IES Staff
Christina Chhin
Education Research Analyst
NCER
About
Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Education; Social, Emotional, and Behavioral Context for Teaching and Learning; Using Generative Artificial Intelligence to Augment Teaching and Learning in Classrooms
Associated IES Content
Grant
What Difference Can Textbooks Make in Achievement Gaps? Exploring Early Exposure to Messages About Gender and Race
Research shows that early influences that depress children's beliefs about their own ability can lead to lower educational achievement and persistent disadvantage, particularly for underrepresented groups. In this project, the researchers will focus on a key potential source of such messages under the direct control of educational agencies: the content of elementary school textbooks. They will explore the extent to which exposure to implicit gender- and race-based messages in these materials...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305A200478
Grant
Identifying Young Children's Computational Thinking Processes In Visual Programming Environments Using Telemetry-Based Evidence Collection Methods
This project team examined associations between computational thinking (CT) processes and external measures of CT using measures based on young learner's interaction with codeSpark Academy. codeSpark Academy allows learners to program with blocks instead of traditional text-based commands. The game format creates an engaging experience for young learners. The importance of introducing computer programming at an early age is less to create young programmers than it is for learners to develop ...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305A190433
Grant
Cross-Sectional Examination of Writing Quality in Elementary School Students: An Exploration of an Empirical Based Model of Writing Factors Across Grades 1 to 5
The purpose of this project is to develop an empirical framework to improve elementary school writing assessment and instruction. By understanding writing constructs, teachers can help students develop the corresponding skills. Furthermore, a writing framework will provide a strong foundation for creating age-specific measures and more effective tools for monitoring progress. Teachers can then apply specific constructs when planning instruction or providing feedback.
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305A190405
Grant
Identifying Discrete and Malleable Indicators of Culturally Responsive Instruction and Discipline
Scholars and educators have proposed that improving teachers' cultural responsiveness is an important step in addressing educational disparities among students from marginalized cultural, racial, or ethnic backgrounds. Despite growing interest in the field, however, consensus is lacking about how culturally responsive practices (CRPs) should be defined and operationalized in schools and classrooms. The purpose of this project is to use the CRP framework from a promising intervention, Double ...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305A180111
Grant
DAT-CROSS: Developing Assessments and Tools to Support the Teaching and Learning of Science Crosscutting Concepts
The purpose of this project is to develop and validate computer-based summative assessments that focus on the science crosscutting concepts of systems and system models and structure and function. Consistent with the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), the assessments developed from this project will integrate these crosscutting concepts with two disciplinary core ideas (e.g. ecosystems or Earth systems), as well as science practices (e.g. developing and using models or engaging in ar...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305A170634
Grant
Exploring Heterogeneity in Mathematics Intervention Effects Using Meta-Analysis
The purpose of this project was to better understand the conditions and contexts for why one study may find that a mathematics intervention works while another study on the same intervention may not find an effect. Unfortunately, this variation or heterogeneity in intervention effects are often not explored together to determine why the intervention worked in one context but not the other. By examining the heterogeneity in treatment effects, researchers and practitioners can have a better un...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305A170146
Grant
Efficacy of the Connected Chemistry Curriculum
The purpose of this project is to evaluate the efficacy of the Connected Chemistry Curriculum (CCC) intervention for high school chemistry. Although there has been an exponential increase in the number and type of technology-infused learning environments available for use in schools, few curricula have capitalized on them or evaluated the impacts of such technologies on students from underrepresented groups in STEM classes. Building off of a prior IES Development and Innovation grant, the CC...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305A170074
Grant
Investigating the Use of Virtual Labs to Promote Chemical Reasoning and Practice Skills
The purpose of this project was to develop and test the usability, feasibility, and promise of a fully developed series of innovative, online chemistry activities, ChemVLab+, that allow students to develop reasoning and science practice skills aligned with the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). High school chemistry is an important target for intervention with nearly twice as many high school students enrolling in chemistry compared to physics, and improved chemistry instruction can p...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305A170049
Grant
Evaluation of the KinderTEK iPad Math Program
The purpose of this project was to evaluate the efficacy of KinderTEK, a fully developed, tablet-based math program for young learners. Many teachers turn to technology in the hopes that online programs, applications (apps), and virtual manipulatives can provide differentiated instruction, independent practice, and engaging content for students within their classrooms. KinderTEK is a product of a prior IES development grant (R324A110286) and an OSEP Stepping Up Technology grant that can func...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305A170044
Grant
Urban STEM Elementary (USE) Partnership: Measuring Benchmarks to Success
During the 2013-2014 academic year, Chicago Public Schools established 11 K-8 STEM Initiative schools and 1 additional school (for a total of 12) in the 2015-2016 school year. Outlier Research & Evaluation at the University of Chicago and Chicago Public Schools (CPS) initiated a formal partnership to investigate this new initiative. The purpose of this partnership project, called the Urban STEM Education Alliance (USE Alliance), was to (1) develop STEM school benchmarks for these schools, (2...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305H160049
Grant
Developing and Testing Multi-Component Computer-Based Assessment Tasks for the Next Generation Science Standards
The purpose of this project is to develop, revise, and validate online science assessments focusing on scientific argumentation in the domains of Structure of Matter and Ecology. Although student facility with science practices has been studied, there is limited research on how these practices may be supported within a classroom environment, and, in particular, how to readily assess students' ability to engage in scientific practice in an online environment. When it comes to engaging in scie...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305A160320
Grant
Learning Progression-based and NGSS-aligned Formative Assessment for Using Mathematical Thinking in Science
The goal of this four-year project was to develop and validate an NGSS-aligned and Learning Progression-based assessment tool for Mathematical Thinking in Science (MTS) at the high school level. MTS refers to abstracting relevant measurable variables from 'messy' phenomena, identifying mathematical relationships among the variables, and using scientific ideas to explain the mathematical relationships. Learning progressions (LPs) are "descriptions of the successively more sophisticated ways o...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305A160219
Grant
Efficacy Study of Foundations, School-wide Positive Discipline for Middle Schools
The purpose of this project was to evaluate the efficacy of Foundations, a positive and proactive approach to school-wide discipline developed by Safe & Civil Schools (SCS). Foundations provides tools and strategies to help K-12 school staff establish proactive, nonpunitive school-wide discipline policies, manage student misbehavior, foster student motivation, and create a positive and productive school climate. More than 5,000 schools across the U.S. have implemented Foundations; howeve...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305A160005
Grant
Sluggish Cognitive Tempo: Examining its Impact on Educational Functioning
The purpose of this project was to examine the academic and socio-emotional problems experienced by children with and without elevated sluggish cognitive tempo (SCT) symptoms. SCT refers to a specific set of attentional symptoms, including excessive daydreaming, mental confusion, seeming to be "in a fog," and slowed thinking or behavior. It is a unique pattern of attentional difficulties that are not captured by attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). This study found that SCT can b...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305A160064
Grant
Seeds of STEM: The Development of an Innovative Pre-Kindergarten STEM Curriculum
The purpose of the project is to develop and test a Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) curriculum to improve STEM teaching and learning in prekindergarten classrooms. The Seeds of STEM intervention will focus on children's understanding of science and engineering concepts and professional development support for early childhood educators. The ability to apply STEM concepts and skills for solving a variety of problems is considered key for students' future success as well as th...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305A150571
Grant
Using Online Learning and Coaching to Increase the Competency of Early Childhood Educators to Impact School Readiness for Children Exposed to Trauma
The purpose of this project is to develop an online course and coaching program to help early childhood teachers implement practices to improve both academic and social and behavioral outcomes for young children who have experienced trauma. Children exposed to trauma (e.g., abuse, neglect, exposure to domestic violence, parental mental health and substance use) are at elevated risk for difficulties in school. Interventions that help adult caregivers meet the needs of children exposed to earl...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305A150107
Grant
Development of Program-Wide Supports for the Pyramid Model Implementation: Addressing Young Children's Social-Emotional Competence and Challenging Behaviors
The purpose of this project is to develop and evaluate a system of implementation supports, Program-wide Supports for Pyramid Model Implementation (PWS-PMI), for preschool programs using the Pyramid Model to promote young children's social behavioral competence. The Pyramid Model is a framework that organizes best practices for promoting social-emotional competence and addressing the challenging behavior of young children. With prior funding from IES, the researchers developed the Pyramid Mo...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305A150141
Grant
A Psychometric Investigation of Universal Screening for Social Emotional Development in Preschool Using Parent and Teacher Informants
The purpose of this project is to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Behavioral and Emotional Screening System Parenting Rating Scale-Preschool Form (BESS PRS-P), a parent report screening tool which was developed to identify young children at risk for social behavioral problems. As enrollment in preschool programs has increased, so has the number of children entering preschool with emerging social, behavioral, or emotional difficulties. Preschool programs need assessment tools that...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305A150152
Grant
Learning About Open Response Science Test Items and English Learners
