The problem investigated in this quantitative study was that schools in a small, rural East Texas town were falling below acceptable ratings in reading on the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) and the State of Texas Assessment of Academic Readiness (STAAR). Researchers have found that constructive-based learning environments (CBLEs)…

The purpose of this quantitative, causal-comparative study was to examine the application of the teaching and learning theory of social constructivism in order to determine if mathematics instruction provided in a departmentalized classroom setting at the fifth grade level resulted in a statistically significant difference in student achievement…

The aim of this research is to investigate the effect of enriched learning environments which have been developed in the framework of the "erosion and landslide" concepts on the conceptual understanding of students. A quasi-experimental method has been used in this research. The sample consists of 40 students. 5th grade students (aged…

In 2009, the National Assessment of Educational Process reported that the average reading score for students in one state was lower than that reported for students from 43 other states. The percentage of students performing at or above the accepted proficiency level in reading was 24% in 2009. School curriculum promotes reading achievement, yet…

The No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB)'s emphasis of reading, language arts, and mathematics (RLA&M) and its de-emphasis of science has been a source of great concern among educators. Through an objectivist and constructionist framework, this study explored the unforeseen effects of the NCLB on public science education among Title I (TI) and…

Educators and policymakers have been concerned about the problem of early literacy performance for many decades. Despite educational reform to increase standards, many children consistently fail to read at levels that enable them to compete globally. The purpose of this study was to provide a data driven program evaluation of a reading…

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of living animals on pupils' intrinsic motivation and knowledge. Various studies from the late 1970s and 1980s stress the high effectiveness of authentic learning experiences in pupils' knowledge acquisition. However, there are only few current empirical studies on this topic. The research question…

The objective of this quasi-experimental quantitative study was to determine if the use of a student response system, combined with an interactive whiteboard, led to increased student achievement in mathematics within a fifth grade classroom as measured by a district benchmark assessment and the annual Arizona Instrument to Measure Standards…

Today's educators are faced with growing academic accountability demands coupled with the increasing demands for preparing students for a technology-driven workplace. The purpose of this quasi-experimental study was to determine the extent to which the use of the Classroom Performance System (CPS) impacted social studies performance among a group…

As a result of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) of 2001, many school districts have reduced instructional time for the arts in order to focus on reading and mathematics. Accordingly, fine arts programs across the nation have become subject to budget cuts or elimination in order to meet federal accountability measures. Hit especially hard are…

This mixed method study examined the impact of a LEGO-based, engineering-oriented curriculum compared to an inquiry-based curriculum on fifth graders' content learning of simple machines. This study takes a social constructivist theoretical stance that science learning involves learning scientific concepts and their relations to each other. From…

This article explores the effects of the Time To Know program, a comprehensive technology-rich learning environment, on low socio-economic status (SES) students' learning achievements in Mathematics, Hebrew, and English as a Foreign Language (EFL)in Israel. The study is based on the assumption that one of the possible solutions for bridging the…

The "No Child Left Behind Act" (NCLB, 2001) required schools to make adequate yearly progress, use disaggregated data in planning, and employ highly-qualified teachers. The school leaders became those responsible for the success of the school. In South Carolina the Department of Education has recently sought to address adequacy needs…

The present study aims to investigate whether the learning materials that based on constructivist learning principles have an effect on fifth grade Social Studies students' attitudes, their academic success and their retention. The study was conducted at Sehit Ali Gaffar Okkan Elementary School, Eskisehir. The participants of the study were 5th…