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Descriptors:
Intelligence; Behavior Problems; Genetics; Etiology; Environmental Influences; Preschool Children; Longitudinal Studies; Twins; Attendance; Cognitive Ability; Socioeconomic Status; Minority Groups; Enrollment; Child Care Centers; Economically Disadvantaged; Preschool Education

Abstract:
Background: Preschool involves an array of new social experiences that may impact the development of early externalizing behavior problems over the transition to grade school. Methods: Using longitudinal data from a nationally representative sample of over 600 pairs of US twins, we tested whether the genetic and environmental influences on externalizing problems differed between children who did versus did not attend preschool. Results: At age 4, the genetic and environmental etiology of externalizing did not differ by preschool attendance. In contrast, by age 5 years (kindergarten age), the genetic and environmental etiology of externalizing significantly differed by preschool attendance. Among children who did not attend preschool, externalizing at age 5 was predominantly due to environmental influences (52% shared environment, 34% non-shared environment) rather than genetic differences (13%), whereas among children who had attended preschool, externalizing at age 5 was primarily due to genes (67%), and shared environmental influences were negligible (0%). These interactions represented the differential longitudinal persistence of genes and environments that contributed to externalizing at age 4. Sensitivity analyses ruled out confounding due to early mental ability, socioeconomic status, minority status, child age, and prior history of childcare. Conclusions: These results indicate that preschool enrollment is associated with increased genetic and decreased shared environmental influences on the development of early externalizing behavior problems. (Contains 1 table, 3 figures, and 2 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:
Attendance; Instructional Effectiveness; Educational Research; Educational Environment; Creativity; Case Studies; Literature Reviews; Problem Solving; Motivation; Teachers

Abstract:
This article is based on a systematic review of educational research, policy and professional literature relating to creative environments for learning in schools. Despite the search yielding 210 documents, comparatively few empirical studies were published between 2005 and 2011 that addressed the review objectives. Only 18 studies included in the review investigated the impact of creativity on learners. There was, however, some evidence for the impact of creative learning environments on pupil attainment, confidence, resilience, motivation, problem-solving, interpersonal skills and school attendance. These findings have implications for policy, practice and research internationally. 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; Child Abuse; Grade Point Average; Behavior Problems; Crime; Path Analysis; Graduation; Young Adults; Educational Experience; Role; Attendance; Law Enforcement; Multivariate Analysis; Academic Aspiration; Gender Differences; Race; Ethnicity; Poverty; Antisocial Behavior; Urban Youth; Interviews; Resilience (Psychology)

Abstract:
This study investigates whether positive educational experiences in midadolescence mitigate the impact of exposure to substantiated maltreatment and reduces young adult antisocial behavior. While there is theoretical and empirical support for the mediating or moderating role of educational experiences on maltreatment and antisocial outcomes, few prospective studies exist. In this exploratory study, data are from the Rochester Youth Development Study (RYDS), a longitudinal panel study of 1,000 adolescents. The original sample included 73% males, and 85% African American or Hispanic youth of whom about 20% were maltreated. Measures in this study are from a combination of interview data and official records collected through age 23. Outcomes include self-reported crime and violence, arrest, and partner violence perpetration. Educational variables include midadolescent self-report of high school graduation, educational aspiration, college expectation, school commitment, teacher attachment, self-reported grades, school GPA, attendance, and an additive index of all school assets. Multivariate path analysis controlled for gender, race/ethnicity, poverty, and early antisocial behavior. Path analysis examined whether educational experiences mediated the impact of maltreatment on antisocial outcomes. Although maltreatment was significantly predictive of criminal and violent behaviors, it only was weakly associated with educational experiences. The impact of maltreatment on arrest was weakly mediated (reduced) by educational GPA and by high school graduation. The additive index also mediated the impact of maltreatment on crime and violence. Maltreatment's impact on partner violence was also weakly mediated by school GPA. Interaction terms were used to test for moderation: only one significant effect was found: school GPA protects maltreated youth from perpetration of partner violence as young adults. Although there are few significant effects in a number of models, the research is consistent with a focus on promoting school achievement and completion among urban youth in general, in conjunction with addressing earlier antisocial behavior problems. (Contains 2 tables, 4 figures, and 8 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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Factor Analysis; Grades (Scholastic); Student Characteristics; Undergraduate Students; Undergraduate Study; Teacher Attitudes; Educational Practices; Teacher Surveys; Interdisciplinary Approach; Beliefs; Student Participation; Attendance; Grading; Evaluation Criteria; Student Evaluation

