The following study employed a student-centered methodology to understand undergraduate student confusion with student learning outcomes (SLOs), or the statements that specify what students should know or be able to do by the end of a course. Through understanding and investigating student confusion with undergraduate student researchers, we have…

This design case describes the implementation of the Human-centered Design process, developed by the world leading design firm IDEO and Stanford d. school. The process describes the technology integration onto a teaching credential program course at a university in Central California. It reports the thought process to adopting HCD in the course…

Educational leaders across the country are catching on to the idea that traditional grading practices and standardized tests do not adequately capture the scope of what young people know and can do. These schools and districts are experimenting with new models for assessing learning and communicating results with students and families. This…

Mathematics faculty created a model for intermediate algebra integrating principles from the science of learning. The redesigned curriculum revolved around two big ideas (solving and graphing) and provided students with information about the formation of long-term memories, the benefits of distributed practice, the impact of physiological aspects…

Many college students, especially first-generation and underrepresented racial/ethnic minority students, desire courses and careers that emphasize helping people and society. Can instructors of introductory science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) courses promote motivation, performance, and equity in STEM fields by emphasizing the…

This resource provides step-by-step guidance to teams who are developing, strengthening, or expanding a College Promise program. The Guidebook is organized into three sections that cover topics ranging from how to frame your College Promise program to evaluating and implementing it. Each section includes embedded tools and exercises to help you…

College Promise programs are thriving in California, and with the continued growth comes a need to understand the features of these diverse efforts and the perspectives of the communities in which they exist. In 2018, the James Irvine Foundation supported California College Promise Project (CCPP) at WestEd to study the College Promise landscape in…

In January 2016, the Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP) commenced an 18-month project to study the implementation of California's Adult Education Block Grant (AEBG) initiative. AEBG's purpose is "to improve coordination and better serve the needs of adult learners within each region." CLASP set out to foster greater understanding…

Does correctly answering a test question about a multiterm fact enhance memory for the entire fact? We explored that issue in 4 experiments. Subjects first studied Advanced Placement History or Biology facts. Half of those facts were then restudied, whereas the remainder were tested using "5 W" (i.e., "who, what, when, where",…

Learner motivation is considered a vital factor in second language instruction. An analysis of motivation types and degrees can reveal learners' expectations and learning objectives. The present study analyzes the motivational patterns of a group of English for academic and professional purposes (EAPP) learners while focusing on types and degrees…

This article reports on an empirical case study centering on adult ESL learners' motivational patterns for learning English and its relevance to their career goals. It looks at past patterns of immigrant insertion within the socioeconomic context of the US and explores current trends in adult ESL curriculum development focused on the task of…

Community colleges benefit from a diverse population with various reasons for attending. For example, 23% of Latina/o students that earned a PhD between 1990 and 2000 began their education in a community college (Rivas, Pérez, Alvarez, & Solórzano, 2007). However, there are a number who often do not persist toward their goals. To begin with,…

Critical thinking is an important outcome of a college education. Assessment techniques that require students to demonstrate their understanding of course concepts are referred to as authentic assessment and promote the development of critical thinking. Little research exists on the types of assessment and grading practices utilized by community…

As an outgrowth of the accountability requirements of the No Child Left Behind Act, districts are increasingly implementing "interim" or "benchmark" assessments. This report investigates various stakeholders' original purposes in adopting interim or benchmark assessments, ensuing implementation efforts, and actual assessment…

Beyond for-credit offerings, some library and information science (LIS) schools are exploring MOOCs as a means to promote lifelong learning and professional development. Using web surveys and descriptive content analysis methods, this paper empirically addresses if, in LIS programs, MOOCs can fill a role and serve new populations of learners…