This annotated bibliography is reformatted and customized by the Center for Positive Practices. Some of the authors featured on this page include Lisa Towne, Michael Moore, Hank Fien, Ben Clarke, Meirav Arieli-Attali, Malbert Smith, Gary L. Williamson, Alissa Peltzman, Lenwood Gibson, and Tonette Salazar.
(2016). Strategically Fostering Dynamic Interactive Environments, Mathematics Teacher. The Common Core State Standards (CCSSI 2010) and NCTM's (2014) "Principles to Actions" agree that "for meaningful learning of mathematics, tools and technology must be indispensable features of the classroom . . . that support students in exploring mathematics as well as in making sense of concepts and procedures and engaging in mathematical reasoning" (NCTM 2014, p. 78). With these tools come novel forms of mathematical representations. The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics confirms the dichotomy by defining representation as referring "both to process and to product–in other words, to the act of capturing a mathematical concept or relationship in some form and to the form itself" (NCTM 2000, p. 67). Thus, by working with external rep representations, students access, assimilate, accommodate, and build internal representations. With advances in technology, the forms and capabilities of external representations are opening new windows both to do and to study mathematics so that students' internal representations will evolve. The intent of this article is to provide teachers with a more nuanced explanation of the role technology plays in helping students mediate between external and internal representations of linear functions. Teachers may (re)consider the questions that they might ask when creating an activity using technology or engaging in formative assessment during an activity using technology. In this article, the author first shares an activity in which students use TI-Nspire to study linear functions. Then she shares some of the major results of a study that she completed and its implications for the teaching and learning environment. [More] Descriptors: Mathematics Instruction, Technology Uses in Education, Educational Technology, Mathematical Concepts
(2014). Designing California's Next School Accountability Program, Public Policy Institute of California. California is in the midst of a major K-12 reform effort. In 2010, the state adopted the Common Core State Standards (CCSS), which outline what students should know in mathematics and English. In 2013, it adopted tests of the new standards developed by the Smarter Balanced Assessment Collaborative (SBAC). These tests will be administered beginning in 2015, replacing the California Standards Tests (CSTs). In addition, the state revamped its school-finance system in 2013, creating the Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) to streamline local funding and increase support for disadvantaged students. The LCFF also requires districts to set performance targets on a range of school and student success indicators as part of a district Local Control Accountability Plan (LCAP). This report reviews the state's options for the next generation of K-12 school accountability programs. The analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of the current programs leads to the proposal of several steps that merge state and local accountability programs and create a more straightforward approach to improving schools and student outcomes: (1) California should create a new state measure that would align with the LCAP program; (2) The state should develop and fund a larger program of technical assistance to school districts; and (3) The legislature and governor need to address governance arrangements of accountability programs. The report provides an outline of a state accountability measure and program that includes a broader range of student outcomes than just test scores and also aligns with the design guidelines. [More] Descriptors: Accountability, Elementary Secondary Education, Common Core State Standards, Academic Standards
(2016). Aligning the K-12 Academic Journey with a Postsecondary Destination, State Education Standard. Although debate about the adoption and implementation of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) has been extensive, there is unanimity on the importance of college and career readiness standards. If statewide assessments are not aligned to the workplace and college requirements of reading and comprehending more complex text, then states will keep promoting a false sense of security that U.S. high school graduates are college and career ready when, in fact, they are not. This article discusses how North Carolina has aligned its assessments to the "endpoint," raised standards and performance, and built student growth trajectories. North Carolina has long focused on documenting student growth, incorporating that growth into its accountability system, improving its longitudinal data systems, and using multiple analytical strategies. This history made it possible for the state to create developmental growth curves that illustrate the long-term progression of student performance. As their measurement systems and longitudinal data collections have matured, North Carolina has extended its understanding of growth from the simple year-to-year gains it employed 20 years ago, to growth curves spanning grades three through eight (in efforts that began around 10 years ago), to descriptions spanning grades 3 through 11 (in its most recent efforts). These data can be used to juxtapose the relationships between academic standards and student growth. One outcome revealed in the North Carolina analysis is that student performance improved as the state board raised standards. By examining reading growth longitudinally and connecting this growth to the real-world reading demands of occupations and higher education environments, state board members can have confidence that their state's assessments are aligned to college and career readiness. [More] Descriptors: Alignment (Education), Elementary Secondary Education, Postsecondary Education, College Readiness
