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Comparing Tools for Evaluating Fidelity of Implementation of School Mathematics Curriculum: Assumptions, Approaches, and Techniques
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| Presenter(s):
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| Steven Ziebarth, Western Michigan University, steven.ziebarth@wmich.edu
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| Abstract:
Current school accountability systems stress the importance of raising student test scores to evaluate teacher effectiveness, yet often fail to include investigating the implementation of curriculum materials (i.e., textbooks) that form the core of teaching and learning in current mathematics classrooms. Many new curricula have been published in the last two decades that claim adherence to various national Standards documents, but evaluation results are mixed and an National Research Council's (NRC) 2004 evaluation of those evaluations is unclear regarding their effectiveness. This session compares various research approaches to the study of fidelity of implementation of K-12 mathematics curricula that have been since the issuing of the NRC report and highlights some of the tools that have been used singly or in combination to study this important topic.
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Using Teacher Value Added to Promote Education Values: Preliminary Results of the Rapid Assessment of Teacher Effectiveness (RATE) Instrument in Mathematics
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| Presenter(s):
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| John Gargani, Gargani + Company Inc, john@gcoinc.com
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| Michael Strong, University of California, Santa Cruz, mastrong@ucsc.edu
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| Abstract:
We present evidence for the validity of the Rapid Assessment of Teacher Effectiveness (RATE), an observational instrument used to predict the effectiveness of elementary math teachers as measured by value-added measures (VAM). Because RATE is used to make predictions, it can be implemented early in the school year to identify which teachers are more or less likely to achieve the instructional success valued by administrators and parents. Educators can use RATE scores to direct support and resources to teachers in strategic ways that reflect their own beliefs and values regarding instructional success. We demonstrate that RATE can predict VAM more accurately than the judgment of educators based on their intuition or other systematic approaches. Some of this evidence comes from a recent article by the presenters published in the Journal of Teacher Education, and some comes from newly completed experiments.
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Large-Scale Comparative Effectiveness Study of Four Elementary School Math Curricula
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| Presenter(s):
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| Roberto Agodini, Mathematica Policy Research, ragodini@mathematica-mpr.com
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| Barbara Harris, Mathematica Policy Research, bharris@mathematica-mpr.com
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| Abstract:
This large-scale evaluation examines the relative effectiveness of four elementary school math curricula that use varying approaches to math instruction: (1) Investigations in Number, Data, and Space, (2) Math Expressions, (3) Saxon Math, and (4) Scott Foresman-Addison Wesley Mathematics. The evaluation uses an experimental design based on 110 schools from 12 districts, where all four curricula were randomly assigned to schools within each participating district. The study compares average student math achievement gains to determine the relative effects of the curricula. This session presents causal evidence of the relative curriculum effects on first- and second-grade math achievement during the first year of curriculum implementation. At the first-grade level, the results favored Math Expressions; at the second-grade level, they favored Math Expressions and Saxon. Correlational (mediational) analyses also were conducted to examine whether instructional practices explain the differences in curriculum effects.
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Assessing the Role of Career and Technical Education Coursework in Math Achievement Growth
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| Presenter(s):
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| Glenn D Israel, University of Florida, gdisrael@ufl.edu
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| Alexa Lamm, University of Florida, alamm@ufl.edu
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| Abstract:
Since most human capital is generated through formal education, the quality of public K-12 education is of paramount importance in preparing youth for college and employment. Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs involve over 9.2 million of the U.S.'s 14.9 million secondary students. CTE students are often perceived, however, to be less prepared for math-oriented college and careers. This evaluation used a multi-level design to examine CTE student math achievement over time. Preliminary findings show that students concentrating on a specific CTE occupational area start with higher math scores and have a greater increase in math achievement than students who take one or two CTE courses. By using rigorous multi-level modeling, the evaluator was able to identify the specific variables influencing math achievement, and recommend school-level changes to increase math achievement. The usefulness of examining multiple levels when studying K-12 education issues was discussed.
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