Machine learning methods for predictive analytics have great potential for uncovering trends in educational data. However, simple linear models still appear to be most widely used, in part, because of their interpretability. This study aims to address the issues of interpretability of complex machine learning classifiers by conducting feature…

The acquisition of early literacy skills prior to school can positively influence later educational outcomes. However, children from culturally and economically disadvantaged backgrounds often lack stimulating educational activities at home. This analysis provides empirical evidence for 31 education systems on the association between parental…

Student login data is a key resource for gaining insight into their learning experience. However, the scale and the complexity of this data necessitate a thorough exploration to identify potential actionable insights, thus rendering it less valuable compared to student achievement data. To compensate for the underestimation of login data…

The purpose of this study was to track the gender makeup of the five string sections (Violin 1, Violin 2, Viola, Cello, and String Bass) of Texas Music Educators Association (TMEA) All-State Orchestras from 1971 to 2010, to determine if a clear gender stereotype was evident in any of the sections and if there had been a trend towards a change in…

This paper introduces latent growth modeling (LGM) as a statistical method for analyzing change over time in latent, or unobserved, variables, with particular emphasis of the application of this method in higher education research. While increasingly popular in other areas of education research and despite a wealth of publicly-available datasets…

This paper reports on early findings from a pilot study into student retention beyond Year 10. Located in rural, regional and disadvantaged communities in Tasmania, the research has implications at State, national and international levels. It is being funded by a nationally competitive Australian Research Council Linkage grant and the Tasmanian…

We offer a concise history of teacher retirement plans in the United States, highlighting the increase in the generosity of the plans over the past 25 years. We employ data from plans in all fifty states to estimate the impact of a set of social and economic variables on the plans' replacement rates for a hypothetical teacher. We find that, at the…

The collection of dropout statistics is discussed from the perspective of the National Education Longitudinal Study of 1988 (NELS:88). The NELS:88 follows a cohort of 1988 eighth graders over time and is designed to provide trend data about transitions experienced as students progress through the educational system. Dropout statistics are provided…

This paper summarizes and highlights some of the critical developments, issues, and trends which impact the work of survey research. The issue of preventing or minimizing nonresponse bias by successfully obtaining cooperation from people being surveyed continues to be of concern to survey research professionals. The most effective response rate…

This report provides comparisons among the social indicator reports of seven countries including Canada, France, Great Britain, Japan, Norway, the United States, and West Germany. The purpose of social indicator research in each country is to provide a means for developing more adequate answers to the questions over present and emerging social…

An iterative least squares procedure for analyzing the effect of various kinds of intervention in time-series data is described. There are numerous applications of this design in economics, education, and psychology, although until recently, no appropriate analysis techniques had been developed to deal with the model adequately. This paper…

The relevance of political science in America is examined. The paper is based on a 1963 profile of political science by Albert Somit and Joseph Tanenhaus, and a 1976 replication of this survey in which attitudes of American Political Science Association (APSA) members were re-assessed. Three dimensions of relevance are identified as important in…

This paper examines the changing demographics of American society and the impact of these changes on higher education. Discussions include a historical background of early American demography, the building and expansion of the population base, and census changes through various generations of the baby boom years and beyond. Next, the report…

In this document, tables and charts illustrate the present state of attainment of education in the U.S. and the changing nature of choices people are making. The document attempts to show the demographic data that proves or disproves the necessity of nontraditional study and the relationship of nontraditional study to the fate of higher education…

Since the future role played by the school library media center is important to library planners, a Delphi survey questioned school librarians, leaders in the profession, and faculty members in schools with media. Four factors were seen to affect the future of the media center: (1) trends within the next 25 years, (2) innovations needing to be…