This project investigated sources of difficulty for English Learners (ELs) that inhibit their capacity to demonstrate their knowledge of Science and Technology/Engineering (STE) content when assessed using test items that require them to read and write an extended open response in English only (in contrast to multiple-choice items). Open-response items (also known as constructed-response items) that are written and responded to in English only are thought to present ELs with unique challenge...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305A150218
Grant
Efficacy and Replication Trial of the Individualized Adaptive ITSS with 4th and 5th Grade Students in High Poverty Schools
The purpose of this replication project is to test the efficacy of the Intelligent Tutoring system for the Structure Strategy (ITSS), an online tutor for fourth and fifth grade students that teaches them about different structures for text (e.g. comparison, cause and effect) to improve reading comprehension outcomes. One problem that many students who struggle to read may encounter is the inability to understand and remember what they read. The structure strategy is a method of understanding...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305A150057
Grant
Refining and Extending a Number Sense Screener for Identifying Children at Risk for Mathematical Difficulties in School
The purpose of this project is to refine, extend, and validate a number sense screener for students from prekindergarten through Grade 1. Number sense-the knowledge of number, number relations, and number operations-is highly predictive of later math success and underlies many difficulties students have in mathematics. Being able to identify students who have difficulties with number sense early in development is critical to providing educational interventions that promote readiness and succ...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305A150545
Grant
MathByExample: Dislodging Misconceptions Before They Take Root
The purpose of this project is to develop and test the promise of MathByExample, an intervention targeting key mathematics concepts and common misconceptions for students in Grades 4 and 5. The current project builds on a previous IES funded project (Transforming Algebra Assignments) , AlgebraByExample, which targeted key algebraic concepts for middle school and high school students. Findings from the AlgebraByExample pilot study revealed that many student misconceptions and errors in mathem...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305A150456
Grant
Mission HydroSci: A Virtual Environment for Next Generation Science Learning
The purpose of this project is to develop and test a game-based, virtual environment and curriculum, Mission HydroSci (MHS), designed to support student learning in the topics of water systems science and scientific argumentation. MHS will be developed to meet the needs of teachers and students in blended learning contexts. For example, classes that meet in schools (as opposed to distance learning) and that use learning materials and experiences facilitated through online environments to su...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305A150364
Grant
Building Students' Understanding of Energy in High School Biology
The purpose of this development project was to design and test a replacement unit for high school biology that focused on energy in physical and biological systems. Ideas about energy changes and conservation are fundamental to understanding physical and life science and are prominent in the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). Energy concepts, however, can be challenging for students as they are abstract and often counterintuitive, especially when they occur in the context of biologica...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305A150310
Grant
Efficacy of ALEKS for Improving Student Algebra Achievement
The purpose of this project is to evaluate the efficacy of Assessment and LEarning in Knowledge Spaces (ALEKS), a fully developed digital curriculum supplement for Algebra 1. For an entire academic year, students will use ALEKS daily for approximately half of the district's 90-minute algebra class period. Remaining class time will be led by the classroom teacher, employing traditional classroom activities informed by data provided by ALEKS, based on the students' usage.
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305A140221
Grant
Mathematics and English Language Development for English Language Learners: Project MELD for ELLs
Mastering math and the academic language of math is essential for all students, but especially for English Language Learners (ELLs) who are acquiring content knowledge and English proficiency concurrently. The goal of this study is to enable sixth-grade Spanish-speaking ELLs to acquire the skills and knowledge they need to meet the new Common Core Sate Standards for Mathematics and Literacy in the Technical Subjects. Researchers will develop, revise, and test an intervention called Project...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305A140199
Grant
GlobalEd 2
GlobalEd 2 (GE2) was developed and tested through an IES Development and Innovation grant (Expanding the Science and Literacy Curricular Space: The GlobalEd II Project). GE2 is a set of online, problem-based learning (PBL) simulations for middle school students that focus on the multidisciplinary nature of social studies as an expanded curricular space for students to learn and apply scientific literacies and concepts in an international context. GE2 is grounded in empirical research finding...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305A130195
Grant
Efficacy of an Integrated Digital Elementary School Mathematics Curriculum
The purpose of this project was to evaluate the efficacy of a fully developed digital mathematics curriculum (RM-CC5). In particular, the project evaluated a full-year, grade 5 curriculum that strongly implements blended and adaptive learning. RM-CC5 uses technology to give students and teachers instant feedback, implement a differentiated instruction model, provide supports for learning, and offer engaging activities. The curriculum is oriented to developing students' understanding of the k...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305A130400
Grant
SimScientists Model Progressions
The use of models and simulations has helped change the nature of inquiry for scientists and students. Simulations can represent dynamic science systems "in action," making invisible phenomena visible, and making these models available for active investigations of authentic problems. When coupled with a technical infrastructure that captures and analyzes students' ongoing actions and answers, interactive simulations can provide personalized feedback and coaching, as well as reports that teac...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305A130160
Grant
The Development of an Intelligent Pedagogical Agent for Physical Science Inquiry Driven by Educational Data Mining
In the early 2000s, a key educational priority was to use summative assessment both as a measure of learner progress and as an incentive for school improvement. At the same time, many educators and researchers supported also using formative assessment, or assessment for screening, monitoring and diagnosis to aid ongoing learning throughout the academic year. In this project, the research team created a new educational technology tool intended to improve student writing performance and writin...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305A120778
Grant
SimScientists Assessment System
To date, technology has been used mainly to support the logistics of assessment administration and scoring. However, new technology has also shown promise as a tool for the development of measures of complex learning that can be useful for instruction. In particular, computer simulations are becoming a component of large-scale science assessments such as the Programme for International Student Assessment, the National Assessment of Educational Progress, and the assessments aligned with the N...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305A120390
Grant
A Randomized Study of the Efficacy of a Two-Year Mathematics Intervention for At-Risk Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten Students
Most public preschool and kindergarten programs spend little time on mathematics. In addition, the mathematics curricula typically used in pre-kindergarten and kindergarten are not evidence-based, effective mathematics curricula and share two common design flaws. First, the content included is typically too broad and thus fails to systematically focus on building student understanding of key math content. Second, most curricula are not designed to address the specific mathematics instruction...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305A120262
Grant
Investigation of the Efficacy of the JUMP Program of Mathematics Instruction
Research on the efficacy of comprehensive mathematics curricula and instruction continue to be in short supply. Existing programs have not had a sizable impact on mathematics achievement, so there is a pressing need for innovative, evidence-based approaches for teaching mathematics. The currently study will evaluate the efficacy of a newly developed mathematics curriculum, Junior Undiscovered Math Prodigies (JUMP Math), that has promising evidence of its potential impact to improve learning ...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305A120184
Grant
Cyber-enabled Tangible Molecular Models for High School
Test scores on the most recent National Assessment of Educational Progress suggest that nearly half of 12th grade students in the United States fail to reach a basic proficiency in science. Since more than 90 percent of high school students enroll in biology, there is an opportunity to intervene in high school biology classrooms and potentially improve student outcomes. In particular, incorporating technology may have the potential to better convey the complex structures of molecules and des...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305A120047
Grant
Efficacy Study of a Pre-Algebra Supplemental Program in Rural Mississippi Schools
In some states, rural students continue to lag significantly behind their non-rural peers in mathematics achievement. A strong correlate of the mathematics achievement gap between rural and non-rural students is the availability for opportunities to learn. Providing supplemental learning activities can help improve the mathematics achievement of rural students by providing students with additional opportunities to learn the content. This study will evaluate the efficacy of a supplemental mat...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305A120045
Grant
Innovative Computer-Based Formative Assessment via a Development, Delivery, Scoring, and Report-Generative System
Formative assessments, when used correctly and consistently, can improve student learning. Furthermore, computerized formative assessments can provide teachers with rich diagnostic information about students' learning in a timely manner which allows for instructional planning. Many online assessment products currently exist but these products do not typically take into consideration students' learning progressions, incorporate complex item formats that evaluate constructed responses, or incl...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305A120217
Grant
The Development and Validation of an Assessment Instrument to Study the Progression of Understanding of Ideas about Energy from Elementary School through High School
Energy is a key topic in science with many applications to earth, physical, and life science, as well as to engineering and technology. Therefore, it is important to have high quality assessments focusing on energy to determine what students do and do not know about the topic and how those ideas develop across grade levels. The purpose of this project is to develop and validate a set of three assessment instruments to monitor how students progress in their understanding of important ideas ab...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305A120138
Grant
Explanation and Prediction Increasing Gains and Metacognition (EPIGAME)
The proposed project, Explanation and Prediction Increasing Gains and Metacognition (EPIGAME), will integrate metacognitive research on prediction and explanation into the design of a physics-based digital game environment to scaffold students' understanding of formal physics concepts. The design of the EPIGAME environment will support pilot and future research on games for learning through (a) randomized assignment of players to multiple configurations of parameters within the game and (b) ...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305A110782
