Trending Topic Research File
Science, Technology Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) is one of the most talked about topics in education, emphasizing research, problem solving, critical thinking, and creativity.
The following compendium of open-access articles are inclusive of all substantive AERA journal content regarding STEM published since 1969. This page will be updated as new articles are published.
Note: Articles are listed below in reverse chronological order of publication.
Disaggregating the Effects of STEM Education and Apprenticeships on Economic Mobility: Evidence From the LaunchCode Program Jason Jabbari, Yung Chun, Wenrui Huang, Stephen Roll Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, October 2023 Researchers found that program acceptance was significantly associated with increased earnings and probabilities of working in a science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) profession.
A National Study Exploring Factors Promoting Adolescent College Readiness in Math and Science (STEM-CR) Robert R. Martinez, Jr., James M. Ellis Educational Researcher, September 2023 Researchers found that STEM-CR involves four related yet distinct dimensions of Think, Know, Act, and Go. Results also demonstrated soundness of these STEM-CR dimensions by race and gender (key learning skills and techniques/Act).
(Mis)Alignment of Challenges and Strategies in Promoting Inclusive Racial Climates in STEM Graduate Departments Rosemary J. Perez, Rudisang Motshubi, Sarah L. Rodriguez AERA Open, April 2023 Researchers found that because participants did not attend to how racism and White supremacy fostered negative climate, their strategies (e.g., increased recruitment, committees, workshops) left systemic racism intact and (un)intentionally amplified labor for racially minoritized graduate students and faculty champions who often led change efforts with little support.
The Impact of Summer Programs on Student Mathematics Achievement: A Meta-Analysis Kathleen Lynch, Lily An, Zid Mancenido Review of Educational Research, July 2022 Researchers found an average weighted impact estimate of +0.10 standard deviations on mathematics achievement outcomes.
Black Queer Students’ Counter-Stories of Invisibility in Undergraduate STEM as a White, Cisheteropatriarchal Space Luis A. Leyva, R. Taylor McNeill, B R. Balmer, Brittany L. Marshall, V. Elizabeth King, Zander D. Alley American Educational Research Journal, May 2022 Researchers address this research gap by exploring four Black queer students’ experiences of oppression and agency in navigating invisibility as STEM majors.
Understanding the Relationship of Science and Mathematics Place-Based Workforce Development on Adolescents’ Motivation and Rural Aspirations Angela Starrett, Matthew J. Irvin, Christine Lotter, Jan A. Yow American Educational Research Journal, May 2022 Researchers found that the more place-based workforce development adolescents reported, the higher their expectancy beliefs, STEM career interest, and rural community aspirations.
Sorting Machines: Digital Technology and Categorical Inequality in Education Matthew H. Rafalow, Cassidy Puckett Educational Researcher, May 2022 Researchers found that educational resources, like digital technologies, are also sorted by schools.
Transdisciplinarity: Re-Visioning How Sciences and Arts Together Can Enact Democratizing Creative Educational Experiences Pamela Burnard, Laura Colucci-Gray, Carolyn Cooke Review of Research in Education, April 2022 This article makes a case for repositioning STEAM education as democratized enactments of transdisciplinary education, where arts and sciences are not separate or even separable endeavors.
The Best of Two Worlds: A Systematic Review on Combining Real and Virtual Experiments in Science Education Salome Wörner, Jochen Kuhn, Katharina Scheiter Review of Educational Research, April 2022 Researchers conclude that for combining real and virtual experiments, apart from the individual affordances and the learning objectives of the different experiment types, especially their specific function for the learning task must be considered.
Social Capital Leveraging Knowledge-Sharing Ties and Learning Performance in Higher Education: Evidence From Social Network Analysis in an Engineering Classroom Seung-hyun Han, Eunjung Grace Oh, Sun “Pil” Kang AERA Open, April 2022 Researchers found that the knowledge sharing mechanism and student learning outcomes can be explained in terms of their social capital within social networks.
Improving Science Achievement—Is It Possible? Evaluating the Efficacy of a High School Chemistry and Physics Project-Based Learning Intervention Barbara Schneider, Joseph Krajcik, Jari Lavonen, Katariina Salmela-Aro, Christopher Klager, Lydia Bradford, I-Chien Chen, Quinton Baker, Israel Touitou, Deborah Peek-Brown, Rachel Marias Dezendorf, Sarah Maestrales, Kayla Bartz Educational Researcher, March 2022 Researchers found that improving secondary school science learning is achievable with a coherent system comprising teacher and student learning experiences, professional learning, and formative unit assessments that support students in “doing” science.
A Critical Review of Educator and Disability Research in Mathematics Education: A Decade of Dehumanizing Waves and Humanizing Wakes Paulo Tan, Alexis Padilla, Rachel Lambert Review of Educational Research, March 2022 Researchers found that studies continue to avoid meaningful intersectional considerations of race and disability.
The Patterns of Adolescents’ Math and Science Motivational Beliefs: Examining Within–Racial/Ethnic Group Changes and Their Relations to STEM Outcomes Ta-yang Hsieh, Sandra D. Simpkins AERA Open, March 2022 Researchers found patterns with overall high/low beliefs, patterns with varying levels of motivational beliefs, and patterns characterized by domain differentiation.
A Meta-Analysis of Mathematics Word-Problem Solving Interventions for Elementary Students Who Evidence Mathematics Difficulties Jonté A. Myers, Bradley S. Witzel, Sarah R. Powell, Hongli Li, Terri D. Pigott, Yan Ping Xin, Elizabeth M. Hughes Review of Educational Research, February 2022 Findings of meta-regression analyses showed several moderators, such as sample composition, group size, intervention dosage, group assignment approach, interventionist, year of publication, and dependent measure type, significantly explained heterogeneity in effects across studies.
A Call for Critical Bifocality: Research on Marginalization in Mathematics Education Grace A. Chen, Ilana S. Horn Review of Educational Research, January 2022 The findings from this review highlight the interconnectedness of structures and individual lives, of the material and ideological elements of marginalization, of intersectionality and within-group heterogeneity, and of histories and institutions.
A Call for a Humanistic Stance Toward K–12 Data Science Education Victor R. Lee, Michelle Hoda Wilkerson, Kathryn Lanouette Educational Researcher, December 2021 Researchers offer an interdisciplinary framework based on literature from multiple bodies of educational research to inform design, teaching and research for more effective, responsible, and inclusive student learning experiences with and about data.
Neuroscience Research in the Classroom: Portable Brain Technologies in Education Research Ido Davidesco, Camillia Matuk, Dana Bevilacqua, David Poeppel, Suzanne Dikker Educational Researcher, December 2021 This essay critically evaluates the value added by portable brain technologies in education research and outlines a proposed research agenda, centered around questions related to student engagement, cognitive load, and self-regulation.
STEM Pathways of Rural and Small-Town Students: Opportunities to Learn, Aspirations, Preparation, and College Enrollment Guan K. Saw, Charlotte A. Agger Educational Researcher, December 2021 Researchers found that during high school rural and small-town students shifted away from STEM fields and that geographic disparities in postsecondary STEM participation were largely explained by students’ demographics and precollege STEM career aspirations and academic preparation.
Not All Disadvantages Are Equal: Racial/Ethnic Minority Students Have Largest Disadvantage Among Demographic Groups in Both STEM and Non-STEM GPA Kyle M. Whitcomb, Sonja Cwik, Chandralekha Singh AERA Open, November 2021 Researchers found that on average across all years of study, underrepresented minority (URM) students experience a larger penalty to their mean overall and STEM GPA than even the most disadvantaged non-URM students.
Cognitive Apprenticeship in STEM Graduate Education: A Qualitative Review of the Literature Lana M. Minshew, Amanda A. Olsen, Jacqueline E. McLaughlin AERA Open, October 2021 Researchers found that the CA framework is a useful and effective model for supporting faculty in cultivating rich learning opportunities for STEM graduate students.
The Roles of Initial Mathematics, Reading, and Cognitive Skills in Subsequent Mathematics Performance: A Meta-Analytic Structural Equation Modeling Approach Xin Lin, Sarah R. Powell Review of Educational Research, October 2021 Findings suggested fluency in both mathematics and reading, as well as working memory, yielded greater impacts on subsequent mathematics performance.
A Systematic Review of Science Discourse in K–12 Urban Classrooms in the United States: Accounting for Individual, Collective, and Contextual Factors Christine L. Bae, Daphne C. Mills, Fa Zhang, Martinique Sealy, Lauren Cabrera, Marquita Sea Review of Educational Research, September 2021 This systematic literature review is guided by a complex systems framework to organize and synthesize empirical studies of science talk in urban classrooms across individual (student or teacher), collective (interpersonal), and contextual (sociocultural, historical) planes.
