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Descriptors:
Adaptive Testing; Feedback (Response); High School Students; Metacognition; Difficulty Level; Computer Assisted Testing; Scores; Student Attitudes; Test Items; Ability Grouping

Abstract:
We investigated students' metacognitive experiences with regard to feelings of difficulty (FD), feelings of satisfaction (FS), and estimate of effort (EE), employing either computerized adaptive testing (CAT) or computerized fixed item testing (FIT). In an experimental approach, 174 students in grades 10 to 13 were tested either with a CAT or a FIT version of a matrices test. Data revealed that metacognitive experiences were not related to the resulting test scores for CAT: test takers who took the matrices test in an adaptive mode were paradoxically more satisfied with their performance the worse they had performed in terms of the resulting ability parameter. They also rated the test as easier the lower they had performed, but their estimates of effort were higher the better they had performed. For test takers who took the FIT version, completely different results were revealed. In line with previous results, test takers were supposed to base these experiences on the subjectively estimated percentage of items solved. This moderated mediation hypothesis was in parts confirmed, as the relation between the percentage of items solved and FD, FS, and EE was revealed to be mediated by the estimated percentage of items solved. Results are discussed with reference to feedback acceptance, errant self-estimations, and test fairness with regard to a possible false regulation of effort in lower ability groups when using CAT. Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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Descriptors:
Academic Ability; Academic Aspiration; Educational Environment; Self Concept; Summer Programs; Ability Grouping; Middle School Students; High School Students; Bayesian Statistics; Intervals; Scores

Abstract:
Big-fish-little-pond effect (BFLPE) research (e.g., Marsh & Parker, 1984) has found that perceptions of academic ability are generally positively related to individual ability and negatively related to classroom and school average ability. However, BFLPE research typically relies on environmental differences as a between-subjects factor. Unlike most previous BFLPE research, the current study used group average ability as a within-subject variable by measuring student self-concept before and after high-ability students left their regular school environment to participate in a supplemental academic summer program. Results revealed that academic self-concept (ASC) and educational aspirations did not undergo significant declines when students were in the relatively higher ability environment. Even with ceiling effects limiting potential increases in ASC, participants were more than 2 times as likely to increase or maintain their ASC as they were to report declines in ASC. Further, several boosts were found in nonacademic self-concepts. Such findings indicate that BFLPEs are not necessarily associated with supplemental educational environments. (Contains 2 tables, 3 figures and 3 footnotes.) Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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Descriptors:
Ability Grouping; Self Control; Kindergarten; Student Behavior; Social Development; Student Role; Emotional Development; Socialization; Academic Achievement; Longitudinal Studies; Scores; Cognitive Style; Interpersonal Competence; Behavior Problems

Abstract:
We revisit Harry L. Gracey's perspective of kindergarten as academic boot camp where, at school entry, children acquire the student role through a structured program of activities. We provide further insights into the crucial mechanisms of socialization that occur in U.S. kindergartens by examining the relationship between within-class ability grouping and attributes of children's psycho-social development that are critical for school success. Using data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study (ECLS-K) and incorporating stratified propensity scores into multi-level models, our analyses link within-class ability grouping to student behaviors in a manner that supports the concerns raised by ability grouping critics. Children in low ability groups show slower development in approaches to learning than comparable ungrouped children. Children in high ability groups show more accelerated development in all psycho-social attributes considered (approaches to learning, interpersonal skills, self control and externalizing problem behaviors) than comparable ungrouped children. These asymmetrical findings suggest that children placed in high and low ability groups are socialized into different versions of the student role. Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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Descriptors:
Ability Grouping; Evidence; Reading Tests; Individual Characteristics; Kindergarten; Income; English; Scores; Grade 1; Program Effectiveness; Educational Policy; Mathematics Tests; Mainstreaming; Peer Relationship; English Language Learners; Longitudinal Studies; Cohort Analysis; Predictor Variables; Correlation