Grant
Scientific Validation of a Set of Instruments Measuring Fidelity of Implementation (FOI) of Reform-Based Science and Mathematics Instructional Materials
Careful description and measurement of fidelity of implementation is essential in order to know which components of reform-based mathematics and science programs bolster or hinder student performance, or to determine the differential effects of incomplete or incorrect implementation of instructional materials. The determination of whether instructional materials have been adequately and faithfully implemented necessitates reliable and valid indicators of the extent, quality, and type of the ...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305A110621
Grant
Data Modeling Supports the Development of Statistical Reasoning
Statistics and data are featured prominently in the emerging national core standards in mathematics at the middle grades, but instruction in the middle grades typically isolates data from chance and fails to focus on foundations of statistical reasoning. These neglected foundations include structuring variability in data as distributions, relating data distribution to chance, and generating models of chance to guide statistical inference. Under the Data Modeling curriculum, these skills and ...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305A110685
Grant
Learning of Ratio and Proportion Problem-Solving Using Schema-Based Instruction: Efficacy and Sustainability
The mathematics performance of U.S. students by Grade 8 is below the international average on more advanced mathematics topics including geometry, measurement, and proportionality. One explanation for the lower levels of performance may be students' difficulties with proportional reasoning, which is considered to be a capstone of elementary mathematics and a necessity for the more advanced mathematics that students encounter in high school and college. Building upon work from a prior IES Goa...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305A110358
Grant
Focused and Coherent Elementary Mathematics: Japanese Curriculum Resources for U.S. Teachers
The Mathematics for Elementary School curriculum is the most widely used elementary textbook in Japan. The curriculum is organized around well-established cognitive science principles of learning including eliciting students' prior knowledge, helping students to organize their knowledge around important concepts, promoting students' reflection on their learning, and using contrasting or conflicting ideas to stimulate conceptual development. These principles are central to Japanese curriculum...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305A110500
Grant
Voyage to Galapogos: Development of a Differentiated Assistance Model in an Inquiry Learning Environment
Prior research on scaffolded inquiry learning suggests that teaching skills associated with scientific inquiry can be improved if supported by the right kind of guidance. The project will bring together SimScientists, a web-based learning management system, with Voyage to Galapagos (VTG), an inquiry-driven instructional module that provides students with the opportunity to do simulated science field work in Galapagos. The goal of the VTG project is to develop three assistance modalities that...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305A110021
Grant
DeepTutor: An Intelligent Tutoring System Based on Deep Language and Discourse Processing and Advanced Tutoring Strategies
Encouraged by the effectiveness of one-on-one human tutoring, computer tutors that mimic human tutors have been built successfully with the hope that a computer tutor could be afforded by every child with access to a computer. The development of state-of-the-art computer tutors with natural language dialogue has been inspired primarily from studies of typical, non-expert human tutors. The proposed project will develop and test an innovative intelligent tutoring system (ITS) that intends to ...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305A100875
Grant
Creating Cross-Grade Assessments of the Development of Core Algebraic Constructs
There is a large body of research linking the consistent and systematic use of formative assessments to improved student learning. However, many of these programs fall short because either they do not provide specific questions for teachers to ask students, or they do not provide training or support materials to help teachers understand what to do next. The current study seeks to address this gap between the research on formative assessments and what it takes to implement these types of asse...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305A100518
Grant
The Connected Chemistry Curriculum
One proposed avenue for improving both student understanding and achievement in science emphasizes the use of computer-based curriculum activities in the science classroom. At all levels, chemistry deals with concepts and phenomena that are not directly observable to students. Therefore, instructors often encourage students to engage in visualization of mental images for learning and problem solving in chemistry. Visualization is difficult and complex, and educational software designers have...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305A100992
Grant
Toward High School Biology: Helping Middle School Students Make Sense of Chemical Reactions
Research on learning indicates that students have difficulties understanding phenomena involving either living or non-living systems at the molecular level. Despite the well documented difficulties that students have in understanding many science ideas, particularly ideas related to chemical and biochemical change, currently available textbooks do little to help students overcome these difficulties. To address this need, the researchers will develop two instructional units focusing on chem...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305A100714
Grant
Do Professional Communities Improve K-16 Curricula Mastery and Augment Mathematics Achievement?
To date, there has not been a comprehensive national analysis of students' mathematics achievement between kindergarten and twelfth grade. Some researchers have assessed growth over the entire period of schooling, but these studies are local and are not nationally representative. To address this need, the researchers will examine mathematics achievement trajectories for students in elementary, middle, and high schools, and identify possible mechanisms that appear to enable students, particul...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305A100822
Grant
Argument-Driven Inquiry in the Middle and High School Laboratory—The Refinement and Further Development of a New Instructional Model
Most laboratory experiences in U.S. science classrooms are isolated from the flow of classroom science instruction and are typically prescriptive in nature. Traditional laboratory experiences also rarely incorporate ongoing reflection and discussion between teachers and students, even though there is evidence that indicate that opportunities to reflect on one's own thinking is essential for students to make meaning out of their laboratory activities. To address this problem, the researchers ...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305A100909
Grant
Establishing the Validity and Diagnostic Capacity of Facet-Based Science Assessments
Formative use of diagnostic classroom assessments can be one of the most powerful ways to improve student achievement. These assessments have the potential to provide critical information to students and teachers about whether students understand the targeted concepts, and if not, what problematic or partial understandings are present instead. Facet-based assessments are one innovative approach to help teachers diagnose students' science understanding. A facet is the use of one or more piece...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305A100475
Grant
Learning Progressions in Middle School Science Instruction and Assessment
State adopted science standards are designed to describe the level of science proficiency expected of students from Kindergarten to Grade 12. However, the standards are often organized in discrete grade levels without attention to the developmental continuity across grades. Learning progressions, a new approach to thinking about how to structure science education, outline potential cognitive paths that students might experience as they develop a more sophisticated understanding of a core sci...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305A100692
Grant
Developing and Evaluating a Technology-Based Fractions Intervention Program for Low-Achieving and At-Risk Students
The purpose of this project is to develop an intelligent tutoring system intended to promote students' understanding of fractions, an area that many students find difficult to master. The HALF (Helping At-risk and Low-achieving students in Fractions) system will present learning problems in conjunction with virtual manipulatives and videos designed to anchor to-be-learned concepts within already-familiar topics. After students attempt to solve these new problems, the system will diagnose ga...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305A100110
Grant
Improving Mathematics Achievement through Active Student Participation in Mathematics Classrooms
A growing body of research in mathematics education suggests that engaging students as active participants in mathematics classrooms is central to the development of their mathematical skills and understanding. However, research has only begun to uncover details about the kinds of participation that are conducive to learning and the teacher practices that encourage student participation. This project will explore the kinds of student participation that are productive for learning, and the t...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305A100181
Grant
National Randomized Control Trial of Everyday Mathematics
Given the importance of early mathematics instruction and curricula for preventing mathematics difficulties in later grades, it is necessary to identify effective mathematics curricula and instruction to ensure that children become proficient in early mathematics content and procedures. One widely used elementary mathematics curriculum, Everyday Mathematics, was reviewed by the What Works Clearinghouse and is reported to have "potentially positive effects" on students' mathematics achievemen...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305A100116
Grant
Embedded Assessments Using the ChemCollective Virtual Lab
Test scores on the most recent National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAPE) suggest that nearly half of 12th grade students fail to reach basic proficiency in science. Current high school chemistry curricula focuses on quantitative problem-solving activities that are rarely presented in meaningful contexts and do not support the development of deep conceptual understanding of chemical principals or scientific inquiry skills that promote proficiency in science. To address this need, the...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305A100069
Grant
An Adaptive Testing System for Diagnosing Sources of Mathematics Difficulties
Current standards-based state accountability tests typically find that many students do not meet proficiency standards. However, state accountability tests cannot pinpoint specific sources of students' difficulties so that differentiated instruction may be given to remedy the difficulties. The purpose of this project was to build an online and on-demand adaptive assessment system to diagnose sources of students' mathematics difficulties and deficits that are linked to state standards-based a...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305A100234
Grant
Transforming Algebra Assignments
Research within the domains of cognitive science and mathematics education suggests that students develop a better understanding of mathematics concepts and learn more quickly when half of their practice problems are replaced with worked-out example solutions. Learning is further enhanced when students are prompted to provide explanations for key steps in the worked examples. Despite an accumulation of evidence, typical Algebra I textbooks contain few worked-out example solutions and few pro...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305A100150