Exploring Racialized Factors to Understand Why Black Mathematics Teachers Consider Leaving the Profession Toya Jones Frank, Marvin G. Powell, Jenice L. View, Christina Lee, Jay A. Bradley, Asia Williams Educational Researcher, August/September 2021 Researchers found that teachers’ experiences of microaggressions accounted for most of the variance in our modeling of teachers’ thoughts of leaving the profession.
How an Antiscience President and the COVID-19 Pandemic Altered the Career Trajectories of STEM PhD Students of Color Ebony McGee, Yuan Fang, Yibin (Amanda) Ni, Thema Monroe-White AERA Open, August 2021 Researchers found that 40.7% of the respondents reported that their career plans have been affected by Trump’s antiscience policies, 54.5% by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Factors Associated With College STEM Participation of Racially Minoritized Students: A Synthesis of Research Martha Cecilia Bottia, Roslyn Arlin Mickelson, Cayce Jamil, Kyleigh Moniz, Leanne Barry Review of Educational Research, May 2021 Consistent with cumulative disadvantage and critical race theories, findings reveal that the disproportionality of racially minoritized students in STEM is related to their inferior secondary school preparation; the presence of racialized lower quality educational contexts; reduced levels of psychosocial factors associated with STEM success; less exposure to inclusive and appealing curricula and instruction; lower levels of family social, cultural, and financial capital that foster academic outcomes; and fewer prospects for supplemental STEM learning opportunities. Policy implications of findings are discussed.
When Logics Collide: Implementing Technology-Enabled Personalization in the Age of Accountability Iris Daruwala, Shani Bretas, Douglas D. Ready Educational Researcher, April 2021 Researchers describe how teachers, school leaders, and program staff navigated institutional pressures to improve state grade-level standardized test scores while implementing tasks and technologies designed to personalize student learning.
Who’s Taking What? “Applied STEM” Coursetaking for High School Students With Learning Disabilities Michael A. Gottfried, Jay Plasman, Jennifer A. Freeman, Shaun Dougherty AERA Open, March 2021 Researchers found that students with learning disabilities were more likely to earn more units in CTE courses compared with students without disabilities.
Interrogating Structural Racism in STEM Higher Education Ebony Omotola McGee Educational Researcher, December 2020 This manuscript also discusses how universities institutionalize diversity mentoring programs designed mostly to fix (read “assimilate”) underrepresented students of color while ignoring or minimizing the role of the STEM departments in creating racially hostile work and educational spaces.
Theory and Research on Tasks Revisited: Task as a Context for Students’ Thinking in the Era of Ambitious Reforms in Mathematics and Science Miray Tekkumru-Kisa, Mary Kay Stein, Walter Doyle Educational Researcher, November 2020 The purpose of this article is to revisit theory and research on tasks, a construct introduced by Walter Doyle nearly 40 years ago.
The Effect of Developmental Math on STEM Participation in Community College: Variation by Race, Gender, Achievement, and Aspiration Elizabeth S. Park, Federick Ngo Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, November 2020 Researchers found that lower math placement may have supported women, and to a lesser extent URM students, in completing transferable STEM credits.
Is School Racial/Ethnic Composition Associated With Content Coverage in Algebra? Karisma Morton, Catherine Riegle-Crumb Educational Researcher, August/September 2020 Results of regression analyses reveal that, net of school, teacher, and student characteristics, the time that teachers report spending on algebra and more advanced content in eighth grade algebra classes is significantly lower in schools that are predominantly Black compared to those that are not predominantly minority. Implications for future research are discussed.
Examining Design and Statistical Power for Planning Cluster Randomized Trials Aimed at Improving Student Science Achievement and Science Teacher Outcomes Qi Zhang, Jessaca Spybrook, Fatih Unlu AERA Open, July 2020 Researchers consider strategies to maximize the efficiency of the study design when both student and teacher effects are of primary interest.
Mathematics Coaching for Conceptual Understanding: Promising Evidence Regarding the Tennessee Math Coaching Model Jennifer Lin Russell, Richard Correnti, Mary Kay Stein, Ally Thomas, Victoria Bill, Laurie Speranzo Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, July 20, 2020 Analysis of videotaped coaching conversations and teaching events suggests that model-trained coaches improved their capacity to use a high-leverage coaching practice—deep and specific prelesson planning conversations—and that growth in this practice predicted teaching improvement, specifically increased opportunities for students to engage in conceptual thinking.
Use of Quasi-Experimental Research Designs in Education Research: Growth, Promise, and Challenges Maithreyi Gopalan, Kelly Rosinger, Jee Bin Ahn Review of Research in Education, April 21, 2020 The overarching purpose of this chapter is to explore and document the growth, applicability, promise, and limitations of quasi-experimental research designs in education research.
Emerging Perspectives on the Co-Construction of Power and Learning in the Learning Sciences, Mathematics Education, and Science Education Thomas M. Philip, Ayush Gupta Review of Research in Education, April 21, 2020 By bringing this collection of articles together, this chapter provides collective epistemic and empirical weight to claims of power and learning as co-constituted and co-constructed through interactional, microgenetic, and structural dynamics.
The Effects of Writing on Learning in Science, Social Studies, and Mathematics: A Meta-Analysis Steve Graham, Sharlene A. Kiuhara, Meade MacKay Review of Educational Research, March 19, 2020 This meta-analysis examined if students writing about content material in science, social studies, and mathematics facilitated learning.
The Predictive Validity of Teachers’ Personality, Cognitive and Academic Abilities at the End of High School on Instructional Quality in Germany: A Longitudinal Study Janina Roloff, Uta Klusmann, Oliver Lüdtke, Ulrich Trautwein AERA Open, January 2020 Multilevel regression analyses revealed that agreeableness, high school GPA, and the second state examination grade predicted teachers’ instructional quality.
English Learners in STEM Subjects: Contemporary Views on STEM Subjects and Language With English Learners Okhee Lee, Amy Stephens Educational Researcher, 2020 With the release of the consensus report English Learners in STEM Subjects: Transforming Classrooms, Schools, and Lives, the authors highlight foundational constructs and perspectives associated with STEM subjects and language with English learners that frame the report.
Beyond Equity as Inclusion: A Framework of “Rightful Presence” for Guiding Justice-Oriented Studies in Teaching and Learning Angela Calabrese Barton and Edna Tan Educational Researcher, 2020 This essay presents a rightful presence framework to guide the study of teaching and learning in justice-oriented ways.
Community Infrastructuring as Necessary Ingenuity in the COVID-19 Pandemic Day Greenberg, Angela Calabrese Barton, Carmen Turner, Kelly Hardy, Akeya Roper, Candace Williams, Leslie Rupert Herrenkohl, Elizabeth A. Davis, Tammy Tasker Educational Researcher, 2020 Researchers report on how one community builds capacity for disrupting injustice and supporting each other during the COVID-19 crisis.
Mis/Alignment Between High School and Community College Standards Tatiana Melguizo, Federick Ngo Educational Researcher, 2020 This study explores the extent to which “college-ready” students, by high school standards, are assigned to remedial courses in college.
Is School Racial/Ethnic Composition Associated With Content Coverage in Algebra? Karisma Morton and Catherine Riegle-Crumb Educational Researcher, 2020 Results of regression analyses reveal that, net of school, teacher, and student characteristics, the time that teachers report spending on algebra and more advanced content in eighth grade algebra classes is significantly lower in schools that are predominantly Black compared to those that are not predominantly minority. Implications for future research are discussed.
Day by Day: Investigating Variation in Elementary Mathematics Instruction That Supports the Common Core Jonathan D. Schweig, Julia H. Kaufman, and V. Darleen Opfer Educational Researcher, 2020 Researchers found that there are both substantial fluctuations in students’ engagement in these practices and reported cognitive demand from day to day, as well as large differences across teachers.
Teaching to Support Students With Diverse Academic Needs David Blazar and Casey Archer Educational Researcher, 2020 Researchers found that exposure to “ambitious” mathematics practices is more strongly associated with test score gains of English language learners compared to those of their peers in general education classrooms.
Boundary Crossing in a Professional Association: The Dynamics of Research Use Among State Leaders and Researchers in a Research-Practice Partnership Megan Hopkins, Hayley Weddle, Maxie Gluckman, Leslie Gautsch AERA Open, December 2019 Researchers show how both researchers and practitioners facilitated research use.
Examining Processes of Normative Isomorphism and Influence in Scaled Change Among Higher Education Intermediary Organizations Adrianna Kezar, Samantha Bernstein-Sierra AERA Open, October 2019 Findings suggest that Association of American Universities’ influence was a powerful motivator for institutions to alter deeply ingrained perceptions and behaviors.
Preschool Mathematics Intervention Can Significantly Improve Student Learning Trajectories Through Elementary School Denis Dumas, Daniel McNeish, Julie Sarama, Douglas Clements AERA Open, October 2019 While students who receive a short-term intervention in preschool may not differ from a control group in terms of their long-term mathematics outcomes at the end of elementary school, they do exhibit significantly steeper growth curves as they approach their eventual skill level.
