Research-based Instruction Research Articles

Archive as Pedagogy: Oral History and a Journal of the Plague Year

In March 2020, the COVID-19 Oral History Project, based at Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI), teamed up with A Journal of the Plague Year: An Archive of COVID-19 (JOTPY), based at Arizona State University to create and curate a series of oral histories focused on the lived experience of the pandemic. Among the results of this collaboration has been a focus on research-based pedagogy and learning for undergraduate students, graduate students, and the public at large. This pedagogical emphasis has both shaped the archive and has been shaped by the process of developing the archive.

Student-staff partnerships at work: epistemic confidence, research-engaged teaching and vocational learning in the transition to higher education

ABSTRACT This study adapted a participatory action research (PAR) approach as part of student-staff collaboration aimed at co-producing a research-engaged pedagogy to provide vocational students with access to curricular opportunities to develop their academic capabilities. This article focuses on the co-creation process between seven multidisciplinary higher education (HE) students at different stages in their studies and two academic support staff. The participants immersed themselves in a double-loop inquiry process, researching student perceptions of belonging in their institution to co-produce knowledge to develop a research-based pedagogy. Working with the concept of epistemic injustice, we consider how participation in the inquiry influenced the student participants’ sense of credibility as knowers and producers of knowledge. Attention is paid to how the cycle of shared reflection and adaptation inherent in the PAR approach re-characterised power relationships between staff and students. We discuss how moments of discomforting disequilibrium were catalytic in the redistribution of power across the group. We maintain that adapting a PAR approach aimed at contributing to the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL), provides students with opportunities to develop their epistemic confidence. However, for this to happen, students and staff must be willing to work with disequilibrium which emerges as student-staff power dynamics are challenged.

Research-based Instruction, an Essential Tenet of the Foreign Languages Pre-service-Teacher Education at Universidad de Pamplona

This paper reports a personal reflection that describes how the Bachelor of Arts in Foreign Languages at the Universidad de Pamplona provides preservice teachers with a research-based instruction. In an attempt to contribute to today’s scholar discussions on foreign language pre-service teachers’ education, this reflective piece illustrates a unique way of teaching research to FL undergraduates. The author first provides an overview on the area of teaching research to undergraduates in Colombia; second, a description of how pre-service teachers learn the theoretical foundations, paradigms, designs and approaches mostly used in educational inquiry; and the two-year process student researchers go through. Finally, the author discusses the lessons learned and what the future of this process might be like. 

Classroom Action Research-based Instruction: The Sustainable Teacher Professional Development Strategy

Abstract The purposes of this research were to study the current situation and to compare the consequences of the Child Development Centre teachers on classroom action research-based instruction. The sample was 81 teachers of the Child Development Centre of the Local Administrative Organisation, derived from multi-stage random sampling. The instruments were the semi-structured interview form, and the measurement form of learning management outcomes, which the validity was between 0.80-1.00 and reliability was 0.968. The data were analysed by percentage, mean, standard deviation, content analysis and independent t-test. The results showed that 1) most teachers conducted informal classroom research to solve children’s behaviour problems and to increase the development of children. They usually utilised their research than others, but still not much. 2) the consequences of the classroom action research-based instruction were significantly higher than the standard requirement instruction at the .05 level of significance. The outstanding results have been discussed.

Coteaching in Higher Education

Tenure-track faculty at research intensive universities have competing responsibilities in their role as both researchers and teachers, leading to barriers to pedagogical change. This has been well-documented in the sciences. Coteaching models of collaborative planning and teaching with an explicit goal of facilitating educator growth have been successful in increasing the use of research-based pedagogy in higher education settings. We documented our experiences coteaching in an undergraduate ecological agriculture course and, drawing on sociocultural views of faculty work as learning, identified opportunities for learning that occurred. We found that the collaborative teaching team structure provided timely access to pedagogical knowledge, the collaborative planning process was a mechanism for faculty learning, and observing members of the team teach provided opportunities for new insights. Coteaching has had significant, lasting impacts for the instructors. We recommend that universities implement coteaching as a mechanism for supporting faculty use of student-centered pedagogy.

Data Collection and Analysis in Response-to-Intervention: a Survey of School Psychologists

Response-to-intervention (RtI) is a multi-tiered framework designed to prevent academic difficulties by facilitating robust, research-based instruction and providing targeted or individualized short-term interventions for students at-risk per periodic screening and progress monitoring data. The cornerstone of RtI is data-based decision-making to guide system-wide practices as well as ensure appropriate student-level academic supports and accurate decisions. However, a 2010 survey of administrators representing over 1000 districts suggest that most schools do not use data-based decisions and research-based interventions. As such, the extent to which RtI generally and data-driven best practices, specifically, occur in schools is unknown. To that end, we surveyed school psychologists to evaluate the extent to which RtI and data-driven practices are implemented. Further, we asked about related training. Findings suggest that although screening data is collected frequently, academic progress monitoring is not and, overall, using data to make instructional or intervention decisions is not part of regular practice.

