Education Research Article Classification
Cara Beaty
Article: College for All: Gaps Between Desirable and Actual P-12 Math Achievement Trajectories for College Readiness, by Jaekyung Lee, from Educational Researcher Volume 41, Number 2, March 2012
Classification:
Question: Is the article or report empirical research? Yes, because empirical research as define from McMillan, relies on data that is tangible.
We know this report to be empirical or tangible because the models came from nationally represented data samples of assessments in the United States. These three assessments were then compared against one another.
Question: Is the research quantitative, qualitative or mixed-methods? The report is unquestionably quantitative.
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Lee believes there is a disconnect in our current P-12 education system and actual college readiness and completion. We are not properly meeting the needs of students to be admitted to college and to graduate college. The study looks at national data sets of curriculum-based achievement test data from preschool, elementary, and secondary education students to recognize college level entree and attainment. He was also curious about the gap between our nation and state standards being high enough to meet college readiness and success.
His report solely looked at math achievement. His reasoning was that high school math is one of the strongest predictors of college success and because testing data is widely available and objective. Lee looked at three different sets of national data across education, to examine college readiness benchmarks again two-year and four-year colleges admission and graduation. This is a summary of each of those data sets:
• Tracking Average Math Achievement Levels: Lee used prior research from the national academic growth trajectories to use a longitudinally data sets to track math achievement growth during P-12.
• Estimating Math Achievement Benchmarks for College Readiness: This study used benchmark scores from NELS exams against students who attended a two-year versus a
The data is compared to those students come from affluent socioeconomic status and backgrounds. The data is sourced from several diverse locations in order to give the broadest view of the disparities that exist. Howard (2010) compares data in reading, mathematics, SAT results and disciplinary rates. This data is a formidable beginning to the content of the book because it provides context for the reader to better understand the achievement gap.
Among the students who continue to struggle are many minority students who show a deficit in math and science readiness. This deficit is apparent in nearly every state in the United States. Blank, Manise, Brathwaite & Langesen (1999), indicate that an examination of performance in all states reveals a point difference of 30 to 50 percentage points between white students and the minority students’ scores on the 8th grade NAEP exam.
et al (2011) looked for strategies for connecting large-scale achievement tests administered in middle and high school students with a college entrance exam. The researchers perceived the significance of investigating the probability of mapping high school achievement to current college readiness benchmarks (CRBs). The study employed the American College Testing (ACT) college readiness assessment, which has CRBs for its four content area tests: English, Math, Reading, and Science ACT scores (ACT, 2010a). As an exploratory study, it endeavored to make utilization of two unique strategies used to a determined sample of students with both ACT and Iowa scores. The next procedure was devoted to evaluating the resulting classification rates across the four content area tests, English, Math, Reading, and Science. This study is unique, that it extensively explored several measurable strategies to predict performance on content area college admissions tests lifted from Grade 11 achievement test scores, however, it then figures on the vertical scale of the achievement test to comparable projections utilizing scores from Grades 8 to
When measuring student achievement and administering standardized tests, policy writers, educators, parents, and students need to be reminded of Albert Einstein’s advice that “not everything that counts can be counted and not everything that can be counted counts.” Students would benefit more from school by lowering the number of standardized tests they are required to take before the age of fourteen. Local, state, and federal governments can measure student’s knowledge and achievements using other performance measures. Standardized tests are not an accurate source for establishing how much a child knows and what they learn each year.
For the 2013 – 2014 school year, approximately 360 students were enrolled in a Keystone algebra course. For the 2014 – 2015 school year, a similar number is expected. To have an effective representation of a population, a sample is normally selected from the identified group. For this particular study, the entire population was not significantly larger than a sample and provided greater accuracy when making conclusions about the results. Students from sixth grade through high school had usable data to address the first and second research question. Specifically, they had taken both the Algebra CDT and the Keystone exam in either the 2013 – 2014 or 2014 – 2015 academic year. All data have been historically available to the researcher as part of his professional role and are expected to be accessible in the
Measuring student achievement can be difficult because no source of information is strongly accurate. Even standardized testing, which is widely considered a good source, cannot take into account those who struggle with that type of assessment. In addition, they cannot be used when looking at their school’s impact, because their previous schools have effects on their learning as well (Stevans 171).
