Comparing middle school student learning outcomes among in-person, online, and hybrid modes of instruction: A consideration of student engagement in distance learning during a pandemic

In this study, a comparative analysis was conducted to explore how students' learning outcomes were potentially influenced by student engagement during different modes of instruction. The study compared the final mean grade point averages (GPAs) of a sample (N = 600) of middle school students during in-person, online, and hybrid modes of instruction. The sample group was divided into two subgroups (Group 1: n = 300 and Group 2: n = 300). The designated timeframes for the evaluation were before the COVID-19 pandemic (sixth grade, 2018-2019), at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic (seventh grade, 2019-2020), and during the COVID-19 pandemic (eighth grade, 2020-2021) to determine if student engagement affected academic achievement. The three data analyses used to compare the students' final mean GPAs included: (a) Paired t-test (between in-person and online instruction when compared among the entire sample);(b) One-Way Repeated Measures ANOVA (among in-person, online, and hybrid instruction when compared for Group 2);and (c) Independent Samples t-test (between online and hybrid instruction for the entire sample). The results from the analyses indicated there was no statistically significant difference when students transitioned from in-person before the pandemic to online instruction at the onset of the pandemic. However, a statistically significant difference was shown when students transitioned from online to online or online to hybrid instruction throughout the pandemic. Recommendations for practice and future research focusing on students' needs were presented. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

School climate and culture impact on middle school students and their attendance

Numerous studies have been conducted on the impact school climate and culture has on student achievement, but little has been studied on how climate and culture impacts student attendance. This study focuses specifically on the teacher-student relationship, parent engagement, and school safety and how these three areas of emphasis affect student attendance. When students feel disconnected, parents are unengaged, and safety concerns are present within the school setting, attendance barriers are created for students. This mixed-methods explanatory approach provided researchers the opportunity to survey all middle school students and interview 10 individual students per grade level for further investigation into what barriers are present at Rural #0535 Middle School. Although the results from the student body were generally favorable, there were pockets of concern in each of the three areas that indicate the reasons why students are absent from school. With the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as chronic absenteeism, school leaders must identify ways to address the concerns identified within the investigations. Once identified, school administrators can begin to eliminate the obstacles that are hindering students from attending school. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

The COVID-19 pandemic: Psychological wellbeing, resilience and post-traumatic growth in adolescent Jewish day school students

The COVID-19 pandemic has presented an unprecedented global challenge in the disruption, uncertainty, and psychological distress it has unleashed on society, with mounting concern regarding mental health and wellbeing. Children and adolescents represent a particularly vulnerable group, as they were forced to navigate the sudden disruption of school and transition to virtual learning, facing months of quarantine, and increases in financial hardships. Given the strong associations between stress and the onset of adolescent emotional difficulties, research examining adolescents' perceptions of the psychological effects of the pandemic is of critical importance and is a focus of the current study. The present study utilized data from a sample of 277 middle-school adolescents in a Modern Orthodox Jewish day school who had resumed in-person schooling after having been schooled remotely during the first surge of the pandemic. This study aimed to explore the relationship between the perceived impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and adolescent psychological wellbeing and life satisfaction. Additionally, the study examined the roles of hope and spirituality as potential protective factors for psychological wellbeing, life satisfaction, resilience, and post-traumatic growth. Bivariate correlations revealed that those who were more impacted by COVID-19 showed significantly higher levels of post-traumatic growth, but lower life satisfaction and psychological wellbeing. Higher levels of hope and spirituality were associated with enhanced life satisfaction, psychological wellbeing, resilience, and post-traumatic growth. The interaction of psychological impact with both hope and spirituality on resilience was also significant, but post-hoc analyses did not follow predicted patterns. Psychological impact tended to be more negatively related to resilience when students had higher levels of hope and spirituality. The current study presented a unique research opportunity to gain insight into the perceived impact of the pandemic on adolescents in Jewish day schools and examine the role of hope and spirituality in relation to adolescent adjustment. The study's findings suggest a need to monitor adolescent mental health closely in the wake of the pandemic and introduce and integrate appropriate interventions within education to support and strengthen adolescent wellbeing and promote thriving. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

Development and validation of scores on a measure to appraise student-teacher relationships in a remote learning environment: Validation of the virtual learning assessment