(2014). Can New Tests Lead to Better Teaching and Deeper Learning? Brief, RAND Corporation. Many states have adopted the Common Core State Standards (CCSS), which emphasize "deeper learning" skills, such as mastery of core academic content, critical thinking, problem-solving, and collaboration. But can the new tests being developed to align with the CCSS be used to promote deeper learning and high-quality classroom instruction? In response to this question, several key points are highlighted: (1) Testing can have a wide variety of effects on teachers' activities in the classroom, including changes in what is taught, how teachers allocate time and resources, and how teachers interact with students; (2) Tests of deeper learning are more likely to have an impact on classroom instruction if there are consequences for educators or students; however, attaching stakes that are too high can have negative effects on practice; and (3) The impact of new tests will be enhanced by policies that ensure that the tests mirror high-quality instruction, are part of a systemic change effort, and are accompanied by training and support to help teachers interpret and use test scores effectively. [This brief describes work done for RAND Education and documented in "New Assessments, Better Instruction? Designing Assessment Systems to Promote Instructional Improvement" (see ED561199).] [More] Descriptors: Common Core State Standards, Academic Achievement, Critical Thinking, Participative Decision Making
(2012). Critical Literacy, Digital Literacies, and Common Core State Standards: A Workable Union?, Theory Into Practice. In this article, the authors consider ways teachers can bring critical literacy into the classroom using Common Core State Language Arts Standards as a starting point and examining an 11th grader's response to a critical literacy assignment. Furthermore, they explore how teachers can use digital tools to introduce meaningful critical literacy without simply domesticating either of them. The authors conclude by suggesting ways that critical literacy can be used to make both digital literacies and standards seem more relevant to students. [More] Descriptors: State Standards, Information Literacy, Information Technology, Critical Literacy
(2016). Bringing the Book to Life: Responding to Historical Fiction Using Digital Storytelling, Journal of Literacy Research. Using participatory action research, the first researcher functioned as co-teacher in a fifth-grade class in a large northeastern city public school. The researcher and classroom teacher guided 28 students working in book clubs to compose digital stories in response to historical fiction. The research questions were: (a) What interpretations did students have of their historical fiction novels through the mediational tools of digital storytelling?; and (b) How did the dynamics of the book club structure contribute to the students' interpretive work? Data sources included students' process and product work, video and audio recordings of work sessions, reflective notes and journal, a semi-structured interview with the teacher, and stimulated recall interviews with three case study book clubs. Both researchers used multimodal analysis, particularly the concept transmediation, concepts of interpretation in reader response, and grounded theory, informed by activity theory, to analyze data. Findings show students' expression of and limits to interpretation in the multimodal ensembles of their digital stories. The purposeful use of digital technology generated ongoing problem solving. Activity systems expanded students' learning by generating collaborative zones of proximal development, a dialectic among mediational tools, and opportunities to take on roles that shaped students' identities and repositioned who they could be in this learning community. The study shows the value of project-based multimodal responses using digital technologies in collaborative groups to develop students' comprehension of literary texts. The study suggests an alternative to writing-to-learn practices that dominate the implementation of the Common Core State Standards, and that high-stakes tests reify. [More] Descriptors: Participatory Research, Action Research, Grade 5, Elementary School Teachers
