View in EDS

Evaluations of Literacy-Based Programs: Empirical Values for Designing Studies Probing Mediation

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Title: Evaluations of Literacy-Based Programs: Empirical Values for Designing Studies Probing Mediation
Language: English
Authors: Amota Ataneka (ORCID 0000-0001-7867-2921), Benjamin Kelcey, Yanli Xie, Fangxing Bai, Leigh McLean, Jean Baptiste Habarurema
Source: Evaluation Review. 2026 50(4):674-718.
Availability: SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: https://sagepub.com
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 45
Publication Date: 2026
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: Elementary Education
Descriptors: Reading Programs, Class Activities, Teacher Attitudes, Teacher Effectiveness, Instructional Improvement, Teacher Improvement, Educational Practices, Language Arts, Elementary School Teachers, Pedagogical Content Knowledge, Literacy
DOI: 10.1177/0193841X261426107
ISSN: 0193-841X
1552-3926
Abstract: Multilevel mediation analyses are vital for testing and refining theories of action in program evaluations. Prior literature and established guidelines have repeatedly underscored the need to prospectively incorporate mediation considerations when designing a study even when mediation is considered a secondary or exploratory aim. Despite the critical role mediation analyses play across disciplines, the available empirical resources to facilitate effective and efficient design of such studies are limited. This study contributes to this gap by developing empirical estimates of design parameter values for literacy programs implemented within classrooms by teachers. Using data from two large studies with thousands of students and hundreds of teachers and schools, we develop empirical guidelines for studies using a three-level structure (students, teachers, and schools) for a diverse set of school contexts (e.g., urban and geographic regions) and mediators (e.g., teacher knowledge, instruction, affect, attitudes, and classroom climate). The results suggested considerable variation in the clustering of teacher mediators and student outcomes within schools and that such clustering is dependent on the variable type (e.g., instruction, knowledge, climate, and literacy achievement) and study context. The findings underscore the importance of context-, mediator-, and outcome-specific design parameter values in planning studies.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: EJ1506074
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
  Availability: 0
Header DbId: eric
DbLabel: ERIC
An: EJ1506074
AccessLevel: 3
PubType: Academic Journal
PubTypeId: academicJournal
PreciseRelevancyScore: 0
IllustrationInfo
Items – Name: Title
  Label: Title
  Group: Ti
  Data: Evaluations of Literacy-Based Programs: Empirical Values for Designing Studies Probing Mediation
– Name: Language
  Label: Language
  Group: Lang
  Data: English
– Name: Author
  Label: Authors
  Group: Au
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Amota+Ataneka%22">Amota Ataneka</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7867-2921">0000-0001-7867-2921</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Benjamin+Kelcey%22">Benjamin Kelcey</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Yanli+Xie%22">Yanli Xie</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Fangxing+Bai%22">Fangxing Bai</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Leigh+McLean%22">Leigh McLean</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Jean+Baptiste+Habarurema%22">Jean Baptiste Habarurema</searchLink>
– Name: TitleSource
  Label: Source
  Group: Src
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Evaluation+Review%22"><i>Evaluation Review</i></searchLink>. 2026 50(4):674-718.
– Name: Avail
  Label: Availability
  Group: Avail
  Data: SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: https://sagepub.com
– Name: PeerReviewed
  Label: Peer Reviewed
  Group: SrcInfo
  Data: Y
– Name: Pages
  Label: Page Count
  Group: Src
  Data: 45
– Name: DatePubCY
  Label: Publication Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 2026
– Name: TypeDocument
  Label: Document Type
  Group: TypDoc
  Data: Journal Articles<br />Reports - Research
– Name: Audience
  Label: Education Level
  Group: Audnce
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Elementary+Education%22">Elementary Education</searchLink>
– Name: Subject
  Label: Descriptors
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Reading+Programs%22">Reading Programs</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Class+Activities%22">Class Activities</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Teacher+Attitudes%22">Teacher Attitudes</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Teacher+Effectiveness%22">Teacher Effectiveness</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Instructional+Improvement%22">Instructional Improvement</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Teacher+Improvement%22">Teacher Improvement</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Educational+Practices%22">Educational Practices</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Language+Arts%22">Language Arts</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Elementary+School+Teachers%22">Elementary School Teachers</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Pedagogical+Content+Knowledge%22">Pedagogical Content Knowledge</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Literacy%22">Literacy</searchLink>
– Name: DOI
  Label: DOI
  Group: ID
  Data: 10.1177/0193841X261426107
– Name: ISSN
  Label: ISSN
  Group: ISSN
  Data: 0193-841X<br />1552-3926
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Multilevel mediation analyses are vital for testing and refining theories of action in program evaluations. Prior literature and established guidelines have repeatedly underscored the need to prospectively incorporate mediation considerations when designing a study even when mediation is considered a secondary or exploratory aim. Despite the critical role mediation analyses play across disciplines, the available empirical resources to facilitate effective and efficient design of such studies are limited. This study contributes to this gap by developing empirical estimates of design parameter values for literacy programs implemented within classrooms by teachers. Using data from two large studies with thousands of students and hundreds of teachers and schools, we develop empirical guidelines for studies using a three-level structure (students, teachers, and schools) for a diverse set of school contexts (e.g., urban and geographic regions) and mediators (e.g., teacher knowledge, instruction, affect, attitudes, and classroom climate). The results suggested considerable variation in the clustering of teacher mediators and student outcomes within schools and that such clustering is dependent on the variable type (e.g., instruction, knowledge, climate, and literacy achievement) and study context. The findings underscore the importance of context-, mediator-, and outcome-specific design parameter values in planning studies.
– 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: EJ1506074
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=eric&AN=EJ1506074
RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1177/0193841X261426107
    Languages:
      – Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 45
        StartPage: 674
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Reading Programs
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Class Activities
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Teacher Attitudes
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Teacher Effectiveness
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Instructional Improvement
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Teacher Improvement
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Educational Practices
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Language Arts
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Elementary School Teachers
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Pedagogical Content Knowledge
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Literacy
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Evaluations of Literacy-Based Programs: Empirical Values for Designing Studies Probing Mediation
        Type: main
  BibRelationships:
    HasContributorRelationships:
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Amota Ataneka
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Benjamin Kelcey
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Yanli Xie
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Fangxing Bai
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Leigh McLean
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Jean Baptiste Habarurema
    IsPartOfRelationships:
      – BibEntity:
          Dates:
            – D: 01
              M: 08
              Type: published
              Y: 2026
          Identifiers:
            – Type: issn-print
              Value: 0193-841X
            – Type: issn-electronic
              Value: 1552-3926
          Numbering:
            – Type: volume
              Value: 50
            – Type: issue
              Value: 4
          Titles:
            – TitleFull: Evaluation Review
              Type: main
ResultId 1