The purpose of this study was to explore the effects of yutori reforms on Opportunity to Learn (OTL), as defined by Stevens’ (1993, 1996) multidimensional framework, and to examine how the changes in OTL may have subsequently affected Japanese 8th graders’ mathematics achievement as measured by the Trends in Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS). This dissertation was a mixed-methods, multicohort study combining analyses of archival documents and interview-based data with analyses of quantitative TIMSS data on OTL and student achievement in mathematics in selected years. The study used three waves of TIMSS data (1999, 2003, and 2007) to examine the effects of yutori reforms on OTL levels at the classroom level over time, and their corresponding influence on student achievement levels on the TIMSS assessment with Hierarchical Linear Models (HLM). The three overarching findings of this study were: (a) the yutori reforms were not implemented in schools and classes as originally intended by the Ministry of Education, Sports, Culture and Technology in Japan, with ongoing shifts in policies and priorities at the national level; (b) there were significant changes in classroom-level OTL measures indicating reductions in instructional time dedicated to mathematics but improvements in the quality of instructional delivery were found to occur under the yutori reforms; and (c) the instructional time component of OTL was found to be positively associated with students’ mathematics achievement under yutori reforms, with the most socioeconomically disadvantaged students benefitting more in terms of achievement outcomes than those who were more advantaged.

How do teachers use online student assessment data? School districts invest increasing resources in online systems for reporting and analyzing student assessment data, yet few studies describe the direct use of such applications or explore how these systems relate to teachers’ professional roles, data use attitudes, or data use efficacies. This dissertation applies learning analytics methods for log file analysis and visual data analytics to explore the extensive variation in teachers’ online data use behaviors and attitudes over six months in one urban secondary school. Descriptive statistics and visualizations of online usage over time demonstrate strong connections between teachers’ online behavior and common organizational factors, such as school level (middle vs. high school), content area, and required training. Correlational evidence suggests that data use self-efficacies have stronger relationships to online use than general data use attitudes. Hierarchical cluster analysis heatmaps are used to identify novel subgroups of teacher online data use behaviors and attitudes. These exploratory findings are used to generate data use dashboards for school-based leadership and an expanded determinant framework for the adoption of online assessment systems. Combining data-intensive methods with theoretical frameworks for self-efficacy, technology acceptance, and use diffusion, this dissertation aims to describe the rich variation in teachers’ online data use and attitudes, as well as productively inform the practice and study of data-based decision making in schools.

As a local education agency, school districts play an important role in providing instructional support for teachers and school leaders, making instructional goals, and allocating financial and human capital resources in a rational way to promote overall students’ learning outcomes. Studies on school districts that look to find reasons or characteristics related to school district success are known as district effectiveness research (DER). Previous quantitative research in DER using longitudinal dataset has assumed that all school district effectiveness (SDE) changes in a common pattern through a traditional ordinary linear regression or a hierarchal linear model while ignoring the probability that there might exist distinct subgroups of school district effectiveness trajectories. Thus, the purpose of the present study was to examine the existence of different SDE trajectories and how school district demographic variables and financial expenditures affect classification of SDE groups using a growth mixture model (GMM) with a national longitudinal dataset containing all public school districts in all 50 states and Washington D.C. from 2009 to 2015 (n = 11,185). The results indicated that (a) there are three different classes of school district effectiveness growth trajectories, which can be named as a constant SDE group (3.66%), a decreasing SDE group (34.16%), and an increasing SDE group (62.18%); (b) school district demographic characteristics such as a percentage of free lunch students and general administration expenditure per pupil are significantly associated with the probability of a school district being classified to a specific group; and (c) the longitudinal effects of school district demographic covariates and financial expenditures within each class such as school district locations (e.g., urban, suburban, etc.) are associated with the growth factors (intercept and slopes) in different ways.