Launching Networked PLCs: Footholds Into Creating and Improving Knowledge of Ambitious and Equitable Teaching Practices in an RPP Jessica Thompson, Jennifer Richards, Soo-Yean Shim, Karin Lohwasser, Kerry Soo Von Esch, Christine Chew, Bethany Sjoberg, Ann Morris AERA Open, September 2019 Researchers used data from professional learning communities to analyze pathways into improvement work and reflective data to understand practitioners’ perspectives.
A Summer Nudge Campaign to Motivate Community College STEM Students to Reenroll Ross E. O’Hara, Betsy Sparrow AERA Open, September 2019 Results indicate that interventions that target psychosocial barriers experienced by community college STEM students can increase retention and should be considered alongside broader reforms.
Differences at the Extremes? Gender, National Contexts, and Math Performance in Latin America Ran Liu, Andrea Alvarado-Urbina, Emily Hannum American Educational Research Journal, September 2019 Findings reveal disparate national patterns in gender gaps across the performance distribution.
Learning From Standards Deviations: Three Dimensions for Building Education Policies That Last Adam Kirk Edgerton American Educational Research Journal, September 2019 Through an analysis of 52 interviews with state, regional, and district officials in California, Texas, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Massachusetts, the author investigates the decline in the popularity of K–12 standards-based reform.
Centering Children in Mathematics Education Classroom Research Amy Noelle Parks American Educational Research Journal, September 2019 The study suggests that more research needs to represent mathematics lessons from the perspectives of children and youth, particularly those students who engage with teachers infrequently or in atypical ways.
High School Course Access and Postsecondary STEM Enrollment and Attainment Rajeev Darolia, Cory Koedel, Joyce B. Main, J. Felix Ndashimye, Junpeng Yan Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, September 30, 2019 Researchers found that differential access to high school courses does not affect postsecondary STEM enrollment or degree attainment.
Demystifying Tuition? A Content Analysis of the Information Quality of Public College and University Websites Laura A. Davis, Gregory C. Wolniak, Casey E. George, Glen R. Nelson AERA Open, August 2019 The findings point to variation in informational quality across dimensions ranging from clarity of language use and terminology, to consistency and coherence of visual displays, which accompany navigational challenges stemming from information fragmentation and discontinuity across pages.
Remedial Inquiry-Based Science Education: Experimental Evidence From Peru Juan E. Saavedra, Emma Näslund-Hadley, Mariana Alfonso Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, August 12, 2019 Researchers present results from the first randomized experiment of a remedial inquiry-based science education program for low-performing elementary students in a developing country.
Early Elementary Science Instruction: Does More Time on Science or Science Topics/Skills Predict Science Achievement in the Early Grades? F. Chris Curran, James Kitchin AERA Open, July 2019 Researchers found suggestive evidence in some models (student fixed effects and regression with observable controls) that time on science instruction is related to science achievement but little evidence that the number of science topics/skills covered are related to greater science achievement.
Strengthening the Research Base That Informs STEM Instructional Improvement Efforts: A Meta-Analysis Kathleen Lynch, Heather C. Hill, Kathryn E. Gonzalez, Cynthia Pollard Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, June 2019 Programs saw stronger outcomes when they helped teachers learn to use curriculum materials; focused on improving teachers’ content knowledge, pedagogical content knowledge, and/or understanding of how students learn; incorporated summer workshops; and included teacher meetings to troubleshoot and discuss classroom implementation. We discuss implications for policy and practice.
Do Relative Advantages in STEM Grades Explain the Gender Gap in Selection of a STEM Major in College? A Multimethod Answer Elizabeth Stearns, Martha Cecilia Bottia, Jason Giersch, Roslyn Arlin Mickelson, Stephanie Moller, Nandan Jha, Melissa Dancy American Educational Research Journal, June 2019 Researchers found that relative advantages in college academic performance in STEM versus non-STEM subjects do not contribute to the gender gap in STEM major declaration.
An Efficacy Study of a Digital Core Curriculum for Grade 5 Mathematics Nicole Shechtman, Jeremy Roschelle, Mingyu Feng, Corinne Singleton AERA Open, May 2019 As educational leaders throughout the United States adopt digital mathematics curricula and adaptive, blended approaches, the findings provide a relevant caution.
The Construct Validation of the Math Anxiety Scale for Teachers Colleen M. Ganley, Robert C. Schoen, Mark LaVenia, Amanda M. Tazaz AERA Open, March 2019 Factor analyses support a distinction between components of general math anxiety and anxiety about teaching math.
Finding Voice and Passion: Critical Race Theory Methodology in Science Teacher Education Felicia Moore Mensah American Educational Research Journal, February 2019 The implications for practice in both teacher education and science education show that educational and emotional support for teachers of color throughout their educational and professional journey is imperative to increasing and sustaining Black teachers.
Young Women Face Disadvantage to Enrollment in University STEM Coursework Regardless of Prior Achievement and Attitudes Herbert W. Marsh, Brooke Van Zanden, Philip D. Parker, Jiesi Guo, James Conigrave, Marjorie Seaton American Educational Research Journal, February 2019 Researchers evaluated STEM coursework selection by women and men in senior high school and university, controlling achievement and expectancy-value variables.
Mathematics Teachers’ Learning: Identifying Key Learning Opportunities Linked to Teachers’ Knowledge Growth Yasemin Copur-Gencturk, Debra Plowman, Haiyan Bai American Educational Research Journal, January 2019 The results showed that a focus on curricular content knowledge and examining students’ work were significantly related to teachers’ learning.
(Re)framing Resistance to Culturally Relevant Education as a Multilevel Learning Problem Rebecca Colina Neri, Maritza Lozano, Louis M. Gomez Review of Research in Education, 2019 Researchers found that teacher resistance to CRE as a multilevel learning problem stems from (a) limited understanding and belief in the efficacy of CRE and (b) a lack of know-how needed to execute it.
The Relationship Between Advanced Placement Mathematics Courses and Students’ STEM Career Interest Russell T. Warne, Gerhard Sonnert, and Philip M. Sadler Educational Researcher, 2019 Researchers investigated the relationship between participation in AP mathematics courses (AP Calculus and AP Statistics) and student career interest in STEM.
Does STEM Stand Out? Examining Racial/Ethnic Gaps in Persistence Across Postsecondary Fields Catherine Riegle-Crumb, Barbara King, and Yasmiyn Irizarry Educational Researcher, 2019 Results reveal evidence of persistent racial/ethnic inequality in STEM degree attainment not found in other fields.
When Making the Grade Isn’t Enough: The Gendered Nature of Premed Science Course Attrition Eben B. Witherspoon, Paulette Vincent-Ruz, and Christian D. Schunn Educational Researcher, 2019 Researchers found that high-performing women often graduate with lower paying, lower status degrees.
Worsening School Segregation for Latino Children? Bruce Fuller, Yoonjeon Kim, Claudia Galindo, Shruti Bathia, Margaret Bridges, Greg J. Duncan, and Isabel García Valdivia Educational Researcher, 2019 This article details the growing share of Latino children from low-income families populating schools, 1998 to 2010.
How Can Educators Confront Science Denial? Rebekka Darner Educational Researcher, 2019 Drawing from motivated reasoning and self-determination theories, this essay builds a theoretical model of how negative emotions, thwarting of basic psychological needs, and the backfire effect interact to undermine critical evaluation of evidence, leading to science denial.
Aligning English Language Proficiency Standards With Content Standards: Shared Opportunity and Responsibility Across English Learner Education and Content Areas Okhee Lee Educational Researcher, 2019 As the fast-growing population of English learners (ELs) is expected to meet college- and career-ready content standards, the purpose of this article is to highlight key issues in aligning ELP standards with content standards.
Life on the Frontier of AP Expansion: Can Schools in Less-Resourced Communities Successfully Implement Advanced Placement Science Courses? Mark C. Long, Dylan Conger, and Raymond McGhee, Jr. Educational Researcher, 2019 The authors offer the first model of the components inherent in a well-implemented AP science course and the first evaluation of AP implementation with a focus on public schools newly offering the inquiry-based version of AP Biology and Chemistry courses.
Teachers’ Bias Against the Mathematical Ability of Female, Black, and Hispanic Students Yasemin Copur-Gencturk, Joseph R. Cimpian, Sarah Theule Lubienski, and Ian Thacker Educational Researcher, 2019 Results indicate that teachers are not free of bias, and that teachers from marginalized groups may be susceptible to bias that favors stereotype-advantaged groups.
Mathematics Learning in Language Inclusive Classrooms: Supporting the Achievement of English Learners and Their English Proficient Peers Geoffrey B. Saxe and Joshua Sussman Educational Researcher, 2019 Multilevel analysis of longitudinal data on a specialized integers and fractions assessment, as well as a California state mathematics assessment, revealed that the ELs in LMR classrooms showed greater gains than comparison ELs and gained at similar rates to their EP peers in LMR classrooms.
