Prosocial and Active Learning (PAL) Classrooms Evaluation. Final Summative Report [Revised]
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| Title: | Prosocial and Active Learning (PAL) Classrooms Evaluation. Final Summative Report [Revised] |
|---|---|
| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Ryan Williams, Bo Zhu, Max Pardo, Crystal Aguilera, Tara Zuber, American Institutes for Research (AIR) |
| Source: | American Institutes for Research. 2026. |
| Availability: | American Institutes for Research. 1400 Crystal Drive 10th Floor, Arlington, VA 22202. Tel: 202-403-5000; Fax: 202-403-5001; e-mail: inquiry@air.org; Web site: https://www.air.org/ |
| Peer Reviewed: | N |
| Page Count: | 50 |
| Publication Date: | 2026 |
| Sponsoring Agency: | Office of Elementary and Secondary Education (OESE) (ED), Education Innovation and Research (EIR) |
| Contract Number: | U411C180114 |
| Document Type: | Reports - Research |
| Education Level: | Elementary Education Grade 5 Intermediate Grades Middle Schools |
| Descriptors: | Prosocial Behavior, Active Learning, Faculty Development, Learner Engagement, Grade 5, Mathematics Instruction, Science Instruction, Teamwork, Program Effectiveness, Elementary Education, Classroom Environment, Teacher Student Relationship, Cooperation |
| Geographic Terms: | Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri |
| Abstract: | Prosocial and Active Learning (PAL) Classrooms is a year-long teacher professional development program designed to increase students' prosocial behavior and engagement in 5th grade mathematics and science classrooms that use active, team-based lessons by altering the way that teachers interact with students using research-based strategies. The project is funded by a 6-year Education Innovation and Research grant and implemented by the eMINTS National Center and the Prosocial Development and Education Research Lab (ProsocialEd Lab) at the University of Missouri. The American Institutes for Research® (AIR®), as an independent evaluator, has completed an implementation and impact study of PAL Classrooms. The evaluation involves a mixed-methods study to assess the implementation of the program and a multicohort, school-level randomized controlled trial (RCT) to examine the impact of the program. The evaluation took place in 41 districts in three states--Arkansas, Kansas, and Missouri. For the impact study, AIR randomly assigned two cohorts (2021-22 and 2022-23) of elementary schools to receive PAL Classrooms immediately (treatment) or conduct business as usual and receive PAL Classrooms a year later (control). A total of 41 schools (21 treatment and 20 control), with 65 teachers and their 1,399 students, participated in the RCT. This final report summarizes the PAL Classrooms program and AIR's evaluation methods; findings on the extent to which PAL Classrooms' key components were implemented with fidelity; and the impact of PAL Classrooms on teacher outcomes (i.e., student-reported use of strategies, instructional quality), proximal student outcomes (i.e., prosocial behavior, engagement, perceived classroom climate, collaboration, teacher-student relationship), and student math and science achievement. Results of implementation analyses indicated that PAL Classrooms was generally implemented with fidelity despite occurring during the COVID-19 pandemic. The program delivered key professional development activities and teachers generally participated as intended. In addition, teachers implemented strategies that promoted student prosocial behavior. Results were consistent across both cohorts. Results of impact analyses indicated PAL Classrooms had statistically significantly positive impact on teachers' use of prosocial strategies including praise and induction, with effect sizes of 0.30 and 0.29 standard deviations (SD), respectively. In addition, results reveal that schools assigned to PAL Classrooms had higher levels of overall instructional quality, student engagement, emotional support, classroom organization, and instructional support, measured by classroom observation; however these were not statistically significant. Results reveal that PAL Classrooms had statistically significantly positive impact on proximal student outcomes measured by self-report surveys. Students assigned to PAL Classrooms reported higher levels of prosocial behavior in their peers and behavioral engagement, with effect sizes of 0.31 and 0.22, respectively, compared with students in control schools. Analyses of students' self-reported prosocial behavior of themselves and their teachers, affective and cognitive engagement, classroom climate, and student-teacher relationships also yielded positive results, although the impact estimates were not statistically significant. Impacts on student-reported collaboration and more distal student achievement in math and science were less conclusive, with the impact estimates being smaller and not statistically significant. Additionally, the impact results on student achievement did not vary by student background characteristics (i.e., free or reduced-price lunch eligibility, or receipt of academic services under an individualized education plan). |
