This annotated bibliography is reformatted and customized by the Center for Positive Practices. Some of the authors featured on this page include Liz Glowa, Svjetlana Curcic, Renee Murray, Doreen Finkelstein, Robin S. Johnstone, Sally Smith, Elaine Carman, Bethany G. Fishbein, Susan Henderson, and Tennessee Higher Education Commission.
(2013). Re-Engineering Information Technology: Design Considerations for Competency Education. CompetencyWorks Issue Brief, International Association for K-12 Online Learning. Competency education is student-centric, personalizing student progress so that every child has adequate time and support to reach proficiency every step of the way. Competency education fundamentally changes the way the educational enterprise is organized around student needs, and thus must have a dynamic IT system to support it. Following an introductory essay, "Getting Ahead: Mature IT for Competency Education" by Susan Patrick, President and CEO of the International Association for K-12 Online Learning, this paper demonstrates the importance of analyzing and examining our knowledge of what makes up an effective competency-based information system. While designing competency education systems, it is important to keep student learning at the core, to incorporate interoperability principles, and to use an enterprise architecture approach that enables schools and districts to effectively manage their institutions. These systems need to be able to communicate, to supply the data and support that administrators, educators, and students need in order to know exactly how individual students are progressing based on clear competencies. Based on interviews and research, the ideas in this report build upon the information systems developed by competency education innovators, best practices of systemic approaches to information management, and emerging opportunities. This paper is designed for readers to find the sections that are of most interest to them in their role and to be used to catalyze strategies, support new competency-based instructional models, and inform decision making for continuous improvement. Consider this paper as an opportunity to catalyze conversations in your organization and networks about how IT systems can be designed with student learning at their core. The following are appended: (1) Multiple Initiatives Working on Interoperability, Data Standards, and Technical Services; (2) Writing an RFI or RFP: Competency Education Information Technology Considerations; and (3) Glossary. [More] Descriptors: Information Technology, Competency Based Education, Instructional Design, Instructional Effectiveness
(2013). International Comparative Assessments: Broadening the Interpretability, Application and Relevance to the United States. Research in Review 2012-5, College Board. Many articles and reports have reviewed, researched, and commented on international assessments from the perspective of exploring what is relevant for the United States' education systems. Researchers make claims about whether the top-performing systems have transferable practices or policies that could be applied to the United States. However, looking only at top-performing education systems may omit important knowledge that could be applied from countries with similar demographic, geographic, linguistic, or economic characteristics–even if these countries do not perform highly on comparative assessments. Moreover, by exploring only the top performers, a presumption exists that these international assessments are in alignment with a country's curricular, pedagogic, political, and economic goals, which may falsely lead to the conclusion that by copying top performers, test scores would invariably increase and also meet the nation's needs. While international comparative assessments can be valuable when developing national or state policies, the way in which they are interpreted can be broadened cautiously to better inform their interpretability, relevance, and application to countries such as the United States–all while considering the purpose of each international assessment in the context of a nation's priorities. Ultimately, this report serves as a reference guide for various international assessments, as well as a review of literature that explores a possible relationship between national economies and international assessment performance. In addition, this review will discuss how policymakers might use international assessment results from various systems to adapt successful policies in the United States. Tables are appended. [More] Descriptors: Comparative Testing, International Assessment, Relevance (Education), Testing Programs
(2016). The Effects of an Intervention in Writing with Digital Interactive Books, Computers in the Schools. This study examined the effects of an intervention in writing with digital interactive books. To improve the writing skills of seventh- and eighth-grade students with a learning disability in reading, we conducted a quasi-experimental study in which the students read interactive digital books (i-books), took notes, wrote summaries, and acted as reviewers of a set of i-books. A repeated-measures analysis of variance indicated that the intervention group of students significantly outperformed the control group on the following measures of writing: the holistic text quality and the summarization text quality, with large effect sizes. [More] Descriptors: Intervention, Writing Skills, Learning Disabilities, Cartoons