Grant
Spatial Temporal Mathematics at Scale: An Innovative and Fully-Developed Paradigm to Boost Math Achievement Among All Learners
In typical instruction, elementary school students experience math concepts and solve mathematics problems through language and symbol minimized representations. The purpose of this project is to test the efficacy of Spatial Temporal Math (ST Math™) in improving student achievement in mathematics as measured by standardized tests in grades 2 through 5, and to ascertain if the program has differential effects for subgroups of students. This fully developed instructional software includes ...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305A090527
Grant
Promoting Science among English Language Learners (P-SELL): Efficacy and Sustainability
As the school-aged population continues to become more racially, ethnically, and linguistically diverse, English language learning (ELL) students can now be found in virtually every school in the nation. For ELL students, content area instruction, such as science, should provide a meaningful learning environment for English language and literacy development. At the same time, improving English skills should provide the medium for understanding academic content. In reality, however, ELL stude...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305A090281
Grant
Academic Achievement in Limited English Proficient Students: A Multivariate Latent Growth Modeling Analysis of Predictors, Mediators, and Moderators
The number of limited-English proficient (LEP) students is growing at a rapid rate across the nation. The achievement gap between LEP and non-LEP students has been repeatedly documented and is widening. In order to narrow and eliminate this gap, a systematic evaluation of institutional, pedagogical, sociocultural, and intrapersonal factors that interfere with the academic achievement of LEP students is needed. The current study will address this need by identifying the mechanisms through whi...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305A090288
Grant
Efficacy Study of AnimalWatch: An Intelligent Tutoring System for Pre-Algebra
Algebra is considered a critical "gatekeeper" mathematics course for high school graduation and college enrollment, but many students continue to struggle with algebra and failure rates are high. Often, the problem is that students have not yet mastered the prerequisite computation, fractions, and algebra readiness skills necessary to successfully solve algebraic problems. One potential way to improve student mathematics achievement and prepare students for algebra may be through the use of ...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305A090197
Grant
Efficacy of the Science Writing Heuristic Approach
Basic scientific literacy, knowledge, and skills are needed in order to participate effectively in a society increasingly shaped by science and technology. Unfortunately, mastery of rudimentary science knowledge and skills continue to be a challenge for many students. To address this need, the current study will test the efficacy of an inquiry approach that helps build elementary school students' science content knowledge, argumentation skills, and interest.
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305A090094
Grant
Systems and Cycles: Using Structure-Behavior-Function Thinking as a Conceptual Tool for Understanding Complex Natural Systems in Middle School Science
Complex systems are an important part of the world that we live in and, as such, are recognized as a key concept in national and local science standards. One promising approach for promoting student understanding of complex systems is Structure-Behavior-Function thinking. A Structure-Behavior-Function model of a system explicitly represents the configuration of components and connections (structure), the visible output (functions), and the internal causal processes (behaviors) of the system....
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305A090210
Grant
The Cognitive, Psychometric, and Instructional Validity of Curriculum-Embedded Assessments: In-Depth Analyses of the Resources Available to Teachers Within "Everyday Mathematics"
Progress toward improving the quality of mathematics teaching and learning has been slow despite the introduction of standards-based curricula, such as Everyday Mathematics, and efforts to support teachers' implementation of reform-based classroom practices. Embedded assessments are considered to be a key element of reform-based curricula with the goal of supporting more effective instructional practices such as making students' thinking visible and providing opportunities for feedback. Howe...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305A090111
Grant
Fostering Fluency With Basic Addition and Subtraction
Children at risk for academic failure frequently have difficulty achieving fluency in basic addition and subtraction facts. Many at-risk first and second graders have difficulty with even the simplest addition facts, such as 6 + 0 = 6 and 7 + 1 = 8. Although early intervention might prevent these deficiencies and learning difficulties, little research has rigorously examined how to best promote fact fluency among young at-risk children. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy o...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305A080479
Grant
BSCS Science: An Inquiry Approach—Development of a Conceptually Coherent, Multidisciplinary Science Program for Grade Eight
International comparisons of students' science proficiency show that only three countries outperformed U.S. students at fourth grade; however, at eighth grade, seven countries outperformed U.S. students in science. These findings highlight the importance of improving students' interest and proficiency in science during middle school. To meet this need, effective science instructional materials and curricula are needed. The purpose of this project is to develop and document the feasibility of...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305A080422
Grant
A Longitudinal Study of Gender and Mathematics Using ECLS-K Data
Females continue to be under-represented in mathematics-related fields. Gender gaps in school mathematics performance lay the foundation for these career path differences. Although such gaps were originally thought to appear in secondary school, mathematics achievement gaps are now surfacing in early elementary school, raising new questions about the sources of these gaps. This study will provide a detailed examination of factors that predict gender differences in elementary school mathemati...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305A080147
Grant
Early Learning in Mathematics: Efficacy in Kindergarten Classrooms
In recent years, low levels of mathematics performance have been found among U.S. students in relation to national standards and in international comparisons. Signs of these problems appear early in students' schooling. Unless these differences are addressed as early as kindergarten, they are likely to persist and become more difficult to remediate over time. One approach to improving achievement is to deliver effective instructional programs to all students as they enter school. Few experim...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305A080699
Grant
Latent Variable Regression Four-Level/Five-Level Hierarchical Models for Experimental/Quasi-Experimental Studies, Evaluation Studies, and Teacher and/or School Accountability
In the era of intervention-based experimental studies, it is not uncommon to encounter higher level, hierarchically nested data. Furthermore, a higher level data structure is, in fact, rather typical in areas of teacher and school accountability. The primary purpose of this project was to examine new extensions of commonly used hierarchical models to provide researchers with new sets of statistical tools that can help to answer important questions that could not be previously studied due to ...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305U070004
Grant
Algebra Intervention for Measured Achievement—Full Year Curriculum
As the international workplace becomes more technical, it increasingly reflects the problem-solving demands of mathematics, and algebra in particular. In 2005, 36 percent of fourth-graders and 30 percent of eighth-graders scored at or above the Proficient level in mathematics on the National Assessment of Educational Progress. On the 2000 National Assessment of Educational Progress, the most recent assessment of grade 12 students, 17 percent of grade 12 students scored at or above the Prof...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305A070105
Grant
Diagnostic Embedded Classroom Assessment—An Efficacy Study
Embedding assessment practices within instructional materials gives teachers a tool to monitor student learning, provide immediate feedback to students at key junctures, and adjust instruction accordingly. Because science curricula typically include complex, sequential sets of knowledge and skills to master, embedded formative assessment may be a useful component of science curricula. WestEd, in collaboration with the University of California at Los Angeles, is planning to test the efficac...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305B070354
Grant
Evaluating Math Recovery With Student Outcomes
Children enter school with a wide range of mathematical abilities. Data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Kindergarten class show that the achievement gaps that appear in kindergarten widen from kindergarten through Grade 3. The goal of Math Recovery is to enable first graders whose performance is below the 25th percentile nationally to achieve at the level of their higher-performing peers, thus changing the longitudinal trajectory of their mathematics development. Although Math ...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305B070554
Grant
Teaching Fractions and Integers: The Development of a Research-Based Instructional Practice
By fourth grade, students scoring at the Proficient level of achievement on the 2005 National Assessment of Educational Progress mathematics test should demonstrate an understanding of fractions and decimals. However, only 35 percent of fourth-grade students scored at or above the Proficient level of achievement on the assessment. The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics considers integers and fractions central to elementary mathematics education, and foundational for learning algebra...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305B070299
Grant
The Potential Efficacy of Math in a Cultural Context: Sixth Grade Math Modules
Alaska Native-majority rural school districts typically score between the 10th and 30th percentile in math on Alaska's Benchmark Exam, while urban school districts in Alaska average between the 40th and 70th percentile. This academic gap between Alaska Native and mainstream culture students has been fueled by structural problems within the educational system, where teachers often use curricular and pedagogical approaches that do not reflect local knowledge and aptitudes. Culturally-based i...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305A070218
Grant
mCLASS:Math: Development and Analysis of an Integrated Screening, Progress Monitoring, and Cognitive Assessment System for K-3 Mathematics
Teachers often do not have the means to frequently test and keep track of how well their students are performing, or have knowledge of the cognitive processes underlying their students' academic strengths or shortcomings. Frequent and efficient use of formative assessments can help teachers monitor students' performance and adjust instruction to better fit the needs of their students. The purpose of this project is to develop and evaluate a comprehensive handheld computer assessment system ...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305B070325
Grant
Effectiveness of Cognitive Tutor Algebra One Implemented at Scale
The primary purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of the Cognitive Tutor® Algebra I curriculum on mathematics achievement when the curriculum was implemented at scale. Although many educators recognize the need for improved mathematics instruction, school staff currently have few evidence-based options from which to choose. Therefore, this study addresses the need for scale-up evaluations of mathematics curriculums.