The purpose of this dissertation was to validate scores for a new survey tool, The Virtual Learning Assessment. This 53-item measure was designed with the intent that if scores are validated it could provide a means in which student-teacher relationships and the attributes that enhance those relationships in a remote setting could be assessed. To test the validity of the this newly designed measure 532 Middle School students were asked to rate the level of impact specific teacher actions had on middle school student's relationship with a teacher while in a remote learning environment. This survey was developed during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the survey was distributed electronically during students first semester back in face-to-face learning. Results revealed a 2-factor solution, these two factors were named, teachers' support for students' social-emotional well-being (factor 1) and personalized learning for students (factor 2). Confirmatory Factor Analysis revealed an acceptable-to questionable fit, with the data based on the guidelines provided by Dimitrov (2012) and Schreiber et al. (2006), CMIN, chi2 (323) = 770.01, p < .001, chi2/df = 2.38;CFI = .88;RMSEA = .07, 90% CI (.06, .07);and SRMR = .05. In addition, the 2-factor solution indicated a Normative Fit Index (NFI = .81), Tucker-Lewis Index (TLI = .87). Values for this statistic range between 0 and 1 with Bentler and Bonnet (1980) recommending values greater than .90 indicating a good fit (Hooper & Mullen, 2008). The preliminary attempt to validate scores on the Virtual Learning Assessment suggests that while a true latent structure does exist amongst the data set with a 2-factor solution, further refinement of the survey items is necessary before further use of the measure in conducting research. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Embedding choice making into the self-regulated strategy development instructional approach for students in a residential treatment facility

Students with emotional behavioral disorders often exhibit comorbid academic and behavior deficits and benefit from strategies that address those needs. Writing can be significantly difficult for students with EBD due to the complex requirements when completing written activities. Chapter 1 consists of two research to practice papers discussing how to address deficits in persuasive writing skills and behavior needs through explicit instruction in persuasive writing strategies (e.g., self-regulated strategy development) and embedded function-based choice making. Chapter 2 consists of a multiple probe across students with embedded reversal single case design on POW+TREE, a persuasive writing strategy used within the self-regulated strategy development (SRSD) instructional approach. Three students in grades 3rd, 5th and 6th with emotional behavioral disorders were recruited to receive SRSD POW+TREE with embedded function-based choice making in a residential education setting. The number of pers essay elements and a variety of writing quality indicators along with student motivation and active academic engagement were examined. Participants who completed the study demonstrated varied engagement and an increase in included essay elements along with overall essay quality and increased motivation to write persuasively. Implications for teachers, limitations, and future directions are presented. Data collection and results of this study were impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

COVID-19: Changing the landscape for learning?

Due to COVID-19, this dissertation examined the newly created virtual and hybrid learning environments for elementary-aged students in a northeastern Catholic diocese in the United States during the 2020-2021 school year. The problem is schooling choices have not changed since the inception of compulsory schooling. This study examined five schools with similar demographics, each offering in-person-only, hybrid-only, or fully virtual schooling options and how these students performed on standardized testing. Each school administered the same test. A Pearson product-moment correlation test and three separate one-way analyses of variance were run to examine the data. Although most tests did not find statistically significant data, descriptive statistical data could support that students in fully virtual environments have higher averages on math and reading assessments compared to their in-person counterparts. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

An investigation into oral digital storytelling in primary English in Switzerland

