Screener of Handwriting Proficiency: Student Performance and Expectations from Kindergarten Through Fifth Grade

Does good clinical teaching really make a difference?

The research was carried out to determine the performances of student- applicants from selected Feeder High Schools in the DLSU- Dasmarinas College Entrance Test for three consecutive School Years (2012-2013, 2013-2014, 2014-2015). This study also determined the significant difference in the results of College Entrance Test (CET) based on type of school (public and private. There were 579 respondents on selected feeder schools in the college entrance examination of De La Salle University- Dasmarinas for three consecutive years. The result of the study showed that no significance differences were found in the performance of the public and private school students in mathematics, science and inductive reasoning (IR) during SY 2012-2013, and SY 2013-2014. While in SY 2014-2015 students from private feeder schools have higher performance in all areas considered in the examination than students from public schools. Moreover, result indicated that students from private schools have better performance in Mathematics during SY 2014-2015.As regards to geographic location, the result indicated that students from Bacoor schools have the same performance in English, mathematics, science, inductive reasoning (IR) and general scholastic aptitude (GSA) for the SY 2014-2015. In addition, according to the type of colleges, the (COEd) College of Education showed that there is a significant difference in the performance in English for the 3 consecutive school years. While no significant difference exists in the other subjects.

RTI Progress Monitoring Tools

Adjusting expectations or maintaining first impressions? The stability of teachers' expectations of students’ mathematics achievement

Age of entry and the high school performance of immigrant youth

Abstract: Technostress can be seen as a relevant factor that may affect student satisfaction and student performance. However, a lack of research has been carried out to analyse the simultaneous effect of the four technostress dimensions, namely techno-overload, techno-complexity, techno-insecurity, and techno-uncertainty on student satisfaction and performance expectancy. Performance expectancy is appropriate to use as an endogenous construct since this research was carried out during open and distance learning (ODL) implementation and before the final examination. Hence, this study aims to investigate the association between the four technostress dimensions towards student satisfaction. This research also seeks to examine the relationship between student satisfaction and performance expectancy among undergraduates. A total of 500 self-administered questionnaires were distributed but 458 valid questionnaires were found. All of the respondents were at the diploma level from UiTM Pahang Branch Campus. An online survey questionnaire was used since all respondents were in their hometowns due to the Malaysian government's Movement Control Order (MCO). In this study, SEM-AMOS was conducted to evaluate the measurement model and to test the hypotheses. This study found that techno-complexity displays a more significant contribution to student satisfaction and performance expectancy than techno-uncertainty. However, the results explicitly imply that the influence of techno-overload and techno-insecurity on students' satisfaction and performance expectancy is not significant. 
 Keywords: Performance expectancy; student satisfaction; technostress; university students

of making a prophecy about it. Second, that the act of making a prophecy about a situation is also an act of creating the conditions through which the prophecy is realized. Recent research has presented some convincing evidence that the self-fulfilling prophecy may be at work in educational settings across the country. In a study by Rosenthal and Jacobson eighteen elementary-school teachers were told that certain of

Disproportionate representation of students from ethnically diverse populations in special education has been a concern at every level from the judicial system and federal legislation to the parents of identified children. Yet, over-referral itself may not be the problem. Rather, the failure may be for students of varying ethnicities to make improvements once identified and receiving services in special education. This study presents a formative evaluation method to monitor student progress in a school district using curriculum-based measurement (CBM). Student performance was measured and graphed throughout the school year and individual results overlaid on district CBM normative data using each student's peer group. The resulting graphic displays clearly demonstrate student success or failure in these curriculum areas, therefore, from two perspectives: norm and individual-referenced. Implications for practice are discussed, particularly by noting the need to focus on progress monitoring rather than placement rate as the basis for judging disproportionate representation of ethnically diverse populations in special education.

In this study, the researchers examined teachers’ differential expectations for male and female students and the effects on music performance within the higher education context. The participants were 91 teachers and 480 second-year undergraduate students majoring in vocal and instrumental performance from two universities. Data of teacher expectations and students’ prior achievement were collected at the beginning of the 2021–2022 school year as well as students’ later achievement at the end of the school year. Researchers found that teachers held higher expectations for female students learning vocal performance than for males, and higher expectations for male students learning instrumental performance than for females. With students’ prior achievement being controlled, teacher expectations had significant effects on student year-end musical performance. Furthermore, the magnitude of teacher expectations was moderated by student gender. Specifically, males learning vocal performance and females learning instrumental performance were more susceptible to teacher expectations than their counterparts. Implications for addressing gender inequity in music education were also discussed.