Abstract:
Over the past decade, several state and federal policies have directed schools to mainstream English Language Learner (ELL) students into English-only instruction classrooms. While there is mixed evidence on the effects of these immersion policies on the ELL students, research examining potential peer effects on their non-ELL classmates is non-existent. This paper begins to fill in this gap by using a nationally representative longitudinal sample of children in early elementary grades. Results indicate that having an ELL classmate during kindergarten and first grade is associated with lower test score gains in reading but not necessarily in math for non-ELL students whose primary language is English, controlling for unobserved fixed school characteristics as well as individual characteristics. The negative peer effects on reading test score gain are sensitive to the frequency of within classroom ability grouping usage, gender, and household income level of non-ELL children. (Contains 5 tables and 1 figure.) Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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Descriptors:
Urban Schools; Educational Policy; Educational Change; Algebra; Required Courses; Curriculum Development; Equal Education; Ability Grouping; Heterogeneous Grouping; Grouping (Instructional Purposes); Academic Ability; High Achievement; Test Score Decline; Grade 9

Abstract:
In 1997, Chicago implemented a policy that required algebra for all ninth-grade students, eliminating all remedial coursework. This policy increased opportunities to take algebra for low-skill students who had previously enrolled in remedial math. However, little is known about how schools respond to the policy in terms of organizing math classrooms to accommodate curricular changes. The policy unintentionally affected high-skill students who were not targeted by the policy--those who would enroll in algebra in its absence. Using an interrupted time-series design combined with within-cohort comparisons, this study shows that schools created more mixed-ability classrooms when eliminating remedial math classes, and peer skill levels declined for high-skill students. Consequently, their test scores also declined. (Contains 15 notes, 6 figures, and 5 tables.) Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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Descriptors:
Ability Grouping; Profiles; Children; Clinical Diagnosis; Memorization; Short Term Memory; Cognitive Ability; Gifted; Student Behavior; Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder; Spatial Ability; Visual Perception; Comparative Analysis

Abstract:
The purpose of this study was to investigate the cognitive and behavioral profiles of high ability students. Performance on measures of verbal and visuo-spatial working memory and general ability (vocabulary and block design) was compared across the following groups: high, average, and low ability students. The behavioral profile of high ability students was also compared with those with a clinical diagnosis of ADHD. The working memory performance was superior in the high ability students compared to the low and average ability groups, though the relationship between working memory and IQ weakens as a function of increasing ability. The findings are discussed in light of Spearman's law of diminishing returns. The behavioral profile of this group indicates similar features in some respects to those with a clinical diagnosis of ADHD, however, underlying explanations may differ and should be taken into consideration in future research on dual needs in high ability students. (Contains 3 tables.) Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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Descriptors:
Curriculum Design; Emotional Problems; Educational Research; Ability Grouping; Foreign Countries; Teacher Attitudes; Student Attitudes; Educational Policy; Middle School Students; English (Second Language); Second Language Learning; Second Language Instruction; Teacher Education; Instructional Effectiveness

Abstract:
Ability grouping--defined as a practice that places students into classrooms or small groups based on an initial assessment of their readiness or ability--has received considerable attention in educational research for years in many countries (Ireson & Hallam, 1999, 2001; Slavin, 1987). In Korea, ability grouping has been implemented in elementary, middle, and high school settings for certain subjects such as English. The purpose of the current study was to determine how the ability grouping policy has been implemented in Korean middle school English classes and to examine the perceptions of teachers (n = 55) and students (n = 754) regarding this policy. The results showed that schools implemented the policy in a variety of ways (e.g. different number of grouping levels). Teachers and students indicated their concerns regarding students' emotional problems and showed mixed attitudes towards ability grouping. They also argued that schools need large support to maximize the putative effectiveness of ability grouping in different areas such as curriculum design, materials development, and teacher training. The findings are discussed in terms of pedagogical recommendations for increasing the effectiveness of ability grouping in English classes and other options for future research to investigate this and relevant educational language policies. (Contains 1 figure and 4 tables.) Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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Descriptors:
Academic Achievement; Classes (Groups of Students); Intelligence Tests; Ability Grouping; Grade 3; Nonverbal Ability; Science Curriculum; Science Instruction; Elementary School Science; Primary Education; Control Groups; Teaching Methods