This thesis investigates oral digital storytelling (DST) in the young learner foreign language (L2) classroom and was motivated by my practice as a Swiss primary teacher and English language methodology lecturer at the teacher training college in Zug. To date, there has been little research on the potential role of oral task-based DST in the L2 classroom at primary level. This year-long study explores opportunities and challenges of collaborative oral task-based DST in English L2 classes in a Year 4 primary classroom (ten-year-olds). It examines how L2 learning can be promoted, and what prior knowledge is needed to engage in the tasks. It further explores the effect of collaborative DST on speaking proficiency, and the use of language(s) - and notably translanguaging. The main data consist of video- and audio-recordings of four pupils working in dyads on collaborative oral tasks, and semi-structured interviews with the children and their Year 4 teacher. My original research and data-collection plans were significantly affected by the COVID-19 lockdown, making adaptations necessary. These included: analysis of an English lesson observed before lockdown;an individual DST task for the children to complete as part of home-schooling;a pupil questionnaire about their different experiences of DST in pairs at school and at home alone;and an interview with the children's Year 5 teacher to gain some qualitative insights into her perception of the impact of DST on the children's English. The data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis and the underlying approach to the research was ecological constructivism. The findings suggest that DST can provide a bridge between the mandated textbook to connect it with the children's lives and play a motivating role in supporting the development of L2 oracy, particularly where supported by: the explicit teaching of effective collaborative work;the provision of task-based language support resources;and the presence of an audience. A further significant finding was the positive role of using L1 and translanguaging in the L2 classroom. Translanguaging, little-known in Switzerland, is unsupported by Curriculum 21, the recently implemented curriculum to harmonise education across the various cantons in Switzerland. My findings also give insights into how structured oral task-based DST can enhance pupils' oracy in an L2, pupils' and teachers' Information and Communication Technology skills, and pedagogy more generally - an important set of findings given the necessity for more theoretical insights in technology-supported task-based DST. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Food insecurity in school-aged children

Food insecurity in the United Kingdom has been described as a 'public health emergency' which has been exacerbated by the onset and continuation of the COVID-19 pandemic. Drawing on research evidence and a reflective account from a current primary school teacher, this chapter highlights the multifaceted impacts of food insecurity for children in schools. It also draws attention to some important considerations around food, education and food-related interventions for practitioners supporting children in schools. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

A dual mediation model to describe the effects of digital practice with feedback

This research focuses on a dual mediation model designed to describe the learning process of sixth grade students practicing mathematics to improve Mathematics Operation Proficiency while experiencing different forms of feedback. The variables of interest in this study are the predictor variable feedback type, the mediating variables of Affective and Cognitive Engagement and the outcome variable of Mathematics Operations Proficiency. Mathematics Operations Proficiency was measured via standardized gain scores derived from Mathematics Pre-tests and Posttests. Cognitive Load Theory, Cognitive Information Processing Theory, Engagement Theory, and a model of the effects of feedback were used to develop the dual mediation model used in this research. The results suggest that feedback type significantly affects neither Mathematics Operations Proficiency nor Cognitive Engagement. Furthermore, the model specified does not fit the data, according to the following measures of model fit: 2 test of goodness of fit, the SRMR, the RMSEA, and the PNFI. Factors such as measurement quality, sample size, Common Core Mathematics Standards selected by teacher, the level of cognitive complexity of the items used, the amount time spent preparing for practice, the types of activities spent preparing for the practice, the implementation of the research, and the effects of the COVID19 pandemic on society as a whole and the recruited subjects in particular are all worth consideration in the interpretation of the lack of fit of the model and data collected. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

The impact of virtual instruction in comparison to traditional instruction of middle school students based on performance of Math Map Assessment

The global pandemic was a turning point in education nationally. School closures forced school districts to find the best and most efficient way to continue instruction for their students. As a result, traditional face-to-face instruction was quickly transformed to virtual(online) instruction. This shift in instructional setting has many questioning the effect of virtual instruction in comparison to traditional face to face instruction. The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of virtual instruction in comparison to traditional instruction of middle school students based on their performance of Math MAP assessment.The research questions were answered by analyzing the Math MAP scores of students for the winter 2021 MAP administration. The scores were organized by gender, race, socio-economic status, and family structure of students. Each subgroup was further categorized based on the instructional setting of the student. An overall comparison was conducted for each subgroup based on the instructional setting and their overall mean MAP score.The findings of the study indicated that face-to-face instruction was more beneficial academically than virtual instruction when comparing the overall mean MAP scores of the participants Based on the subgroups of the study, students who lived in a two parent home had higher student achievement than the other participants and also white students. In addition to this, students who identified as free lunch status had lower mean scores than those who identified as reduced status.The study proved that student achievement has many factors that may have an impact overtime. The results and findings of this study will provide insight to school leaders to determine if virtual instruction is a viable option in comparison to traditional face-to-face instruction when analyzing Math MAP data to measure student achievement. In addition to this, the findings will offer data to support the most effective instructional option for families.iv. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

Exploring the developmental experiences of youth athletes during the transition to competitive sport

