During a semester-long action research study, the author attempted to implement a standards-based approach to teaching mathematics in a high school geometry class. Having previously taught according to a more traditional manner, there were many challenges involved as he made this transition. Some of the challenges were related to Geometry and others were related to the standards-based approach in general. The main challenges that the author encountered are identified and discussed. A plan of action for possible solutions to these challenges is then described.

A grade serves as the primary means of reporting feedback to teachers, students, and parents about the student's level of learning (Heflebower et al., 2014). Many schools have attempted to have teachers adopt standards-based grading, yet school leaders do not know teachers' perceptions about grades and grading. This quantitative study examines the perceptions of 1271 secondary teachers in one school district regarding grades and grading and how they may have changed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Data collected from a survey reveals how changes in teacher perceptions about grades and grading may yield an opportunity for further standards-based grading reform. This study found that most teachers' consideration of grading practices remained the same when compared to pre-pandemic conditions. However, when they did change, it was generally in favor of positive movement towards standards-based grading principles and practices. It is anticipated that this study will help school leaders better understand teachers' perceptions of grades and grading practices as they attempt to transition to standards-based grading systems.

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Teachers are an essential link between the curriculum and student achievement. Teachers make instructional decisions that (1) determine the success or failure of a curricular intervention and (2) can result in either alignment or disconnect between the written and enacted curricula. Despite overwhelming evidence linking the success or the failure of a curricular intervention to the classroom teacher, little is known about the instructional decisions teachers make when using a standards-based curriculum. The use of standards-based curriculum is becoming common, therefore, it is essential to know how teachers are using it. This study focused on three questions. First, can the factors that influence instructional decisions be consolidated into manageable, representative, and useful categories? Second, what instructional decisions did six science teachers in a rural central Texas school district make when using the standards-based curriculum, CSCOPE? Finally, what steps did one district take to select and adopt the SBC, CSCOPE? This study found that the factors that influence instructional decisions could be clustered into four categories: (1) working conditions, (2) pedagogical content knowledge, (3) prior experiences, and (4) beliefs. Further, that teachers made instructional decisions both to use CSCOPE as intended and to modify CSCOPE lessons. Modifications to CSCOPE were made despite (1) an administrative mandate not to modify CSCOPE, (2) good administrative support, and (3) the stated intention of these teachers to adhere to CSCOPE. Teachers omitted, replaced and/or supplemented lessons and/or parts of lessons in order to (1) accommodate the needs of their students and (2) prepare students for the state assessment. Finally, several steps taken by Bluecat ISD administrators assisted teachers in using CSCOPE as intended. This study makes three contributions to the educational literature. First, no useful categorization exists of the factors that influence teachers‟ instructional decisions. Chapter II provides an initial categorization of these factors that is manageable, representative, and useful. Second, administrators need to be able to anticipate how teachers may use a standards-based curriculum. Chapter III identifies the instructional decisions made by these six science teachers. Chapter IV identifies the measures put in place to support teachers as they adjusted to CSCOPE.

This study examines the messages and accuracy of the messages sent to students from the Arizona Instrument to Measure Standards (AIMS) math test regarding academic preparedness for postsecondary education. Previous studies investigating messages sent to students, derived from information such as educational standards, grades, course taking policies, test material, and college admissions requirements, focused on content alignment of secondary and postsecondary content standards. However, a dearth of research exists on messages from high school performance, as measured by exit exams and college performance measured by grades, major selection, or graduation. This study addresses the need to understand and interpret messages students receive based on academic performance. Specifically, this study aims to answer three questions. First, what is the relationship between AIMS math scores and college math performance defined by the University of Arizona math requirement and college graduation? Second, to what degree do AIMS math scores predict college math performance? Third, what is the average AIMS math score and performance level for students who choose certain majors? To answer the research questions posed in this study, various statistical analyses were employed. To answer the first question, a one-way ANOVA and logistic regression analyses were used. A linear regression analysis served to analyze the second and third questions. Results indicate that the messages sent to students regarding college readiness are, in fact, well aligned and clear and consistent. Also, there is evidence that the messages vary by gender and ethnicity.

In the thesis the aim is to investigate different aspects of what teachers value when grading in Swedish physical education (PE) and to analyses how sociological background factors impact students’ grades. Grades in PE have included aspects other than those prescribed in the grading criteria, for instance motivation and effort. Teachers sometimes find their value-setting difficult to articulate and refer to a “gut feeling”. In order to explore both explicit and implicit forms of value-setting, the Repertory Grid interview technique is employed. The thesis includes four sub-studies, three interview studies with Swedish PE teachers and a fourth study based on registry data from the Swedish National Agency for Education. The data of all students leaving nine-year compulsory school in 2014 (n=95317) is analysed to explore how sociological background factors, such as migration background, parents’ education, school provider and gender, affect PE grades. The results reveal aspects of grading that are not detectable in the official description of the grading assignment and highlight problems that teachers need to address when grading. Four themes are discerned in the teachers’ grading practices: motivation, knowledge, confidence and social skills. The implementation of a new national curriculum with specified knowledge requirements seems to improve the alignment with the national criteria, but there is still a gap between policy and practice. The knowledge requirements for movement are often interpreted as performances in competitive sports, even if the teachers try to find other interpretations. The odds ratio for getting a higher grade in PE is greater for the variables migration background and parents’ education than for the other investigated variables. The concepts formulated by Bernstein are applied to explore the relations between teachers’ grading practices and cultural and political influences and to discuss how the tensions between different interests could affect teachers’ grading. The conclusion is that the gap between policy and practice confirmed in this study is related to tensions between the interests and purposes of different agents, all of whom strive to influence steering documents and practice. Cultural and political influences need to be considered and facilitate discussions about how to understand which knowledge is valued in PE and who has better possibilities to assimilate it. / Forskningslinjen Utbildning