| Abstractor: | As Provided |
| Entry Date: | 2026 |
| Accession Number: | ED679558 |
| Database: | ERIC |
| FullText | Text: Availability: 0 CustomLinks: – Url: https://eric.ed.gov/contentdelivery/servlet/ERICServlet?accno=ED679558 Name: ERIC Full Text Category: fullText Text: Full Text from ERIC |
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| Header | DbId: eric DbLabel: ERIC An: ED679558 AccessLevel: 3 PubType: Report PubTypeId: report PreciseRelevancyScore: 0 |
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| Items | – Name: Title Label: Title Group: Ti Data: Prosocial and Active Learning (PAL) Classrooms Evaluation. Final Summative Report [Revised] – Name: Language Label: Language Group: Lang Data: English – Name: Author Label: Authors Group: Au Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Ryan+Williams%22">Ryan Williams</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Bo+Zhu%22">Bo Zhu</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Max+Pardo%22">Max Pardo</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Crystal+Aguilera%22">Crystal Aguilera</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Tara+Zuber%22">Tara Zuber</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22American+Institutes+for+Research+%28AIR%29%22">American Institutes for Research (AIR)</searchLink> – Name: TitleSource Label: Source Group: Src Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22American+Institutes+for+Research%22"><i>American Institutes for Research</i></searchLink>. 2026. – Name: Avail Label: Availability Group: Avail Data: American Institutes for Research. 1400 Crystal Drive 10th Floor, Arlington, VA 22202. Tel: 202-403-5000; Fax: 202-403-5001; e-mail: inquiry@air.org; Web site: https://www.air.org/ – Name: PeerReviewed Label: Peer Reviewed Group: SrcInfo Data: N – Name: Pages Label: Page Count Group: Src Data: 50 – Name: DatePubCY Label: Publication Date Group: Date Data: 2026 – Name: SourceSuprt Label: Sponsoring Agency Group: SrcSuprt Data: Office of Elementary and Secondary Education (OESE) (ED), Education Innovation and Research (EIR) – Name: NumberContract Label: Contract Number Group: NumCntrct Data: U411C180114 – Name: TypeDocument Label: Document Type Group: TypDoc Data: Reports - Research – Name: Audience Label: Education Level Group: Audnce Data: <searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Elementary+Education%22">Elementary Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Grade+5%22">Grade 5</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Intermediate+Grades%22">Intermediate Grades</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Middle+Schools%22">Middle Schools</searchLink> – Name: Subject Label: Descriptors Group: Su Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Prosocial+Behavior%22">Prosocial Behavior</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Active+Learning%22">Active Learning</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Faculty+Development%22">Faculty Development</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Learner+Engagement%22">Learner Engagement</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Grade+5%22">Grade 5</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Mathematics+Instruction%22">Mathematics Instruction</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Science+Instruction%22">Science Instruction</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Teamwork%22">Teamwork</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Program+Effectiveness%22">Program Effectiveness</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Elementary+Education%22">Elementary Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Classroom+Environment%22">Classroom Environment</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Teacher+Student+Relationship%22">Teacher Student Relationship</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Cooperation%22">Cooperation</searchLink> – Name: Subject Label: Geographic Terms Group: Su Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Arkansas%22">Arkansas</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Kansas%22">Kansas</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Missouri%22">Missouri</searchLink> – Name: Abstract Label: Abstract Group: Ab Data: Prosocial and Active Learning (PAL) Classrooms is a year-long teacher professional development program designed to increase students' prosocial behavior and engagement in 5th grade mathematics and science classrooms that use active, team-based lessons by altering the way that teachers interact with students using research-based strategies. The project is funded by a 6-year Education Innovation and Research grant and implemented by the eMINTS National Center and the Prosocial Development and Education Research Lab (ProsocialEd Lab) at the University of Missouri. The American Institutes for Research® (AIR®), as an independent evaluator, has completed