The mixed methods study examined the impact of "Leader in Me" effects on math achievement in Grades 4 and 5. The problem this study addressed is underachieving mathematical achievement in a suburban school district when compared to the state assessment. "'Leader in Me' helps students learn how to become self-reliant, take…

Fraction proficiency is a critical milestone for students to reach, as fraction knowledge strongly predicts later math achievement. However, fractions are notoriously difficult for students to learn. The first study in this dissertation reviewed commonly used math curricula to determine if their fraction lessons used evidence-based instructional…

The math curriculum of the Montessori system of education for children ages 3-12 is distinctive, incorporating multiple manipulatives and educational practices which have theoretical and empirical support in research. However, studies investigating the math achievement and learning of Montessori students and alumni have not consistently found…

The math curriculum of the Montessori system of education for children ages 3-12 is distinctive, incorporating multiple manipulatives and educational practices which have theoretical and empirical support in research. However, studies investigating the math achievement and learning of Montessori students and alumni have not consistently found…

The Content Proximity Project was designed to improve the content validity of the MAP® Growth™ assessments while retaining the ability for the test to adapt off-grade and meet students wherever they are in their learning. Two main features of the project were the development of an enhanced item selection algorithm, and a spring pilot study…

Background: The relation between the human body movements and cognition has been a research hotspot in physical education and health promotion in recent years. This study applied the embodied cognition theory to examine the effects of the Movement Integrity with Intelligent Play (MIIP) program on preschoolers' math performance. Objective: This…

Math anxiety (MA) and math performance are generally negatively correlated (Barroso et al., 2021; Namkung et al., 2019). However, the mechanisms underlying this negative association remain unclear. According to the attentional control theory (ACT; Eysenck et al., 2007), anxious individuals experience impaired attentional control during problem…

This study explored the potency of CTCA in reducing math anxiety and promoting meaningful learning of mathematics among secondary school students. The study adopted a mixed-method (explanatory sequential) design involving a quasi-experimental design and individual in-depth interviews. Participants were drawn from two schools, purposively selected…

Absolute ability/achievement does not explain gender differences in educational trajectories, but the role of comparative advantage (i.e., being better in one subject compared to another) has received much less attention. To study this, longitudinal data collected among 1,352 individuals (age 15-16) in upper secondary education in the Netherlands…

The potential benefits of cognitive skills in enhancing mathematics ability have been claimed by numerous researchers. Since mathematics requires a complete understanding and grasp of abstract concepts, it is essential to explore how learning with metacognitive skills affects mathematics learning. Thus, the study investigates the students'…

A longitudinal study was conducted to identify unique sources of individual differences in later understanding of the equal sign as a relational symbol of equivalence (i.e., formal understanding of mathematical equivalence). The sample included 141 children from a mid-sized city in the Midwestern United States (M[subscript age] = 6 years, 2 months…

Many children experience challenges with school mathematics during the transition from primary to secondary education, with several studies documenting a decline of performance, motivation, and self-efficacy. In order to understand how early adolescents construct their mathematical identities during this transition, this study explores, along the…

We examined how children (N = 448) with separate or co-occurring developmental language disorder (DLD) and dyslexia performed on school-based measures of academic functioning between second and fourth grades. Children were recruited from 1 school district in the U.S. state of South Carolina via classroom screenings and met common research criteria…

The present study explores the validity of inferences that may be drawn from the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) learner achievement data by measuring the South African curriculum-TIMSS alignment for the Grade 8 science assessments from 2007 to 2019. The Singapore curriculum--TIMSS alignment indices are a fair…

In low-income countries, there exists a common concern about the effect of hunger and food insecurity on educational outcomes. However, income inequalities, economic slowdown, conflict, and climate change have raised those concerns globally. Yet, little is known about how widespread the problem of hunger in schools is worldwide. This study…