Response to Technical Comment on Rickles, Heppen, Allensworth, Sorensen, and Walters (2018) Jordan Rickles, Jessica B. Heppen, Elaine Allensworth, Nicholas Sorensen, and Kirk Walters Educational Researcher, 2019 The authors discuss whether it would have been appropriate to test for nominally equivalent outcomes, given that the study was initially conceived and designed to test for significant differences, and that the conclusion of no difference was not solely based on a null hypothesis test.
The Impact of the Michigan Merit Curriculum on High School Math Course-Taking Soobin Kim, Gregory Wallsworth, Ran Xu, Barbara Schneider, Kenneth Frank, Brian Jacob, Susan Dynarski Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, 2019 Using detailed Michigan high school transcript data, this article examines the effect of the MMC on various students’ course-taking and achievement outcomes.
Teacher Characteristics, Student Beliefs, and the Gender Gap in STEM Fields Dario Sansone Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, December 2018 Researchers found that students were less likely to believe that men were better than women in math or science when assigned to female teachers or to teachers who valued and listened to ideas from their students.
“Black Genius, Asian Fail”: The Detriment of Stereotype Lift and Stereotype Threat in High-Achieving Asian and Black STEM Students Ebony McGee AERA Open, December 2018 The authors argues that both racial groups endure emotional distress because each group responds to its marginalization with an unrelenting motivation to succeed that imposes significant costs.
Broadening Participation in STEM College Majors: Effects of Attending a STEM-Focused High School Barbara Means, Haiwen Wang, Xin Wei, Emi Iwatani, Vanessa Peters AERA Open, November 2018 Students overall and from under-represented groups who had attended inclusive STEM high schools were significantly more likely to be in a STEM bachelor’s degree program two years after high school graduation.
Toward Equity in Mathematics Education for Students With Dis/abilities: A Case Study of Professional Learning Paulo Tan, Kathleen King Thorius American Educational Research Journal, November 2018 Results indicate identity and power tensions that worked against equitable practices.
Validating and Adapting the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ) for STEM Courses at an HBCU Caesar R. Jackson AERA Open, November 2018 This study investigated the validity and reliability of the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ) for minority students enrolled in STEM courses at a historically black college/university (HBCU).
Changes in the Demographics, Qualifications, and Turnover of American STEM Teachers, 1988–2012 Tuan D. Nguyen, Christopher Redding AERA Open, September 2018 The results highlight the importance of recruiting qualified STEM teachers to work in high-poverty schools and providing supports to help them thrive and remain in the classroom.
Investigating Science Education Effect Sizes: Implications for Power Analyses and Programmatic Decisions Joseph A. Taylor, Susan M. Kowalski, Joshua R. Polanin, Karen Askinas, Molly A. M. Stuhlsatz, Christopher D. Wilson, Elizabeth Tipton, Sandra Jo Wilson AERA Open, August 2018 The meta-analysis examines the relationship between science education intervention effect sizes and a host of study characteristics, allowing primary researchers to access better estimates of effect sizes for a priori power analyses. The results of this meta-analysis also support programmatic decisions by setting realistic expectations about the typical magnitude of impacts for science education interventions.
It Takes a Village: The Role of Emic and Etic Adaptive Strengths in the Persistence of Black Men in Engineering Graduate Programs Brian A. Burt, Krystal L. Williams, Gordon J. M. Palmer American Educational Research Journal, August 2018 Three factors are identified as helping them persist from year to year, and in many cases through completion of the doctorate: the role of family, spirituality and faith-based community, and undergraduate mentors.
Context Matters in the Effectiveness of Emotion Regulation Strategies Anna-Lena Rottweiler, Jamie L. Taxer, Ulrike E. Nett AERA Open, June 2018 Suppression improved mood in exam-related anxiety, while distraction improved mood only in non-exam-related anxiety.
Is Inquiry Science Instruction Effective for English Language Learners? A Meta-Analytic Review Gabriel Estrella, Jacky Au, Susanne M. Jaeggi, Penelope Collins AERA Open, April 2018 Although an analysis of 26 articles confirmed that inquiry instruction produced significantly greater impacts on measures of science achievement for ELLs compared to direct instruction, there was still a differential learning effect suggesting greater efficacy for non-ELLs compared to ELLs.
Connections Between Teachers’ Knowledge of Students, Instruction, and Achievement Outcomes Heather C. Hill, Mark Chin American Educational Research Journal, April 2018 In this article, evidence from 284 teachers suggests that accuracy can be adequately measured and relates to instruction and student outcomes.
Teacher-Led Math Inquiry: A Cluster Randomized Trial in Belize Darrell M. Hull, Krystal M. Hinerman, Sarah L. Ferguson, Qi Chen, Emma I. Näslund-Hadley Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, April 20, 2018 Both quantitative and qualitative evidence suggest students within this culture respond well to this relatively simple and inexpensive intervention that departs from traditional, expository math instruction in many developing countries.
Intersectional Analysis in Critical Mathematics Education Research: A Response to Figure Hiding Erika C. Bullock Review of Research in Education, April 2018 The author reviews CME studies that employ intersectionality as a way of analyzing the complexities of oppression.
A Longitudinal Study of Equity-Oriented STEM-Rich Making Among Youth From Historically Marginalized Communities Angela Calabrese Barton, Edna Tan American Educational Research Journal, March 2018 Building a conceptual argument for an equity-oriented culture of making, the authors discuss the ways in which making with and in community opened opportunities for youth to project their communities’ rich culture knowledge and wisdom onto their making while also troubling and negotiating the historicized injustices they experience.
Looking Beyond Academic Performance: The Influence of Instructor Gender on Student Motivation in STEM Fields Sabrina M. Solanki, Di Xu American Educational Research Journal, March 2018 Researchers found that having a female instructor narrows the gender gap in terms of engagement and interest; further, both female and male students tend to respond to instructor gender.
Editorial Special Topic: Neuroscience, Learning, and Educational Practice—Challenges, Promises, and Applications Susanne M. Jaeggi, Priti Shah AERA Open, February 2018 These articles provide excellent examples for how neuroscientific approaches can complement behavioral work, and they demonstrate how understanding the neural level can help researchers develop richer models of learning and development.
(Un)Hidden Figures: A Synthesis of Research Examining the Intersectional Experiences of Black Women and Girls in STEM Education Danyelle T. Ireland, Kimberley Edelin Freeman, Cynthia E. Winston-Proctor, Kendra D. DeLaine, Stacey McDonald Lowe, Kamilah M. Woodson Review of Research in Education, 2018 Researchers found that (1) identity; (2) STEM interest, confidence, and persistence; (3) achievement, ability perceptions, and attributions; and (4) socializers and support systems are key themes within the experiences of Black women and girls in STEM education.
Developing a STEM Identity Among Young Women: A Social Identity Perspective Ann Y. Kim, Gale M. Sinatra, Viviane Seyranian Review of Educational Research, 2018 Findings indicate that young women experience challenges to their participation and inclusion when they are in STEM settings.
Cross-Sectional and Longitudinal Disparities in STEM Career Aspirations at the Intersection of Gender, Race/Ethnicity, and Socioeconomic Status Guan Saw, Chi-Ning Chang, and Hsun-Yu Chan Educational Researcher, 2018 Results indicated that female, Black, Hispanic, and low SES students were less likely to show, maintain, and develop an interest in STEM careers during high school years.
EASEing Students Into College: The Impact of Multidimensional Support for Underprepared Students Di Xu, Sabrina Solanki, Peter McPartlan, and Brian Sato Educational Researcher, 2018 This paper estimates the causal effects of a first-year STEM learning communities program on both cognitive and noncognitive outcomes at a large public 4-year institution.
Supporting a Culture of Replication: An Examination of Education and Special Education Research Grants Funded by the Institute of Education Sciences Christina S. Chhin, Katherine A. Taylor, and Wendy S. Wei Educational Researcher, 2018 Data showed that IES has not funded any direct replications that duplicate all aspects of the original study, but almost half of the funded grant applications can be considered conceptual replications that vary one or more dimensions of a prior study.
English Language Proficiency Standards Aligned With Content Standards Okhee Lee Educational Researcher, 2018 As federal legislation requires that English language proficiency (ELP) standards are aligned with content standards, this article addresses issues and concerns in aligning ELP standards with content standards in English language arts, mathematics, and science.
Online Credit Recovery and the Path to On-Time High School Graduation Jordan Rickles, Jessica B. Heppen, Elaine Allensworth, Nicholas Sorensen, and Kirk Walters Educational Researcher, 2018 Researchers found no statistically significant differences in longer term outcomes between students in the online and face-to-face courses. Implications of these null findings are discussed.