The purpose of this dissertation was to study athletes' experiences during a year in which they have the potential to transition from recreational to competitive sport. Two studies are presented in this dissertation to support this aim. Study 1 was a scoping review of positive youth development through sport and athletic transition research and aimed to investigate how theory has informed research in these two bodies of literature. 207 articles and dissertations were included, and data was extracted according to Sandelowski's (1993) conceptualization of the uses, centrality, and function of theory in research. Main findings included: a limited body of literature that had examined youth athletes' experiences of transitioning into the athletic pathway;the breadth of developmental and non-developmental theoretical frameworks that have informed youth sport research;and that theories are predominantly used in a peripheral, rather than central manner to introduce youth sport as a developmental context, or to explain findings related to research outcomes. Study 2 was an example of how youth sport transitions can be studied from a developmental approach. Seven parent-child dyads took part in a longitudinal (one year), mixed methods case study to explore how children's transitions in sport influenced, and were influenced by, their psychosocial development. Children were aged between 8 and 12 (M = 10 years, SD = 1.3 years) and parents were aged between 42 and 51 (M = 44.9 years, SD = 5.1 years) at the start of the study. Participants completed measures of sports experiences, self-perceptions, and social competencies, as well as qualitative interviews at three timepoints during their potential transition. Results were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis and quantitative data was visually inspected in Microsoft Excel. Themes explore children's experiences related to their self-perceptions and social comparisons during the transition. Additional themes include the impact of physical maturation and the Covid-19 Pandemic for children's transitions in sport. Collectively, the studies included in this dissertation contribute a novel approach to reviewing youth sport research (namely, by analyzing the use of theory), and documented some of the psychosocial skills that are relevant when studying transitions among youth samples. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

A quantitative comparative study of perceptions of secondary school students and parents on academic, social, and emotional effects during COVID-19

This research uses a quantitative methodology to explore the perceptions of secondary school students and parents on the academic, social, and emotional effects of COVID-19. During a global pandemic, the study's participants consist of students and parents in a small New Jersey school district. The researcher surveyed students and parents on their perceptions related to specific academic, social, and emotional effects of COVID-19. In total, 112 parents and 112 students agreed to participate in the study. The data analyzed suggests that there were no significant differences between student and parent perceptions during COVID-19. In many instances, they were affected academically, socially, and emotionally. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

The school nurse talks about how to keep your body healthy. Doesn't really talk about food allergies. I'd like to change that

Food allergies are increasingly common and affect approximately one in thirteen students in the United States (US). Anaphylactic reactions can be unpredictable, severe, and sometimes life-threatening if not treated quickly and appropriately. School health policies and education surrounding food allergies vary substantially within and between states, as do guidelines that influence policy, and influence students' experiences of school with food allergies. Additionally, the COVID-19 pandemic has influenced students' experiences of their school communities. There is a limited research exploring student perspectives regarding food allergy policies, and none published to-date reflecting perspectives during the pandemic. Students' voices are not always included in food allergy management and policy research. The current study was conducted to elicit elementary students' voices during a unique moment in world history, the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Elementary school students' stories, attitudes, and perspectives regarding food allergy management and school policies in New England were explored through semistructured, individual interviews (n = 7). A descriptive phenomenological approach was applied to the conceptualization of this project and thematic analysis of views shared. Parent (n = 29) and student (n = 11) questionnaire data were collected to supplement interview findings. Questionnaire results reflected student and parent experiences of variability in school-based food allergy policies and attitudes. Interview findings reflected that many students experienced COVID-19 precautions as protective against opportunities for exposure to allergens in school, wished that others knew more about food allergies, and reflected the general sense that food allergies were usually met with respect in school. Some called for increased education to promote awareness and practical knowledge within their school communities. Student impressions of food allergy management have diverse implications for policy. Student openness to improvements to education, in combination with the shared comfort expressed in others knowing about their unique food allergies, suggests that elementary school could be an appropriate place to integrate food allergy education. Additionally, food-allergy related comfort afforded by COVID-19 precautions indicates room for development in food allergy policy development and education to enhance perceptions of safety at school among students with food allergies. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Who benefits most from suicide prevention workshops in schools?