In the current study, 42 secondary students (10th, 11th, and 12th grade students) and 51 elementary students (4th and 5th grade students) read 400 word passages silently and aloud. During aloud reading, words correct per minute (WCPM) were recorded. After reading each passage, students answered 10 multiple-choice comprehension questions. Results showed comprehension was significantly higher when students read passages aloud, as opposed to silently. No interaction was found between comprehension and grade level (elementary versus secondary). Discussion is focused on theories of reading comprehension and applied implications for assessing comprehension following the administration of Curriculum-Based Measurement (CBM) reading probes. Keywords: Reading comprehension, silent reading, oral reading, words correct per minute, curriculumbased measurement ********** Reading skill deficit are prevalent, common in most student refereed for special education services, and can hinder learning, skill development, and success across vocational, academic, and daily living tasks (Daly, Chafouleas, & Skinner, 2005; Lentz, 1998; National Assessment of Educational Progress, 2005; Winn, Skinner, Oliver, Hale, & Ziegler, in press). Although a variety of theories and procedures have been developed to remedy reading skill deficits, our science has not developed to the point where we can be assured that any specific intervention will remedy reading skill deficits for specific students. Thus, researchers and educators have developed various procedures and systems that allow educators to quickly assess the effects of various reading interventions on students reading skill development (i.e., progress monitoring or measuring responsiveness to intervention, see Fletcher, Coulter, Reschly, & Vaughn, 2004). Words Correct per Minute There are several common characteristics with various reading skill development progress monitoring systems. One is that they employ brief and sensitive measures that allow for frequent assessment of skill development. With respect to reading skills, one measure that is included in most systems is words read correctly per minute (WCPM). This measure which Deno and Mirkin's (1977) described in their curriculum-based measurement (CBM) system for progress and performance monitoring, is also used in the Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS, Good & Kaminski, 2002) and AIMSweb (AIMSweb Progress Monitoring and Response to Intervention System, 2006) systems. To collect WCPM data, students are asked to read aloud, often for 1 minute, as the examiner scores errors. After students have finished reading aloud the examiner calculates both words correct per minute (WCPM) and errors per minute (Deno & Mirkin, 1977; Shapiro, 2004). WCPM is a measure of oral or aloud reading fluency or speed of accurate aloud reading. Many researchers have investigated the psychometric properties of WCPM and found that it is a valid (concurrent, construct, and criterion related validity), reliable, and sensitive measure of general reading skill development (Deno, Mirkin, & Chiang, 1982; Espin & Foegen, 1996; Fuchs & Deno 1991; Fuchs, Fuchs, and Maxwell, 1988; Hintze, Shapiro, Conte, & Basile, 1997). Although, WCPM has been shown to positively correlate with standardized norm-referenced measures of reading comprehension, (Deno et al., 1982; Fuchs & Deno, 1992; Fuchs et al., 1988; Marston, 1989; Shinn et al., 1992), because WCPM does not directly assess reading comprehension educators and research have expressed concerns about the face validity of the measure (Potter & Wamre, 1990; Skinner, Neddenriep, Bradley-Klug, & Ziemann, 2002). This limitation may be important as the primary function, goal, or purpose of reading is comprehension (2) (Rowell, 1976; Salasoo, 1986; Sindelar & Stoddard, 1991; Skinner, 1998). Thus, some may be concerned that WC/M will not detect comprehension deficits in students who can read aloud accurately and rapidly, but fail to comprehend what they are reading (Marston, 1989). …

The increasing use of computerized adaptive tests (CATs) to collect information about students' academic growth or their response to academic interventions has led to a number of questions pertaining to the use of these measures for the purpose of progress monitoring. Star Reading is an example of a CAT-based assessment with considerable validity evidence to support its use for progress monitoring. However, additional validity evidence could be gathered to strengthen the use and interpretation of Star Reading data for progress monitoring. Thus, the purpose of the current study was to focus on three aspects of progress monitoring that will benefit Star Reading users. The specific research questions to be answered are: (a) how robust are the estimation methods in producing meaningful progress monitoring slopes in the presence of outliers; (b) what is the length of the time interval needed to use Star Reading for the purpose of progress monitoring; and (c) how many data points are needed to use Star Reading for the purpose of progress monitoring? The first research question was examined using a Monte Carlo simulation study. The second and third research questions were examined using real data from 6,396,145 students who took the Star Reading assessment during the 2014–2015 school year. Results suggest that the Theil-Sen estimator is the most robust estimator of student growth when using Star Reading. In addition, it appears that five data points and a progress monitoring window of approximately 20 weeks appear to be the minimum parameters for Star Reading to be used for the purpose of progress monitoring. Implications for practice include adapting the parameters for progress monitoring according to a student's current grade-level performance in reading.

