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Graphene is a novel material with extraordinary promise in various nano-based applications, including increases in strength, conductivity, filtration, and electrical capacity. Graphene can be synthesized and tested in a wide variety of applications in secondary or undergraduate settings. Allowing students to choose their own application and method of testing the graphene they synthesize is an engaging and authentic project based on engineering design and grounded in the tenets of constructivism. One of the many possible applications, reinforcement of paper mache by graphene, is easily adapted, uses familiar materials and methods, is cheap, and is easy to test. This student-centered project has led to increases in student content knowledge and lab skills. It increases students' confidence in designing their own solutions, analyzing data, and using scientific inquiry and engineering design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While teacher education candidates and faculty have improved their knowledge and skills with technology, challenges remain regarding their understanding of how to integrate technology effectively within their pedagogical practices. One solution is to provide models of purposeful technology integration within instruction that embeds digital pedagogy throughout the learning process. This paper describes how a teacher education program is addressing the need to engage candidates and faculty around issues of technology integration and adoption. This is done through participation in a Breakout EDU game focused on introducing candidates, and faculty, to what might be possible when integrating technology within their instructional practices. Throughout the paper, I describe how restructured instructional spaces and the Breakout EDU game model technology integration and has initiated change within the teacher preparation program. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focuses on spirituality and critical consciousness as two guiding forces for meaningful leadership. It further looks for the reconciliation of spirituality and criticality so as to deconstruct deep-seated leadership myths. Reconciling spirituality with critical perspective inspires individuals to have a critical and holistic understanding of engaged spirituality and leadership theorizing critical spirituality as an ontological and epistemic praxis to connect the inner world to the outer social reality and materiality. Adherence to spirituality through critical engagement helps to create a meaningful educational leadership space, fostering a sense of optimism and utopian envisioning by challenging the taken-for-granted assumptions and embracing diversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research sought to investigate the experiences of students from low socioeconomic status (SES) backgrounds who chose to attend socioeconomically integrated secondary schools in Ireland. Socioeconomic integration is the practice whereby students from varying socioeconomic backgrounds are integrated into heterogeneous school settings in order to diversify their socioeconomic composition. While the literature indicates consistent academic benefits of the practice for low-SES students, uncertainties remain surrounding their psychosocial experience. To better understand such uncertainties, this research embodied a case study approach, investigating the socioeconomic integration experiences of two low-SES families (n = 4) through online surveys and semi-structured interviews. The responses ascertained from case study accounts were subsequently presented to individuals with knowledge in the field (n = 7) during expert interviews. Triangulated findings indicate that the experiences of participating low-SES students were generally positive, with the development of friendships, extra-curricular participation, and subtle teacher vigilance being highlighted as advantageous. Nevertheless, participants also indicated significant tensions associated with the practice, including desires for assimilation, sentiments of isolation, possible dilution of identity, and rare instances of peercondescension. This paper presents practical opportunities to improve the experiences of low- SES students in socioeconomically integrated schools, while also offering valuable lines of inquiry for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes the impact of using Critical Participatory Action Research (CPAR) to enhance a campus-community partnership. The key stakeholders, who are also the participants, share how learning from the reflective journals, collaborative sessions, and interview data analysis transformed their practice. The collaborative partnership was designed to allow prospective teachers from a School of Education at a U.S. liberal arts college the opportunity to teach Diverse language learners (DLLs) who were attending a summer program at a nearby community learning center. The teacher educators responsible for teaching the prospective teachers, the director of the community learning center, and a student researcher joined the project as collaborative participant researchers. Together they analyzed the data collected from various participating groups, which included their own work and reflections, as well as those of the prospective teachers and prevention specialists who were employed by the community learning center. The findings from this study revealed that all participants benefited from the campus-community partnership because it was built on trust, mutual respect, reciprocity, and the use of shared language among key stakeholders. This CPAR project provides specific ideas and steps implemented to develop a well-functioning and reflective partnership between a community learning