Gender Equity in College Majors: Looking Beyond the STEM/Non-STEM Dichotomy for Answers Regarding Female Participation Colleen M. Ganley, Casey E. George, Joseph R. Cimpian, Martha B. Makowski American Educational Research Journal, December 2017 Researchers found that perceived gender bias against women emerges as the dominant predictor of the gender balance in college majors.
School District Educational Infrastructure and Change at Scale: Teacher Peer Interactions and Their Beliefs About Mathematics Instruction James P. Spillane, Megan Hopkins, Tracy M. Sweet American Educational Research Journal, December 2017 This article examines the relationship between teachers’ instructional ties and their beliefs about mathematics instruction in one school district working to transform its approach to elementary mathematics education.
Teaching and Learning About Complex Systems in K–12 Science Education: A Review of Empirical Studies 1995–2015 Susan A. Yoon, Sao-Ee Goh, Miyoung Park Review of Educational Research, December 6, 2017 Results revealed needs in five areas of research: a need to diversify the knowledge domains within which research is conducted, more research on learning about system states, agreement on the essential features of complex systems content, greater focus on contextual factors that support learning including teacher learning, and a need for more comparative research.
How Readability Factors Are Differentially Associated With Performance for Students of Different Backgrounds When Solving Mathematics Word Problems Candace Walkington, Virginia Clinton, Pooja Shivraj American Educational Research Journal, November 2017 Textual features that make problems more difficult to process appear to differentially negatively impact struggling students, while features that make language easier to process appear to differentially positively impact struggling students.
Patterns of Gendered Performance Differences in Large Introductory Courses at Five Research Universities Rebecca L. Matz, Benjamin P. Koester, Stefano Fiorini, Galina Grom, Linda Shepard, Charles G. Stangor, Brad Weiner, Timothy A. McKay AERA Open, November 2017 Biology, chemistry, physics, accounting, and economics lecture courses regularly exhibit gendered performance differences that are statistically and materially significant, whereas lab courses in the same subjects do not.
STEM Pathways: Do Men and Women Differ in Why They Enter and Exit? Adam V. Maltese, Christina S. Cooper AERA Open, August 2017 The results reveal that although there is no singular pathway into STEM fields, self-driven interest is a large factor in persistence, especially for males, and females rely more heavily on support from others.
A Bayesian Network Meta-Analysis to Synthesize the Influence of Contexts of Scaffolding Use on Cognitive Outcomes in STEM Education Brian R. Belland, Andrew E. Walker, Nam Ju Kim Review of Educational Research, August 2017 Scaffolding has a consistently strong effect across student populations, STEM disciplines, and assessment levels, and a strong effect when used with most problem-centered instructional and educational levels.
The Effectiveness of Distance Education across Virginia's Community Colleges: Evidence from Introductory College-Level Math and English Courses Di Xu, Shanna Smith Jaggars Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, July 2017 The findings indicate a robust negative impact of online course taking for both subjects.
(Mis)Taken Identities: Reclaiming Identities of the “Collective Black” in Mathematics Education Research Through an Exercise in Black Specificity Maisie L. Gholson, Charles E. Wilkes Review of Research in Education, June 2017 This chapter reviews two strands of identity-based research in mathematics education related to Black children, exemplified by Martin (2000) and Nasir (2002).
Sex Differences in Doctoral Student Publication Rates Sarah Theule Lubienski, Emily K. Miller, and Evthokia Stephanie Saclarides Educational Researcher, November 2017 Using data from a survey of doctoral students at one large institution, this study finds that men submitted and published more scholarly works than women across many fields, with differences largest in natural/biological sciences and engineering.
Does Test Preparation Mean Low-Quality Instruction? David Blazar, Cynthia Pollard Educational Researcher, October 2017 Drawing on classroom observations and teacher surveys, researchers find that test preparation activities predict lower quality and less ambitious mathematics instruction in upper-elementary classrooms.
Black Women’s and Girls’ Persistence in the P–20 Mathematics Pipeline: Two Decades of Children, Youth, and Adult Education Research Nicole M. Joseph, Meseret Hailu, Denise Boston Review of Research in Education, June 2017 This integrative review used critical race theory (CRT) and Black feminism as interpretive frames to explore factors that contribute to Black women’s and girls’ persistence in the mathematics pipeline and the role these factors play in shaping their academic outcomes.
The ICAP Active Learning Framework Predicts the Learning Gains Observed in Intensely Active Classroom Experiences Benjamin L. Wiggins, Sarah L. Eddy, Daniel Z. Grunspan, Alison J. Crowe AERA Open, May 2017 Researchers describe the results of a quasi-experimental study to test the apex of the ICAP framework (interactive, constructive, active, and passive) in this ecological classroom environment.
The Roles of STEM Faculty Communities of Practice in Institutional and Departmental Reform in Higher Education Sean Gehrke, Adrianna Kezar American Educational Research Journal, May 2017 This study examines how involvement in four cross-institutional STEM faculty communities of practice is associated with local departmental and institutional change for faculty members belonging to these communities.
Quality Assurance in Teacher Education and Outcomes: A Study of 17 Countries Lawrence Ingvarson, Glenn Rowley Educational Researcher, May 2017 This study investigated the relationship between policies related to the recruitment, selection, preparation, and certification of new teachers and (a) the quality of future teachers as measured by their mathematics content and pedagogy content knowledge and (b) student achievement in mathematics at the national level.
Importance of Grades and Placement for Math Attainment Will Tyson, Josipa Roksa Educational Researcher, April 2017 This study examines how course grades and course rigor are associated with math attainment among students with similar eighth-grade standardized math test scores.
Effects of Teacher Preparation Courses: Do Graduates Use What They Learned to Plan Mathematics Lessons? Anne K. Morris, James Hiebert American Educational Research Journal, March 2017 Researchers investigated whether the content pre-service teachers studied in elementary teacher preparation mathematics courses was related to their performance on a mathematics lesson planning task 2 and 3 years after graduation.
Inside the Black Box: Examining Mediators and Moderators of a Middle School Science Intervention Laura M. Desimone, Kirsten Lee Hill Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, March 2017 Researchers use data from a randomized controlled trial of a middle school science intervention to explore the causal mechanisms by which the intervention produced previously documented gains in student achievement.
Common Core State Standards for ELA/Literacy and Next Generation Science Standards Okhee Lee Educational Researcher, March 2017 This article focuses on how the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) and the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) treat “argument,” especially in Grades K–5, and the extent to which each set of standards is grounded in research literature, as claimed.
Mathematics Curriculum Effects on Student Achievement in California Cory Koedel, Diyi Li, Morgan S. Polikoff, Tenice Hardaway, Stephani L. Wrabel AERA Open, February 2017 Researchers estimate relative achievement effects of the four most commonly adopted elementary mathematics textbooks in the fall of 2008 and fall of 2009 in California.
Using Theory and Measurement to Sharpen Conceptualizations of Mathematics Teaching in the Common Core Era Mary Kay Stein, Richard Correnti, Debra Moore, Jennifer Lin Russell, Katelynn Kelly AERA Open, January 2017 Researchers argue that large-scale, standards-based improvements in the teaching and learning of mathematics necessitate advances in theories regarding how teaching affects student learning and progress in how to measure instruction.
Research in Mathematics Education Alan H. Schoenfeld Review of Research in Education, December 2016 The author begins by tracing the growth and change in research in mathematics education and its interdependence with research in education in general over much of the 20th century, with an emphasis on changes in research perspectives and methods and the philosophical/empirical/disciplinary approaches that underpin them.
Science Education: From Separation to Integration Marcia C. Linn, Libby Gerard, Camillia Matuk, Kevin W. McElhaney Review of Research in Education, December 2016 This chapter focuses on how investigators from varied fields of inquiry who initially worked separately began to interact, eventually formed partnerships, and recently integrated their perspectives to strengthen science education.
Gender Differences in Students’ Physical Science Motivation: Are Teachers’ Implicit Cognitions Another Piece of the Puzzle? Almut E. Thomas American Educational Research Journal, December 2016 Drawing on expectancy-value theory, this study investigated whether teachers’ implicit science-is-male stereotypes predict between-teacher variation in males’ and females’ motivational beliefs regarding physical science.
Devalued Black and Latino Racial Identities: A By-Product of STEM College Culture? Ebony O. McGee American Educational Research Journal, December 2016 The researcher found that the 38 high-achieving Black and Latino/a STEM study participants, who attended institutions with racially hostile academic spaces, deployed an arsenal of strategies (e.g., stereotype management) to deflect stereotyping and other racial assaults (e.g., racial microaggressions), which are particularly prevalent in STEM fields.
Missing Elements in the Discussion of Teacher Shortages James Cowan, Dan Goldhaber, Kyle Hayes, Roddy Theobald Educational Researcher, November 2016 Researchers discuss public policies that contribute to teacher shortages in specific subjects (e.g., STEM and special education) and specific types of schools (e.g., disadvantaged) as well as potential solutions.
