How Learning Forward’s Professional Learning Standards Are Associated With Teacher Instruction and Student Achievement: A Meta-Analysis

In 2022, Learning Forward released a revised set of Standards for Professional Learning for teachers. Since the setting of Learning Forward’s 2011 Standards, a growing body of research and implementation in the field surfaced, revealing additional areas of interest salient to teacher professional learning. These areas emerged as Learning Forward engaged in ongoing discussion with Read more about How Learning Forward’s Professional Learning Standards Are Associated With Teacher Instruction and Student Achievement: A Meta-Analysis[…]

Share

Evaluating the Impact of Teach for America: Two New Studies

Recently, Future Ed reviewed two recent studies that suggest positive results for students in classrooms with TFA teachers, who typically lack the traditional training in education schools and commit for two or more years of service. Excerpts from the piece appear below: In a new working paper from the Annenberg Institute, Brown University researcher Virginia Read more about Evaluating the Impact of Teach for America: Two New Studies[…]

Share

Federal Omnibus Bill Includes Substantial New Funds for Education Research

A recent piece by Kevin Mahnken in The 74 summarizes recent developments that mean more funding for R&D in education.  A recently passed $1.7 trillion federal omnibus package includes a $70 million boost to the Institute for Education Sciences (IES), the Department of Education’s arm for statistics, research, and evaluation. Within that 9.6% bump, $40 Read more about Federal Omnibus Bill Includes Substantial New Funds for Education Research[…]

Share

Are Two Teachers Better Than One?

Education Next recently published a piece from Nathan Jones and Marcus A. Winters exploring the research on the effect of co-teaching on students with and without disabilities. Excerpts from the piece appear below: For nearly 50 years, special education law has mandated that students with disabilities be served in the “least restrictive environment” possible. This Read more about Are Two Teachers Better Than One?[…]

Share

Partnering to Scale Instructional Improvement: A Framework for Organizing Research-Practice Partnerships

For decades, researchers and educators alike have been caught in waves of reforms that sought to change the quality of teaching and learning at scale. The press to make instruction more engaging has been amplified by calls to make our educational systems more effective and equitable. While progress has been made in identifying practices and Read more about Partnering to Scale Instructional Improvement: A Framework for Organizing Research-Practice Partnerships[…]

Share

Does class size really matter? A Chalkbeat look at the research

Recently Matt Barnum reviewed the research on class size for Chalkbeat. Excerpts of the piece appear below: The key takeaways: Students often do better in smaller classes. But there’s no agreement on exactly how much better, and it remains an open question whether or not class size reduction is a particularly good use of funds Read more about Does class size really matter? A Chalkbeat look at the research[…]

Share

What does teacher certification contribute to outcomes for students with disabilities?

Reams of research have reported contradictory outcomes for students with disabilities (SWDs) who are taught in general education classrooms alongside their non-disabled peers versus learning in settings with only SWDs. A new report focuses on teacher certification as a possible mechanism to explain the variations in outcomes. J. Jacob Kirksey from Texas Tech University and Read more about What does teacher certification contribute to outcomes for students with disabilities?[…]

Share

Working to Make Diverse Perspectives in Research, Policy, and Technical Assistance the Norm

At a recent event hosted by the AIR Equity Initiative, a panel of experts discussed different strategies for systematically and meaningfully engaging diverse voices and perspectives in research, technical assistance, and policy development and implementation to address long-standing social inequities. This included examining internal structures and practices, partnering with a variety of stakeholders, and reimagining Read more about Working to Make Diverse Perspectives in Research, Policy, and Technical Assistance the Norm[…]

Share

Continuous Improvement in Education Settings: A Literature Review

Over the last decade, educators have become increasingly interested in continuous improvement (CI) as a strategy for reform. CI requires practitioners to engage in iterative cycles of inquiry by defining local problems of practice, testing potential interventions, studying the results, and improving upon those interventions. This method of improvement stands in contrast to approaches focused Read more about Continuous Improvement in Education Settings: A Literature Review[…]

Share

PROOF POINTS: Combining remote and in-person learning led to chaos, study finds

Writing for the Hechinger Report, Jill Barshay reviews new research that finds what teachers were saying throughout the pandemic – it is madness to teach students in the classroom and those joining by computer simultaneously. Excerpts from the piece appear below: Although educators are trying to keep schools open during the pandemic, they still have Read more about PROOF POINTS: Combining remote and in-person learning led to chaos, study finds[…]

Share

Theater Counts: How Theater Education Transforms Students’ Lives

Theatre education can help young people develop a strong sense of self and identity, build empathy and learning among peers, and broaden the ways they make meaning of the world around them. Yet the last comprehensive arts education study, examining the state of art education during the 2008-09 school year, found that only 4% of Read more about Theater Counts: How Theater Education Transforms Students’ Lives[…]

Share

New Infographics to Help Better Understand Education Research

Three new REL West infographics are designed to support understanding of research studies so decisionmakers can make better use of evidence to inform practices and policies. Effect Size Basics: Understanding the Strength of a Program’s Impact – https://ies.us5.list-manage.com/track/click?u=a9bab6ebb1d1e641170c090cf&id=311c2abf04&e=fa5cdec643 This infographic explains what effect size is, the difference between effect size and statistical significance, and how Read more about New Infographics to Help Better Understand Education Research[…]

Share

Teacher Professional Development Is in a Rut, but Better Research Can Help

For years, researchers have found teacher professional development programs to be largely ineffective. But a  new and growing body of research suggests that professional learning, done well, can both increase teacher morale and raise student outcomes. This means it is: Grounded in the content and curriculum of the teachers receiving it; Dependent on the expertise Read more about Teacher Professional Development Is in a Rut, but Better Research Can Help[…]

Share

Top Education Studies of 2021

Recently, Amber Northern reviewed the top six education studies of 2021 from the Education Gadfly Show. Excerpts of three of the studies appear below: The Evolution of Gender Gaps in Numeracy and Literacy between Childhood and Young Adulthood, by Francesca Borgonovi, Alvaro Choi, and Marco Paccagnella. Research indicates that gaps in numeracy and literacy skew Read more about Top Education Studies of 2021[…]

Share

What Research Tells Us about Gifted Education

Writing for The Hechinger Report, Jill Barshay reviews the research basis on gifted education. Excerpts of the piece appear below: Researchers have been studying ways to diversify the ranks of gifted-and-talented programs. David Card, an economist from the University of California, Berkeley, who was awarded a Nobel Prize in economics in October 2021, has found Read more about What Research Tells Us about Gifted Education[…]

Share

Can Four Equal Five? Assessing the Four-Day School Week

A four-day school week (4dsw) is becoming more common, especially in areas across the western United States. States with large rural areas are spearheading this change. For example, Colorado, Idaho, Missouri, Montana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and South Dakota have more than 500 districts using a 4dsw. Champions of the shorter week contend that it saves Read more about Can Four Equal Five? Assessing the Four-Day School Week[…]

Share