John O. Anderson

Sensing the Impact of Elementary School Science Reform: A Study of Stakeholder Perceptions of Implementation, Constructivist Strategies, and School–Home Collaboration

This case study of a midwestern school district’s reform effort explored the treatment fidelity of the Science: Parents, Activities, and Literature (Science PALs) project. Data were collected from the perspectives of three stakeholders: students, school district, and parents. Students’ and school district supervisor’s perceptions indicated that teachers were implementing predicted curricular and instructional features promoted by the Science PALs project. Students’ perceptions of their current teacher’s classroom performance did not parallel the supervisor’s perceptions of the teacher’s implementation. Parents’ perceptions and comments indicated a high level of satisfaction with the implemented features. Collectively, the three perspectives suggest that the Science PALs project was successful in changing the classroom practices of K–6 teachers involved in the professional development. The results of this study appear to support the findings of other recent studies that indicate the need for extended professional development and support to fully implement changes in elementary school science instruction.

A Canadian Perspective on Portfolio Use in Student Assessment

ABSTRACT Portfolios can serve as a means of collecting information that can be seen as evidence for evaluating the achievement of students in classrooms. The use of portfolios has a long history although their general use in classroom assessment is a recent phenomenon. Portfolios are not widely used in large‐scale assessments; they are a classroom‐based phenomenon in Canadian schools. In this paper, we explore three themes related to portfolio use in the Canadian context. First, we consider examples of policies and procedures as recommended by Ministries of Education to illustrate the range of statements provided. Next, we review surveys of portfolio use and acceptance by teachers and, to a lesser degree, administrators. Finally, we describe and discuss three studies that have begun to investigate the use and interpretation of portfolios.

Elementary Teachers’ Assessment Practices as Observed in the Province of British Columbia

Abstract In this paper, we describe the classroom‐based assessment practices employed in the Province of British Columbia (BC). These practices are examined by interviewing pairs of teachers at the Grade 3 and 4 levels and parallel pairs of teachers from the Grade 6 and 7 levels in approximately two schools in each of ten school districts. The interviews were summarized and then the resultant data examined to look for consistencies of viewpoint among teachers across districts and for commonalties and variations in answer patterns across teachers within districts. Finally, a few recommendations are offered that might be useful in thinking further about the principles and practice of classroom‐based assessment.

Multilevel Modeling with HLM: Taking a Second Look at PISA

The purpose of this book is to provide a synthesis of thought and practice in research in literacy and science education intended to lead to evidence-based results and generalizations that will serve as a foundation for public policy and informed curriculum, teaching, and assessment practices in education. The Gold Standard of educational research funding in the United States can be viewed as a response to the general dissatisfaction with the utility of educational research; this federal mandate fosters a shift of educational research toward positivist empirical research approaches, such as random controlled trials (RCTs). There is an expectation of greater generalization and policy relevance as Gold Standard research is conducted and reported. It should be noted this dissatisfaction is not confined to the United States. An international response to this dissatisfaction with educational research—systematic reviews of educational research such as the Campbell Collaboration (Campbell Collaboration, n.d.), the What Works Clearinghouse of the US Office of Education (US Institute of Education Sciences, n.d.), and the Evidence for Policy and Practice Information and Co-ordinating Centre (EPPI-Centre) in the United Kingdom (EPPI-Centre, n.d.)— has also identified the general dearth of rigorous empirical research that can support meaningful generalization of research findings. The deliberations about qualitative–quantitative approaches to educational research over the last 25 years have established parallels for quantitative data considerations (reliability, validity, significance, objectivity) that consider dependability, credibility, believability, and confirmability of information (Howe & Eisenhart, 1990; Husen, 1988; Lather, 1992; Phillips, 2005; Pring, 2000). The enactment of these considerations has produced a diverse collection of qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-methods research in literacy and science education. Inspection of these research studies during the 2nd Island Conference revealed concerns about the clarity

National Influences on Science Education Reform in Canada

The Common Framework of Science Learning Outcomes (Council of Ministers of Education, Canada [CMEC], 1997) is a nationally developed curriculum document generated from the Pan-Canadian Protocol for Collaboration on School Curriculum—an initiative of the CMEC with the intent of harmonization learning goals and science instruction in Canadian schools. This article explores the influence of the Framework on science curriculum and assessment in Canadian schools through document search and analysis as well as informant surveys and interviews. The exploration reveals a pervasive presence of the Framework in both general directions and design elements and in the specific direct use of the document in curriculum development initiatives in the ministries of education throughout Canada. Further, it is evident that the pace of the influence of curricular reform initiatives, such as the Framework, is determined by curriculum development and implementation. A final issue identified is the need for specifics of operational definition for the implementation and evaluation of reform.RésuméLe Cadre commun sur les résultats des apprentissages en sciences (Conseil des ministres de l’Éducation, Canada [CMEC], 1997) est un document de curriculum développé à l’échelle nationale, issu du Protocole pancanadien pour la collaboration sur les curriculums scolaires, une initiative du CMEC visant à harmoniser les objectifs d’apprentissage et l’enseignement des sciences dans les écoles canadiennes. Cet article explore l’influence du Cadre commun sur les curriculums scientifiques et sur l’évaluation des apprentissages dans les écoles canadiennes, grâce à une recherche/analyse de documents ainsi qu’à des entrevues et sondages. Cette exploration révèle une omniprésence du Cadre commun dans les orientations générales, la conception des éléments de contenu et l’utilisation directe du document dans les initiatives de développement des curriculums des ministères de l’Éducation de tout le Canada. De plus, il est évident que le degré d’influence des initiatives de réforme des curriculums dépend du développement et de la mise en œuvre des curriculums. Enfin, il est essentiel de définir avec précision les détails opératifs servant à la mise en œuvre et à l’évaluation de la réforme.

