Tracking and using data to inform decisions pays off for college success programs on multiple levels. Having data allows program staff to monitor the progress of individual students and tailor support to their particular needs. It enables staff to understand the effectiveness of program activities and make improvements as necessary. Most…

This is the fifth annual report that NZCER has prepared for the Sorted in Schools, Te whai hua--kia ora programme, a financial literacy programme for secondary school students, led by Te Ara Ahunga Ora Retirement Commission. In 2024, our focus is to explore how Sorted in Schools is used and valued in English-medium educational settings. We used a…

This is the fourth annual evaluation report for the Sorted in Schools, Te whai hua -- kia ora programme, a financial literacy programme for secondary school students and akonga, led by Te Ara Ahunga Ora Retirement Commission. In 2023, the evaluation focused on collecting data about key programme goals and reporting on the proportion of schools and…

In recent years, the use of student data has become increasingly concerned with management of teacher performance. However, when teachers become aware of specific student data directly related to their approach of teaching, it could inform them about possible strengths, weaknesses or challenges. Unfortunately, teachers generally have little time…

This study aimed to investigate the influences instructional coaching had on middle school math teachers. Accountability demands have impacted teaching and learning, and the push to use high stakes tests to measure teacher quality and effectiveness has limited teacher autonomy, agency, and efficacy. Teachers need professional learning that…

In this study, 82 middle and high school teachers engaged with the InSTEP online professional learning platform to develop their expertise in teaching data science and statistics. We investigated teachers' engagement within the platform, aspects of the platform that were most and least effective in building teachers' expertise, and the extent to…

Career and technical education (CTE) programs (programs that teach students specific workplace skills aligned with the labor market) may track data for lots of different reasons: to comply with funding requirements, to manage their services and continually improve, to measure their progress toward their goals, and to evaluate whether they are…

As initiatives on AI education in K-12 learning contexts continues to evolve, researchers have developed curricula among other resources to promote AI across grade levels. Yet, there is a need for more effort regarding curriculum, tools, and pedagogy, as well as assessment techniques to popularize AI at the middle school level. Drawing on prior…

This study examined the effects of John Kotter's Eight Steps for Successful Change framework and strategies in systems implementation in a secondary educational environment. Teachers' perceptions of the effectiveness of Kotter's strategies used by their administrative team to support positive change were examined. The study evaluated data provided…

Background: Most United States schools include school-based physical fitness testing (SB-PFT), yet little evidence shows how it is implemented, perceived, and used. Purpose: 1) Explore stakeholders' experiences with SB-PFT; 2) identify: challenges in analyzing fitness data, ways schools can use fitness data, and predictors of meeting fitness…

Adaptive Learning Technologies (ALT) and Learning Analytics (LA) are expected to contribute to the customisation and personalisation of pupil learning by continually calibrating and adjusting pupils' learning activities towards their skill and competence levels. The overall aim of the study presented in this paper was to obtain a comprehensive…

Since professional learning is about shifting adult mindsets and behavior, it is work that frequently challenges assumptions, expectations, beliefs, instructional practices, and long-standing habits. To have meaningful and productive conversations about evaluation and data, educators must be equipped with effective practices and tools that allow…

Career Technology Education (CTE) program evaluations have been mostly completed for compliance and monitoring purposes. Hence, they have limited use in establishing program effectiveness or for program improvement. Moreover, engaging in program evaluations can be time consuming and costly, especially for programs that have not been evaluated in…

This study investigates upper secondary students' situational interest in a collaborative citizen science programme that involves genetic monitoring of freshwater fauna by analysing environmental DNA (eDNA) extracted from local pond water. The programme was attended by a sample that comprised 1879 students (M[subscript age] = 18.15, SD = 1.94)…

Pre-service teachers (PSTs) often lack the self-efficacy necessary to effectively implement STEM education into their classrooms. Undergraduate research experiences (URE) can help fill this void by providing opportunities for PSTs to engage with STEM content and K-12 students in a field-based research context. This case study details the impact a…