To improve suicide prevention in schools, we implemented workshops for students in grades 8-10. The students (N=200) were randomly assigned to either a training or a control group and were surveyed regarding their help-seeking and help-giving behavior and their depressive symptoms both before and after the training as well as 3 months later. The results indicate that especially those students assessed to be at a higher risk for suicide benefitted most from the training. Their number of depressive symptoms decreased significantly and remained stable. Participants undergoing the training tended to be more likely to ask a teacher for help and to initiate more crisis counseling interactions with peers in need than did untrained controls;these differences, however, were not statistically significant. Though hampered by high dropout rates because of the Covid-19 pandemic and a restrictive prescreening process, these results indicate the positive effects of an extracurricular suicide prevention program on students' well-being and behavior. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved) (German) Um die Suizidpravention an Schulen zu verbessern, wurden psychoedukative Workshops fur Schuler_innen implementiert und angeboten. N=200 Schuler_innen der 8.-10. Jahrgangsstufe wurden zufallig einer Experimental- oder Kontrollgruppe zugewiesen. Vor und nach dem Training sowie nach drei Monaten wurden sie zu ihrem hilfesuchenden und hilfegebendem Verhalten sowie ihrer depressiven Symptomatik befragt. Die Ergebnisse weisen darauf hin, dass besonders die als starker suizidgefahrdet eingestuften Jugendlichen von dem Training durch eine Abnahme ihrer depressiven Symptomatik profitierten. Schuler_innen der Kontrollgruppe verbesserten sich demgegenuber nicht signifikant in ihrer depressiven Symptomatik. Fur das hilfesuchende ebenso wie das hilfegebende Verhalten zeigten sich positive Trends, die jedoch nicht statistisch signifikant wurden. Diese Ergebnisse zeigen - wenn auch mit Limitationen aufgrund von Ausfallen durch die Coronapandemie 2020 und durch ein restriktives Vor-Screening - die Wirksamkeit einer aufwandigen auserschulischen Suizidpravention auf Befinden und Verhalten. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

Social emotional learning (SEL) matters: Differences in student perceptions of SEL before and during COVID-19

The month of March 2020 is one that will not be forgotten. The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is caused by a severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and the outbreak forced schools to close their doors and quickly develop a virtual learning platform where students would be learning virtually in their homes. Social-emotional learning (SEL) has always been important but it has been emphasized even more so throughout the pandemic. Numerous studies over the years have emphasized the importance of SEL for students' education and development as it influences achievement and long-term outcomes. This quantitative study investigated the differences among student SEL, measured by Panorama Education's SEL student perception data from students in grades 3-12 and the COVID-19 pandemic. The researcher examined the data from Fall 2019, Fall 2020, and Fall 2021 to reflect differences in students' SEL prior to the COVID-19 pandemic and during the pandemic. The researcher also examined the differences among student SEL results related to grade level during Fall 2019, Fall 2020, and Fall 2021. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

The impact of elementary mathematics specialists on the achievement of grade 3-5 students

As student achievement remains a critical discussion among federal policymakers, states, and local school districts, one response involves providing additional classroom support staff. To address deficits in mathematics education, the National Mathematics Advisory Panel (2008) urged the use of mathematics specialists (MS) to support teachers and increase student achievement through mentoring, coaching, and professional development opportunities (Association of Mathematics Teacher Educators, 2010;Berry et al., 2009;Campbell & Malkus, 2011;McGatha, 2008). This study targeted all 31 elementary schools in Unity Public Schools (UPS, a pseudonym), an urban school district in Virginia, during the 2018-2019 academic year, the last full year prior to COVID-19, a worldwide pandemic impacting all of education. This causal comparative study examined the difference in students' Virginia SOL mathematics achievement scores based on their grade level (Grades 3-5) and the presence or absence of MSs (full-time, part-time, or none). A two-way ANOVA revealed there was no statistical significance based on grade level alone, F = 1.340, p = .267;however, the data surprisingly uncovered an inverse dose-response showing there was statistical significance in the main effects based on the presence or absence of MSs, F = 34.054, p <= .001;more specifically, those schools with part-time or no MSs present scored higher than those with full-time MSs. These findings indicated that further examination of MSs and their effect of students' mathematics achievement scores are needed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

The effect of rigorous, targeted, and tiered RTI to overcome the poverty performance achievement gap