An interactive ethnographic performance: using research-based theatre and drama pedagogy to enhance meaning making

ABSTRACTThis paper examines the application and efficacy of performance ethnography designed for adult professional learning. An ethnographic performance related to women in research leadership was constructed and performed in an executive tertiary leadership programme and the responses from the female audience/participants were investigated. The study defines a form of research-based theatre: interactive ethnographic performance where an ethnographic performance text is intersected by drama pedagogy designed to enhance the learning experience. It found that this model of interactive ethnographic performance applied to professional learning provides opportunities for deep engagement and critical reflection and offers a site for powerful collective learning.

Effects of Teacher- Versus Application-Delivered Instruction on the Expressive Vocabulary of At-Risk Preschool Children

A repeated acquisition (RA) design was used to compare the effectiveness of research-based instruction embedded in repeated storybook reading facilitated by an adult or tablet application (app) on the vocabulary knowledge of six preschool children. All participants selected scored below the 40th percentile on the Preschool Language Scale–Fifth Edition. Three target verbs frequently encountered in speech and text (Tier 2) from 16, age-appropriate storybooks were selected. Definitions of the target verb, multiple contextualized examples, and demonstrations of the verb action were taught. All children benefited from the intervention in both conditions, but increases were higher for four participants in the app condition, and modest for two participants in both conditions. Depth of knowledge was assessed using a scoring rubric, and four children increased their ability to provide multiple examples or a definition of the word. Implications for research and practice are discussed.

Teacher Professional Development and Student Reading Achievement: A Meta-Analytic Review of the Effects

Research-based instruction is necessary to support students’ reading development, and professional development (PD) is a critical avenue to ensuring high-quality instructional practices. To date, there has been no comprehensive review focused on the effects of teacher PD on student reading achievement. As such, the purpose of the present meta-analysis was to examine the impact of teacher PD on reading outcomes for students in kindergarten through 8th grade. A secondary aim was to determine whether study, program, or participant characteristics were potential moderators of these effects. A comprehensive search of published and unpublished research between 1975 and 2017 resulted in 28 studies that met prescribed criteria. Results indicate that teacher PD has a moderate and significant, positive average effect on reading achievement. However, moderator analyses did not explain the variance in the effects of PD on student outcomes. Primarily, studies represented typically-developing students in the elementary grades, with only three studies including middle school students and four studies including reading outcomes of students with or at-risk for reading disabilities. Recommendations for improved study designs that allow for more in-depth investigation of the characteristics of effective PD and mechanisms of change in student outcomes are discussed.

Challenges and opportunities for heritage language learners in interpreting courses in the U.S. context

Recent studies indicate that heritage language speakers have professional opportunities in translation and interpreting (e.g., Carreira, 2014a) because of their unique linguistic and cultural background. In addition, heritage language speakers’ unique background and previous experiences as language brokers or non-professional interpreters or translators have also been suggested as an advantage in the context of translation and interpreting pedagogy (e.g., Valdes, 2003). The field of interpreting pedagogy, initially modeled and taught by professionals in the field based on their experience, has favored a more research-based interpreting pedagogy that draws on empirically-grounded studies focusing on interpreting competence and instructional strategies (e.g., Colina & Angelelli, 2015a). Despite the recent growth in research-based pedagogy, there is limited reflection on the challenges and opportunities heritage language speakers face in interpreting courses. Research has shown that heritage language and second language speakers exhibit a number of differences that have a direct impact on heritage language education (e.g., Potowski & Lynch, 2014; Carreira, 2016b); however, these differences have not been fully explored in the context of interpreter education. The present article contributes to this gap and encourages further work in this area by investigating the underexplored relationships among language for specific purposes, heritage language education, and translation and interpreting. In doing so, this work aims to understand the role and profile of heritage language learners in interpreting courses and how existing skillsets may be better exploited to guide interpreter education. First, the literature on heritage language learners and education is reviewed in conjunction with interpreting pedagogy. Then, challenges and opportunities for this subpopulation of students are discussed while identifying potential avenues for additional investigation.