center and a local college. Examples of the specific praxis involved in such partnerships are often absent from the literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The world has been discussing the Finnish educational system for over a decade now. This paradigm shift in education in Finland has brought about tremendous changes that the world is discussing. To find out how Finland has reached such a high level of student achievement, Principal Mussarut Jabeen, who had long planned to visit Finland, and Dr. Seema Imam, professor at National Louis University, participated in a book study and tour of Finland to experience firsthand their educational system. Members of the book club visited the Department of Education, university teacher education programs, and numerous schools in three cities. This paper discusses an Islamic school's efforts toward a paradigm shift in education. It takes a look at Finland's societal values and their best practices, many of which can be implemented in Islamic schools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores my process of being emotionally literate, realizing my personal power through this process, and deciding to move ahead with my PhD to explore further my contribution to the flourishing of humanity. In this qualitative reflective self-study, I have used my detailed personal, professional, and academic reflective journal and audio-visual narratives that I kept over seven years as data to explore the process of learning. The article reveals my process of learning from my experiences as a confused Nepali girl to my experience of working as a journalist, to becoming an aspiring educational leader and a researcher. The results are discussed using a microscopic lens into my childhood together with an understanding of how social settings played a major role in my learning and how emotional intelligence played an instrumental role in deconstructing that and helped me understand myself better, urging me to explore further through my PhD research as an educational leader. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the study was to determine the effect of active learning techniques applied in Vocational English Course on students' achievement and attitude. In the research, quasi-experimental design with pre-test and post-test control group model was used. The participants included the students majoring Tourism Management at a state university in Turkey and taking Vocational English Course in fall semester in 2017-2018 academic year. In the experimental group, instruction was carried out using active learning techniques, while in the control group, instruction was conducted in conventional lecture method. The techniques used in the study were writing poetry, concept mapping, simulation, role-play, writing e-mails, script writing and drama. Vocational English Course Achievement Test and Attitude Scale towards Vocational English Course were used to collect data. The findings of the study revealed that active learning techniques were more effective in acquiring the objectives of Vocational English Course with a large effect size. Similarly, the findings of study reflected that active learning techniques made a significant difference on students' attitudes towards Vocational English Course with a large effect size. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The “chilly” science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) climate in undergraduate settings has been widely documented, as women in STEM majors frequently face discrimination, microaggressions, and implicit bias from their professors and peers. While undergraduate research experiences can help women in STEM overcome some of the barriers they face, these opportunities are not always accessible and inclusive. Although there is a breadth of literature on this topic, many studies utilize traditional quantitative and qualitative methods and do not take the authentic, individualized voices of these women into account. The present study integrates two arts-based participatory methodologies—Photovoice and collage inquiry—to explore the following questions: (1) What are the experiences of women in STEM majors at a large midwestern researchintensive university? (2) How do these women experience conducting and/or seeking research opportunities? Four themes emerged from the analysis of the triangulated data: (1) lack of equity in STEM, (2) lack of awareness of opportunities, (3) confidence in STEM abilities, and (4) passion for STEM. While the first two themes encompass barriers that women in STEM face, the second two themes demonstrate the strengths of women in STEM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated the use of technology such as Moodle in course delivery to facilitate student engagement. This research explored how lecturers delivered courses through Moodle and how students perceived interaction with instructors, content, and peers via Moodle and the influence on student satisfaction. This mixed-method research design utilized qualitative data from nine lecturers via interviews and quantitative data from 86 students via surveys. The qualitative data were analyzed using Nvivo 12 to derive codes and themes while SPSS 27 was used for the quantitative data to conduct Pearson correlations and multiple regression. The findings indicated that perceived usefulness and learner-instructor interaction were positive, significant predictors of student satisfaction. The study also revealed that lecturers were using the platform with varying degrees of expertise even as they experienced challenges and barriers to attempts to interact with students. These findings suggest that lecturers and students see the value Moodle provides for teaching and learning and may be used as a guide for strengthening the use of the resource toward improving the quality of student interaction and the degree of student satisfaction at higher education institutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The question whether money matters in education strikes at the foundation of America’s democracy—an educated electorate. Despite decades of evidence that money does matter, the question still remains unanswered among many and even answered to the contrary of the evidence. It is important to fully understand that money does matter in American education, American lives, and America’s future and to increase awareness of political and social factors that undermine that money matters for all students to learn. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The passage to middle school has been identified as a confusing period for adolescents, involving a series of major transitions. A new variable that permeates these already lofty transitions is the firm entrenchment of Generation Alpha in the middle grades classroom, a cohort that includes anyone born from 2010 onward, making them the first generation born and shaped entirely in the twenty-first century. The purpose of this study was to explore the attitudes and perceptions of current middle school teachers across Indiana, Kentucky, and Ohio toward their Gen Alpha students so as to uncover the concrete issues these teachers encounter as they work with this undeniably unique cohort. A total of 139 teachers responded to the researcher-generated electronic survey, which was coded inductively and analyzed for content. The feedback points to a cohort that is digitally literate with great adaptability, but also a cohort that exhibits delayed social development and a myriad of global concerns. These factors all have implications for the ways they learn, interact, and function in the middle school classroom. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of teacher mobility on knowledge management, based on the experiences of teachers and school principals of primary and secondary schools in Türkiye. The mobility of teachers in Türkiye is fairly high, which makes it significant to study in terms of school management. The analysis of qualitative interviews with thirty participants revealed several meaningful themes pertaining to the advantages and disadvantages of teacher mobility regarding knowledge management as well as strategies to increase the contributions of teachers to knowledge management of the schools that they seek to change. The results of this study contribute to an understanding of the effects of teacher mobility on knowledge management and the importance of school leadership in the process of teacher adaptation to new school environments, topics that are not sufficiently explored in the context of Turkish education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to explore replicable strategies and principles for reimagining higher education students as co-creators of course content through small-scale curricular experiments. The research took place at a broad-access, minority, and Hispanic-serving university that seeks to disrupt patterns of inequity in higher education. In the 2021-22 academic year, Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) faculty fellowships were launched to support a university-wide research agenda on equity-promoting teaching practices. Selected fellows formed a team of three, supported by research and faculty cofacilitators. They began by developing a shared definition of equity, focusing on student identity and voice. The research questions for this study focus on the impact of increased student input into course content on student engagement, students' experiences, and faculty members' experiences. Across all instances of small-scale curricular experiments designed to promote co-creation of curriculum, the majority of students reported positive impacts on engagement and experiences in the course. In describing implementation of their strategies, all three researchers found a process of moving from initial challenges in the unfamiliarity of co-creation to greater engagement for themselves and their students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the experiences of two cohorts of graduate students completing their research capstone course during the COVID-19 pandemic. The aim of the study was to examine the novice teacher-researchers' perceptions about research as they engaged in a semester-long collaborative research project that was revised for their cohorts. The findings suggest that students' perspectives and experiences were influenced by the collaborative nature of the course and that the geographic separation between the students was not a challenge for the cohorts of novice researchers. The implications from this work are that educators, especially those geographically distanced, benefit from collaborative action research as a professional development strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study delves into the transformative potential of gamification within the realm of education by integrating game elements into a lesson process primarily designed for non-gaming purposes and contexts. In this study, gamification was created by incorporating game elements, such as points, badges, and leaderboards, into lessons designed for a non-game purpose and context. The study investigated the effect of gamification on pre-service social studies teachers' technology acceptance. The Technology Acceptance Scale for Teachers (T-TAM) and structured interviews were used to collect data. The study utilized a quasi-experimental design with a pretest-posttest control group to test the cause-and-effect relationship between variables. According to the findings obtained after the six-week implementation period, gamification