National, state, and local governmental authorities have researched and reported the impacts of poverty on academic performance for multiple decades, providing guidance, legislation, accountability, equal access initiatives, and continuous monitoring for educators to address the ongoing dilemma. However, poverty performance achievement gaps are still widespread, and in many cases growing, despite the multitude of governmental policies and educational intervention practices. This qualitative research study analyzed the effect of rigorous, targeted, and tiered Response to Intervention (RTI) strategies in overcoming the poverty performance achievement gap in math and English language arts (ELA) on Indiana's ISTEP+ and ILEARN state-mandated assessments for 3rd and 4th-grade students in a Midwest public elementary school. Additionally, the study addressed poverty's impact on academic performance and poverty subgroup performance. The rigorous, targeted, and tiered (RTT) method was found to have statistically significant effects in math performance when controlling for poverty;however, interventions were not significant for ELA performance, even when controlling for poverty. Nevertheless, the study was conducted during the COVID-19 global pandemic. Surprisingly, the academic performance for the poverty and nonpoverty student groups in the treatment cohort was counter to the anticipated negative impact of the pandemic school shutdowns, intervention interruptions, and subsequent virtual learning environments. Academic institutions looking for intervention practices to address the learning needs or learning loss for poverty and nonpoverty students will find merit in the mitigation of learning loss by utilizing the RTT method;however, future research on the components of the RTT method is warranted. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

"I think it's fun, and sort of challenging, but this is just me-I like challenges": Exploring early elementary school students' emerging mathematics identities

This dissertation explores the mathematics identities of early elementary school students. Throughout school, many students come to believe that mathematics is not for them or is not a part of who they are or want to be. Previous research has revealed mechanisms that lead to negative relationships with mathematics for middle grade students and beyond, but despite the importance of early childhood for later development, there is little related research with elementary school children. This dissertation addresses this gap in the literature by investigating young children's perceptions of and relationships with mathematics. Specifically, it asked three questions: Which facets of early elementary school students' relationships with mathematics differentiate among their emerging mathematics identities? What features of classroom environments contribute to the development of positive mathematics identities for early elementary school students? And, what can we learn about young children's emerging mathematics identities from the mathematics activities that they initiate?Data collection involved three rounds of semi-structured interviews with 30 young children in the Chicagoland area, who at the beginning of the study were enrolled in Kindergarten, first, or second grade. The first round of interviews took place in the spring of 2020, soon after school buildings had first closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The second round took place during the summer, and the third round took place the following fall when students were in the proceeding grade level. The interviews prompted the participants to tell stories about their experiences with and feelings towards learning and doing math both within and outside of school, in the present and the future.Qualitative analysis involved both inductive and deductive methods, and resulted in three primary findings that aligned with each of the research questions. First, whether or not students liked math and whether or not they opted to engage in mathematics outside of school seemed to be more meaningful facets of their relationships with mathematics than whether they saw mathematics as a part of their futures or whether they perceived themselves as successful. Second, having conceptual agency, opportunities for self-expression, the ability to be with peers, access to support and learning, being physically comfortable, having control over pace and schedule, and having fun were all features of the learning environment that appeared supportive of children's positive experiences learning mathematics. Third, when children seized mathematical agency and orchestrated mathematics experiences for themselves outside of their classrooms, they did so in ways that were more expansive and creative than in school.Across these findings, agency emerged as an important through line. Specifically, children in this study expressed having, appreciating, or seeking five distinct types of agency as parts of their mathematics learning experiences: conceptual, creative, physical, temporal, and interactive. These Five Dimensions of Agency extend the literature's previous descriptions of agency to better encapsulate the intellectual, emotional, physical, and social experiences of a student in a mathematics classroom. The relationship between agency and mathematics identity can be described as mutually reinforcing, and in turn attending to young students' opportunities for agency is key in supporting their positive mathematics identity development. This takeaway has implications both for future math identity research and for classroom educators looking to ensure that more of their young students form positive relationships with mathematics. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Teachers as leaders: A case study of technology implications within an elementary school