This thesis has been written as a result of a research study undertaken to investigate the management of pupil assessment data in schools in the US and the UK. There is a good case for arguing that the effective management of knowledge can play a significant role in enhancing the effectiveness of schools as it does in other organisations. Many would argue that pupil assessment data is a key element in ensuring effective pupil learning and in improving pupil learning (Black et al, 2004; DfES, 2002a; Hopkins et al, 1994, 1987; James and Connolly, 2000). I developed an interest in how schools collect and use pupil assessment data during my work as an Assistant Head of a secondary comprehensive school in South Wales. Whilst working closely with educational colleagues in my own and neighbouring schools and Local Education Authorities, I experienced first hand the limited knowledge and understanding of current assessment practice. Through my own observations of the need to develop an understanding of current practice and from an increasing awareness of opportunities for sharing best practice both within the UK and further a field, I decided to undertake an inter-national comparative analysis of the management of pupil assessment data. The decision was influenced in part by opportunity but mainly by the increasingly global nature of educational policy and practice development including assessment policy and practice (Olson, 2004).

A tese aqui apresentada tem como objetivo central responder à seguinte questão: como os estados brasileiros se apropriaram e traduziram a diretriz nacional de avaliação da Educação Básica no período 1996-2007? A relevância desta pesquisa de doutoramento se justifica, antes de mais nada, no fato de que a avaliação é um dos pilares de sustentação da reforma educacional empreendida pelo Governo FHC e que tem continuidade/aprofundamento no atual Governo Lula. Ademais, embora sejam variados os estudos que investigam os desdobramentos dessa diretriz política em estados e municípios, ainda não se teve uma visão completa dessas iniciativas. A partir disso, esta pesquisa coletou informações documentais e depoimentos nos vinte e seis estados e no distrito federal visando compor um mapeamento da avaliação educacional nestas unidades federativas. O tratamento que a avaliação educacional recebe em cada realidade permitiu reconhecer que há mais semelhanças que diferenciações. A maior aproximação entre as avaliações desenvolvidas nos estados brasileiros e o Sistema Nacional de Avaliação da Educação Básica reside nos aspectos metodológicos. A tradução que os estados brasileiros têm feito da diretriz nacional de avaliação não considera sua dimensão mais forte: constituir-se como um mecanismo potente de regulação e gerenciamento, imprescindível no ciclo de realização de uma política educacional. / This work has as prior objective to answer the question: how have Brazilian states appropriated and expressed the national directive for the evaluation of the Basic Education during 1997-2007? The relevance of this research is justified, firstly, for the fact that evaluation is one of the coordinates of the educational reform implemented by the Government of President FHC, which has been more than continued, deeper implemented in the present government of President Lula. Secondly, despite various studies show the outcomes from that political directive in many states and municipalities, there is not yet a comprehensive approach of those initiatives. Therefore, this research collected the documental information and personal statements over the twenty six states and the federal district do to compose a map of the educational evaluation status in each one of them. As a result, it is shown that the treatment received by the educational evaluation in each reality presents more similarities than differences. The shortest distance between the results of each Brazilian state and the National System for the Evaluation of the Basic Education is on methodological aspects. The expression made by the Brazilian states of the national directive does not consider its strongest dimension: to become a powerful regulating and managing mechanism, which is essential in the cycle of an educational politics implementation.

Orientador: João Cardoso Palma Filho / Banca: Maria Leila Alves / Banca: Luiza Helena da Silva Christov / Resumo: O presente estudo teve com objeto a avaliação no processo de ensino e aprendizagem de Arte no ensino fundamental. Buscou-se colocar em discussão algumas representações de professores de Arte da rede escolar SESI-SP sobre a avaliação nesse campo de conhecimento. A intenção foi dar visibilidade ao lugar ocupado pelo aluno nas avaliações escolares, ao seu "trabalho" no processo de aprendizagem de Arte e, portanto, discutir relações de poder presentes no ato avaliativo e as possíveis formas de superá-las. O ensino de Arte é considerado nesta pesquisa como terreno fértil para o desenvolvimento de uma avaliação formativa. Foram abordadas concepções de avaliação presentes na prática educativa, explicitando suas origens no contexto histórico, com maior ênfase para a avaliação formativa, compreendendo-a como não como mero instrumento, mas como um dos objetivos do processo de ensino e aprendizagem. Fatores históricos tanto do campo da educação como do ensino de Arte e da avaliação foram colocados em discussão, evidenciando-se o lugar social ocupado pela maioria dos jovens no processo educacional, em virtude do modelo social adotado e do embate entre distintos projetos políticos para a sociedade brasileira. O caminho metodológico adotado neste estudo é o da pesquisa qualitativa, tendo em vista a complexidade do campo da avaliação. / Abstract: This study had as subject the assessment in Art teaching and learning process at basic teaching. Some Art teachers' representations at SESI-SP School about assessment were discussed at this knowledge subject. The objective was to get vision to the place occupied by students at the scholar tests, to their work in the Art teaching and so discussing power relationships presenting at the assessment action and the possible forms to exceed them. Art teaching is considered in this research like a fertile field to develop an upbringing assessment. Presenting assessment conceptions were discussed at the educative practice, explaining their origins at the historical context, giving emphasis to upbringing assessment, trying to understand it not only like an instrument but also like one of the objectives of the teaching and learning process. Historical factors in education, at Art teaching and at the assessment were discussed, taking place to the major of the guys at the educational process, due to the social model adopted and the distinctive political projects to Brazilian society. The methodologycal way adopted at this study is the qualitative research because of the complexity of the assessment subject. / Mestre