had significant effects on pre-service teachers' perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, attitude toward use, facilitating conditions, technological complexity, perceived enjoyment, and behavioral intentions. The results underscore the potential of gamification as an effective pedagogical tool for enhancing the integration of technology in educational contexts, particularly for pre-service teachers. Consequently, this research contributes valuable insights to the role of gamification in fostering more technologically adept educators, with implications for the broader field of educational technology and instructional design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pandemic challenged many of us as researchers, requiring that we reflect upon our methods and make modifications to allow for online facilitation. As researchers who traditionally use participatory research (PR) methods, we were significantly challenged to reflect on our approach and the ways in which we may remain true to the spirit of PR. Through this article, we provide an overview of how we modified two PR methods, Group-Level Assessment (GLA) and Photovoice. Additionally, we provide a debrief on the aspects of PR we intentionally reflected on as part of our modification process, particularly how we upheld and honored the tenets of PR throughout these modified processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study originated as an institutionally sponsored research residency conducted using utilization-focused evaluation (Patton, 2008) to investigate the nature of dispositional changes in candidates pursuing National Louis University's M.Ed. and Ed.S. degrees leading to educational leadership (EDL) state certification in one large urban school district in a Southern state. The EDL program organized learning objectives intending to develop a specific knowledge base, an operational competency set, and, as this study's focus, leadership dispositions related to preparing assistant principals and principals to lead effectively in chronically low-performing (CLP) schools. The inquiry cross-analyzed data at the intersection of the graduate program's disposition-related learning objectives with 13 leadership dispositions identified in The Haberman Educational Foundation Star Urban Administrator Pre-Screener. EDL program faculty administered the prescreener to EDL program candidates twice, yielding 187 matched pairs in pre-program and postprogram administrations. Statistical analyses yielded a significant difference (improvement) in overall Haberman scores at the .01 alpha level, as well as an effect size considered (Cohen, 1969) to be a medium effect size. Faculty triangulated the data with interviews of alumni and faculty with experience in leading CLP schools, who affirmed that focus on leadership dispositions serves an important developmental role in an EDL program. The study appears to validate the measurable presence and dynamic changes in EDL candidate dispositions as an element of a graduate program focused on developing effective leaders of CLP schools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this survey study was to explore pre-service English as a foreign language (EFL) teachers' opinions concerning the pragmatic aspect of language and their awareness of certain pragmatics concepts. Thirty-three pre-service EFL teachers from a state university in Türkiye participated in the study voluntarily. As a data-collection instrument, a survey with Likert scale questions and a few additional questions was used. Results of the descriptive and frequency analysis demonstrate that the pre-service EFL teachers understood the value of pragmatics in language teaching and learning since they mentioned communicative competence as an important aspect of language use. They also believed that learning a language requires an understanding of both its linguistic and communicative components. The definitions of pragmatics given by participants reveal that they are knowledgeable with the concept's theoretical underpinnings. The results highlight that participant teachers learned certain pragmatics concepts, like speech acts, pragmatic awareness, and facethreatening acts, in their university courses, but they were less familiar with some pragmatics concepts compared to others. Results suggest that more emphasis should be given to pragmatics in teacher education curriculums to make teacher candidates more aware of the importance of pragmatics and more capable of applying their theoretical knowledge of pragmatics in actual language use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stark underrepresentation exists of undergraduate women enrolled in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) degree programs. Although women have outnumberedmen in undergraduate enrollment for over 30 years, these numbers do not apply to the sciences. Previous research shows that low self-efficacy is a barrier and high self-confidence is a strength for women in STEM. Participatory Action Research (PAR) addresses both sides of this issue by (1) answering the questions that exist about women in STEM and undergraduate research and (2) providing women in STEM with research experience. Thus, PAR not only helps solve the problem of self-efficacy that affects women in STEM, but also aids with self-esteem issues and other barriers they face daily. The current study is a PAR research project that uses group-level assessment, a participatory qualitative research method. In collaboration with female undergraduate coresearchers, the purpose of this PAR research project is to explore the experience of women conducting and/or seeking STEM undergraduate research experiences to inform program development at the university level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Faculty