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The analysis focuses on two groups of students, across four types of classrooms.

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The analysis focuses on two groups of students, across four types of classrooms.

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  1. Predictors of Class-to-Class Differences in Adjusted Math-Score Gains at one Middle School: a Preliminary Analysis Using Student Survey ResponsesRonald F. Ferguson Wiener Center for Social Policy John F. Kennedy School of GovernmentHarvard UniversityDecember 2006 Presentation for Conference of the Society for Research on Educational Effectiveness (SREE)Lansdowne Conference Center, Lansdowne, VA

  2. Fact: Past research has not produced clear answers regarding why some teachers are more effective than others at producing test score gains. Core questions for this project: Why do some middle school classrooms achieve higher average math score gains than others? Do student responses to survey questions reveal patterns in student-perceived attitudes and practices of teachers in classrooms that differ in gain patterns?

  3. For four patterns of classroom-level achievement gains, the slides in this presentation show percentages answering “True” or “Mostly True,” instead of “Somewhat,” “Hardly at All,” or “Totally Untrue,” for survey items in the following categories: • Teacher Demands • Teacher Encouragement • Teacher Sensitivity to Students’ Feelings • Teacher Responsiveness to Questions • Teacher’s Use of Multiple Explanations • Quality of the Teacher’s Explanations Classroom Goal Orientations: • Real Comprehension • Getting Good Grades

  4. 76% White Students, 14% Blacks, 10% OthersGains are for Spring 2005 to Spring 2006Unadjusted gains at the student level are 2005-to-2006 changes in z-values, defined on the 2005 and 2006 distributions of math scores among classmates at the school. For each student, the adjusted gain is his or her unadjusted gain, minus the average unadjusted gain in the student’s decile of the spring 2005 score distribution.Predictors are from classroom-level student surveys conducted spring 2006.This presentation focuses on graphical analysis. However, the key findings are also statistically significant in multinomial logit analyses.

  5. The analysis focuses on two groups of students, across four types of classrooms. “Low Achievers” had a baseline score in the school’s bottom two quintiles. “High Achievers” had a baseline score in the school’s second two quintiles.* Definitions of four classroom types *Note: Students in the top quintile of the baseline distribution or in advanced math classes are not consideration in what follows.

  6. The sample consists of 7th and 8th grade math students. Numbers of students and classes of each type are as follows:

  7. Adjusted math gains

  8. Teacher Demands for Hard Work “The teacher in this class demands that the students work hard.” “When I work hard in this class, an important reason is the teacher demands it. Teacher Encouragement The teacher in this class encourages me to do my best.” “When I work hard, an important reason is that the teacher encourages me.”

  9. Teacher Sensitivity “My teacher really tries to understand how students feel about things.” “I feel close to my teacher in this class. “My teacher in this class treats the students with respect.” “My teacher in this class makes me feel that he/she truly cares about me.”

  10. Teacher Responsiveness to Questions “The teacher in this class welcomes questions if anyone gets confused.” “My teacher likes it when we ask questions.” Teacher’s use of Multiple Explanations “If you don’t understand something, my teacher explains it another way.” “My teacher has several good ways to explain each topic we cover.”

  11. Classroom Goal Orientations: Real comprehension and/or getting good grades “In this class, getting good grades is the main goal.” “My teacher wants me to explain my answers – why I think what I think.” “In this class, really understanding the material is the main goal.” “This class makes me a better thinker.”

  12. Possibilities for why Low Achievers Gain more in HH than in LH classrooms. “If I didn’t understand something, my classmates would be happy to help me.” Hours/week math homework. “One of my goals is to show others that class work is easy for me. “I could do much better in this class if I worked harder.”

  13. Working Hard and Staying Busy “I have pushed my self hard to completely understand my lessons in this class.” “Our class stays busy and doesn’t waste time.” Performance and Satisfaction “I have done my best quality work in this class all year long.” “I am satisfied with what I have achieved in this class.”

  14. What seems most different about the HH classroom? • Teacher Demands that students Work Hard • Teacher Encouragement to Do their Best • Teacher Sensitivity to Students’ Feelings [LOW] • Teacher Responsiveness to Questions [LOW] • Teacher’s Use of Multiple Effective Explanations Classroom Goal Orientations: • Real Comprehension is the goal • Getting Good Grades is the goal • Possibilities for why Low Achievers Gain more in HH than in LH classrooms. • Working Hard and Staying Busy • High Self-Assessed Performance and Satisfaction

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