nÃo hà / A partir do RelatÃrio Coleman (1966), ficou estabelecido em seus resultados, amplamente publicados, que o principal determinante da desigualdade no desempenho dos alunos nÃo era a diferenÃa existente na estrutura das escolas, mas sim as diferenÃas socioeconÃmicas de suas famÃlias. Muito divulgada, a conclusÃo do primeiro relatÃrio de pesquisa do professor Coleman afirmava que a escola nÃo faz diferenÃa e isso se difundiu inclusive no Brasil. O objetivo do trabalho à evidenciar a relaÃÃo entre desempenho do aluno nos testes de PortuguÃs e MatemÃtica aplicados pelo Sistema Permanente de AvaliaÃÃo da EducaÃÃo BÃsica do Cearà - SPAECE, nos anos de 2012, 2013 e 2014 e as variÃveis contextuais: Tipo de Escola (acadÃmica ou profissionalizante), Desempenho da Escola (alto ou baixo), SituaÃÃo SocioeconÃmica do aluno, Contexto Familiar do aluno, PrÃticas PedagÃgicas do Professor, Clima Escolar na escola, Expectativa AcadÃmica/Profissional do Aluno e GestÃo DemocrÃtica. Essas variÃveis foram construÃdas com base nos microdados do SPAECE. Trabalhou-se com oito escolas do Ensino MÃdio, sendo quatro acadÃmicas e quatro de educaÃÃo profissionalizante. Em cada tipo de escola foram tomadas as duas com a maior proficiÃncia nos testes de MatemÃtica e PortuguÃs e duas com menor proficiÃncia nas aplicaÃÃes do SPAECE, nos anos de 2012, 2013 e 2014. Tomou-se, nessas escolas, uma amostra aleatÃria simples de 3.708 alunos distribuÃdos nos trÃs anos da aplicaÃÃo, com uma confianÃa de 95% e erro de 2%, e seus respectivos diretores e professores de MatemÃtica e PortuguÃs. A partir do banco de microdados do SPAECE nos trÃs anos, foram construÃdas as variÃveis acima junto com a ProficiÃncia do aluno em MatemÃtica e em PortuguÃs em um banco de dados do software SPSS - Statistical Package for the Social Sciences, versÃo para Windows 20.0. Trabalhando-se com esse banco de dados, foram realizadas trÃs regressÃes lineares mÃltiplas, tendo como variÃveis independentes a proficiÃncia em PortuguÃs, a proficiÃncia em MatemÃtica e a mÃdia da proficiÃncia em PortuguÃs e MatemÃtica e como variÃveis preditoras as oito variÃveis contextuais. Utilizou-se o mÃtodo Stepwise (entrada e saÃda) em cada regressÃo, obtiveram-se trÃs modelos finais com seis variÃveis preditoras em cada um. Observando-se os coeficientes padronizados de cada modelo obtido, verifica-se que as trÃs variÃveis preditoras com maiores pesos nas variÃveis independente, nos resultados das regressÃes foram: Tipo de Escola, Desempenho da Escola e Clima Escolar. A variÃvel preditora Contexto Familiar nÃo foi incluÃda em nenhum dos trÃs modelos. / From the Coleman Report (1966), which was established in its results, widely published, indicated that the main determinant of inequality in student performance was not the difference in the structure of the schools, but socioeconomic differences in their families. Highly publicized, successful completion of the Coleman Professor of the research report stated that the school does not matter and it spread including Brazil. The objective is to highlight the relationship between student performance in Portuguese and mathematics tests administered by SPAECE in the years 2012, 2013 and 2014 and the contextual variables: type of school (academic or professional), the School Performance (high or low), student Socioeconomic Status, Family Context student, Pedagogical Practices professor, School Climate School, Academic Expectations / Professional student and Democratic Management. These variables were constructed based on micro SPAECE data. He worked with eight high school schools, four academic and four vocational education. In each type of school they were taken both with the greatest proficiency in test Mathematics and Portuguese and two with less proficiency in SPAECE applications in the years 2012, 2013 and 2014. It took up these schools a simple random sample of 3,708 students distributed in the three years of the application, with a 95% confidence and error 0.05, and their respective directors and teachers of Mathematics and Portuguese. From the bank of micro SPAECE data in the three years, the variables were built up together with the proficiency of students in Mathematics and Portuguese in a SPSS database - Statistical Package for the Social Sciences, version for Windows 20.0. Working with this database were three multiple linear regressions with independent variables Proficiency in Portuguese, Proficiency in mathematics and the Middle Proficiency in Portuguese and mathematics and as predictor variables eight contextual variables. We used the stepwise method (input and output) in each regression was obtained a final model with six predictor variables. Observing the standardized coefficients of each model obtained it appears that the three predictor variables as larger weights in the independent variable were: Type of School, School Performance and School Climate. The predictor variable "Family Context was not included in any of the three models.

