Foundational Research
The Grow Network's innovative MyGuide™ Personal Learning Program is built on a solid foundation of research. Nine important points of research are listed below. For more information on how these points align to the program, please contact Grow or your Grow educational consultant.
-
Set clear academic expectations and give feedback on ongoing progress.
Researchers have found that students learn best when they:
- Have a clear set of expectations about what they need to learn;
- Receive clear feedback on how they are progressing towards those goals.
- Marzano (1998) found that these two approaches create achievement gains of 34 percentile points and 26 percentile points respectively.
- Research indicates that when students understand what is expected of them and set their own goals, they are more motivated and efficient in working to achieve them than when they are not involved in this process. (Barell, 1995)
-
Build on a student's strengths rather than focus solely on areas for improvement.
Students gain confidence by building strengths in specific areas. Ergene (2003) found that students attach their math self-confidence to specific topics and skills, such as “I am good at working with numbers,” or “I have trouble solving algebraic equations.”
Individualized instruction focused on reinforcing strengths and addressing needs can significantly improve self-confidence and overall student achievement. (Hinton, 1978)
-
Target each student's individual learning needs through differentiated instruction.
Differentiated instruction addresses the unique abilities and needs of each learner. Teachers who strive to reach all students challenge gifted students, support struggling students, and provide appropriate grade-level instruction for students in between. (Willis and Mann, 2000)
“In differentiated classrooms, teachers begin where students are, not the front of a curriculum guide…teachers must be ready to engage students in instruction through different learning modalities, by appealing to differing interests, and by using varied rates of instruction along with varied degrees of complexity.” (Tomlinson, 1999)
-
Interrupt the cycle of failure by focusing struggling students' attention on their most critical learning priorities.
Low-performing, disengaged students are at significant risk of falling further behind each year as their learning deficits in foundational concepts and skills accumulate. Targeted interventions are necessary to help get students back on track. (Alvermann, 2003)
-
Support English Language Learners in language acquisition as well as on-level content and skill acquisition.
Students for whom English is a second language must acquire language skills while simultaneously learning on-level content and skills. Instructional materials should emphasize vocabulary relating to both content knowledge and functional knowledge. (Echevarria and Short, 1999)
ELL instruction should include the use of pictures, demonstrations, and graphic organizers. (Reed, 2003)
-
Enable students to own their learning process through personalization of tools and resources.
In achievement-oriented “engaged learning settings,” students take responsibility for their own learning, define their learning goals, develop standards of excellence, and evaluate their progress. They understand their areas of strength and need, and know how to redirect their focus when necessary. (Barell, 1995)
Students engaged in school are more likely to earn higher grades and test scores, and have lower drop-out rates. (Klem, 2004)
-
Motivate students by emphasizing the importance of academic effort.
Student achievement increases when students understand that academic effort, rather than innate intelligence, determines success in reaching goals. (Dweck, 1986)
Research has shown that students with a strong sense of self-discipline significantly outperform their peers on a range of academic indicators. (Laitsch, 2006)
-
Empower students to plan for their futures by building awareness around the expectations and requirements of middle school, high school, college, and the workplace.
When middle school students take part in a high school transition program with several diverse articulation activities, fewer students are retained in Grade 9. (Mac Iver, 1990)
Extensive, ongoing planning is an important characteristic of successful high school transition programs. (Reyes, Gillock, and Kobus, 1994), (Watson, 1999)
-
Build a network of support around each student by involving family members in academic success.
Empirical research has found that parental support and involvement is an important factor in driving student academic achievement. (Comprehensive School Reform Quality Center, 2005)
Parents have a profound and lasting impact on their children’s school achievement, from the elementary grades through high school. (Steinberg, 1996)