(2013). Inviting Teacher Candidates into Book Talks: Supporting a Culture of Lifelong Reading, Reading Horizons. This article describes our collaborative inquiry, three teacher educators/researchers of literacy from different institutions who shared a concern about how few teacher candidates in our programs neither viewed themselves as readers nor possessed a love of reading, qualities we view as key to supporting all children as lifelong readers, writers, and communicators. In this paper, we share how we took action and studied the use of book talks in our programs to support a culture of lifelong reading among our teacher candidates and to offer possibilities for candidates' future teaching experiences. The study took place over two years. In phase one, we studied groups of our candidates from our literacy language arts methods courses as they engaged in book talks. In phase two, we followed-up with nine of the participating candidates, three in each institution, during student teaching or their first year of teaching to explore how the book talk experience influenced their early teaching efforts. Findings show that book talks and the culture created in reading for pleasure and purpose made a positive impression on the way candidates viewed what it means to be a reader and their role as future teachers of literacy. In addition, we found many challenges that impeded candidates' efforts to act on their visions of using book talks and developing independent readers in their classrooms. [More] Descriptors: Reading, Reading Instruction, Recreational Reading, Preservice Teachers
(2010). Accelerate Learning with SMART Goals for Students and Staff, College Board. [Slides] presented at the annual conference of the National Council of Supervisors of Math. [More] Descriptors: Acceleration (Education), Goal Orientation, Expectation, Task Analysis
(2009). Defining the College-Bound Core Curriculum in High Schools, College Board. Presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association (AERA) in April 2009. Using a comprehensive longitudinal data set as an example, poses questions and raises issues around defining a high school curriculum that is related to indicators of college success. [More] Descriptors: Longitudinal Studies, Secondary School Curriculum, Core Curriculum, College Bound Students
(2013). Transforming Schools through Expanded Learning Time: Orchard Gardens K-8 Pilot School. Update 2013, National Center on Time & Learning. For years, Orchard Gardens K-8 Pilot School was plagued by low student achievement and high staff turnover. Then, in 2010, with an expanded school schedule made possible through federal funding, Orchard Gardens began a remarkable turnaround. Today, the school is demonstrating how increased learning time, combined with other key turnaround strategies, can dramatically improve the performance of even the nation's most troubled schools. This case study, the first in a new series, takes you inside the transformation of Orchard Gardens. [More] Descriptors: Extended School Day, School Schedules, School Turnaround, Academic Achievement
(2011). State College and Career Readiness Initiative: Statewide Transitional Courses for College Readiness, Southern Regional Education Board (SREB). Through the "Strengthening Statewide College/Career Readiness Initiative" (SSCRI), Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) has collaborated with states on state policy goals and actions needed to improve high school students' academic readiness for postsecondary study and reduce the need for remedial work. SREB created and implemented an action agenda comprised of six components that states can follow to improve students' college and career readiness: statewide readiness standards, assessment, specialized curriculum including transitional courses, teacher development, postsecondary application of the standards, and school and college accountability. This report describes progress made in Florida, Kentucky, Texas, Virginia, and West Virginia on one component of the college-readiness model agenda: the design and delivery of transitional courses in reading, writing and mathematics for high school seniors who are not on track to be college- or career-ready by the end of 11th grade. America's states and schools face significant challenges to improve college and career readiness for all students before they leave high school. Now that most states have adopted more rigorous standards closely aligned with college readiness, the focus should be on identifying students who are not prepared to be successful in first-year college-level courses or the workplace and offering alternative courses in their junior or senior year that will strengthen their chances for success. This report presents details and observations about the approaches taken by five states involved with the "SSCRI" to develop and implement senior-year transitional courses in English and mathematics. Finding and recommendations are presented. The following are appended: (1) Florida State Profile; (2) Kentucky State Profile; (3) Texas State Profile; (4) Virginia State Profile; and (5) West Virginia State Profile. [This report was written with assistance from Cheryl Blanco and Megan Root. The report was edited by Alan Richard.] [More] Descriptors: College Readiness, Career Readiness, State Programs, Transitional Programs
