When Do Students in Low-SES Schools Perform Better-Than-Expected on a High-Stakes Test? Analyzing School, Teacher, Teaching, and Professional Development Characteristics

Fischer, Christian; Fishman, Barry J.; Levy, Abigail Jurist; Eisenkraft, Arthur; Dede, Christopher J.; Lawrenz, Frances; Jia, Yueming; Kook, Janna Fuccillo; Frumin, Kim; McCoy, Ayana

doi:10.1177/0042085916668953

Cited by 17 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 53 publications

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“…This observational study analyzes public data from three purposefully selected hashtag-based AP Biology Twitter teacher communities ( #apbiochat, #apbioleaderacademy, #apbioleaderacad ). Findings of a study that distributed web-based surveys to all AP Biology, Chemistry, and Physics teachers in the nation informed the selection process (Fischer, Eisenkraft, Fishman, Hübner, & Lawrenz, 2018; Fischer et al, 2016; Fischer, Fishman, et al, 2018; Fischer, McCoy, Foster, Eisenkraft, & Lawrenz, 2019). The survey asked teachers to describe their PD participation in face-to-face and online settings.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

New Contexts for Professional Learning: Analyzing High School Science Teachers’ Engagement on Twitter

Fischer

Fishman²,

Schoenebeck

2019

AERA Open

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This mixed-methods observational study analyzes Advanced Placement (AP) Biology teachers’ engagement in microblogging for professional learning. Data from three hashtag-based Twitter communities—#apbiochat, #apbioleaderacad, and #apbioleaderacademy (121 users; 2,253 tweets)—are analyzed using educational data mining, qualitative two-cycle content analysis, social network analysis, linear and logistic regression analyses, and hierarchical linear modeling. Results indicate that teachers’ use of Twitter reflects aspects of high-quality professional development. Notably, Twitter’s nonhierarchical organization affords shared content creation and distribution. Additionally, Twitter allows for different temporal participation patterns and supports the personalization of learning experiences aligned to teachers’ needs and preferences. Furthermore, teachers frame their interactions on Twitter positively—thus, creating a supportive environment for professional learning that might reduce perceived professional isolation. Based on this analysis, policymakers and school leaders should feel comfortable encouraging teachers to use microblogging as part of their professional learning activities.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

New Contexts for Professional Learning: Analyzing High School Science Teachers’ Engagement on Twitter

Fischer

Fishman²,

Schoenebeck

2019

AERA Open

Self Cite

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“…Regarding associations of PD with student performance, teacher participation in College Board’s AP online teacher community was found to have a positive, direct, and statistically significant association with students’ AP science performance across disciplinary subject areas and years of the AP redesign implementation . Similarly, a study that utilized a subgroup analysis approach focusing on schools that largely enroll students with low socioeconomic status identified significant associations of participation in unconventional PD activities (e.g., materials-based PD, district/regional/local college/teacher-initiated meetings, mentoring and coaching) and participation in PD activities that supported teaching redesigned AP courses with students’ AP performance . Upon investigation of these associations, PD participation characteristics were found to relate to the number of enacted laboratory investigations and teaching practice elements related to the redesigned AP curriculum .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 96%

Adapting to the Large-Scale Advanced Placement Chemistry Reform: An Examination of Teachers’ Challenges and Instructional Practices

et al. 2018

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This quantitative study describes how teachers responded to the large-scale, top-down, mandated curriculum and examination reform of the Advanced Placement (AP) program in chemistry. This study analyzed data from a nationwide sample of teachers (N = 1,062) teaching redesigned AP Chemistry courses in the first two years of the curriculum reform. Repeated measures analysis of covariance (RM-ANCOVA) indicated that teachers' perceived challenges about the AP redesign substantially decreased once they gained more experience teaching redesigned AP Chemistry courses. Teachers reported that inquiry laboratory investigations and changes in the AP examinations were the most challenging aspect of the curriculum reform, whereas the use of new textbooks and chemistry content was perceived as the least challenging. With respect to classroom practices, teachers more frequently enacted instructional elements directly related to the AP examination instead of incorporating references to core elements of the curriculum reform in their instruction. Similarly, though teachers reported frequently conducting laboratory investigations in their classrooms, only about 25% of the laboratory investigations included elements of studentgenerated inquiry, an important component of the redesigned AP Chemistry program. Surprisingly, teachers' self-reported classroom instruction remained similar in both the first year and the second year of the AP redesign. In general, this study suggests that school leaders and administrators should not be discouraged when teachers experience challenges during early phases of curriculum reforms. Adaptation to reform takes time. However, teachers may need special encouragement to adopt more in-depth aspects of curriculum reforms.

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“…Also, the nature of public research universities will likely limit the generalizability to all universities in the nation. Given the educational inequalities at the national level for access to the AP program (Ackerman et al, 2013;Fischer, Fishman, et al, 2020), it is important to examine whether the patterns hold for underrepresented students at less selective institutions where overall student performance and retention rates are typically lower. University policies should, at the very minimum, not exacerbate inequalities that occur in the K-12 environment.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Advanced Placement Course Credit and Undergraduate Student Success in Gateway Science Courses

Fischer¹,

Witherspoon²,

Nguyen³

et al. 2021

Preprint

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Approximately two million students take Advanced Placement (AP) examinations annually. However, departmental policies that allow students to replace introductory courses with AP credit greatly vary within and across universities, even across relatively similar universities. This study examines the impact of AP credit policies on subsequent course success in Biology, Chemistry, and Physics at six large public research universities (N = 48,230 students). Examining average treatment effects for students skipping college courses using inverse-probability weights with regression adjustment, we found that students who skipped actually performed similarly well or better in subsequent courses than students who did not skip, even in contexts where lower AP scores were accepted. We also discovered wide variation in percentage of students who chose to skip when meeting their local policies. Therefore, to reduce unnecessary coursework that is burdensome for both students and universities, we suggest that departments consider modifying AP credit policies and that advisors consider encouraging students to skip when they have eligible AP scores.

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When Do Students in Low-SES Schools Perform Better-Than-Expected on a High-Stakes Test? Analyzing School, Teacher, Teaching, and Professional Development Characteristics

Cited by 17 publications

References 53 publications

New Contexts for Professional Learning: Analyzing High School Science Teachers’ Engagement on Twitter

New Contexts for Professional Learning: Analyzing High School Science Teachers’ Engagement on Twitter

Adapting to the Large-Scale Advanced Placement Chemistry Reform: An Examination of Teachers’ Challenges and Instructional Practices

Advanced Placement Course Credit and Undergraduate Student Success in Gateway Science Courses

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