Using social–cognitive constructs to predict preoperative exercise before total joint replacement.

OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to apply Banduras (1998) social-cognitive theory to understand preoperative exercise and walking behavior in a sample of individuals waiting for total joint replacement (TJR) surgery. METHOD Participants (N = 78) were individuals waiting for TJR who completed measures of the social-cognitive theory, e.g., barrier efficacy, task efficacy, outcome expectancy, self-regulation, neighborhood walking environment, WOMAC-pain, WOMAC-physical function (Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Arthritis Index; In N. Bellamy, W. W. Buchanan, C. H. Goldsmith, J. Campbell, & L. W. Stitt, Validation study of WOMAC: A health status instrument for measuring clinically important patient relevant outcomes to antirheumatic drug therapy in patients with osteoarthritis of the hip or knee, The Journal of Rheumatology, 1988, 15, pp. 1833-1840) framed for exercise and walking. RESULTS Independent t tests suggested no differences (p > .05) between type of surgery (hip vs. knee), gender, or age for exercise and over half of the sample was considered inactive (55%; American Geriatrics Society, 2001). Overall, social-cognitive theory failed to explain exercise in this sample; only pain (β = -.31) explained exercise behavior. When walking behavior was considered specifically, however, task efficacy for walking (β = .55) and self-regulation (β = .24) explained 32% of behavior. social cognitive theory showed limited capability in predicting exercise in this sample but strong capability for explaining walking. CONCLUSION When considering exercise before TJR surgery, our findings reflect the significance of the pain associated with advanced osteoarthritis and the negative impact on preoperative exercise behaviors. As walking was the most commonly reported type of exercise, results from this study suggest that task efficacy for walking and self-regulation may play an important role when considering interventions aimed to increase walking behavior before TJR.

Funding Patterns and Priorities: An International Perspective

Research in literacy and science education converge onto science literacy for all found in many international reforms (Hand, Prain, & Yore, 2001) and the commonalities in targets (all students), goals (science literacy composed of fundamental literacy and understanding the big ideas in science), and pedagogy (constructivist approaches and authentic assessment) across English language arts and science (Ford, Yore, & Anthony, 1997; Yore, Pimm, & Tuan, 2007). Similar claims apply to mathematics literacy and technology literacy. This convergence and the international move to enhance research quality suggest potential relationships amongst research

Closing the Science, Mathematics, and Reading Gaps from a Canadian Perspective: Implications for Stem Mainstream and Pipeline Literacy

This chapter describes how diversity and consistency are central features of multiculturalism in Canada and schooling across the 13 jurisdictions of the Canadian federation. Mathematics, reading, and science achievement gaps were explored using performance differences in comparison with other countries (Program of International Student Assessment (PISA)), across provinces and territories (PISA 2009 results, Pan-Canadian Assessment Program (PCAP)), and within a specific province (British Columbia (BC), Foundation Skills Assessment (FSA); grade 10 and 12 provincial examinations and course marks). Reasonably acceptable performance patterns, informative relationships among student traits, school characteristics and achievement, and provincial/territorial, school, gender, and Indigenous status differences were found for science, mathematics, and reading. Secondary analyses of large data sets were central to these explorations. Topics discussed include public advocacy, ongoing cultural issues, social capital, potential curriculum efforts, and pedagogical strategies to capitalize on these performance patterns and then address these gaps that would enhance citizens’ science, technology/engineering, and mathematics (ST/EM) literacies (mainstream issue) and the engagement of underserved and underrepresented groups of students in ST/EM courses, postsecondary studies, and careers (pipeline issue).

Student and School Characteristics Related to Student Achievement: A Methodological Approach

Using data from PISA 2003, two main analyses were conducted for 40 of the participating countries: the relationship of 13-year-old students’ socioeconomic status (SES) on mathematics achievement, and the relationship of a selection of six school traits to the SES–mathematics relationship. In regard to the first analysis and in accord with much previous research, there was a positive relationship of SES to math achievement for all countries, but the magnitude of the relationship varied considerably across countries. Further, the proportion of mathematics achievement that can be attributed to school was calculated and indicated that schools do count in that there was a significant intraclass correlation for all countries but varied substantially in terms of magnitude.