(2014). Politics Threaten Efforts to Improve K-12 Education, Center for American Progress. Beginning in 2010, more than 40 states adopted the Common Core State Standards. In the years immediately following their adoption, educators, parents, and policymakers familiar with the standards strongly supported them. Both Republicans and Democrats heralded the Common Core as one of the most promising school reforms in decades. Fast forward to today–a midterm election year–and the Common Core is a deeply controversial topic, despite the fact that the standards have not changed since they were first released. In the past year, two states–Indiana and Oklahoma–have withdrawn entirely from the Common Core, claiming the federal government has poisoned an otherwise positive education reform. In addition, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal (R) attempted to unilaterally repeal the standards and is now in a dispute with the state education board and the state superintendent. To understand the cause of state legislators' and governors' sudden resistance to the Common Core, the Center for American Progress (CAP) examined the influence of politics on the Common Core by tracking the popularity of "Common Core" as a Google search term, the number of news articles related to the Common Core published since 2009, and public opinion polls. Based on this research, it appears that both public interest and opinion of the Common Core reacts to–rather than causes–the politicization of the standard. [More] Descriptors: Politics, Common Core State Standards, Educational Improvement, Educational Change
(2014). Expanding the "CBAL"âÑ¢ Mathematics Assessments to Elementary Grades: The Development of a Competency Model and a Rational Number Learning Progression. Research Report. ETS RR-14-08, ETS Research Report Series. Prior work on the "CBAL"âÑ¢ mathematics competency model resulted in an initial competency model for middle school grades with several learning progressions (LPs) that elaborate central ideas in the competency model and provide a basis for connecting summative and formative assessment. In the current project, we created a competency model for Grades 3-5 that is based on both the middle school competency model and the Common Core State Standards (CCSS). We also developed an LP for rational numbers based on an extensive literature review, consultations with members of the CBAL mathematics team and other related research staff at Educational Testing Service, input from an advisory panel of external experts in mathematics education and cognitive psychology, and the use of small-scale cognitive interviews with students and teachers. Elementary mathematical understanding, specifically that of rational numbers, is viewed as fundamental and critical to developing future knowledge and skill in middle and high school mathematics and therefore essential for success in the 21st century world. The competency model and the rational number LP serve as the conceptual basis for developing and connecting summative and formative assessment as well as professional support materials for Grades 3-5. We report here on the development process of these models and future implications for task development. [More] Descriptors: Mathematics Tests, Elementary School Students, Elementary School Mathematics, Numbers
(2014). Roadmap for a Successful Transition to the Common Core in States and Districts, Center for American Progress. The Common Core State Standards present the greatest opportunity in decades to improve the quality of education afforded to all students. Uniformly raising standards across the majority of states and increasing the rigor of assessments sets an ambitious bar of college and career readiness for all students. Furthermore, assessing students against this more difficult benchmark will shine a bright light on schools and districts that are struggling to provide the caliber of education necessary for students to be successful. Armed with a more accurate picture of student performance, states and districts will be better positioned to direct resources and supports to students who need them the most. These new standards will also better prepare students to adjust to a changing economy by providing them with not just the base knowledge they need, but also the skills to be lifelong learners, effective communicators, and critical thinkers. It is true that the transition to the standards and assessments is difficult and will require patience, persistence, and continual parental and community engagement, with ongoing support and professional development for educators. But the tremendous benefits of the Common Core are too important to allow incomplete or inadequate implementation to undermine them. The good news is that across the country, states and districts are using promising and effective practices to implement the Common Core. The examples highlighted in this report are testimony to this effort. But more work remains, and states and districts should take note of best practices as they continue their transition to the Common Core. [More] Descriptors: Common Core State Standards, Student Evaluation, College Readiness, Career Readiness