Millennialization of Islamic Education Based on Neuroscience in the Third Generation University in Yogyakarta Indonesia

<p>To date, Islamic Education in Indonesia is framed in traditional, conventional, and colonial paradigms. Despite the twentieth century’s urges to use interdisciplinary, multidisciplinary, and trans-disciplinary approaches, mono-disciplinary approach such as classic and medieval Islamic education, is still dominating. Researches in the three new methods have engaged neuroscience that results in innovative and reliable works, indicated by the achievement of Intellectual Property Rights with downstreaming potentials. The study aims to find a model for Islamic education that is based on neuroscience in the millennial era with the mentioned attainment. The research applied a qualitative model by Denzin and was located in the Magister Degree of Islamic Education of Universitas Ahmad Dahlan, Yogyakarta, in 2008. It involved six lecturers and thirty-one students. The data were collected through participatory observation, in-depth interview, and documentation.The research generates a neuroscience-based model for Islamic education in the millennial era through the development of research-based instruction. Further, the development allows the achievement of Intellectual Property Rights and downstreaming potentials. The model is the continuation of Islamic education modernization initiated by Muhammad Abduh and is relevant to the entrepreneurship of the millennial Muslim generation of the twenty-first century.</p>

Observed Effects of Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol (SIOP) Methods in Education of Students in Uganda [Kennesaw State University

Researchers have examined the effects of the SIOP, Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol, model on English Language Learners (ELLs) in the United States. With the SIOP model, teachers use research-based instruction that benefits all students including ELL students. However, there is a need to examine its effects for students in other countries. This study compares the performance and engagement of students in a rural setting in Uganda when they experience instruction that follows parts of the SIOP model. Many students in Uganda struggle in mathematics because of the lack of support due to class sizes of about 65-105 students. This study will highlight the use of researched methods for ELLs within the United States for students in other countries, such as Uganda, that will help students in Uganda’s educational system. Based on the observations of participation, engagement, and performance on the tests given by the researcher during this study, the data gathered from the researcher and the local teachers will show that the methods are working for the students at Ekitangaala. The analysis of this observational data has resulted in cross-cultural symbiotic pedagogical learning. The results show that the students are more engaged when they are learning in an environment that employs SIOP researched methods and better retain content for testing which allowed for better performance.

Tier 1 Research-Based Instruction Focused on Proportional Reasoning: Meeting the Needs of Students with or At Risk for Mathematics Disabilities

The present study summarized three studies of schema-based instruction (SBI), a research-based Tier 1 mathematics program implemented in general education classrooms. We evaluated the efficacy of SBI in improving the mathematics achievement of seventh-grade students, including students with or at risk for mathematics disabilities (MD). The three SBI studies included an overall sample of 3,846 students, some of whom were categorized as having MD and 161 teachers in 104 schools from three states, with treatment length of about 6 weeks. Teachers and their classrooms in each study were randomly assigned to either the SBI or control condition. For the overall sample, results showed that SBI students scored significantly higher and showed more linear growth over time than control students on proportional problem solving. Similar results favoring the SBI condition were also found for students with or at risk for MD. These findings suggest that SBI focused on proportional reasoning instruction is a feasible Tier 1 mathematics program for all students. We discuss implications of the SBI program for meeting the diverse needs of students in the multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS) framework and suggest future directions. Subscribe to LDMJ

Evidence-Based Research in STEM Teacher Education: From Theory to Practice

The paper identifies a possible cause of previous STEM education reform failures and suggests how repairing the link between evidence-based education research and teacher education practice may be a potential solution. The evidence-based STEM education research is described and placed in the general education research context to illustrate how research-based and STEM-focused teacher education can address some of the biggest challenges facing contemporary educators: the growing student disengagement, the paucity of successful active learning environments, the inadequate attention to educating and supporting teachers, the scarcity of evidence-based research on student STEM learning that can inform both teacher education practice and policy. The paper calls on placing research-based STEM teacher education in the centre of contemporary reform efforts and conducting evidence-based education research to study the effects of this process on the growth of teacher knowledge and consequently on student STEM learning. Specifically, using research-based evidence for the development of teachers’ knowledge for STEM teaching and their positive attitudes about learning (the growth mindset) are identified as possible key factors in successful STEM education reform efforts. However, more research needs to be done to examine this assertion. To do so, we suggest a four-step approach for incorporating evidence-based STEM education research into teacher education practice: Model-Reflect-Research-Practice. This approach emphasizes teacher-candidates’ active engagement with research-based pedagogies as students and as future teachers. It provides a structure for incorporating research-based pedagogies in STEM teacher education as described in the examples. The first example showcases Peer Instruction supported by PeerWise technology to engage teacher-candidates in designing STEM learning environments that promote active learning and conceptual understanding through peer learning. The second example focuses on supporting teacher-candidates’ growth by asking them to teach short mini-lessons, record and upload them onto the online collaborative platform (Collaborative Learning Annotation System) for peer feedback and reflection. Both examples incorporate collaborative educational technologies to promote the development of teacher-candidates’ knowledge and their growth mindset. The paper emphasizes how making evidence-based STEM education research a foundation of teacher education can help connect education research to teaching practice and break the vicious circle of STEM education reform failures.

