Educational Researcher 42卷8期文章

1. Constructing Aligned Assessments Using Automated Test Construction

Author:Andrew Porter, Morgan S. Polikoff, Katherine M. Barghaus, and Rui Yang

Source:Educational Researcher, 2013, 42(8):415-423

Abstract:We describe an innovative automated test construction algorithm for building aligned achievement tests. By incorporating the algorithm into the test construction process, along with other test construction procedures for building reliable and unbiased assessments, the result is much more valid tests than result from current test construction practices. The test construction process is efficient and versatile in its application. The target domain could be state content standards, a particular curriculum, or even an intervention. The algorithm, which draws on Surveys of Enacted Curriculum (SEC) procedures, can be employed in the context of English language arts and reading, mathematics, or science. We demonstrate the algorithm’s use and benefits for constructing tests, guiding item writing, and creating subtests from an existing test such that the subtests.

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2. Outcome-Reporting Bias in Education Research

Author:Therese D. Pigott, Jeffrey C. Valentine, Joshua R. Polanin, Ryan T. Williams,and Dericka D. Canada

Source:Educational Researcher, 2013, 42(8):424-432

Abstract:Outcome-reporting bias occurs when primary studies do not include information about all outcomes measured in a study. When studies omit findings on important measures, efforts to synthesize the research using systematic review techniques will be biased and interpretations of individual studies will be incomplete. Outcome-reporting bias has been well documented in medicine and has been shown to lead to inaccurate assessments of the effects of medical treatments and, in some cases, to omission of reports of harms. This study examines outcome-reporting bias in educational research by comparing the reports of educational interventions from dissertations to their published versions. We find that nonsignificant outcomes were 30% more likely to be omitted from a published study than statistically significant ones.

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3. Effective Instructional Time Use for School Leaders: Longitudinal Evidence From Observations of Principals

Author:Jason A. Grissom, Susanna Loeb, and Benjamin Master

Source:Educational Researcher, 2013, 42(8):433-444

Abstract:Scholars have long argued that principals should be instructional leaders, but few studies have empirically linked specific instructional leadership behaviors to school performance. This study examines the associations between leadership behaviors and student achievement gains using a unique data source: in-person, full-day observations of approximately 100 urban principals collected over 3 school years. We find that principals’ time spent broadly on instructional functions does not predict student achievement growth. Aggregating across leadership behaviors, however, masks that some specific instructional investments predict year-to-year gains. In particular, time spent on teacher coaching, evaluation, and developing the school’s educational program predict positive achievement gains. In contrast, time spent on informal classroom walkthroughs negatively predicts student growth, particularly in high schools. Additional survey and interview evidence suggests this negative association may arise because principals often do not use walkthroughs as part of a broader school improvement strategy.

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4. Emboldened by Embodiment: Six Precepts for Research on Embodied Learning and Mixed Reality

Author:Robb Lindgren andMina Johnson-Glenberg

Source:Educational Researcher, 2013, 42(8):445-452

Abstract:The authors describe an emerging paradigm of educational research that pairs theories of embodied learning with a class of immersive technologies referred to as mixed reality (MR). MR environments merge the digital with the physical, where, for example, students can use their bodies to simulate an orbit around a virtual planet. Recent research supports the idea that body activity can be an important catalyst for generating learning, and new technologies are being developed that use natural human physicality and gesture as input. However, existing research on embodied learning technologies has been disparate, driven largely by specific technical innovations and constraints, and often lacking a clear focus on establishing their efficacy in educational contexts. On the basis of the unique characteristics of these technologies and on their own experiences conducting research in this area, the authors put forth six precepts for embodied learning technology researchers that pertain to the rationale, design, and execution of empirical studies.