(2014). Testing the Efficacy of a Tier 2 Kindergarten Mathematics Intervention: Findings of Year 1, Society for Research on Educational Effectiveness. The adoption of the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics (CCSSM, 2010) in 46 states has raised the mathematical proficiency bar for U.S. students. The advent of these new standards is at a time when the body of empirical evidence on the negative consequences of early and persistent difficulties in mathematics is clear, compelling, and growing. The purpose of this 4-year Goal-3 Efficacy Trial, funded by the Institute of Education Sciences (Clarke, Doabler, Smolkowski, & Fien, 2012), is to study the efficacy of ROOTS, a (Tier 2) kindergarten mathematics intervention designed to improve the mathematics achievement of students at risk for MD. This presentation focuses on data generated from the first year of the larger efficacy trial (2012-2013). The study used a randomized control trial (RCT) design (blocking on classrooms) to investigate the ROOTS intervention when implemented under rigorous experimental conditions. Year 1 of the ROOTS efficacy trial took place in 29 kindergarten classrooms from four school districts in Oregon with approximately 10 eligible students per classroom. The two primary aims of this presentation are: (1) present impact findings from the first year of the 4-year ROOTS efficacy trial; and (2) empirically examine the association between instructional intensity, manipulated via instructional group size, and student mathematics achievement. One table is appended. [More] Descriptors: Kindergarten, Mathematics Education, Intervention, Mathematics Achievement
(2012). Principal and Parent Perceptions of How Implementing Common Core State Standards Affects Schools and Accountability, ProQuest LLC. From the inception of public education, the curricula of schools have been debated. As early as 1893, higher education and governmental committees sought to establish what, when, and how cognitive level curricula would be taught. In times of national need, as when the Soviet Union launched Sputnik, the educational system was called upon to help our nation's youth achieve higher standards. During this time, a national set of science, mathematics, and foreign language standards was created. It wasn't until mid-1980 that standards-based school reform became popular resulting from President Ronald Reagan's inquiry into the public education system and the publishing of "A Nation at Risk." Each successive president held education summits that built upon past summit results. Performance standards, statewide assessments, and accountability measures were the end product of multiple education summits and reauthorizations of the "Elementary and Secondary Education Act," now known as "No Child Left Behind" (NCLB). Under the NCLB legislation, accountability measures label schools by their performance level and report the labels to the general public in order to help the parents and public know how well schools are doing. Fifty different states have created fifty different levels of standards and accountability creating an issue of equity within the United States' public schools. Currently, common core state standards have been accepted by forty-five states to help build equity back into the nation's schools. Principal and parent perceptions are used in this descriptive and causal-comparative study to identify how the implementation of the common core state standards affects schools and accountability in Arizona. How principals' and parents' perceive the effects of the common core state standards on instruction, teachers, students, school resources, school leadership, and accountability was examined in this research study using an independent samples t-test to look for a statistically significant difference between the two groups. A two-way ANOVA was also used to analyze the two groups for gender differences and ethnic differences. Descriptive statistics were also used to analyze parent's perceptions of school accountability. This study revealed statistically significant differences between the principal and parent groups in the areas of teachers, students, school resources, and school leadership, while instruction and accountability uncovered no statistically significant differences. No statistically significant differences were found between principals and parents in gender and ethnicities. The descriptive statistics suggested parents were not concerned about state assessment or accountability as much as they were about current school funding. Recommendations for future research, practice, and implications for current practice are suggested as a result of this quantitative research study. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: www.proquest.com/en-US/products/disserta… [More] Descriptors: Parent Attitudes, Administrator Attitudes, Principals, Federal Legislation
(2014). Secondary Mathematics Teachers' Literacy Professional Learning: An Amalgamation of Adolescent Literacy, Mathematics Teaching, and Adult Learning, ProQuest LLC. This study uses practitioner research to examine secondary mathematics teachers' learning of literacy integration practices in the context of a district-wide literacy professional development series. The author, a secondary mathematics curriculum and instruction facilitator in a large, Midwestern suburban district, engaged in a two-year partnership with seventeen Mathematics Teacher Facilitators (MTFs) who taught literacy practices to their colleagues via a train-the-trainer model. This study provides an explicit rendering of professional development practices and ongoing, job-embedded learning vignettes of six MTF's experiences in (a) teaching literacy practices to their colleagues and (b) how they learned and enacted these practices in their classrooms. Nested in calls by the Common Core State Standards for English-Language Arts (CCSS-ELA) and Response to Intervention (RTI) process, this research is a flagship for literacy integration professional development in mathematics. The MTFs' detailed descriptions provide valuable information regarding the discipline-specific literacy practices of secondary mathematics and offer important considerations for staff developers, curriculum coordinators, including the author, literacy/instructional coaches, and administrators seeking to improve literacy integration. