A sample of 692 traditional-aged college students from both public and private institutions was used to examine if IAT scores were related to and predictive of GPA. This study found a negative relationship between students’ IAT scores and GPAs. As IAT scores increased, students’ GPAs decreased. A better understanding of how internet addiction is related …

Digital Restlessness: Student Social Media Misuse As A Problem Of Worship, Scott Busby

Growth: The Journal of the Association for Christians in Student Development

No abstract provided.