Effective secondary science programs: A best‐evidence synthesis

Abstract

This article reports a systematic review of research on science programs in grades 6–12. Twenty‐one studies met inclusion criteria including use of randomized or quasi‐experimental assignment to conditions, measures that assess content emphasized equally in experimental and control groups, and a duration of at least 12 weeks. Programs fell into four categories. Instructional process programs (ES = +0.17) and technology programs (ES = +0.47) had positive sample‐size weighted mean effect sizes, while use of science kits (ES = −0.02) and innovative textbooks (ES = +0.10) had much lower effects. Outcomes support the use of programs with a strong focus on professional development, technology, and support for teaching, rather than materials‐focused innovations. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 54: 58–81, 2017

Differentiated Instruction in Secondary Education: A Systematic Review of Research Evidence

“…The following inclusion criteria were used to select the relevant papers. These criteria were based on a prior review study on differentiated instruction in primary education (Deunk et al, 2018) and the best evidence studies by Slavin and colleagues (Slavin and Cheung, 2005; Slavin et al, 2008, 2009; Slavin, 2013; Cheung et al, 2017).…”

“…Study type: Students in a differentiated instruction intervention condition are compared to those in a control condition in which students are taught using standard practice (“business as usual”), or to an alternative intervention (compare Slavin et al, 2008, 2009; Slavin, 2013; Cheung et al, 2017; Deunk et al, 2018). The design could be truly randomized or quasi-experimental or matched (the control condition could be a group of other students in a between-group design, or students could be their own control group in a within-groups design) 2 .…”

The Solving Method of Residential Engineering Quality Based on Evidence-Science

“…Thus, managers can find the deviations between real situation and standards as early as possible, and make effective and correct decisions for solving problems timely. Another most important demand is that after the result to deal with problems or deviations must meet predesigned requirements and cannot produce adverse effect to realization of ultimate goal of management objects, the next work can be permitted to carry out [4] .…”

Emergent themes from recent research syntheses in science education and their implications for research design, replication, and reporting practices

“…In addition, technology‐supported instruction that integrated computer and video resources also showed potential. A synthesis focused on science teaching in secondary schools (Cheung, Slavin, Lake, & Kim, ) similarly found positive impacts for professional development and technology‐focused methods but not for textbooks or science kits.…”

“…As such, Furtak et al () found that some studies that did not describe themselves as studying inquiry included conditions that fell under their umbrella for inquiry‐based science teaching but would have been omitted if a criterion for inclusion was that a study self‐identify as studying inquiry. Cheung et al () also noted that an implausibly broad range of interventions were labeled inquiry by their authors.…”