Abstract:
The author explores an assumption evident in the literature that "most" college instructors grade participation in undergraduate courses. Instructors (N = 521) at a large, northeastern university were surveyed regarding their attitudes and practices in grading participation in undergraduate courses. A survey instrument was developed for the purpose of this study and subjected to principal components analysis. This instrument yielded seven subscales of acceptable reliability (Cronbach's alpha greater than or equal to 0.70), three of which are the focus of this article. Results suggest that the majority of instructors across disciplines do incorporate a "participation" factor into students' final course grades. Course level is not a significant correlate, but some differences may be observed by discipline. Underlying instructor beliefs are examined, and implications and future directions for research are discussed. (Contains 1 figure and 7 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:
Indigenous Populations; Cost Effectiveness; Foreign Countries; Educational Benefits; School Involvement; Economic Impact; Community Benefits; Geographic Location; Student Participation; Attendance; Education Work Relationship; Youth Opportunities; Youth Programs; Outcomes of Education; Educational Indicators; Educational Assessment; Predictor Variables; Predictive Measurement; Predictive Validity; Educational Attitudes

Abstract:
In this paper, the 2001 Australian Census is used to estimate predicted net benefits of education at a small geographic level. These are then linked to youth in the areas to test the associations with high school participation. This is done separately for Indigenous youth, a population sub-group with historically low levels of education participation. The results confirm that, in general, localised predicted benefits of education do have a significant association with participation. For the Indigenous population, however, there is no significant association between the predicted income benefits of education and participation and only a weak association with the employment benefits. (Contains 5 tables and 4 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:
Academic Achievement; Achievement Tests; Elementary School Students; Numeracy; Foreign Countries; Child Health; Lighting; Educational History; Socioeconomic Status; Literacy; Developing Nations; Educational Attainment; Low Achievement; Nutrition; Attendance; Childrens Literature; Family Environment; Educational Policy

Abstract:
One of the eight Millennium Development Goals is that all children in developing countries should complete primary education. Much progress has been made toward this goal, but completing primary school does not ensure that students attain basic literacy and numeracy skills. Indeed, there is ample evidence that many children in developing countries are not learning these basic skills. This raises the question: What can schools and communities do to increase the learning that takes place in schools? Sri Lanka exemplifies these issues. It has achieved universal primary completion, but many Sri Lankan primary school students perform poorly on academic tests. This paper uses unusually rich data from Sri Lanka to investigate the determinants of academic performance, as measured by achievement tests, of Grade 4 students. At the child and household level, educated parents, better nutrition, high daily attendance, enrollment in private tutoring classes, exercise books, electric lighting, and children's books at home all appear to increase learning, while hearing problems have a strong negative effect. Among school variables, principals' and teachers' years of experience, collaborating with other schools in a "school family," and meetings between parents and teachers all appear to have positive impacts on students' scores. Estimates that exclude some of the variables available in the unusually rich data yield different results, which suggests that results based on less complete data are likely to suffer from omitted variable bias. A final section provides recommendations for education policies in Sri Lanka. (Contains 10 tables and 21 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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Evidence; Voluntary Agencies; Foreign Countries; Rewards; Social Control; Government Role; Punishment; Compulsory Education; Educational History; Historiography; Religious Education; Case Studies; Attendance; Discipline; Churches

Abstract:
The historiographical tradition which developed within the history of education from the 1970s regarded religious organisations as distractions from the "real" task of developing state-funded universal compulsory education. Despite more positive evaluations of voluntary agencies within the history of social policy, since the 1980s, the schools affiliated to the national co-ordinating religious societies are still regarded as potential agents of social control, inadequate in numerical terms, with poor standards, dull curricula and brutal discipline. This article seeks to redress the balance of this historiography by means of a case-study of part of the London hinterland. It will show how voluntary schools attached to national and international "modern" co-ordinating bodies might provide sufficient school places, a curriculum which was structured, with results evaluated positively by inspectors, and could operate systems of rewards rather than corporal punishment. Comparisons with the period after school boards were founded indicates that attendance rates stayed about the same, that the curriculum initially narrowed in one area, and that corporal punishment increased. While these factors were due partly to population increase, the evidence nevertheless demonstrates how voluntary schools could provide adequately, even well, for local populations, and that rate-aided school provision might have negative consequences. (Contains 115 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:
Attendance; Self Efficacy; Adolescents; Questionnaires; Foreign Countries; Family Life; Peer Influence; Stress Variables; Correlation; Well Being; Emotional Response; Physical Health; Mental Health; Drinking; Alcohol Abuse