The “Exceptional” Physics Girl: A Sociological Analysis of Multimethod Data From Young Women Aged 10–16 to Explore Gendered Patterns of Post-16 Participation Louise Archer, Julie Moote, Becky Francis, Jennifer DeWitt, Lucy Yeomans American Educational Research Journal, November 2016 Researchers draw on survey data from more than 13,000 year 11 (age 15/16) students and interviews with 70 students (who had been tracked from age 10 to 16), focusing in particular on seven girls who aspired to continue with physics post-16, discussing how the cultural arbitrary of physics requires these girls to be highly “exceptional,” undertaking considerable identity work and deployment of capital in order to “possibilize” a physics identity—an endeavor in which some girls are better positioned to be successful than others.
Online Mathematics Homework Increases Student Achievement Jeremy Roschelle, Mingyu Feng, Robert F. Murphy, Craig A. Mason AERA Open, October 2016 In a randomized field trial with 2,850 seventh-grade mathematics students, researchers evaluated whether an educational technology intervention increased mathematics learning.
Essential Aspects of Science Teacher Professional Development: Making Research Participation Instructionally Effective Sherry A. Southerland, Ellen M. Granger, Roxanne Hughes, Patrick Enderle, Fengfeng Ke, Katrina Roseler, Yavuz Saka, Miray Tekkumru-Kisa AERA Open, October 2016 As current reform efforts in science place a premium on student sense making and participation in the practices of science, researchers use a close examination of 106 science teachers participating in Research Experiences for Teachers (RET) to identify, through structural equation modeling, the essential features in supporting teacher learning from these experiences.
Synthesizing Results From Empirical Research on Computer-Based Scaffolding in STEM Education: A Meta-Analysis Brian R. Belland, Andrew E. Walker, Nam Ju Kim, Mason Lefler Review of Educational Research, October 2016 This review addresses the need for a comprehensive meta-analysis of research on scaffolding in STEM education by synthesizing the results of 144 experimental studies (333 outcomes) on the effects of computer-based scaffolding designed to assist the full range of STEM learners (primary through adult education) as they navigated ill-structured, problem-centered curricula.
Coming to Know More Through and From Writing Vaughan Prain, Brian Hand Educational Researcher, October 2016 Researchers claim that there are strong evidence-based reasons for viewing writing as a central but not sole resource for learning, drawing on both past and current research on writing as an epistemological tool and on their professional background in science education research, acknowledging its distinctive take on the use of writing for learning.
Exploring Issues of Implementation, Equity, and Student Achievement With Educational Software in the DC Public Schools June Ahn, Austin Beck, John Rice, Michelle Foster AERA Open, September 2016 Researchers present analyses from a researcher-practitioner partnership in the District of Columbia Public Schools, where the researchers are exploring the impact of educational software on students’ academic achievement.
Does Postsecondary Persistence in STEM Vary by Gender? Barbara King AERA Open, September 2016 This study uses nationally representative data from a recent cohort of college students to investigate thoroughly gender differences in STEM persistence.
Understanding the Relationship Between Parental Education and STEM Course Taking Through Identity-Based and Expectancy-Value Theories of Motivation Ryan C. Svoboda, Christopher S. Rozek, Janet S. Hyde, Judith M. Harackiewicz, Mesmin Destin AERA Open, August 2016 This longitudinal study draws on identity-based and expectancy-value theories of motivation to explain the socioeconomic status (SES) and mathematics and science course-taking relationship.
Detracking and Tracking Up: Mathematics Course Placements in California Middle Schools, 2003–2013 Thurston Domina, Paul Hanselman, NaYoung Hwang, Andrew McEachin American Educational Research Journal, July 2016 Researchers consider the organizational processes that accompanied the curricular intensification of the proportion of California eighth graders enrolled in algebra or a more advanced course nearly doubling to 65% between 2003 and 2013.
Evaluating Longitudinal Mathematics Achievement Growth Lina Shanley Educational Researcher, July 2016 Using a nationally representative longitudinal data set, this study compared various models of mathematics achievement growth on the basis of both practical utility and optimal statistical fit and explored relationships within and between early and later mathematics growth parameters.
Mathematics Content Coverage and Student Learning in Kindergarten Mimi Engel, Amy Claessens, Tyler Watts, George Farkas Educational Researcher, June 2016 Analyzing data from two nationally representative kindergarten cohorts, researchers examine the mathematics content teachers cover in kindergarten.
Understanding Science Achievement Gaps by Race/Ethnicity and Gender in Kindergarten and First Grade F. Chris Curran, Ann T. Kellogg Educational Researcher, June 2016 Researchers present findings from the recently released Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten Class of 2010–2011 that demonstrate significant gaps in science achievement in kindergarten and first grade by race/ethnicity.
Impacts of Grouping and Time on the Math Learning of Language Minority Kindergartners Rachel Garrett, Guanglei Hong Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, June 2016 Analyzing the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study–Kindergarten cohort data, researchers find that heterogeneous grouping or a combination of heterogeneous and homogeneous grouping under relatively adequate time allocation is optimal for enhancing teacher ratings of language minority kindergartners’ math performance, while using homogeneous grouping only is detrimental.
The Impact of Inclusive STEM High Schools on Student Achievement Jennifer Gnagey, Stéphane Lavertu AERA Open, May 2016 This study is one of the first to estimate the impact of “inclusive” science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) high schools using student-level data.
Side Effects of Motivational Interventions? Effects of an Intervention in Math Classrooms on Motivation in Verbal Domains Hanna Gaspard, Anna-Lena Dicke, Barbara Flunger, Isabelle Häfner, Brigitte M. Brisson, Ulrich Trautwein, Benjamin Nagengast AERA Open, May 2016 Through data from a cluster-randomized study in which a value intervention was successfully implemented in 82 ninth-grade math classrooms, researchers address how interventions on students’ STEM motivation in school affect motivation in subjects not targeted by the intervention.
Undermatched? School-Based Linguistic Status, College Going, and the Immigrant Advantage Rebecca M. Callahan, Melissa H. Humphries American Educational Research Journal, April 2016 Researchers employ multivariate methods to investigate immigrant college going by linguistic status using the Educational Longitudinal Study of 2002.
How Can Placement Policy Improve Math Remediation Outcomes? Evidence From Experimentation in Community Colleges Federick Ngo, Tatiana Melguizo Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, March 2016 Researchers take advantage of heterogeneous placement policy in a large urban community college district in California to compare the effects of math remediation under different policy contexts.
Instruction and Students’ Declining Interest in Science: An Analysis of German Fourth- and Sixth-Grade Classrooms Steffen Tröbst, Thilo Kleickmann, Kim Lange-Schubert, Anne Rothkopf, Kornelia Möller American Educational Research Journal, February 2016 Researchers examined if changes in instructional practices accounted for differences in situational interest in science instruction and enduring individual interest in science between elementary and secondary school classrooms.
Cumulative Advantage in the Skill Development of STEM Graduate Students: A Mixed-Methods Study David F. Feldon, Michelle A. Maher, Josipa Roksa, James Peugh American Educational Research Journal, February 2016 Researchers offer evidence of a similar phenomenon to cumulative advantage, accounting for differential patterns of research skill development in graduate students over an academic year and explore differences in socialization that accompany diverging developmental trajectories.
Student Movement in Social Context : The Influence of Time, Peers, and Place Luke Dauter, Bruce Fuller American Educational Research Journal, February 2016 Researchers hypothesize that pupil mobility stems from the (a) student’s time in school and grade; (b) student’s race, class, and achievement relative to peers; (c) quality of schooling relative to nearby alternatives; and (4) proximity, abundance, and diversity of local school options.
Navigating the Problem Space of Academic Work: How Workload and Curricular Affordances Shape STEM Faculty Decisions About Teaching and Learning Matthew T. Hora AERA Open, January 2016 In this study the idea of the “problem space” from cognitive science is used to examine how faculty construct mental representations for the task of planning undergraduate courses.
Design Parameters for Impact Research in Science Education Jessaca Spybrook, Carl D. Westine, Joseph A. Taylor AERA Open, January 2016 This article provides empirical estimates of design parameters necessary for planning adequately powered cluster randomized trials (CRTs) focused on science achievement.
Science Achievement Gaps Begin Very Early, Persist, and Are Largely Explained by Modifiable Factors Paul L. Morgan, George Farkas, Marianne M. Hillemeier, Steve Maczuga Educational Researcher, January 2016 Researchers examined the age of onset, over-time dynamics, and mechanisms underlying science achievement gaps in U.S. elementary and middle schools.