<p>Utilizing action research as the methodology, this study was developed with the ultimate goal of describing and reflecting on my implementation of one aspect of the <i>Common Core State Standards for Mathematics (</i><i>CCSSM)</i> in an algebra classroom. This implementation focused on the Problem-Solving Standard of Mathematical Practice (SMP) as described in <i>CCSSM </i>(Making sense of problems and persevere in solving them). The research question that guided my work was the following: How is the <i>Common Core State Standards for Mathematics </i>(<i>CCSSM</i>) Problem-Solving Mathematical Standard enacted in an algebra class while using a <i>Standards-</i>based curriculum to teach a quadratics unit?</p> <p>I explored this by focusing on the following sub-questions:</p> <ul> <li>Q1. What opportunities to enact the components of the Problem-Solving Mathematical Standard are provided by the written curriculum? </li> <li>Q2. In what way does the teacher’s implementation of the quadratics unit diminish or enhance the opportunities to enact the components of the Problem-Solving Mathematical Standard provided by the written curriculum? </li> <li>Q3. In what ways does the teacher’s enactment of problem-solving opportunities change over the course of the unit? </li> </ul> <p>Reviewing the literature related to the relevant learning theories (sociocultural theory, the situated perspective, and communities of practice), I outlined the history of <i>CCSSM, </i>National Council of Teachers of Mathematics <i>(</i>NCTM), National Research Council (NRC), and the <i>No Child Left Behind Act of 2001</i>. Exploring the details of <i>CCSSM</i>’s Standards of Mathematical Content (SMCs) and Standards of Mathematical Practice (SMPs), I discussed problem solving, the Problem Solving Components (PSCs) listed in the Problem-Solving SMP of <i>CCSSM</i>, teaching through problem solving, and <i>Standards-</i>based curricula, such as <i>College Preparatory Mathematics (CPM)</i> which is the algebra curricula I chose for this study. </p> <p>There are many definitions of the construct problem solving. <i>CCSSM </i>describes this construct in unique ways specifically related to student engagement. The challenge for teachers is to not only make sense of <i>CCSSM</i>’s definition of problem solving and its components, but also to enact it in the classroom so that mathematical understanding is enhanced. For this reason, studies revealing how classroom teachers implemented <i>CCSSM</i>, especially in terms of problem solving, are necessary. </p> <p>The Critical Theoretic/Action Research Paradigm is often utilized by researchers trying to improve their own practice; thus, I opted for an action research methodology because it could be conducted by the practitioner. These methods of data collection and analysis were employed in order to capture the nature of changes made in the classroom involving my teaching practice. I chose action research because this study met the key tenets of research in action, namely, a collaborative partnership concurrent with action, and a problem-solving approach. </p> <p>While I knew how I wanted to change my classroom teaching style, implementing the change was harder than anticipated. From the onset, I never thought of myself as an absolute classroom authority, because I always maintained a relaxed classroom atmosphere where students were made to feel comfortable. However, this study showed me that students did view my presence as the authority and looked to me for correct answers, for approval, and/or for reassurance that they were on the right track. My own insecurities of not knowing how to respond to students in a way to get them to interact more with their group and stop looking to me for answers, while not being comfortable forcing students to talk in front of their peers, complicated this study. While it was easy to anticipate how I would handle situations in the classroom, it was hard to change in the moment. </p> <p>The research revealed the following salient findings: while the written curriculum contained numerous opportunities for students to engage with the Focal PSCs, the teacher plays a crucial role in enacting the written curriculum. Through the teacher’s enactment of this curriculum, opportunities for students to engage with the Focal<i> </i>PSCs can be taken away, enacted as written, or enhanced all by the teacher. Additionally, change was gradual and difficult due to the complexities of teaching. Reflection and constant adapting are crucial when it comes to changing my practice. </p> As a classroom teacher, I value the importance of the changes that need to be made in the classroom to align with <i>CCSSM</i>. I feel that by being both a teacher and a researcher, my work can bridge the gap between research and classroom practice.

Educational policy researchers have concluded that if U.S. schools transition from the traditional model of grading and reporting to a uniform standards-based grading and reporting model, students would benefit academically. However, very few middle and high schools in the United States have made the transition to standards-based grading. This qualitative research study was designed address the role of leadership in change by identifying a set of best leadership practices to guide school principals in leading such a transition. The conceptual framework was Kotter's change model. A national sample of 7 middle and 5 high school principals from 8 states who had previously led their schools in the transition to standards-based grading elected to serve as study participants. This panel completed an open-ended questionnaire designed to identify perceived best leadership practices school leaders should consider as they plan to lead such a change. Using the Delphi technique to determine consensus, a set of 78 best leadership actions were identified. Then, these actions were rated by the same panel, resulting in a set of 8 best leadership change practices consistent with Kotter's framework. Practices included establishing and communicating a sense of urgency, developing a change vision and stakeholder buy-in, building coalitions and broad-based actions, generating short term wins and continuing processes, and incorporating change into school culture. This consensus set of leadership practices might affect positive social change by assisting school principals in planning and leading grading change initiatives in schools to enhance students' learning and improve systems of communicating student academic progress using uniform and consistent standards.

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