(2014). Annual Joint Report on Pre-Kindergarten through Higher Education in Tennessee, 2014. The "Annual Joint Report on Pre-Kindergarten through Higher Education in Tennessee" complies with the requirements established in T.C.A. Section 49-1-302(a)(10). The act directs the State Board of Education and the Tennessee Higher Education Commission to provide a report to the Governor and General Assembly, all public schools, and institutions of higher learning and their respective boards. This report is to include, but is not limited to, a discussion of the following four areas: (1) Minimizing Duplication: The extent of duplication in elementary, secondary and postsecondary education; (2) Compatibility: The extent of compatibility between high school graduation requirements and admission requirements of postsecondary institutions; (3) Master Plan Fulfillment: The extent to which respective master plans of the board and the higher education commission are being fulfilled; and (4) State Needs in Public Education: The extent to which state needs in public education are being met as determined by such board and commission. This year's joint report highlights the progress made in education since the special session of the 106th General Assembly (2010) which included passage of the First to the Top and the Complete College Tennessee Acts. Both Acts focus on raising the level of statewide accountability and support in K-12 schools and institutions of higher education. Legislation from the 106th General Assembly provides the framework for collaboration between all state systems of education, addressing the overarching need to produce a higher proportion of college- and career-ready graduates. Tennessee will use this framework to make significant progress toward increasing postsecondary attainment to the national average by 2025. Tabular appendices include: (1) Tennessee High School Graduation Requirements; (2) Minimum High School Course Requirements for Regular Undergraduate Admissions to Tennessee Public Higher Education Institutions; and (3) Tennessee College and Career Ready Goals and Indicators. [For the 2013 report, see ED540085.] [More] Descriptors: Access to Education, College Admission, Elementary Secondary Education, Graduation
(2014). Graphic Novels and the Common Core, ProQuest LLC. State tests, which assess reading comprehension, ask students to make inferences and connections beyond the text. The problem of practice in which this study is situated is that students are having difficulty making meaningful connections and developing inferences in relation to the material that is read aloud together in class or assigned for homework. Indicators of their struggle include post-reading assessments such as reading comprehension tests with multiple choice and open-ended questions similar to those used on high-stakes tests. The dissertation describes a research project in which graphic novels were incorporated into the curriculum to provide students with an opportunity to work with a nontraditional literary genre. Data sources included video recordings of student think-alouds, video recordings of literature circles; and the NJ High School Proficiency Assessment (NJ HSPA) test scores. Descriptive statistics informed the analysis of the data. The constructs of the research were examined through forms of behavior such as student performance during individual and small group work (e.g. think-alouds and literature circles.) The think-aloud and the literature circles were coded by text features for the reading comprehension strategies and student behavior and allowed for reflective analysis. Findings suggested that readers made connections to the Common Core Standards when reading graphic novels. The research also found correlations between NJ HSPA scores and reading strategies used and behaviors enacted. The research also indicated that students, of varying Language Arts proficiency levels, supported one another in reading comprehension in small group settings. [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: Cartoons, Novels, Common Core State Standards, Reading Tests
(2013). Initiative Overview & Summary of Research. Education Funders Research Initiative (EdFunders), a project of Philanthropy New York, is supported by a group of diverse funding organizations that have pursued an array of education reform strategies. EdFunders have come together to engage New Yorkers and focus leaders on new research into how to best prepare students for college and 21st-century careers, driven by the question: How can we improve on what is working in New York City education? To that end, EdFunders commissioned a series of reports that provide unbiased, independent analysis of the various reform strategies that have been implemented across New York City public schools, highlighting strategies that have achieved success in schools or programs effective with particular populations. This document includes an overview of the Education Funders Research Initiative, six priorities for the mayor of New York City, and a summary of the research. The first two white papers, summarized in the pages of this document, were released on October 8, 2013, at an event co-sponsored by WNYC SchoolBook. The third white paper, also summarized here, was released on November 21, 2013. The six priorities that appear first in this document flow directly from the research commissioned by EdFunders, and also appear in the third paper. [For the first paper in the series, "College and Career Readiness in Context" (Leslie Santee Siskin), see ED562071. For the second paper in the series, "The Experiences of One New York City High School Cohort: Opportunities, Successes, and Challenges," (Douglas Ready, Thomas Hatch, Miya Warner, and Elizabeth Chu), see ED562061. For the third paper in the series, "Building Blocks for Better Schools: How the Next Mayor Can Prepare New York's Students for College and Careers," (Clara Hemphill, Kim Nauer, Andrew White, and Thomas Jacobs), see ED562069.] [More] Descriptors: Philanthropic Foundations, Financial Support, Educational Change, College Preparation