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305A070185
Grant
Integrated Software for Artificial Intelligence Tutoring and Assessment in Science
Compared to students in other industrialized countries, U.S. students perform poorly in studies of achievement in high school chemistry, a core subject in the physical sciences course sequence in U.S. high schools. The purpose of this project is to complete the development of a computer-based tutoring and assessment system for a first-year chemistry course, and to obtain evidence of the system's potential to improve student learning and achievement in chemistry.
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305A070067
Grant
Successful Transitions to Algebra 1: A Randomized Control Trial of Two Theories of Ninth Grade Algebra Instruction
States and school districts increasingly mandate not only that all students earn Algebra I course credit to graduate, but that they enroll in Algebra I in the ninth grade. Data from districts that have implemented "Algebra for All" policies indicate that course failure rates approach 50 percent. Despite the pressure on districts and states to have all students "college ready," there is a dearth of rigorous research on the most efficacious methods of teaching Algebra I to under-prepared stu...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305B070508
Grant
Using Web-Based Cognitive Assessment Systems for Predicting Student Performance on State Exams
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305K030140
Grant
Algebraic Interventions for Measured Achievement
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305K040003
Grant
Early Learning in Mathematics: A Prevention Approach
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305K040081
Grant
Integrated Software for Artificial Intelligence Tutoring and Assessment in Science
In the early 2000s, the capacity of computer-assisted instruction in science to strengthen student learning was quite limited. In this project, the researchers planned to complete the development of a computer-based tutoring and assessment system for a first-year high school chemistry course. Additionally, they hoped to accumulate evidence of the potential of the system to improve student learning and achievement. The proposed system would be for use by individual students on demand at schoo...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305K040008
Grant
Developing and Using Diagnostic Items in Mathematics and Science
In this project, the researchers proposed to develop and pilot test a set of diagnostic questions for teachers to better understand student misconceptions in science and mathematics. In the early 2000s, international comparisons of the academic achievement suggested that U.S. students were less prepared in mathematics and science than their international counterparts. To address this performance gap, the researchers proposed to develop a set of questions that were closely tied to common stat...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305K040051
Grant
AnimalWatch: An Intelligent Tutoring System for Grade 6 Mathematics
In this project, the researchers created and evaluated supplemental intelligent tutoring software (ITS) for supporting student learning outcomes in grade 6 mathematics. The goal of this software, called AnimalWatch, was to improve mathematics skill and achievement, particularly for students from groups that have been traditionally under-represented in science and engineering fields. AnimalWatch software was to integrate mathematics problem solving and multimedia instruction with information ...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305K050086
Grant
Developing an Intervention to Foster Early Number Sense and Skill
The primary purpose of this project was to help children at risk for difficulties learning mathematics become fluent in basic addition and subtraction facts. In the classroom, students who fall behind in mathematics and are identified as having learning disabilities often lack fluency with basic mathematics facts. These skills are essential for many more-advanced aspects of school mathematics. To address this skill gap, the researchers developed three qualitatively different computer-aided p...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305K050082
Grant
The Scientific Literacy Project: Enhancing Young Children's Scientific Literacy Through Reading and Inquiry-Centered Adult-Child Dialogue
The primary purpose of this project is to better prepare young children for later science learning. The Nation's Report Card documents that by fourth grade, students from minority and economically disadvantaged backgrounds lag behind white, middle-class students in science achievement. To work on addressing this problem, this research team plans to develop, pilot, and implement a comprehensive instructional program designed to enhance preschool and kindergarten children's early scientific l...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305K050038
Grant
Assessing Data Modeling and Statistical Reasoning
In this study, the researchers proposed to develop an assessment system to evaluate elementary and middle school students' skills and understandings related to data modeling and statistical reasoning. Data modeling includes deciding which aspects of the world are relevant to a conceptual model, how best to measure them, how to structure and represent the resulting measures, and how to make relevant inferences. This area of instruction was beginning to grow in importance in the early 2000s, g...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305K060091
Grant
Getting Fractions Right with Technology-Mediated Peer-Assisted Learning (TechPALS)
In 2003, the Independent Review Panel on Title One Assessment invited a comprehensive review of high quality experimental studies in elementary mathematics education aimed at improving the performance of low-achieving students. This review identified the two most productive strategies as: (1) providing feedback to teachers and students, and (2) peer-assisted learning. This project seeks to integrate these strategies through the use of technology, thus enabling more teachers to implement thes...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305K060011
Grant
Enhancing the Mathematical Problem Solving Performance of Sixth Grade Students Using Schema-based Instruction
At the time of this study, there was emerging evidence to support reform-based mathematics methods and curricula, but data regarding the impact of these reforms for students at-risk for math failure were limited. In this study, the researchers planned to develop and pilot test instructional practices using schema-based instruction to enhance the mathematical problem-solving performance of sixth grade students.
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305K060002
Grant
Measuring the Efficacy and Student Achievement of Research-based Instructional Materials in High School Multidisciplinary Science
In order to improve student achievement in science, school districts in the U.S. need rigorous evidence regarding the impact of instructional materials so they can make sound decisions about their science programs. In 2000, the Biological Sciences Curriculum Study team began the design and development of BSCS Science: An Inquiry Approach to meet the need for multidisciplinary science curricula. Their initial work was funded by the National Science Foundation. Now that the curriculum has be...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305K060142
Using Generative Artificial Intelligence to Augment Teaching and Learning in Classrooms
Through the Education Research and Development Center (R&D Center) program (84.305C), the Institute of Education Sciences (IES) supports R&D centers that conduct research and provide national leadership on key education issues that face our nation.
AI-Driven Digital Platforms to Expand and Accelerate STEM Learning in PreK–12 Settings, Theme 6 Track A of the NSF National Artificial Intelligence Institute Competition
IES has partnered with the National Science Foundation (NSF) in a new funding initiative to encourage scientists to focus on research and development of AI-driven innovations to radically improve human learning and education.
Research Grants Focused on Systematic Replication
The Institute of Education Sciences (IES) provides scientific evidence to improve education practice and policy and shares that evidence in a way that can be used by educators, parents, policymakers, researchers, and the public.
Minutes of Meeting: January 24, 2008
NBES meeting minutes on January 24, 2008
Social, Emotional, and Behavioral Context for Teaching and Learning
The Social, Emotional, and Behavioral Context for Teaching and Learning (Social/Emotional/Behavioral) topic supports research on social and emotional skills and behaviors (i.e. social/emotional/behavioral competencies) to improve student achievement and progress through the education system.
Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Education
The Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Education topic supports research on the improvement of students' STEM knowledge and skills.