OVER THE PAST 15 YEARS, cash transfer programs have become a core component of antipoverty policy strategies in the developing world. In Latin America in particular, cash transfer programs have adopted a multidimensional approach to poverty, whereby income support is provided together with simultaneous interventions in health, education, and nutrition. This "human development" approach to poverty reduction places a strong emphasis on tackling the intergenerational transmission of poverty through human capital investment (Levy and Schady 2013; Nio-Zaraza 2011; Levy 2006). Mexico's Progresa-Oportunidades-Prospera, Brazil's Bolsa Familia, Colombia's Familias en Accin, and Chile Solidario are prominent examples of this antipoverty policy framework.

Public opinion reflects a 'common sense' view that smaller classes improve student academic performance. This review reveals that the 'class size' effect of increased academic performance, although significant for disadvantaged students and students in the very early years of schooling, does not necessarily transfer to other student groups. Moreover, the literature indicates there are other more cost-effective variables that enhance student learning outcomes such as those associated with teacher quality. Internationally, large-scale interventions concluded that systematic class size reductions were more resource intensive requiring more personnel, training and infrastructure. From the large quantitative studies of the 1980s to the more qualitatively focused research in the last decade, there is a now an understanding that class size reductions function to provide opportunities for more student-focused pedagogies and that these pedagogies may be the real reason for improved student academic performance. Consequently, the impact of class size reductions on student performance can only be meaningfully assessed in conjunction with other factors, such as pedagogy.

Background: The Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine was designed to encourage medical students to pursue careers as physician investigators. Our faculty decided that assessment should enhance learning and adopted only formative assessments to document student performance in relation to nine broad-based competencies. No grades are used to judge student performance throughout the 5-year program. Instead, assessments are competency-based, relate directly to performance standards, and are stored in e-Portfolios to track progress and document student achievement. The class size is limited to 32 students a year.Aims: Schools with competency-based curricula must provide students with formative feedback to identify performance gaps and monitor progress. We describe a systematic approach to assess medical knowledge using essay-type questions (CAPPs) and multiple choice questions (SAQs) to provide medical students with weekly, formative feedback about their abilities to acquire, apply and integrate basic and clinical science concepts.Method: Processes for developing performance standards, creating assessment items, training faculty, reporting student performance and monitoring outcomes are described. A case study of a Year 1 course is presented with specific examples of CAPPs and SAQs to illustrate how formative assessment data are interpreted and reported in students’ e-Portfolios.Results: Preliminary evidence suggests that CAPPs and SAQs have a positive impact on students’ education, a justifiable cost in light of obtained benefits and growing acceptance among stakeholders. Two student cohorts performed significantly above the population mean on USMLE Step 1, which suggests that these assessment methods have not disadvantaged students. More evidence is needed to assess the reliability and validity of these tools for formative purposes.Conclusions: Using assessment data for formative purposes may encourage application and integration of knowledge, help students identify performance gaps, foster student development of learning plans and promote student responsibility for learning. Discussion provides applications for institutions with larger classes to consider.

While schools are thought to use meritocratic criteria when evaluating students, research indicates that teachers hold lower expectations for students from disadvantaged backgrounds. However, it is unclear what the unique impact is of specific student traits on teacher expectations, as different traits are often correlated to one another in real life. Moreover, research has neglected the role of the institutional context, yet tracking procedures, financial barriers to education, and institutionalized cultural beliefs may influence how teachers form expectations. We conducted a factorial survey experiment in three contexts that vary with respect to these institutional characteristics (The United States, New York City; Norway, Oslo; the Netherlands, Amsterdam). We asked elementary school teachers to express expectations for hypothetical students whose characteristics were experimentally manipulated. Teachers in the different contexts used the same student traits when forming expectations, yet varied in the importance they attached to these traits. In Amsterdam – where teachers track students on the basis of their performance and tracking bears significant consequences for educational careers – we found a large impact of student performance. In Oslo – where institutions show an explicit commitment to equality of educational opportunity – teachers based their expectations less on student effort, and seemed to make more inferences about student performance by a student's socio-economic background. New York teachers seemed to make few inferences about student performance based on their socio-economic background.