In the Guise of STEM Education Reform: Opportunity Structures and Outcomes in Inclusive STEM-Focused High Schools Lois Weis, Margaret Eisenhart, Kristin Cipollone, Amy E. Stich, Andrea B. Nikischer, Jarrod Hanson, Sarah Ohle Leibrandt, Carrie D. Allen, Rachel Dominguez American Educational Research Journal, December 2015 Researchers present findings from a three-year comparative longitudinal and ethnographic study of how schools in two cities, Buffalo and Denver, have taken up STEM education reform, including the idea of “inclusive STEM-focused schools,” to address weaknesses in urban high schools with majority low-income and minority students.
Embedded Formative Assessment and Classroom Process Quality: How Do They Interact in Promoting Science Understanding? Jasmin Decristan, Eckhard Klieme, Mareike Kunter, Jan Hochweber, Gerhard Büttner, Benjamin Fauth, A. Lena Hondrich, Svenja Rieser, Silke Hertel, Ilonca Hardy American Educational Research Journal, December 2015 Researchers examine the interplay between curriculum-embedded formative assessment—a well-known teaching practice—and general features of classroom process quality (i.e., cognitive activation, supportive climate, classroom management) and their combined effect on elementary school students’ understanding of the scientific concepts of floating and sinking.
The Role of Schooling in Perpetuating Educational Inequality: An International Perspective William H. Schmidt, Nathan A. Burroughs, Pablo Zoido, Richard T. Houang Educational Researcher, October 2015 In this paper, student-level indicators of opportunity to learn (OTL) included in the 2012 Programme for International Student Assessment are used to explore the joint relationship of OTL and socioeconomic status (SES) to student mathematics literacy.
Pathway to a Baccalaureate in STEM Fields: Are Community Colleges a Viable Route and Does Early STEM Momentum Matter? Xueli Wang Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, September 2015 This study examines the effect of beginning at a community college on baccalaureate success in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields.
Science Achievement Gaps by Gender and Race/Ethnicity in Elementary and Middle School: Trends and Predictors David M. Quinn, North Cooc Educational Researcher, August 2015 With research on science achievement disparities by gender and race/ethnicity often neglecting the beginning of the pipeline in the early grades, researchers address this limitation using nationally representative data following students from Grades 3 to 8.
Middle School Math Acceleration and Equitable Access to Eighth-Grade Algebra: Evidence From the Wake County Public School System Shaun M. Dougherty, Joshua S. Goodman, Darryl V. Hill, Erica G. Litke, Lindsay C. Page Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, May 2015 Researchers highlight a collaboration to investigate one district’s effort to increase middle school algebra course-taking.
Faculty Mentors’, Graduate Students’, and Performance-Based Assessments of Students’ Research Skill Development David F. Feldon, Michelle A. Maher, Melissa Hurst, Briana Timmerman American Educational Research Journal, April 2015 This mixed-method study investigates agreement between student mentees’ and their faculty mentors’ perceptions of the students’ developing research knowledge and skills in STEM.
Dewey’s “Science as Method” a Century Later: Reviving Science Education for Civic Ends John L. Rudolph American Educational Research Journal, December 2014 This article revisits John Dewey’s now-well-known address “Science as Subject-Matter and as Method” and examines the development of science education in the United States in the years since that address.
Impacts and Characteristics of Computer-Based Science Inquiry Learning Environments for Precollege Students Dermot F. Donnelly, Marcia C. Linn Sten Ludvigsen Review of Educational Research, December 2014 The National Science Foundation–sponsored report Fostering Learning in the Networked World called for “a common, open platform to support communities of developers and learners in ways that enable both to take advantage of advances in the learning sciences”; we review research on science inquiry learning environments (ILEs) to characterize current platforms.
Stemming the Diffusion of Responsibility: A Longitudinal Case Study of America’s Chemistry Teachers Gregory T. Rushton, Herman E. Ray, Brett A. Criswell, Samuel J. Polizzi, Clyde J. Bearss, Nicholas Levelsmier, Himanshu Chhita, Mary Kirchhoff Educational Researcher, November 2014 Researchers perform a longitudinal case study of U.S. public school chemistry teachers to illustrate a diffusion of responsibility within the STEM community regarding who is responsible for the teacher workforce.
What’s Past Is Prologue: Relations Between Early Mathematics Knowledge and High School Achievement Tyler W. Watts, Greg J. Duncan, Robert S. Siegler, Pamela E. Davis-Kean Educational Researcher, October 2014 Researchers find that preschool mathematics ability predicts mathematics achievement through age 15, even after accounting for early reading, cognitive skills, and family and child characteristics.
The Impact of Open Textbooks on Secondary Science Learning Outcomes T. Jared Robinson, Lane Fischer, David Wiley, John Hilton, III Educational Researcher, October 2014 The purpose of this quantitative study is to analyze whether the adoption of open science textbooks significantly affects science learning outcomes for secondary students in earth systems, chemistry, and physics.
A Survey of Mathematics Education Technology Dissertation Scope and Quality: 1968–2009 Robert N. Ronau, Christopher R. Rakes, Sarah B. Bush, Shannon O. Driskell, Margaret L. Niess, David K. Pugalee American Educational Research Journal, October 2014 We examined 480 dissertations on the use of technology in mathematics education and developed a Quality Framework (QF) that provided structure to consistently define and measure quality.
Intended and Unintended Effects of State-Mandated High School Science and Mathematics Course Graduation Requirements on Educational Attainment Andrew D. Plunk, William F. Tate, Laura J. Bierut, Richard A. Grucza Educational Researcher, June 2014 Using logistic regression with Census and American Community Survey (ACS) data (n = 2,892,444), researchers modeled mathematics and science course graduation requirement (CGR) exposure on (a) high school dropout, (b) beginning college, and (c) obtaining any college degree.
Using Educative Curriculum Materials to Support the Development of Prospective Teachers’ Knowledge Corey Drake, Tonia J. Land, Andrew M. Tyminski Educational Researcher, April 2014 Building on the work of Ball and Cohen and that of Davis and Krajcik, as well as more recent research related to teacher learning from and about curriculum materials, researchers seek to answer the question, How can prospective teachers (PTs) learn to read and use educative curriculum materials in ways that support them in acquiring the knowledge needed for teaching?
Organized Interests and the Common Core Lorraine M. McDonnell, M. Stephen Weatherford Educational Researcher, December 2013 This article draws on theories of political and policy learning and interviews with major participants to examine the role that the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) supporters have played in developing and implementing the standards, supporters’ reasons for mobilizing, and the counterarguments and strategies of recently emerging opposition groups.
Why Students Choose STEM Majors: Motivation, High School Learning, and Postsecondary Context of Support Xueli Wang American Educational Research Journal, October 2013 This study draws upon social cognitive career theory and higher education literature to test a conceptual framework for understanding the entrance into science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) majors by recent high school graduates attending 4-year institutions.
The Influence of Teachers’ Knowledge on Student Learning in Middle School Physical Science Classrooms Philip M. Sadler, Gerhard Sonnert, Harold P. Coyle, Nancy Cook-Smith, Jaimie L. Miller American Educational Research Journal, October 2013 This study examines the relationship between teacher knowledge and student learning for 9,556 students of 181 middle school physical science teachers.
Between Politics and Equations: Teaching Critical Mathematics in a Remedial Secondary Classroom Andrew Brantlinger American Educational Research Journal, October 2013 The researcher presents results from a practitioner research study of his own teaching of critical mathematics (CM) to low-income students of color in a U.S. context.
Student Math Achievement and Out-of-Field Teaching Jason G. Hill, Ben Dalton Educational Researcher, October 2013 This study investigates the distribution of math teachers with a major or certification in math using data from the National Center for Education Statistics’ High School Longitudinal Study of 2009 (HSLS:09).
The Impact of a Classroom-Based Guidance Program on Student Performance in Community College Math Classes Kristin F. Butcher, Mary G. Visher Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, September 2013 This study uses random assignment to investigate the impact of a “light-touch” intervention, where an individual visited math classes a few times during the semester, for a few minutes each time, to inform students about available services.
Infusing Neuroscience Into Teacher Professional Development Janet M. Dubinsky, Gillian Roehrig, Sashank Varma Educational Researcher, August 2013 Researchers argue that the neurobiology of learning, and in particular the core concept of plasticity, have the potential to directly transform teacher preparation and professional development, and ultimately to affect how students think about their own learning.
Making a Difference in Science Education: The Impact of Undergraduate Research Programs M. Kevin Eagan, Jr., Sylvia Hurtado, Mitchell J. Chang, Gina A. Garcia, Felisha A. Herrera, Juan C. Garibay American Educational Research Journal, August 2013 Researchers’ findings indicate that participation in an undergraduate research program significantly improved students’ probability of indicating plans to enroll in a STEM graduate program.
Science and Language for English Language Learners in Relation to Next Generation Science Standards and with Implications for Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts and Mathematics Okhee Lee, Helen Quinn, Guadalupe Valdés Educational Researcher, May 2013 This article addresses language demands and opportunities that are embedded in the science and engineering practices delineated in “A Framework for K–12 Science Education,” released by the National Research Council (2011).
