Linear regression analysis is one of the most common techniques applied in developmental research, but only allows for an estimate of the average relations between the predictor(s) and the outcome. This study describes quantile regression, which provides estimates of the relations between the predictor(s) and outcome, but across multiple points of…

The perspective of English as an International Language (EIL) has been proposed mainly to alleviate the tenets of language and cultural imperialism and, of course, to facilitate communication through different varieties of English. Hence, English language classrooms are the preliminary venue for the inception of such a rudimentary movement.…

Acquiring the correct meanings of words expressing quantities ("seven, most") and qualities ("red, spotty") present a challenge to learners. Understanding how children succeed at this requires understanding, not only of what kinds of data are available to them, but also the biases and expectations they bring to the learning…

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to explore the role of qualitative research in causality, with particular emphasis on process causality. In one paper, it is not possible to discuss all the issues of causality, but the aim is to provide useful ways of thinking about causality and qualitative research. Specifically, a brief overview of the…

Purpose: Regression discontinuity (RD) design is a sophisticated quasi-experimental approach used for inferring causal relationships and estimating treatment effects. This paper aims to educate human resource development (HRD) researchers and practitioners on the implementation of RD design as an ethical alternative for making causal claims about…

When cluster randomized experiments are analyzed as if units were independent, test statistics for treatment effects can be anticonservative. Hedges proposed a correction for such tests by scaling them to control their Type I error rate. This article generalizes the Hedges correction from a posttest-only experimental design to more common designs…

Lieberman, Borovsky, Hatrak, and Mayberry (2015) used a modified version of the visual-world paradigm to examine the real-time processing of signs in American Sign Language. They examined the activation of phonological and semantic competitors in native signers and late-learning signers and concluded that their results provide evidence that the…

The main purpose of this study is to determine the effects of using dynamic mathematics software on pre-service mathematics teachers' ability to infer the shape of a cross section of a three-dimensional solid, as well as on their spatial visualization skills. The study employed a quasi-experimental design with a control group; the Purdue Spatial…

Creating a culture of respect begins with the internal capacity of teachers and students to be respectful of self and of others. Nurturing this internal capacity involves fulfilling the fundamental social and emotional needs for a sense of belonging and a sense of self. The "beingness," the affective and overt behaviors of individuals…

This study aimed to examine the impact of teaching philosophy for children in developing critical thinking and self-efficacy among students. The current study had a statistical population constituting of all female first-grade junior high school students in Khash in the academic year 2017-2018. Among these students, a corpus of 54 students (27…

A 2014 study found that more than half of all Americans aged 16-74 do not possess the literacy skills needed to adequately cope with the demands of day-to-day life, with over 13 million people in the United States alone considered to be functionally illiterate. There have been numerous efforts to address these high illiteracy rates by way of Adult…

One crucial property of verbal jokes is that the punchline usually contains an incongruency that has to be resolved by updating the situation model representation. In the standard pragmatic model, these processes are considered to require cognitive effort. However, only few studies compared jokes to texts requiring a situation model revision…

Purpose: The study sought to determine the hierarchical nature of reading skills. Whether reading is a "unitary" or "multi-divisible" skill is still a contentious issue. So is the hierarchical order of reading skills. Determining the hierarchy of reading skills is challenging as item difficulty is greatly influenced by factors…

Teaching and learning evolution is challenging. Biology education research shows that the underlying evolutionary concepts are poorly understood among students. This prevents a meaningful understanding of the central biological concepts. The instructional format of self-explanation prompts seems to be promising to respond to these difficulties.…

Background: Predicated on Vygotsky's zone of proximal development (ZPD), dynamic assessment (DA) integrates teaching with assessment in a single activity by providing mediation to help learners perform beyond their independent functioning and simultaneously promote learner development. It advantages over traditional psychometric tests in that DA…