Blog
Accelerating Research on Generative Artificial Intelligence: IES Announces Four New Research & Development Centers
Today's announcement from IES is its latest effort to identify high-reward, quick turnaround, scalable solutions to improve education outcomes for all learners and to identify AI-related opportunities and risks. IES is pleased to announce the newest set of Accelerate, Transform, Scale (ATS) Initiative investments: four National Research and Development (R&D) Centers focusing on Using Generative Artificial Intelligence to Augment Teaching and Learning in Classrooms (U-GAIN). These four new R&D
Date published:
Sep 17, 2024
Grant
National Center on Generative AI for Uplifting STEM+C Education (GENIUS Center)
The development of a competent science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and computing (STEM+C) workforce in the era of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) is crucial for the nation's economic growth, security, and global competitiveness. To achieve this goal, initiatives that combine a robust understanding of core STEM concepts with competence in computational thinking (CT) and AI are needed. With this goal in mind, the National Center on Generative AI for Uplifting STEM+C Educa...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305C240010
Grant
AmplifyGAIN: Generative AI for Transformative Learning
Generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) has great potential to augment teachers' effectiveness and personalize learning opportunities to enhance both the quality and equity of student learning outcomes. Nevertheless, the content generated by general-purpose AI tools has shortcomings, with limited conceptual depth and inadequate understanding of pedagogical principles and student learning. Consequently, schools and districts are concerned about overreliance on technology as a replacement f...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305C240012
Grant
Hybrid2: Creating Equitable Spaces for Science Discourse in Blended Learning Environments
This project will explore the high-quality science learning opportunities available for underrepresented minority (URM) middle school students and their relation to students' science learning outcomes. Specifically, the researchers will explore hybrid2 science learning opportunities in which disciplinary scientific discourses are integrated with students' everyday discourses (hybrid 1), along with blended learning opportunities where face-to-face learning is integrated with online platforms ...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305A240345
Grant
A Component Network Meta-Analysis of Interventions for Students Struggling with Mathematics in Grades K–6
In this project, the researchers will conduct a systematic review and component network meta-analysis on the effects of kindergarten through grade 6 (K-6) mathematics interventions on student mathematics outcomes and to identify the individual instructional components that are the most predictive of positive student learning outcomes. Over the past decade, there has been an increase in the research and development of mathematics interventions for students struggling with mathematics. These m...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305A240209
Grant
Supporting Teacher Enactment of the Probability and Statistics Standards—Replication
The current study will build on a previous IES-funded efficacy study to test the replication of Supporting Teacher Enactment of the Probability and Statistics Standards (STEPSS). The STEPSS intervention includes a replacement unit for the statistics and probability curriculum in grade 7 mathematics along with teacher professional development to support its implementation. The current study will test the replication of the intervention in different population of grade 7 learners. Over the pas...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305A240220
Grant
Updating School-Based Measurement of Organization, Time Management, and Planning Skills for the Modern Secondary Classroom
The purpose of this project is to develop and validate Student Planning, Organization, and Time Management Scale (SPOTS), a multi-informant measure of organization, time management, and planning (OTMP) behaviors for use with secondary school students. OTMP behaviors are a set of higher order executive function skills that are essential for student success in secondary school. While student challenges with OMTP may first emerge in elementary school, they become more pronounced in secondary sc...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305A240106
Grant
INVITE: Inclusive and Innovative Intelligent Technologies for Education
The Institute for Inclusive and Intelligent Technologies for Education (INVITE) is developing artificial intelligence (AI) tools and approaches to support noncognitive skills, which refer to a set of attitudes, behaviors, and strategies thought to underpin success in school and at work.
Federal funding program:
Award number:
2229612 (NSF)
Grant
Examining the Efficacy of Program-Wide Supports for Pyramid Model Implementation (PWS-PMT): Addressing Young Children's Social-Emotional Competence and Challenging Behavior
The purpose of this project is to conduct an initial efficacy study of a system of supports for implementing the Pyramid Model for Promoting Social-Emotional Competence program-wide (PWS-PMT) in early childhood programs. The Pyramid Model is a tiered framework of teaching practices for promoting social-emotional competence and addressing challenging behavior in young children . PWS-PMT describes the systems that programs put in place to support and sustain the use of Pyramid Model practices ...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305A230061
Grant
Efficacy of Zearn Math
Zearn Math has shown promise for improving student mathematics achievement, but its efficacy has not yet been established through a rigorous, well-powered evaluation. Researchers at the non-profit RAND Corporation (RAND) will evaluate the efficacy of Zearn Math for improving student mathematics outcomes in grades 3 to 5. The study will employ a randomized controlled trial, complemented by studies of implementation and cost. RAND will conduct this evaluation independently of Zearn, the non-pr...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305A230170
Grant
Integrated, Intelligent, and Interactive Technologies Building Young Children's Math Along Learning Trajectories
Integrated, Intelligent, and Interactive Technologies Building Young Children's Math Along Learning Trajectories
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305A220102
Grant
A Systematic Replication Study of Interleaved Mathematics Practice
The purpose of this project is to conduct a systematic replication study of a highly promising mathematics learning intervention, interleaved practice, in 7th grade classrooms. Though psychologists have long known that interleaving and spacing improves long-term learning, the practice problems in most mathematics curricula are arranged so that the majority of problems relating to the same skill or concept are blocked together. With the interleaved practice intervention, some of the practice ...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305R220012
Grant
Testing the Efficacy of the CAL-KIBO Educational Robotics Curriculum for Improving Computational Thinking, Fluid Reasoning, and Math Achievement
Testing the Efficacy of the CAL-KIBO Educational Robotics Curriculum for Improving Computational Thinking, Fluid Reasoning, and Math Achievement
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305A220032
Grant
Improving Children's Math Skills through a Personalized Early Learning Technology Solution: An Efficacy Study
Mathematics education, especially at early grade levels, continues to be an important focus for national education improvement efforts, and more districts are introducing technology as part of their solution. The researchers will conduct an initial study to generate evidence of the efficacy of My Math Academy, a widely used, game-based, supplemental online curriculum that enables personalized learning through embedded assessments, adaptive learning trajectories, and a performance dashboard t...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305A220159
Grant
Observer Impression Scale of Preschool Children's Peer Social Competence
Observer Impression Scale of Preschool Children's Peer Social Competence
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305A220241
Grant
Measuring Prosocial Behavior in Schools through a Virtual Reality Game: vSchool
Measuring Prosocial Behavior in Schools through a Virtual Reality Game: vSchool
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305A210321
Grant
Formative Assessment Bundling Literacy and Elementary Science in the NGSS
Formative Assessment Bundling Literacy and Elementary Science in the NGSS
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305A210290
Grant
Evaluation of an Intervention to Improve Academic Outcomes for Low-Income Urban Youth through Instruction in Effective Coping Supported by Mentoring Relationships
Evaluation of an Intervention to Improve Academic Outcomes for Low-Income Urban Youth through Instruction in Effective Coping Supported by Mentoring Relationships
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305A210263
Grant
A Quantitative Synthesis of Outcomes of Educational Technology Approaches to K-12 Mathematics
For this project, researchers will carry out a meta-analysis of rigorous evaluations of approaches that use technology to improve student mathematics achievement in grades K to 12. Using the meta-analytic techniques, researchers will seek to identify conditions under which various types of technology applications are most effective in teaching mathematics in grades K to 12. The results t will provide researchers and education leaders with up-to-date information on effective uses of technolog...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305A210186
Grant
ECHO: Prosocial and Positive School Climate
The purpose of this project is to develop and pilot a model, ECHO: Prosocial and Positive School Climate, for building the capacity of teachers to increase students' prosocial behavior and create a positive climate at their school.
