This paper investigated the effect of teacher quality, represented by teacher level characteristics, on mathematics gain scores employing a three-level hierarchical linear model (HLM) through value-added model (VAM) approach. The analysis investigated significant predictors at student, teacher, and school levels for predicting students' gain scores and also estimated d-type effect sizes at teacher and school levels. We found the significant effects of teacher's mathematics content certification, teacher experience, and the interaction effects of mathematics content certification with student level predictors. Although school poverty significantly predicted students' gain scores, the school level effect was relatively small.
Researchers used case study methods to investigate a virtual learning lab (VLL) in a rural school district that was created in 2011 as a way to better meet the unique needs of exceptional students who are considered gifted. Data were collected through focus groups, classroom observations, interviews, and reviewing relevant documents. Topics include an in-depth explication of the learning lab, lessons learned and suggestions by teachers and administrators, and benefits for improved teaching and learning. Findings are that VLL programming, specifically online instruction that takes place in brick-and-mortar public schools, can be an effective means for providing accelerated coursework to exceptional middle school students who are gifted. Benefits include cost-effectiveness, parent and student satisfaction, allowing for individualized work pace in talent area, and others.
With so many educators needing either initial preparation or ongoing professional development to build and sustain expertise in their discipline, online professional development arises as a viable, effective, and timely vehicle for teacher training. Online learning technologies have the potential to transform the professional development of teachers; penetrate cultural, discipline, and other barriers; bring educators together to learn, share successes and challenges; and co-construct and transfer learning. This chapter presents examples of success and challenges associated with a large-scale U.S. statewide online teacher professional development community. It also makes the case for implementing a systematic approach to investigating the effectiveness of online teacher professional development communities through ongoing assessment and responsive evaluation.
In this article, we predicted students' mathematics gain scores employing two-level hierarchical linear models (HLM) through value-added approach using data from one of the largest urban school districts in the United States of America. Effects of teacher quality or teacher effectiveness, characterized by teacher's certification in mathematics content area and teacher experience, were measured on students' gain scores. The results showed significant impact on mathematics gain scores due to teacher's content certification and teacher experience at teacher level and pretest scores as well as free and reduced lunch status at student level including cross-level interaction effects of teacher content certification with
This article presents a synthesis of personalization of learning strategies as extracted from 16 school district proposals funded in the 2012 Race to the Top (RTT-D) federal grant program. Personalization of learning strategies fell into six overall themes: digital learning materials and courses, data and data systems, curriculum and teaching, repurposed learning facilities, human capital, and professional development. For each theme, the article offers a summary, exemplars from the district proposals, and additional recommended resources.
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