Devolved government in Scotland is maturing and seeking new policy approaches to complex economic and social problems. A recent shift of focus towards outcomes signals potential strengthening of the role of evidence in policy making and the development of strategic policy frameworks has involved extensive use of evidence. The way in which evidence…

This paper examines the role of guidance for practitioners in the evidence-policy-practice relationship through a critical reflection of the process of developing evidence-informed guidance for housing practitioners working in the area of antisocial behaviour in Scotland. The paper applies theoretical models for the use of evidence in policy and…

What works to increase success for Latinos in colleges and universities? Since 2005, Examples of Excelencia has been the only national effort to recognize evidence-based practices that accelerate Latino student success in higher education. Through this process, "Excelencia" recognizes programs in three different academic levels as well…

The Technology Accentuated Teacher Education for Rural Specialists (TATERS) program aimed to: (a) prepare highly qualified special education teachers across a state comprised of more than 70% rural districts, (b) develop a system of support through a mentor network and institutions of higher education collaboration to address the needs of teacher…

Children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder often have restricted verbal communication. For children who do not use functional speech, augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) devices can be an important support. We evaluated the effectiveness of one AAC programme, the Language Acquisition through Motor Planning (LAMP) using a Vantage…

The goal of an educational system or degree program is to "educate" students. This immediately raises the question of what does it mean to "educate" students. All academic institutions, degree programs and content areas are typically expected to answer this question and establish appropriate academic expectations both within…

A considerable interest in using Web 2.0 technologies such as wikis in education has been observed recently. Despite the advantages of the wiki technology, a number of questions concerning design of appropriate activities and their learning effectiveness remain open. In this paper, we present the results of three activities involving first-year…

Purpose: An analysis of the psychometric properties of an Icelandic version of McMasters Family Assessment Device (FAD) was conducted in this study. Method: Two groups, clinical and nonclinical, comprising of 529 parents answered the FAD. The study examined the internal reliability and discriminant validity of the instrument in addition to…

Action Research on Measuring Literacy Programme Participants' Learning Outcomes (RAMAA) aims to develop, implement and collaborate on the creation of a methodological approach to measure acquired learning and study the various factors that influence its development. This report examines how RAMAA I has been implemented over the past four years in…

No issue in American higher education is more contentious than that of race-based affirmative action. In light of the ongoing debate around the topic and recent Supreme Court rulings, affirmative action policy may be facing further changes. As an alternative to race-based affirmative action, some analysts suggest affirmative action policies based…

We traced the impact of a sequence of five research-based professional development sessions on a cohort of mathematics teachers' Mathematical Knowledge for Teaching. The sessions focused on task design and implementation as a means of building teachers' pedagogical capacity. Findings revealed that teachers' pedagogical knowledge pertaining to…

This issue of ETS Policy Notes (Vol. 22, No. 1) provides highlights from a recent symposium sponsored by ETS and the Children Defense Fund (CDF), "Advancing Success for Black Men in College," held on June 23, 2014, in Washington, DC. The symposium is part of a two-conference series: It was the 18th of ETS's "Addressing Achievement…

This hearing of the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions examines creating positive learning environments for all students beyond seclusion and restraint. Following an opening statement by Honorable Tom Harkin (Chairman, Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions) and Honorable Johnny Isakson (U.S. Senator from the State of…

Although writing plays an important role in the academic, psychosocial, and economic success of individuals, typical writing instruction and assessment in the United States generally does not reflect evidence-based practices. The Common Core State Standards (CCSS) place a great deal of emphasis on written expression and may encourage an increased…

Educators are continually seeking effective, research-based strategies to address the unique needs of their students with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). It is well documented that students with ASD benefit from direct instruction and visual supports when learning new skills. This article provides step-by-step procedures for using a tiered…