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305A210212
Grant
An Educational Intervention to Combat Whole Number Bias in Risk Perceptions in an Ambiguous Health Context: COVID-19
An Educational Intervention to Combat Whole Number Bias in Risk Perceptions in an Ambiguous Health Context: COVID-19
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305U200004
Grant
Development of a Responsive Computerized-Adaptive Assessment System for Pre-K Mathematics
Development of a Responsive Computerized-Adaptive Assessment System for Pre-K Mathematics
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305A200368
Grant
Evaluation of a Web-Based Classroom Management Program to Promote Effective Classroom Management Practices Among Early Career Teachers
Ineffective classroom behavior management practices interfere with instruction, child development, and academic achievement. Many teachers are not adequately trained to deal with behavior problems in the classroom, leading to many early career teachers leaving the field. The purpose of this project is to conduct an efficacy study of the Classroom Check-up (CCU), a web-based teacher training and coaching program to promote effective teacher classroom management skills with early career teache...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305A200297
Grant
Developmental Adaptation of a Self-monitoring Training Program for Middle School Students
Developmental Adaptation of a Self-monitoring Training Program for Middle School Students
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305A200111
Grant
The Evolution of Learning Strategies as Indicators of Intervention Efficacy
Children's ability to answer assessment questions correctly paints an incomplete portrait of what they know and can do, yet it remains a common basis for program evaluation. Researchers should study the development of competences by observing the ways children approach and make sense of problems, and how they learn to develop, apply, and generalize problem-solving strategies over time, from one type of problem to the next. This project has two goals. First, the research team will determine h...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305A200100
Grant
Longitudinal Evaluation of Sluggish Cognitive Tempo: Identifying Mechanisms of Educational Impairment
Longitudinal Evaluation of Sluggish Cognitive Tempo: Identifying Mechanisms of Educational Impairment
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305A200028
Grant
IMPACT Iowa Mathematics Partnership in Algebra: Creating a Team
Des Moines Public Schools (DMPS) aims to increase the number of students (and males of color, in particular) who complete Algebra 1 in ninth grade. The partnership between ISU and DMPS will focus on factors that contribute to students' achievement in Algebra 1 – students' course-taking pathways in mathematics starting in sixth grade, and implementation of Student-Centered, Equity-Focused Education (SCEFE) to enhance classroom instruction and increase pass rates in Algebra 1 classrooms. Th...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305H190058
Grant
Test-Based Acceleration in Middle School Math: Impacts on College Entry and STEM Major Choice for High-achieving Students and Under-represented Groups
The purpose of the study is to evaluate an accelerated middle school math curriculum, Great Explorations in Mathematics (GEM). The GEM program places eligible students in Pre-Algebra in 6th grade, Algebra I in 7th grade and Geometry in 8th grade, accelerating students by two years relative to the standard curriculum. The project aims to understand the potential of early academic tracking in promoting and sustaining achievement, especially among underserved students with high math ability, an...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305A190175
Grant
Geometry By Example: Developing an Effective Intervention for Varied Geometry Content and Learner Characteristics
In this project, researchers will iteratively develop and test GeometryByExample, an intervention that incorporates explanation of correct and incorrect examples of varied geometric content, to improve student learning of high school Geometry. GeometryByExample provides strategically designed, worked-example based assignments for students to complete in class in place of more typical practice assignments. Instead of solving all the practice problems themselves, students study correct or inco...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305A190126
Grant
Project DIMES: Diagnostic Instrument for Morphology of Elementary Students
The purpose of the project is to develop a computer adaptive, diagnostic assessment of teachable morphological skills for students in grades 3 to 5. The development of morphological skills is essential to students' literacy growth. This is because knowledge of morphemes (for example, root words like nation, prefixes like inter, and suffixes like al) supports students' reading achievement by influencing their ability to decode and access the meaning of multisyllabic words which then supports ...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305A190079
Grant
Evaluating Quality Interactions in Preschool Classrooms Around Math: Development of a Video-based Observation Tool
Evaluating Quality Interactions in Preschool Classrooms Around Math: Development of a Video-based Observation Tool
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305A180462
Grant
The Relation of Gender-Integrated Classroom Climate to Students' Academic Outcomes
The purpose of this study is to explore associations between gender integration in classrooms and student academic engagement and performance in upper elementary school grades. Because boys and girls are typically taught together in classrooms, there is the assumption that boys and girls are cooperative and integrated in their classroom activities, yet evidence suggests this may not be the case. Classrooms can vary in the degree to which boys and girls work effectively together. Some classro...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305A180028
Grant
Promoting School Readiness Through Emotional Intelligence: An Efficacy Trial of Preschool RULER
Promoting School Readiness Through Emotional Intelligence: An Efficacy Trial of Preschool RULER
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305A180293
Grant
Examining the Cost-effectiveness of Continuous Improvement Models for Preschool Teachers: Balancing PD Structures to Match Teacher Need
Examining the Cost-effectiveness of Continuous Improvement Models for Preschool Teachers: Balancing PD Structures to Match Teacher Need
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305A180406
Grant
Testing the Efficacy of Zoo U for Improving Children's Social and Emotional Outcomes
Testing the Efficacy of Zoo U for Improving Children's Social and Emotional Outcomes
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305A180050
Grant
Efficacy Trial of the We-Write Intervention with 4th- and 5th-Grade Students
Writing is an important skill for learning, communication, and self-expression; however, national assessments indicate that many students in the U.S. do not write proficiently. The purpose of this project is to test the efficacy of We-Write, a web-based intelligent tutoring system that is paired with teacher-led lessons to improve 4th and 5th grade student writing outcomes. We-Write was developed in a previous IES study, and is delivered within the intelligent tutoring system for the structu...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305A180212
Grant
Efficacy Trial of Text Structure Strategy Instruction on the Web for Spanish-Speaking English Learners (SWELL) in Grades 4 and 5
Reading and comprehending expository texts in English is an important skill that remains elusive for many English learners (ELs) in the U.S. school system. The text structure strategy is a learning approach that helps student understand academic texts by organizing concepts into cognitive structures that parallel those used to communicate main ideas in text. The purpose of this project is to evaluate the efficacy of the Structure Strategy with Web-Based Adaptive Tutoring for English Language...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305A180060
Grant
Efficacy Study of an Integrated Science and Literacy Curriculum for Young Learners
The purpose of this study is to evaluate an early elementary science curriculum that integrates language and literacy support to help meet the needs of our nation's increasingly diverse schools. Developed with funding from a previous Goal 2 - Development and Innovation grant (First Grade, Second Language: Uniting Science Knowledge and Literacy Development for English Learners), the integrated science and literacy curriculum (ISLC) is designed to support integrated science, language, and lite...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305A180513
Grant
Project PIMSELA: Partnering to Investigate Math and Science English Learners' Access and Achievement
The central aim of the "Partnering to Investigate Math and Science English Learners' Access and Achievement" (PIMSELA) project was to understand underlying factors that explain English learner (EL) students' diminished access to, and underachievement in, middle and high school math and science in Seattle Public Schools (SPS).
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305H170019
Grant
Assessing Students' Progress on the Energy Concept Using Three-Dimensional Items (ASPECt-3D)
The purpose of this project is to develop and validate assessments that can measure students' ability to use the three dimensions outlined by the Next Generation Science Standards-science and engineering practices, crosscutting concepts, and disciplinary core ideas-to make sense of energy-related phenomena. The project builds on a previously funded IES project in which the researchers developed three vertically-equated, multiple-choice instruments to assess students' progress on the energy c...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305A180512
Grant
Analyzing Diagrams: A Support for English Learners (ADSEL)
The purpose of this project is to develop and test an innovative instructional unit intended to support the mathematics achievement of English learners (ELs) in sixth grade. Three factors demand innovative solutions. First, recently adopted mathematics standards have renewed pressure and enthusiasm to provide all students with access to rigorous mathematical content. Second, the EL population is growing, yet mathematics achievement "gaps" between ELs and non-ELs persist. Third, most mathemat...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305A170297
Grant
Project LEAP: Extending a Grades 3–5 Early Algebra Learning Progression into Grades K-2
The purpose of this project is to develop and test the promise of a Grades K-2 Early Algebra Learning Progression (EALP) to build young children's algebraic thinking. Algebra is a subject with which students still struggle. One recommendation for improving algebra instruction that has gained widespread acceptance has been to adopt a longitudinal, K-12 approach to teaching and learning algebra, rather than waiting until secondary grades to begin students' formal algebra education. This projec...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305A170378
Grant
Efficacy Evaluation of Zoology One: Kindergarten Research Labs
Efficacy Evaluation of Zoology One: Kindergarten Research Labs
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305A160109
Grant
Longitudinal Evaluation of the Impact of Sleep Problems on the Academic and Social Functioning of Adolescents with and without ADHD
The purpose of this project is to conduct a prospective longitudinal study of students with and without Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) beginning at Grade 8 to assess sleep patterns, academic, and social functioning, and factors that may differentially predict the presence of sleep problems. Sleep problems are considerably more common in individuals with ADHD in comparison to the general population, with approximately 30% of children and 60% of adults with ADHD exhibiting sig...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305A160126
report
Compendium
A Compendium of Math and Science Research Funded by NCER and NCSER: 2002-2013
Between 2002 and 2013, the Institute of Education Sciences (Institute) funded over 300 projects focused on math and science. The majority of this work has been funded through Mathematics and Science Education research topics of the National Center for Education Research (NCER) and the National Center for Special Education Research (NCSER). Both centers also support projects focusing on math and science through other research topic areas, including programs such as Cognition and Student Learning,
Jan 01, 2016
Grant
Coordinating Multiple Representations: A Comparison of Eye Gaze Patterns of High School Students Who Do and Do Not Enroll in Calculus
Calculus is a critical "gateway" course for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) learning in the undergraduate years. Better preparation at the high school level is associated with better achievement at the undergraduate level and increased persistence in STEM majors. Recent research has identified some potential individual difference variables that can explain why some students do not succeed and persist whereas others do. Prominent among these individual differences are...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305A140700
Grant
The Impact of a Teacher-Led Early Algebra Intervention on Children's Algebra-Readiness for Middle School
Starting around the turn of the 21st century, reforms in mathematics education underscored the critical role of algebra in elementary, middle and high school. It is argued that the traditional "arithmetic-then-algebra" approach, where an arithmetic curriculum in the elementary grades is followed by a formal treatment of algebra in secondary grades, does not allow the time and space necessary for students to develop depth in their understanding of algebra. However, the premise that beginnin...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305A140092
Grant
An Efficacy Study of Online Mathematics Homework Support: An Evaluation of the ASSISTments Formative Assessment and Tutoring Platform
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of the fully developed intervention, ASSISTments. ASSISTments is an online formative assessment and tutoring platform in mathematics that provides coached, practice problem-solving support for students and cognitive diagnostic reports to teachers, supports students' mathematics homework completion, and facilitates differentiated instruction.
