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Effects of Interdisciplinary Teaching Team Configuration upon the Social Bonding of Middle School Students

This study compared two configurations of sixth-grade students and core teachers to measure the students’ perceived levels of social bonding with their peers, their school, and their teachers. One configuration featured a team of four teachers, each specializing in a core subject area and teaching this subject to all 100 students on the team. The

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Improving Classroom Instruction: Understanding the Developmental Nature of Analyzing Primary Sources

Authentic and constructive learning experiences that include analysis of primary source documents are necessary elements of effective social studies teaching (Bailyn, 1994; Leinhardt, Stainton, & Virji, 1994; Wineburg & Wilson, 1991; Young & Leinhardt, 1998). This study examines the abilities of 70 fifth and seventh grade students to complete individual and multiple primary source document

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Key Characteristics of Middle School Performance

This research project examined student performance in middle schools with a grade configuration of six through eight. Schools were categorized into two groups: high-performing middle schools—middle schools making adequate yearly progress for two consecutive school years, and low-performing middle schools—middle schools not making adequate yearly progress for two consecutive school years. Participants included 283 middle

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Comparison of Student Learning Outcomes in Middle School Science Classes with an STS Approach and a Typical Textbook Dominated Approach

The purpose of this study was to determine whether Science, Technology, and Society (STS) learning increases student concept mastery, general science achievement, use of concepts in new situations, and attitudes toward science in middle school classrooms. The study involved two teachers and fifty-two students in grades 6 through 8. Two sections of middle school science

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Early Predictors of School Performance Declines at School Transition Points

This longitudinal study followed students (n =265) from kindergarten through seventh grade and examined early social and academic predictors of school performance at two normative school transitions. Questions addressed include: (a) are there changes in students’ school performance over time, especially at school transition points; (b) are changes in school performance dependent on sociodemographic factors;

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Parents’ Relationships and Involvement: Effects on Students’ School Engagement and Performance

This study focused on parents’ relationships and involvement in their children’s lives and the effects on the students’ school engagement and school performance. The study used the Wave I data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health). The data on seventh and eighth grade students’ school and family experiences were analyzed using

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