Standardized test scores in college admissions process do not accurately represent my academic potential. Throughout my life as a student in the Sutton public school system, conceding to defeat has never been an option. While intelligence can give students a head start over others, this is where it ends. In the long run those getting the results they desire will ultimately be those who will accept little less than perfect, like me. Even though the education system prepares the average student to take a standardized test, I was still uncomfortable when taking it. I conclude that when assessing a student for academic excellence four years should not be hidden due to a mediocre test grade taken in less than a day. Core subjects can represent
The experience of participating in the Putnam Exam and being a part of the team that received Meritorious Winner Prize (top 10%) in the Mathematical Contest in Modeling encouraged me to take more advanced math courses. I finished all of the course requirements for my math major by the end of my second year. In order to practice my logical thinking, for two years I kept submitting correct solutions to the math department weekly problems. I have also developed my statistical abilities as a student at Union College. The experience of working as a tutor in both the economics and mathematics departments since sophomore year inspired me to analyze the relationship between students’ work habits and their academic performance. Therefore, in that same summer of 2015, I worked on a third project in a completely new economic field, education analytics, to study student academic success at Union College. Completing independent studies and team-based research projects simultaneously has helped prepare me for facing challenges in a dynamic environment, like Citi.
Data from this dissertation comes from ECLS-K data set released by the National Center on Education Statistics. Their sponsor is the United States Department of Education. The data set, which follows the progress of over 21,260 students over the course of their K-8 academic
After surveying 70,000 community-college students, 40 percent of the students reported they were placed into remedial classes due to their college placement scores but received an A average in high school (Zinshteyn). The American College Testing Program and Scholastic Assessment Test are two of these mandated college placement tests for high school students. These tests supposedly determine how successful a student will be in their future college courses; however, that concept is completely wrong. These tests do not aid in a student’s future success in college, rather they discourage students from obtaining their goals. The ACT and SAT tests are not effective because they cause test anxiety, schools do not prepare students for the contents located within these tests, and test scores do not reflect a student’s intelligence.
This paper is based on ten days of observation and collaboration at Fleming County High School. During my time there, I learned that Fleming County schools generally use the universal screener MAP or Measure of Academic Progress computer test to scientifically calculate an approximation of each student’s educational performance level. All students in grades 9-12 participate in the MAP testing for math, reading, and language. Students take the MAP test in the fall and spring of each academic year in order to ascertain their instructional level and measure academic growth. Each subject is tested for one hour and then the data is tabulated into RIT scores.
As a young child, I always assumed that tests were the only accurate measure of my ability in math because of my elementary school’s emphasis on standardized state assessments. I thought these scores would determine not only my capability in math but also my potential for future math courses. Although I did try to be attentive in class, I did not comprehend most of the materials being taught and I struggled through these assessments. Upon receiving our official scores, I was always ashamed to compare scores with classmates as the majority of them excelled in math. I completed
The 1994 reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) launched a prerequisite that each state set canons outlining what their students should understand and be capable of doing in core subjects and evaluate whether students were becoming proficient at those standards. Today, currently, as a result of these federal prerequisites, every state has in place a set of K–12 standards for essential subjects as well as an assessment system that measures growth toward math and literacy standards in grades 3–8 and once in high school. Conversely, the present ESEA does not ask states to study whether those standards are founded on proof of what students need to be successful in college and the workplace. Nor does the law ask that states’ standards build grade by grade toward college- and career-readiness. The result is that standards and assessments do not inform students, parents, or teachers whether students are on track toward college- and career readiness.
Question #1 – Education is currently experiencing a major student achievement initiative to reform curricula by remedying the discrepancy between the curricula guide, the instructional plan, and the variety of assessment measures. Why are multiple measures needed to address the full depth and breadth of the expectations for student learning?
This study included 79 students, their parents, and math teachers from an urban junior high