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305A120125
PI Meeting
2011 Principal Investigators Conference: September 7, 2011
The National Center for Education Research (NCER), in the U.S. Department of Education's Institute of Education Sciences (IES), sponsored a 1-day IES Principal Investigators (PI) Meeting on September 7, 2011. The PI meeting included grantees from various research grant topic areas and provided opportunities for focused discussions on topics of general interest for investigators as they complete project activities.
Sep 07, 2011
12:00AM - 11:59PM EDT
Grant
RCT Training Institute
Well-executed randomized experiments provide the strongest evidence about causal effects of educational interventions, products, and services. Consequently, they have a crucial role to play in establishing a base of knowledge for the improvement and reform of American education. Yet the number of individuals with the knowledge and experience necessary to design, implement, analyze, and interpret randomized field experiments in education is surprisingly small. A training institute aimed at fa...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305U110001
Grant
Improving Children's Understanding of Mathematical Equivalence
Mathematical equivalence is widely regarded as one of the most important concepts for developing children's algebraic thinking. Although decades of research have shown that children struggle to understand this fundamental concept, researchers have yet to develop an intervention that produces mastery-level understanding. The researchers in this project will build on the success of their previous IES development award (http://ies.ed.gov/ncer/projects/grant.asp?ProgID=5&grantid=483&NameID=268) ...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305A110198
Grant
Arithmetical and Cognitive Antecedents and Concomitants of Algebraic Skill
Algebra is a prerequisite for access in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Yet many high school students do not take or are unable to complete a course in algebra, and few high school students are proficient at multi-step problem solving and algebra. In order to provide a basis for improving students' preparation for this essential skill, it is important that we identify the arithmetical or other cognitive factors that either limit or facilitate algebraic problem solving. How...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305A110067
Grant
A Longitudinal Study of 3-D Spatial Skills and Mathematics Development in Elementary School Children
Researchers know little about the relationship between spatial skills and mathematics skills in elementary school populations. The research to date on the relationship between mathematics skills and spatial skills has primarily focused on older students and adults. The goal of this project is to explore the development of mathematics and spatial skills in early elementary school students. Specifically, the study will examine: (1) how spatial skills develop and change over the early elementar...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305A110920
Grant
An Exploration of Malleable Social and Cognitive Factors Associated with Early Elementary School Students' Mathematics Achievement
The goal of this project was to explore how young students' mathematics anxiety and attitudes relate to their mathematics achievement, as well as the cognitive factors that mediate identified anxiety-achievement relations. In addition, the researchers explored the relation between teachers' math anxiety and students' math achievement. Individuals who have negative attitudes about mathematics are often high in mathematics anxiety. Math anxious individuals also tend to have poor math knowledge...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305A110682
Grant
Longitudinal Study of a Successful Scaling-Up Project: Extending TRIAD
Some research has indicated that early childhood interventions have lasting effects, while other research suggests that the effects of early childhood interventions diminish over time. This mixed evidence base warrants further research on the sustainability of early childhood interventions and the need to identify elements of continued support necessary for preserving initial gains from early childhood interventions. To that end, the researchers will assess the long-term effectiveness of the...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305A120813
Grant
Eliciting Mathematics Misconceptions (EM2): A Cognitive Diagnostic Assessment System
Understanding rational numbers is an important prerequisite for success in higher level mathematics, yet many students and adults often struggle with such concepts. In particular, they have great difficulty with fractions, decimals, and percents. Despite this, there are currently few assessments that allow teachers to determine students' misconceptions. The purpose of the Eliciting Mathematics Misconceptions (EM2) Project is to address this need by applying recent advances in cognitive scie...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305A110306
Grant
Mathemantics Preschool --> 3: Development and Evaluation of Mathematics Software for Children from Preschool to Grade 3
In this project, the researchers aimed to develop and pilot test a software system, MathemAntics, designed to present a supplementary mathematics curriculum for students ranging from preschool to grade 3. This software system was to focus on a number of topics ranging from basic ideas about cardinal numbers to negative integers, and it was to be an attractive, enjoyable yet challenging virtual world where students would receive mathematics instruction. One way the researchers proposed to acc...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305A100267
Grant
Proposal for an RCT Training Institute
Well-executed randomized experiments provide the strongest evidence about causal effects of education interventions, products, and services. Consequently, they have a crucial role to play in establishing a base of knowledge for the improvement and reform of American education. Yet, the number of individuals with the knowledge and experience necessary to design, implement, analyze, and interpret randomized field experiments in education is surprisingly small. The purpose of this project was t...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305U080001
Grant
National Research & Development Center on Cognition and Science Instruction
The purpose of the National Center on Cognition and Science Instruction (NCCSI) is to modify and adapt two widely used middle-school science curricula by applying three theoretical principles of cognitive science: analogical reasoning, spatial reasoning, and student prior knowledge. Additionally, professional development materials will be created. The efficacy of the modified curricula and the support materials will be examined with scientifically rigorous, randomized controlled trials. Esta...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305C080009
Grant
Improving Best Quasi-Experimental Practice
The purpose of this project was to improve the yield from cause-probing research in education. Considerable professional consensus already exists regarding which quasi-experimental designs represent acceptable alternatives when an experiment is not feasible; these include regression discontinuity, case matching with emphasis on propensity scores, short interrupted time series, and pattern matching. This project focused on improving research using these four design or analytic principles. Alt...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305U070003
Grant
Molecules and Minds: Optimizing Simulations for Chemistry Education
In the early 2000s, evidence suggested that U.S. students lagged behind their international counterparts with regard to their science skills. To address this, the researchers developed a set of computer simulations and data showing whether or not using these simulation modules had the potential to facilitate learning chemistry concepts. They also proposed to combine a subset of these simulations to form a complete curriculum for a grade 9 chemistry course.
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305K050140
Grant
Evaluation of the Computer and Team-Assisted Mathematical Acceleration (CATAMA) Lab in Urban, High-Poverty, High-Minority Middle Schools
In this project, the researchers proposed to evaluate the impact of an elective math course of middle school students who need additional assistance. In the early 2000s, national and international comparisons of student achievement show that U.S. students in general, and minority and low-income students in particular, fell rapidly behind between the 4th and the 8th grades. Many minority children from low-income families were leaving middle school poorly prepared to succeed in a rigorous sequ...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305F050223
Grant
Experimental Field Study of Cognitive Tutor Geometry Curriculum
In this study, researchers obtained evidence on the effectiveness of Cognitive Tutor Geometry, a high school geometry curriculum that has shown promise in earlier quasi-experimental studies. The program combines individualized tutorial software with teacher-guided group work and problem-solving. As of the early 2000s, data from the National Assessment of Education Progress showed very low mathematics proficiency among high school students, with large gaps in the performance of students of di...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305F050122
Grant
Math Pathways and Pitfalls Lessons for K-7 Students: Improving Mathematics Achievement for English Language Learners
In this study, the researchers conducted an efficacy trail evaluating the impact of the Math Pathways and Pitfalls lessons on English language learners' mathematical achievement and the development of mathematics-related language. In the early 2000s, 35 percent of white 4th graders scored at or above proficient in mathematics on the National Assessment of Educational Progress. In contrast just 10 percent of Latino 4th graders scored at this level. Through this project, the researchers aimed ...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305K050050
Grant
Classroom Connectivity in Promoting Mathematics and Science Achievement
In this project, researchers evaluated the impact of connected classroom technology with interactive pedagogy and professional development on mathematics and science achievement in students from grade 7 through grade 10. This project focused U.S. high school students because they compared relatively poorly internationally, while U.S. elementary school students performed as well as or better than those of other countries at the time of this project. By gathering this evidence, the researchers...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305K050045
Grant
An Examination of the Impact of Big Math for Little Kids on Pre-K and Kindergarten Students' Learning of Math
An Examination of the Impact of Big Math for Little Kids on Pre-K and Kindergarten Students' Learning of Math
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305K040001
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