(2015). Evaluating Progress: State Education Agencies and the Implementation of New Teacher Evaluation Systems. WP #2015-09, Consortium for Policy Research in Education. In a 2012 paper for the Center for American Progress, "The State of Evaluation Reform," Patrick McGuinn (Drew University) identified the opportunities and challenges facing education agencies in Race to the Top (RTTT) grant-winning states as they prepared for the implementation of new teacher evaluation systems. The 2012 study undertook in-depth comparative case studies of six states: Tennessee, Colorado, Delaware, New Jersey, Rhode Island, and Pennsylvania. For this paper the individuals interviewed in those states two years ago (or their replacements if necessary) were re-interviewed to understand how and why their efforts differ today. By analyzing state implementation efforts at two different points in time, the new study utilizes a longitudinal qualitative approach that can reveal the extent to which states are learning and adapting in this work over time. Rather than the detailed state case studies of State Education Agency (SEA) implementation work provided in the 2012 paper, this report uses a more thematic approach that will synthesize the lessons that have emerged from the field. This paper serves 2 purposes: (1) To provide a snapshot in time (Jan 2015) of SEA implementation efforts around new teacher evaluation systems; and (2) To contrast more recent implementation efforts with those two years earlier to understand the ways in which SEAs have (and have not) learned and adapted their implementation work over time. More specifically, the paper will address the following questions: What kinds of capacity–financial, personnel, technical–have SEAs added to support the implementation of new teacher evaluation systems? What kind of capacity is still lacking? How rapidly and how effectively are states implementing their new teacher evaluation systems? Why do some states appear to be having more success/smoother implementation than others? How are states approaching this implementation work differently from one another–do some approaches appear to be more or less effective than others? What challenges are emerging and how are states addressing these? What lessons can be learned from these "early adopter" states that can inform teacher evaluation reform in the rest of the country? How are states approaching the training of evaluators and the principals and teachers who are supposed to use the evaluations to improve personnel decisions and classroom instruction? How well are new teacher evaluation systems being aligned with other reforms such as the move to Common Core and new assessments? How are states dealing with the challenge of measuring student achievement in non-tested subjects? The following is appended: Interviews Conducted As Part of Research. [More] Descriptors: State Departments of Education, Teacher Evaluation, Beginning Teachers, Program Implementation
(2014). The International Society for the Social Studies Annual Conference Proceedings (Orlando, Florida, February 27-28, 2014). Volume 2014, Issue 1, International Society for the Social Studies. The "International Society for the Social Studies (ISSS) Annual Conference Proceedings" is a peer-reviewed professional publication published once a year following the annual conference. The following papers are included in the 2014 proceedings: (1) Legal Profession in the Technological Era with Special Reference to Women Lawyers in Coimbatore District of Tamil Nadu, India (G. Barani and S. Pavithra); (2) Proof in the Pudding: A Mix of Integrative and Interactive Strategies in Middle School Literacy (Ruth S. Busby, Todd Stork, and Nathaniel Smith); (3) History Teachers as Historian: Conducting Historical Research (Hayden Call); (4) Using the Library of Congress to Create DBQ's and Book Backdrops (Daniel A. Cowgill, II.); (5) Crowdsourcing for Digital Social Science Learning Companions: A Theory, Model, & Explanation (Charles Cummings); (6) Altering Student Perceptions of Research Practices through Wikipedia: Report on Action Research (Charles Cummings); (7) Teacher Created Prescriptive Interactive Content (TCPIC), SAMR, and Modernizing Remediation in Social Science Education (Charles Cummings); (8) Using Inquiry & Literacy Strategies to Investigate Climate Change (James S. Damico and Mark Baildon); (9) College Readiness for Rural Youth Initiative: Creating a Climate for Success (Jason Hedrick, Mark Light, and Jeff Dick); (10) Pedagogy of oppression: Reconstruction narratives in Mississippi history text books 1887-1976 (Kenneth V. Anthony); (11) Blending of Social Studies in Digital Age (Lakhwinder Jit Kaur); (12) Preparing Global Citizens to Lead and Serve: Positive Youth Development in Online Environments (Mark Light, Jason Hedrick, and Jeff Dick); (13) Instructional Strategies to Use with Primary Sources: A Practical Teaching Workshop (Karen Larsen Maloley); (14) Junior Achievement in Middle Level Education (Leisa A. Martin); (15) "History's Actually Become Important Again." Early Perspectives on History Instruction in the Common Core. (Paul B. McHenry); (16) Learning to Collaborate: Exploring Collective and Individual Outcomes of Special and General Educators (Anthony Pellegrino, Margaret P. Weiss, Kelley Regan, and Linda Mann); (17) Choosing to Break the Bubble: P-12 Teachers, Curricular Development and the Modern Civil Rights Movement (Anthony Pellegrino, Katy Swalwell, and Jenice View); (18) Heritage and Regionalisation in Portugal: Monuments and Community Identity (Fernando Magalhs); (19) Knowing the ROPES: Building Community and Citizenship Dispositions (Deb Sheffer and Barbara Swanson); (20) Relevance of Social Studies and Digital Era (Devinder Singh); (21) Preservice Social Studies Teachers' Conceptions of and Experiences with Discussion as a Pedagogical Tool (Rory Tannebaum); (22) Social Justice in Social Studies Teacher Education: What is our Message? (Juan Walker, Ann Marie Smith, Andrew L Hostetler, Sean M Lennon, and Laura Rychly); (23) Theoretical Cognitive Principles Applied in the Social Studies Classroom: Procedure of Primary Sources (Juan Walker, William B. Russell, III., and John Pagnotti); (24) The History of the Handshake: Its Place in the Classroom in the Digital Age (Beau Michael Whitsett); (25) International Reductions in Compulsory Geography Education and Teacher Preparation: A Multi-national Pilot Study (Patrick C. Womac); (26) Creating a Space for Social Justice through Dialogic Interactions in a Writing Workshop (Elsie L. Olan and Jeffery Kaplan); and (27) Writing Workshop Fostering Social Justice through Creative Writing and Dialogic Interactions (Jeffery Kaplan and Elise L. Olan). (Individual papers contain references.) [For the 2013 proceedings, see ED545197.] [More] Descriptors: Conference Papers, Social Studies, Lawyers, Females
(2015). Annual State of Public Education Report, SY 2014-2015. This report addresses the reporting requirements of Public Law 26-26 and the provisions of "No Child Left Behind" ("NCLB") as described in the Guam Department of Education Board adopted "District Action Plan" ("DAP"). Public Law 26-26, Section 3106 states that "No later than thirty (30) days following the end of each fiscal year, the Superintendent shall issue a School Performance Report card on the state of the public schools and progress toward achieving their goals and mission." The law specifically requires Guam Department of Education (GDOE) to include the following information in the Annual State of Public Education Report: (1) Demographic information on public school children in the community; (2) Information pertaining to student achievement, including Guam-wide assessment data, graduation rates and dropout rates, including progress toward achieving the education benchmarks established by the Board; (3) Information pertaining to special program offerings; (4) Information pertaining to the characteristics of the schools and schools' staff, including certification and assignment of teachers and staff experience; (5) Budget information, including source and disposition of school operating funds and salary data; and (6) Examples of exemplary programs, proven practices, programs designed to reduce costs or other innovations in education being developed by the schools that show improved student learning. The purpose of this report is twofold: (1) to share information about the progress of Guam Public School System towards meeting education goals, which are embodied in the District Action Plan (DAP); and (2) to inform educators and the community at large about programs and activities that affect the quality of educational services and its impact on student achievement. The report is divided into the following sections: (1) Introduction; (2) District Profile; (3) Standards and Assessments; (4) Personnel Quality and Accountability; (5) Budget and Expenditures; (6) School Exemplary Programs and Achievements. [For "Annual State of Public Education Report, SY 2013-2014" see ED573476.] [More] Descriptors: Annual Reports, Public Schools, Educational Objectives, School Districts
(2016). Annual State of Public Education Report, SY 2015-2016. This report addresses the reporting requirements of Public Law 26-26 and the provisions of "No Child Left Behind" ("NCLB") as described in the Guam Department of Education Board adopted "District Action Plan" ("DAP"). Public Law 26-26, Section 3106 states that "No later than thirty (30) days following the end of each fiscal year, the Superintendent shall issue a School Performance Report card on the state of the public schools and progress toward achieving their goals and mission." The law specifically requires Guam Department of Education (GDOE) to include the following information in the Annual State of Public Education Report: (1) Demographic information on public school children in the community; (2) Information pertaining to student achievement, including Guam-wide assessment data, graduation rates and dropout rates, including progress toward achieving the education benchmarks established by the Board; (3) Information pertaining to special program offerings; (4) Information pertaining to the characteristics of the schools and schools' staff, including certification and assignment of teachers and staff experience; (5) Budget information, including source and disposition of school operating funds and salary data; and (6) Examples of exemplary programs, proven practices, programs designed to reduce costs or other innovations in education being developed by the schools that show improved student learning. The purpose of this report is twofold: (1) to share information about the progress of Guam Public School System towards meeting education goals, which are embodied in the District Action Plan (DAP); and (2) to inform educators and the community at large about programs and activities that affect the quality of educational services and its impact on student achievement. The report is divided into the following sections: (1) Introduction; (2) District Profile; (3) Assessments and Outcomes; (4) Personnel Quality and Accountability; (5) Budget and Expenditures; (6) School Wide Indicator System; and (7) School Exemplary Programs and Accomplishments. The following are appended: (1) District Summative Assessment SY14-15 & SY15-16 ACT Aspire "Ready" Level Cohort Comparison; (2) ACT Aspire Results: Percent at "READY" Level; and (3) ACT Aspire Results: Scale Scores and Benchmarks. [For "Annual State of Public Education Report, SY 2014-2015," see ED573480.] [More] Descriptors: Annual Reports, Public Schools, Educational Objectives, School Districts