Abstract:
The purpose of the study was to measure the effects of higher level, inquiry-based science curricula on students at primary level in Title I schools. Approximately 3,300 K-3 students from six schools were assigned to experimental or control classes (N = 115 total) on a random basis according to class. Experimental students were exposed to concept-based science curriculum that emphasized "deep learning" though concept mastery and investigation, whereas control classes learned science from traditional school-based curricula. Two ability measures, the Bracken Basic Concept Scale-Revised (BBCS-R, Bracken 1998) and the Naglieri Nonverbal Intelligence Test (NNAT, Naglieri 1991), were used for baseline information. Additionally, a standardized measure of student achievement in science (the MAT-8 science subtest), a standardized measure of critical thinking, and a measure for observing teachers' classroom behaviors were used to assess learning outcomes. Results indicated that all ability groups of students benefited from the science inquiry-based approach to learning that emphasized science concepts, and that there was a positive achievement effect for low socio-economic young children who were exposed to such a curriculum. Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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Descriptors:
Junior High Schools; High Schools; Academic Achievement; Ability Grouping; Foreign Countries; Educational Policy; Business; Parent Aspiration; Parent Attitudes; Reputation; Tests; Admission (School)

Abstract:
In this article, the author explores the market phenomenon revealed in the practice of a mixed-ability grouping policy in Taiwan, and traces the influence of the wider educational contexts on the formation of the market phenomenon. Although there have been no major policies introduced with the intention of creating a market mechanism in Taiwanese education, the author found that the practice of the mixed-ability grouping policy in junior high level education has been shadowed by a self-initiated market mechanism. Junior high school educators perceive that parents value a high entry rate to the highest ranking academic high schools, and junior high schools develop strategies to boost pupils' academic performance and to attract future pupils. Under such circumstances, junior high level schooling and students are commodified on the basis of a single value--academic performance. The author argues that wider educational contexts, including the senior high school entry examination, and control over the provision of senior high level education, shape the market phenomenon in Taiwanese junior high level education. (Contains 13 notes.) Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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Descriptors:
Ability Grouping; Difficulty Level; Psychometrics; Statistical Analysis; Educational Assessment; Error of Measurement; Standardized Tests; Validity; Measurement; Simulation; Equated Scores; Sampling; Inferences; Item Response Theory

Abstract:
Test equating is a statistical procedure for adjusting for test form differences in difficulty in a standardized assessment. Equating results are supposed to hold for a specified target population (Kolen & Brennan, 2004; von Davier, Holland, & Thayer, 2004) and to be (relatively) independent of the subpopulations from the target population (see Dorans & Holland, 2000; Zumbo, 2007). This study discusses the challenges in defining a target population for test equating and in validating the inferences that can be made for the equated scores when the test takers cluster in distinctive ability groups. This discussion takes place in the context of measurement validity (Zumbo, 2007) and optimal sampling design (Berger, 1997). This article discusses an alternative observed-score equating (OSE) approach that takes the advantage of the OSE framework described in von Davier (2011). The flexibility of the OSE framework and the availability of the standard error of equating difference, which is the standard error of the difference between two equating functions obtained from using two different methods, allow practitioners to compare statistically the equating results from different weighting schemes for distinctive subgroups of the target population. Simulated and real data were used in this study. Item response theory OSE with multigroup calibration, followed by computing the distributions with appropriate sampling weights, was used as the equating criterion. (Contains 11 notes, 6 tables and 9 figures.) Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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