The problem related to this study was to develop a clearer understanding of the impact of Tennessee's Value-Added Assessment System (TVAAS) on school superintendents' decision-making responsibilities in view of school reform efforts at both the national and state levels during the last decade. The purpose of this study was to identify relationships between three independent variables (superintendents' years of experience, superintendents' perceived degree of personnel acceptance, and superintendents' perceived technical assistance availability for data analysis and interpretation of results) and superintendents perceptions of the system on eight aspects (student learning; teacher performance; school system success; educational accountability; educational equality; assessment decisions; personnel decisions; and, curriculum and professional development decisions). Superintendents in the 139 Tennessee school systems were surveyed using an instrument containing 51 response items. The return rate was 81% (N = 112). Six research questions were answered by analyzing 24 null hypotheses using the chi square test, with Kendall's Tau-B for determining strength of relationships. Hypotheses were tested at the.05 level of significance. All null hypotheses related to superintendents' perceived degree of school personnel acceptance were rejected, with the exception of personnel decisions. All null hypotheses related to superintendents' years of experience were retained. The null hypothesis related to superintendents' perceived TVAAS technical assistance received and educational accountability was rejected. All other null hypotheses related to superintendents' perceived technical assistance availability regarding data analysis and interpretation of value-added assessment results were retained. Results indicated the practice of participatory leadership among Tennessee superintendents. Recommendations included further research to determine possible differences between rural and urban school systems and between elected and appointed superintendents across Tennessee.

abstract: Arizona continues to implement the 4-hour ELD block despite opposition and concerns regarding is appropriateness and effectiveness. Research using state and national assessments show that English language learners continue to fall behind their English proficient peers in reading achievement even after the implementation of the 4-hour ELD block. In general, there is no proven direct correlation between the program and underachievement. This study evaluated the impact of the 4-hour ELD block on reading achievement by comparing similar reading-abled students that were in the program with students that were not. The study was conducted in a district located in a predominately Hispanic poor community in order to eliminate social and economical factors that could disadvantage one group over the other. The findings demonstrated there were no significant differences in the reading achievement between both groups, supporting arguments that the 4-hour ELD block has made little to no impact for ELL students. However, results demonstrate that early intervention may be significant in explaining increases in reading achievement. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Educational Administration and Supervision 2019

Thesis (Ed. D.)--Illinois State University, 2006. / Title from title page screen, viewed on April 27, 2007. Dissertation Committee: Paul Baker (chair), Dianne Ashby, Jeffrey Nelson, William Rau. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 206-213) and abstract. Also available in print.