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: www.proquest.com/en-US/products/disserta… [More] Descriptors: Secondary School Mathematics, Secondary School Teachers, Adult Learning, Professional Development
(2014). 50 Ways to Test: A Look at State Summative Assessments in 2014-15, Education Commission of the States. A key aspect of the teaching and learning cycle involves checking the progress of student learning along the way. Traditionally, state summative assessments have served as a way to measure student mastery of the knowledge and skills outlined in the learning expectations or standards at the end of the academic year. As many states began adopting college and career ready standards, such as the Common Core State Standards (CCSS), a need arose for new summative assessments. New standards require new assessments measuring the skills and knowledge outlined in the new standards. The Education Commission of the States has received numerous inquiries for information on where states are in terms of state assessments for the 2014-15 school year. Constituents also request information about federal testing requirements. This document provides a high-level overview of the two testing consortia and federal testing requirements. The comprehensive chart presented provides a snapshot of which assessments are planned in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. for the 2014-15 academic year. [More] Descriptors: Summative Evaluation, State Standards, Evaluation Criteria, Academic Standards
(2014). Teachers' Perceptions of the Impact of the McREL Teacher Evaluation System on Professional Growth, ProQuest LLC. The purpose of this qualitative study was to investigate teachers' perceptions about the impact of the McREL Teacher Evaluation System on their professional growth. The sample comprised 15 teachers of students in Kindergarten to Grade 4 in a suburban New Jersey school district who participated in Year 1 implementation of a new standards-based teacher evaluation model. Participants were asked to explore the professional teaching standards in the McREL Teacher Evaluation System. The conceptual framework included adult learning, critical thinking, and reflective practice. The themes that emerged defined a new teacher-driven interpretation of leadership and a collective responsibility to a shared vision of student learning. The study highlighted the expectations of meeting the learning needs of a more diverse population of students; applying content knowledge, specifically the Common Core State Standards; facilitating learning through various instructional strategies and modalities that cultivated critical thinking with colleagues and contemporary students; and engaging in reflection of teacher practice as a significant catalyst for growth. The study also emphasized the need for strategic systems of strong organizational support as essential to a successful implementation process. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: www.proquest.com/en-US/products/disserta… [More] Descriptors: Teacher Attitudes, Teacher Evaluation, Elementary School Students, Faculty Development
(2012). A Strong State Role in Common Core State Standards Implementation: Rubric and Self-Assessment Tool, Achieve, Inc.. The Common Core State Standards (CCSS) represent an extraordinary opportunity for education in the U.S.: Not only do they provide for the first time a common platform for states to collaborate and to compare performance, but they also align expectations for student achievement with the demands of college and careers in the 21st century and the expectations of top-performing nations. This Rubric and Self-Assessment Tool is designed to support state leaders in assessing and continuously improving their efforts to implement the new standards and forthcoming aligned assessments. Because the goal is to ensure educators throughout a state have the resources and skills to succeed, the rubric and tool suggest the essential steps and strong actions states will need to consider to succeed. The rubric is purposefully not a checklist, but rather it is designed to guide ongoing efforts to plan and execute on those plans. It is intended to push states towards coherent approaches: carefully chosen activities attuned to real needs in the state, districts and schools, properly sequenced to provide maximum support at the building level and crafted with a clear logic. The tool is also seen as a living document, one that will be updated and improved based on state experience and implementation lessons. References consulted are appended. [More] Descriptors: State Standards, Academic Standards, Alignment (Education), Leadership Role