Understanding the Impact of Affirmative Action Bans in Different Graduate Fields of Study Liliana M. Garces American Educational Research Journal, April 2013 This study examines the effects of affirmative action bans in four states (California, Florida, Texas, and Washington) on the enrollment of underrepresented students of color within six different graduate fields of study: the natural sciences, engineering, social sciences, business, education, and humanities.
Critical Mass Revisited: Learning Lessons From Research on Diversity in STEM Fields Shirley M. Malcom, Lindsey E. Malcom-Piqueux Educational Researcher, April 2013 Researchers argue that social scientists ought to look to the vast STEM education research literature to begin the task of empirically investigating the questions raised in the Fisher case.
Effects of School Racial Composition on K–12 Mathematics Outcomes: A Metaregression Analysis Roslyn Arlin Mickelson, Martha Cecilia Bottia, Richard Lambert Review of Educational Research, March 2013 This metaregression analysis reviewed the social science literature published in the past 20 years on the relationship between mathematics outcomes and the racial composition of the K–12 schools students attend.
Effects of Two Scientific Inquiry Professional Development Interventions on Teaching Practice Jeffrey Grigg, Kimberle A. Kelly, Adam Gamoran, Geoffrey D. Borman Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, March 2013 Researchers examine classroom observations from a 3-year large-scale randomized trial in the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) to investigate the extent to which a professional development initiative in inquiry science influenced teaching practices in in 4th and 5th grade classrooms in 73 schools.
Crafting a Future in Science: Tracing Middle School Girls’ Identity Work Over Time and Space Angela Calabrese Barton, Hosun Kang, Edna Tan, Tara B. O’Neill, Juanita Bautista-Guerra, Caitlin Brecklin American Educational Research Journal, February 2013 This longitudinal ethnographic study traces the identity work that girls from nondominant backgrounds do as they engage in science-related activities across school, club, and home during the middle school years.
Computational Thinking in K–12: A Review of the State of the Field Shuchi Grover, Roy Pea Educational Researcher, January 2013 This article frames the current state of discourse on computational thinking in K–12 education by examining mostly recently published academic literature that uses Jeannette Wing’s article as a springboard, identifies gaps in research, and articulates priorities for future inquiries.
The More Things Change, the More They Stay the Same? Prior Achievement Fails to Explain Gender Inequality in Entry Into STEM College Majors Over Time Catherine Riegle-Crumb, Barbara King, Eric Grodsky, Chandra Muller American Educational Research Journal, December 2012 This article investigates the empirical basis for often-repeated arguments that gender differences in entrance into science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) majors are largely explained by disparities in prior achievement.
The Magnitude, Destinations, and Determinants of Mathematics and Science Teacher Turnover Richard M. Ingersoll, Henry May Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, December 2012 This study examines the magnitude, destinations, and determinants of mathematics and science teacher turnover.
Science Aspirations, Capital, and Family Habitus: How Families Shape Children’s Engagement and Identification With Science Louise Archer, Jennifer DeWitt, Jonathan Osborne, Justin Dillon, Beatrice Willis, Billy Wong American Educational Research Journal, October 2012 Drawing on the conceptual framework of Bourdieu, this article explores how the interplay of family habitus and capital can make science aspirations more “thinkable” for some (notably middle-class) children than others.
Experimental and Quasi-Experimental Studies of Inquiry-Based Science Teaching: A Meta-Analysis Erin Marie Furtak, Tina Seidel, Heidi Iverson, Derek C. Briggs Review of Educational Research, September 2012 This meta-analysis introduces a framework for inquiry-based teaching that distinguishes between cognitive features of the activity and degree of guidance given to students.
Revisiting the Impact of NCLB High-Stakes School Accountability, Capacity, and Resources: State NAEP 1990–2009 Reading and Math Achievement Gaps and Trends Jaekyung Lee, Todd Reeves Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, June 2012 This study examines the impact of high-stakes school accountability, capacity, and resources under NCLB on reading and math achievement outcomes through comparative interrupted time-series analyses of 1990–2009 NAEP state assessment data.
Learning Trajectory Based Instruction: Toward a Theory of Teaching Paola Sztajn, Jere Confrey, P. Holt Wilson, Cynthia Edgington Educational Researcher, June 2012 Researchers propose a theoretical connection between research on learning and research on teaching through recent research on students’ learning trajectories (LTs).
Promoting Student Interest in Science: The Perspectives of Exemplary African American Teachers Jianzhong Xu, Linda T. Coats, Mary L. Davidson American Educational Research Journal, February 2012 Researchers argue both the urgency and the promise of establishing a constructive conversation among different bodies of research, including science interest, sociocultural studies in science education, and culturally relevant teaching.
Science Teacher Learning Progressions: A Review of Science Teachers’ Pedagogical Content Knowledge Development Rebecca M. Schneider, Kellie Plasman Review of Educational Research, December 2011 This review examines the research on science teachers’ pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) in order to refine ideas about science teacher learning progressions and how to support them.
Implicit Social Cognitions Predict Sex Differences in Math Engagement and Achievement Brian A. Nosek, Frederick L. Smyth American Educational Research Journal, October 2011 Researchers examined implicit math attitudes and stereotypes among a heterogeneous sample of 5,139 participants.
Professional Development for Technology-Enhanced Inquiry Science Libby F. Gerard, Keisha Varma, Stephanie B. Corliss, Marcia C. Linn Review of Educational Research, September 2011 Researchers’ findings suggest that professional development programs that engaged teachers in a comprehensive, constructivist-oriented learning process and were sustained beyond 1 year significantly improved students’ inquiry learning experiences in K–12 science classrooms.
Integrating Literacy and Science in Biology: Teaching and Learning Impacts of Reading Apprenticeship Professional Development Cynthia L. Greenleaf, Cindy Litman, Thomas L. Hanson, Rachel Rosen, Christy K. Boscardin, Joan Herman, Steven A. Schneider, Sarah Madden, Barbara Jones American Educational Research Journal, June 2011 This study examined the effects of professional development integrating academic literacy and biology instruction on science teachers’ instructional practices and students’ achievement in science and literacy.
Assessing the Quality of the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics Paul Cobb, Kara Jackson Educational Researcher, May 2011 The authors comment on Porter, McMaken, Hwang, and Yang’s recent analysis of the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics by critiquing their measures of the focus of the standards and the absence of an assessment of coherence.
Patching the Pipeline: Reducing Educational Disparities in the Sciences Through Minority Training Programs P. Wesley Schultz, Paul R. Hernandez, Anna Woodcock, Mica Estrada, Randie C. Chance, Maria Aguilar, Richard T. Serpe Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, March 2011 This study reports results from a longitudinal study of students supported by a national National Institutes of Health–funded minority training program, and a propensity score matched control.
Integration of Technology, Curriculum, and Professional Development for Advancing Middle School Mathematics: Three Large-Scale Studies Jeremy Roschelle, Nicole Shechtman, Deborah Tatar, Stephen Hegedus, Bill Hopkins, Susan Empson, Jennifer Knudsen, Lawrence P. Gallagher American Educational Research Journal, December 2010 The authors present three studies (two randomized controlled experiments and one embedded quasi-experiment) designed to evaluate the impact of replacement units targeting student learning of advanced middle school mathematics.
Questioning a White Male Advantage in STEM: Examining Disparities in College Major by Gender and Race/Ethnicity Catherine Riegle-Crumb, Barbara King Educational Researcher, December 2010 The authors analyze national data on recent college matriculants to investigate gender and racial/ethnic disparities in STEM fields, with an eye toward the role of academic preparation and attitudes in shaping such disparities.
Selecting and Supporting the Use of Mathematics Curricula at Scale Mary Kay Stein, Julia H. Kaufman American Educational Research Journal, September 2010 This article begins to unravel the question, “What curricular materials work best under what kinds of conditions?” The authors address this question from the point of view of teachers and their ability to implement mathematics curricula that place varying demands and provide varying levels of support for their learning.
Argument to Foster Scientific Literacy: A Review of Argument Interventions in K–12 Science Contexts Andy R. Cavagnetto Review of Educational Research, September 2010 This study of 54 articles from the research literature examines how argument interventions promote scientific literacy.
The Co-Construction of Opposition in a Low-Track Mathematics Classroom Victoria M. Hand American Educational Research Journal, March 2010 The researcher examined how the teacher and students in a low-track mathematics classroom jointly constructed opposition through their classroom interactions.
College Graduation Rates for Minority Students in a Selective Technical University: Will Participation in a Summer Bridge Program Contribute to Success? Terrence E. Murphy, Monica Gaughan, Robert Hume, S. Gordon Moore, Jr. Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, March 2010 Researchers evaluate the association of a summer bridge program with the graduation rate of underrepresented minority (URM) students at a selective technical university.