Instructional Practices that Enhance Learning for Students Struggling with Rational Numbers: A Meta-Analysis

该提案是根据EHR核心研究（ECR）项目公告NSF 15-509提交的。STEM教育基础研究ECR项目为重要、广泛和持久的关键研究领域提供资金。EHR寻求有助于在以下重点领域综合、建立和/或扩大研究基础的提案：STEM学习、STEM学习环境、STEM劳动力发展和扩大STEM参与。ECR项目的特点是强调积累有力的证据，为以下方面的努力提供信息：(a)理解，(b)建立理论来解释，(c)提出干预（和创新）措施，以解决STEM兴趣、教育、学习和参与方面的持续挑战。拟议的研究综合的目的是对在分数、比率和比例方面挣扎的学生进行严格的干预研究进行统计总结（荟萃分析）。本meta分析将综合1986年至今对3-9年级困难学生进行的教学干预研究。研究小组将仔细分析每个干预研究中所提供的指导的性质。这种分析将超越仅仅编码作者如何描述他们的干预，并将深入探讨教学的本质。研究人员将进行一项以有理数为重点的荟萃分析，以综合广泛研究中的发现，并确定最有效的实践以及这些实践对有学习障碍的学生有效的条件。本项目通过以下方式进一步推进了这一领域：(a)包括最近大量关于这一主题的研究，(b)确保纳入的研究符合严格的证据标准，(c)专注于对成绩低于35百分位的学生和有学习障碍的学生的研究，(d)扩大分数以外的有理数主题的范围，以及(e)使用最先进的元分析技术。本研究将通过综合以往研究的最佳实践，帮助满足相关利益相关者（教师、干预主义者、管理人员）的需求。

This proposal was submitted in response to EHR Core Research (ECR) program announcement NSF 15-509. The ECR program of fundamental research in STEM education provides funding in critical research areas that are essential, broad and enduring. EHR seeks proposals that will help synthesize, build and/or expand research foundations in the following focal areas: STEM learning, STEM learning environments, STEM workforce development, and broadening participation in STEM. The ECR program is distinguished by its emphasis on the accumulation of robust evidence to inform efforts to (a) understand, (b) build theory to explain, and (c) suggest interventions (and innovations) to address persistent challenges in STEM interest, education, learning, and participation.The purpose of the proposed research synthesis is to conduct a statistical summary (a meta-analysis) of rigorous intervention research for students struggling with fractions, ratios, and proportions. The meta-analysis will synthesize instructional intervention research conducted with struggling students in grades 3-9 from 1986 to the present. The research team will carefully analyze the nature of instruction provided in each intervention study. This analysis will go beyond a mere coding of how authors describe their intervention and will probe deeply into the nature of instruction.The researchers will conduct a meta-analysis focused on rational number to synthesize findings across a wide-range of studies in and identify the most effective practices and the conditions under which those practices are effective for student with learning disabilities. This project takes the field further by (a) including the recent influx of studies on this topic, (b) ensuring included studies meet rigorous evidence standards, (c) focusing on studies of struggling students -- students performing below the 35th percentile and students with learning disabilities, (d) broadening the range of rational number topics beyond fractions, and (e) using state-of-the-art meta-analytic techniques. The research will help meet the demands of relevant stakeholders (teachers, interventionists, administrators) by synthesizing the best practices from prior research.