an implementation and impact study of PAL Classrooms. The evaluation involves a mixed-methods study to assess the implementation of the program and a multicohort, school-level randomized controlled trial (RCT) to examine the impact of the program. The evaluation took place in 41 districts in three states--Arkansas, Kansas, and Missouri. For the impact study, AIR randomly assigned two cohorts (2021-22 and 2022-23) of elementary schools to receive PAL Classrooms immediately (treatment) or conduct business as usual and receive PAL Classrooms a year later (control). A total of 41 schools (21 treatment and 20 control), with 65 teachers and their 1,399 students, participated in the RCT. This final report summarizes the PAL Classrooms program and AIR's evaluation methods; findings on the extent to which PAL Classrooms' key components were implemented with fidelity; and the impact of PAL Classrooms on teacher outcomes (i.e., student-reported use of strategies, instructional quality), proximal student outcomes (i.e., prosocial behavior, engagement, perceived classroom climate, collaboration, teacher-student relationship), and student math and science achievement. Results of implementation analyses indicated that PAL Classrooms was generally implemented with fidelity despite occurring during the COVID-19 pandemic. The program delivered key professional development activities and teachers generally participated as intended. In addition, teachers implemented strategies that promoted student prosocial behavior. Results were consistent across both cohorts. Results of impact analyses indicated PAL Classrooms had statistically significantly positive impact on teachers' use of prosocial strategies including praise and induction, with effect sizes of 0.30 and 0.29 standard deviations (SD), respectively. In addition, results reveal that schools assigned to PAL Classrooms had higher levels of overall instructional quality, student engagement, emotional support, classroom organization, and instructional support, measured by classroom observation; however these were not statistically significant. Results reveal that PAL Classrooms had statistically significantly positive impact on proximal student outcomes measured by self-report surveys. Students assigned to PAL Classrooms reported higher levels of prosocial behavior in their peers and behavioral engagement, with effect sizes of 0.31 and 0.22, respectively, compared with students in control schools. Analyses of students' self-reported prosocial behavior of themselves and their teachers, affective and cognitive engagement, classroom climate, and student-teacher relationships also yielded positive results, although the impact estimates were not statistically significant. Impacts on student-reported collaboration and more distal student achievement in math and science were less conclusive, with the impact estimates being smaller and not statistically significant. Additionally, the impact results on student achievement did not vary by student background characteristics (i.e., free or reduced-price lunch eligibility, or receipt of academic services under an individualized education plan). – Name: AbstractInfo Label: Abstractor Group: Ab Data: As Provided – Name: DateEntry Label: Entry Date Group: Date Data: 2026 – Name: AN Label: Accession Number Group: ID Data: ED679558 |
| PLink | https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=eric&AN=ED679558 |
| RecordInfo | BibRecord: BibEntity: Languages: – Text: English PhysicalDescription: Pagination: PageCount: 50 Subjects: – SubjectFull: Prosocial Behavior Type: general – SubjectFull: Active Learning Type: general – SubjectFull: Faculty Development Type: general – SubjectFull: Learner Engagement Type: general – SubjectFull: Grade 5 Type: general – SubjectFull: Mathematics Instruction Type: general – SubjectFull: Science Instruction Type: general – SubjectFull: Teamwork Type: general – SubjectFull: Program Effectiveness Type: general – SubjectFull: Elementary Education Type: general – SubjectFull: Classroom Environment Type: general – SubjectFull: Teacher Student Relationship Type: general – SubjectFull: Cooperation Type: general – SubjectFull: Arkansas Type: general – SubjectFull: Kansas Type: general – SubjectFull: Missouri Type: general Titles: – TitleFull: Prosocial and Active Learning (PAL) Classrooms Evaluation. Final Summative Report [Revised] Type: main BibRelationships: HasContributorRelationships: – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: American Institutes for Research (AIR) – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Ryan Williams – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Bo Zhu – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Max Pardo – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Crystal Aguilera – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Tara Zuber IsPartOfRelationships: – BibEntity: Dates: – D: 01 M: 01 Type: published Y: 2026 Titles: – TitleFull: American Institutes for Research Type: main |
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