Commonly used machine learning applications seem to relate to big data. This article provides a gentle review of machine learning and shows why machine learning can be applied to small data too. An example of applying machine learning to screen irregularity reports is presented. In the example, the support vector machine and multinomial naïve…

Despite its importance, replication has remained in the background of social development research. The aim of this special section was to elucidate and elevate the role of replication in peer relations research, examining its challenges and its utility for moving the field forward. To accomplish this aim, five sets of researchers undertook…

Analyzing the learning analytics from a course provides insights that can impact instructional design decisions. This study used educational data mining techniques, specifically a longitudinal k-means cluster analysis, to identify the strategies students used when completing the online portion of an online flipped spreadsheet course. An analysis…

Test-based accountability policy in the US has resulted in increased availability and use of assessment systems to support instructional decision making. Though limited, literature to date suggests an important role for these systems as tools, mediating teacher knowledge and action. We examine system log data from NWEA's MAP assessment to better…

Since the early 2000s, the proliferation of cameras, whether in mobile phones or CCTV, led to a sharp increase in visual recordings of human behavior. This vast pool of data enables new approaches to analyzing situational dynamics. Application is both qualitative and quantitative and ranges widely in fields such as sociology, psychology,…

Purpose: This paper describes the unintended and unanticipated ways an iPhone as a data collection tool created distractions during observations of five-year-old twins' digital literacy practices while in their home. Design/methodology/approach: Situated in sociocultural theories of learning and development and new literacy studies, the…

This paper considers elementary teachers' perceptions of data-driven decision making (DDDM) through the lens of Dewey's science of education. Dewey argues that educational science can be used to improve teaching and learning, but it must be flexible, attendant to multiple dimensions of growth, and grounded in real classroom experiences with…

In the summer and fall months of a "typical" year, many education leaders would receive reports of student performance on annual summative state assessments administered each spring. Using these data, administrators begin a process of sense-making -- identifying areas that need support and integrating new information offered by the data…

Do you know how to ensure teachers have the knowledge and skill to use assessment data to improve student learning? Do you know the influence that student involvement in assessments has on motivation and learning? This book guides you and your leadership team through 10 assessment literacy goals with practical content, how-to's, success…

As school and district communities consider options for effectively supporting students, educators, and families during and after a crisis, it can be difficult to identify critical impactful actions. The PBIS framework can serve as a road map to meeting this challenge. This practice brief provides strategies to guide implementation efforts through…

This book offers concrete examples of how data can be used by faculty, staff, and program leaders to improve their collective work as teacher educators. Strong external accountability mandates often lead to tensions that undermine local morale and motivation. This volume focuses on the practical work of navigating these tensions so that valuable…

Ethnography offers a holistic approach to qualitative researchers in educational contexts and appeals to scholars who wish seek to reveal rich narratives through their immersion in specific domains. This review paper examines the mobilization of the ethnographic research approach reported in studies from two distinctive learning contexts: an…

In the past, Human Research Development (HRD) professionals have faced barriers of gaining access to the data they need to conduct higher level evaluations. However, recent technological innovations have presented opportunities for them to obtain this data, and consequently, apply new approaches for the training evaluation process. One approach…

Sensors and internet of things (IoTs) are ubiquitous in our modern day-to-day living. The past decade has been marked by the rapid emergence and proliferation of a myriad of small devices. Applications range from smart home devices that control cooking ranges to mobile phones, wearable devices that serve as fitness trackers and personalized…

This mixed-methods study examined K-5 teachers' perceptions of using data to inform their instruction, uncovered factors that affect their capacity for understanding data, and described how both of these factors may relate to school improvement. The study outlined factors that supported or impeded teachers' use of data when making instructional…