The utilization of technology in the elementary classroom is becoming increasingly vital in a global society. Teaching during the Coronavirus pandemic has had a profound impact on all educators. As a result of the crisis, instructors worldwide had to quickly adapt and shift to a new way of teaching both remotely and in person. Educators were asked to transition, create, and implement online teaching due to school closures with no choice but to teach online even if they did not feel properly prepared to do so, or formerly had little training in online teaching (Hechinger et al., 2020). Teaching during a pandemic has emphasized the many benefits to using technology as an educational tool. Researchers found that iPads help general and special needs students improve basic skills, such as reading and writing, and increase their attention and interest in learning (Fernandez-Lopez et al., 2013).The study explores how teachers become leaders within their classrooms through the use of technology and innovative teaching practices for special education and general education students. This mandate from IDEA places additional challenges for teachers when students with varied abilities are in one classroom. As technology becomes a necessity in everyday teaching due to the pandemic, preparing both teachers and students to be successful while implementing technology is necessary. Both teachers and students need to feel confident in their abilities in order to be successful. The school chosen for this study is a Title 1, National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence, located in the suburbs of Long Island, New York. The school is composed of students from grades 3-5. The participants in this study will be special education and general education teachers that participate in both focus groups and individual interviews to examine the teaching practices within a general and special education setting. The study adds to the body of literature and provides an exemplar for exploring technology use and innovative teaching practices within its use for special education and general education students. More specifically, the study will explore teacher perceptions of their role as leaders in introducing and implementing these innovations. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

Training, assessing, and matching students in technology-mediated peer learning environments

Article 1: One-on-one tutoring is the most effective teaching arrangement. Most schools and families, however, cannot afford to provide each child with a tutor. Peer tutoring in classrooms, a more feasible and scalable learning arrangement, increases learning for both tutors and tutees, but peer tutors' efficacy is often limited by their didactic and disempowering approaches. Two interventions were developed to test the viability of using online, scalable training to foster students' adoption of learner-centered teaching methods. To test the efficacy of these interventions, two randomized control experiments were conducted with 198 middle school math students. Both trainings increased the frequency that tutors employed learner-centered strategies, evident in clickstream data from virtual scenarios and in tutee reflections following real-life tutoring. Shifts in tutoring behaviors significantly boosted tutee learning at every level of tutor content mastery. This suggests that training students to use learner-centered tutoring strategies can greatly improve the efficacy for peer tutoring in classrooms, and that technological solutions can scale this type of training.Article 2: "Learning loss" and "learning recovery" have become commonplace terms to describe schooling needs in a COVID-impacted world. It is unsurprising that tutoring is emerging as a key stopgap measure to accelerate recovery. Historically, tutoring has been the most powerful learning intervention, but it is costly to administer and challenging to integrate in classrooms. Peer tutoring is a relatively untapped solution, due to barriers around time management, organization, matching, and assessment. Following trials of an interactive training platform called PeerTeach that rapidly improved middle schoolers' peer tutoring ability, our research team established a research practice partnership to design self-sustaining classrooms with peer tutoring as a central focus. This chapter reports on our five-month design-based research study with an Indian middle school where we found convincing evidence for the viability of tech-mediated peer tutoring as an antidote to key challenges of Group Learning. Through this study, we gained valuable insights into the critical roles technology can play in training effective peer helpers, optimally matching tutoring pairs, overcoming pitfalls that often preclude Group Learning, and promoting the motivational elements which students most value.Article 3 In fields like computer science or mechanical engineering, academic findings consistently influence real-world products and activity. Research on the science of learning, on the other hand, has a relatively small influence on classroom practice. This phenomenon exists despite an enormous workforce of potential research consumers-the US has over 3 million teachers and about 100,000 principals-and several large-scale dissemination initiatives, including the What Works Clearinghouse. This article explores the challenges and obstacles precluding the translation of learning science research to practice. It discusses the past few decades of methodological evolution focused on engendering relevant projects by conducting ecologically valid research inside classrooms, centering teacher voice in the research process, and deviating from fixed-intervention study designs in favor of more iterative, increasingly effective models. The chapter culminates with a set of recommendations aimed at supporting learning scientists in executing research that produces solutions that are viable and efficacious in classrooms. The highlighted methods are concretized through illustrative examples drawn from the six-year PeerTeach research project. They include need-finding in the wild to validate prevalent issues, low-fidelity prototyping to quickly reach viable designs, informant recruitment for constant reality checks, and representative sampling to inform dissemination. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)