The Peer Instruction’s Effectiveness as Teaching Pedagogy: Research Reviews

The effectiveness of PI as a research-based teaching pedagogy was the focus of this review. The authors reviewed nine research studies from 2010 to 2017 and different countries of the world taken from various academic journals. Juxtaposing the findings of these studies indicated that PI is a useful teaching pedagogy. Peer Instruction was developed in 1991 at Harvard University to address poor understanding of conceptual and problem-solving skill of introductory physics students. PI is a research-based pedagogy for teaching sizeable introductory science courses. Lectures in PI consist of some short presentations on critical points, each followed by short conceptual questions called Concept Test, posed in a multiple-choice format, on the subject under discussion. PI is a teaching pedagogy that is not common in schools in African countries. Several countries have adopted the pedagogy in science education with the evidence of its effectiveness. This paper reviewed a few of these research studies to spur Nigerian teachers to the adoption of PI as a better pedagogy. The article considered many reasons it is essential to adopt PI in Nigerian schools. The conclusion was made by suggesting PI adoption by all teachers in Nigerian schools.

Access

Access

Further Effects of Phylogenetic Tree Style on Student Comprehension in an Introductory Biology Course.

Phylogenetic trees have become increasingly important across the life sciences, and as a result, learning to interpret and reason from these diagrams is now an essential component of biology education. Unfortunately, students often struggle to understand phylogenetic trees. Style (i.e., diagonal or bracket) is one factor that has been observed to impact how students interpret phylogenetic trees, and one goal of this research was to investigate these style effects across an introductory biology course. In addition, we investigated the impact of instruction that integrated diagonal and bracket phylogenetic trees equally. Before instruction, students were significantly more accurate with the bracket style for a variety of interpretation and construction tasks. After instruction, however, students were significantly more accurate only for construction tasks and interpretations involving taxa relatedness when using the bracket style. Thus, instruction that used both styles equally mitigated some, but not all, style effects. These results inform the development of research-based instruction that best supports student understanding of phylogenetic trees.

From Cookbook to Research: Redesigning an Advanced Biochemistry Laboratory

Laboratory courses are often designed using step-by-step protocols which encourage students to conduct experiments without thinking about what they are doing or why they are doing it. Such course design limits the growth of our students as scientists and can make it more difficult for a student to transition to the expectations of a research laboratory experience. To facilitate student growth in the process skills necessary to transition from the teaching laboratory to the research laboratory, an advanced biochemistry laboratory was redesigned to be team-taught and project-based culminating in a 7 week group research project in which the students worked collaboratively to propose, design, and troubleshoot their own experiments. Here, we report perceived student learning gains which provide additional evidence that inquiry- and research-based pedagogies impact student confidence with respect to the process skills required for self-directed research.

Effectiveness of Neuro Scientific Research-based Pedagogy in Science

The Purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of neuroscience research - based pedagogy in science education. The specific objectives of the study answer the basic research questions: What are the current implications of neuroscience research and to what extent will neuroscience research into biological mechanisms learning, memory, attention, and other brain functions inform educational practices and science teaching in the future? In this investigation, experimental research design was employed. Along with this, a sample of thirty six students was drawn from a total of seventy-two student population using purposive random sampling technique. Then, based on the pre-test scores, mixed ability groups such as eighteen high and eighteen low scoring that are (36) students in each group as experimental(15 F and 21 M) and control(14 F and 22 M) groups were assigned respectively. Based on the hypothesis formulated, questionnaire was used as the instruments of data collection. The research data was collected from both experimental and control groups. Populations of the study were selected by purposive simple random sampling technique. Two way ANOVA as statistical techniques had been used to investigate the efficacy of neuroscience research based pedagogy in science achievement among secondary school students.

The Chi-Sci Scholars Program: Developing Community and Challenging Racially Inequitable Measures of Success at a Minority-Serving Institution on Chicago’s Southside

Ensuring that all students who want to pursue degrees and careers in science can do so is an important goal of a number of undergraduate STEM equity programs throughout the United States. Many of these programs, which promote diversity and the importance of diversity in science, directly address the 2012 PCAST report, which notes that “1 million additional STEM Professionals will be needed within the next decade” and “women and members of minority groups now constitute approximately 70% of college students, but earn only 45 percent of STEM degrees.” The PCAST report also indicates that these students “leave STEM majors at higher rates than others and offer an expanding pool of untapped talent.” Many of these programs recognize that it is important to provide students with a variety of support: financial, mentoring, research-based instruction, cohort development, and specific activities tailored to target population strengths and needs.