Abstract:
Previous research has suggested an association between heightened levels of stress among adolescents and reduced levels of mental, physical and emotional well-being. This study sought to examine the relationship between 10 domains of adolescent stress and self-reported drinking behaviour. A total of 610 adolescents, aged 12-16 years old, were recruited from high schools in Northern Ireland. In addition to completing questionnaires on drinking behaviour and stress, participants completed questionnaires assessing self-esteem and three domains of self-efficacy. Bivariate results suggested that more problematic drinking was associated with higher levels of stress in 9 out of 10 stress domains. More fully controlled regression analyses revealed a domain-specific relationship between stress and drinking behaviour such that more problematic drinking was associated with more self-reported stress from home life, school attendance and financial pressure, but lower stress from peer pressure and school performance. These results suggest that it is a combination of a heightened occurrence of some stressors and a lower occurrence of others that is associated with more problematic drinking among adolescents. Future prospective research might investigate to what extent these relationships precede and therefore help predict adolescent drinking. (Contains 3 tables and 1 note.) 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:
Middle Schools; Program Evaluation; Program Effectiveness; School Effectiveness; Middle School Students; Reading Achievement; Mathematics Achievement; Science Achievement; Social Studies; Effect Size; Quasiexperimental Design; Statistical Significance; Attendance; School Culture

Abstract:
This study examined whether attending a Knowledge is Power Program (KIPP) middle school improved students' reading, math, social studies, and science achievement for up to 4 years following enrollment. The study reported that students attending KIPP middle schools scored statistically significantly higher than matched students on all of the state assessments and follow-up periods examined, including reading and math 1-4 years following enrollment (effect sizes ranging from 0.05 to 0.36), and social studies and science 3-4 years following enrollment (effect sizes of 0.25 and 0.33, respectively). The portion of the study that used a quasi-experimental design meets What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) evidence standards with reservations. The study established that KIPP and non-KIPP students were similar on measured characteristics such as baseline test scores and demographics, and controlled for baseline characteristics of students in the analysis. [The following study is reviewed in this "Quick Review": Tuttle, C. C., Gill, B., Gleason, P., Knechtel, V., Nichols-Barrer, I., & Resch, A. (2013). "KIPP middle schools: Impacts on achievement and other outcomes, final report." Washington, DC: Mathematica Policy Research (ED540912).] 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; Credits; Evidence; Outcomes of Education; Minority Group Children; Standardized Tests; Ownership; Educational Objectives; Family Environment; Access to Computers; Hypothesis Testing; Grades (Scholastic); Scores; Homework; Surveys; Attendance; Correlation; Low Income

Abstract:
Computers are an important part of modern education, yet large segments of the population--especially low-income and minority children--lack access to a computer at home. Does this impede educational achievement? We test this hypothesis by conducting the largest-ever field experiment involving the random provision of free computers for home use to students. 1,123 schoolchildren grades 6-10 in 15 California schools participated in the experiment. Although the program significantly increased computer ownership and use, we find no effects on any educational outcomes, including grades, standardized test scores, credits earned, attendance and disciplinary actions. Our estimates are precise enough to rule out even modestly-sized positive or negative impacts. The estimated null effect is consistent with survey evidence showing no change in homework time or other "intermediate" inputs in education for treatment students. Appended are: (1) Computer Ownership and Participation Rates; (2) Attrition; (3) Heterogeneity by pre-treatment performance; and (4) Heterogeneity by demographic characteristics. (Contains 4 figures, 12 tables and 34 footnotes.) [Funding for the project was provided by Computers for Classrooms, Inc., the ZeroDivide Foundation, and the NET Institute.] Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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