instructors of a master's-level teacher research course share findings from a study on the impact of teacher research on classroom practice and teacher autonomy. The authors describe the master of education program and research capstone course, in which graduate students (practicing teachers) complete a semester-long research project. They share their qualitative inquiry examining the impact of teacher research on participants who completed teacher research 2010-2018. Findings derived from surveys and interviews suggest that teachers (a) adapt their instructional practices and their thinking about learners' needs and (b) develop confidence and a greater sense of autonomy following a semester-long research experience. The authors suggest implications for teachers, administrators, and the field of teacher research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined preservice elementary mathematics teachers' technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK) development throughout their final year in the natural setting of a teacher preparation program. Data were collected from 38 preservice teachers via a TPACK selfassessment scale with seven subdomains at the beginning and end of the final year of their training. Descriptive statistics, correlation, and regression analysis were used. Results showed that participants had significantly positive gains in their pedagogical knowledge (PK), technological knowledge (TK), technological pedagogical knowledge (TPK), pedagogical content knowledge (PCK), and TPACK with medium-to-large effect sizes. Correlation analysis indicated that participants developed a more integrative understanding of TPACK. Participants' TCK, TPK, and PCK were significant predictors of their TPACK at the end of the program. The teacher preparation program seems to primarily support preservice teachers' pedagogical thinking. Therefore, the results suggest enhancing the technological aspects of the program. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Student investment in learning is often stronger when learning incorporates student choice, "realworld" authenticity, and creativity. This action research study investigated the impact of a particular tool for emphasizing these elements in learning: a free-choice, or "Genius Time," project in which middle school students in an independent all-boys school were asked to develop and carry out an individual project to investigate anything of their choosing as part of their regular science class. This study aimed to determine how a project like this could impact student skill-building, self-efficacy, motivation, and student learning through the practice of inquiry. Through surveys, student self-assessment, student interviews, and teacher journaling, the results showed that this project was successful in building essential 21st-century skills, such as initiative, risk-taking, persistence, and resilience. In addition, students were engaged in meaningful inquiry learning because they were required to exercise and grow their own agency for learning, including their self-efficacy. Finally, this project may have facilitated a shift in participant personal motivation toward more intrinsic (rather than extrinsic) factors. These findings support a larger body of research and reporting about the effectiveness of project-based learning, and free-choice or passion projects in particular, to engage students with inquiry in meaningful ways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Teacher competency is a key research area because of the strong link between child development and the quality of early childhood education. This study aims to examine early childhood teachers' self-reported pedagogical competency profiles and to determine the factors affecting their profiles. To reach that aim, a mixed-method study was designed as an explanatory sequential design. The participants comprised 290 early childhood teachers for the quantitative portion and 15 for the qualitative. The Early Childhood Teachers Competencies Assessment Rubric and an interview form, both developed and proved valid and reliable by researchers, were used. Two-step cluster analysis and inductive content analysis approaches were used to analyze the data. Some important findings are as follows: the teachers were grouped into high-, mid-, and low-competence clusters based mainly on the differences in the areas of instructional technology and educational planning competency. As the teachers indicated, social and individual factors determine their competency profiles. Furthermore, the teachers explained about their ongoing professional development endeavors to improve their competency profiles. The results of the study are discussed in detail, and suggestions are presented for planners/practitioners of teacher professional development programs, curriculum developers and faculty members at higher education institutions, and policymakers at the national and international levels in the hard way to reach out to more qualified early childhood education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we aimed to determine metacognition strategies that science teachers use in science lessons and activities they can perform within the scope of these strategies. We used an instrumental qualitative case study design. Research data were collected from science teachers working in public schools during the 2018-2019 academic year. The findings revealed that science teachers' definitions of the metacognition concept are developed and compatible with the definitions in the literature. We also found that science teachers use most of the metacognition-enhancing strategies proposed in the literature. The results showed that science teachers generally do plan before the lesson, encourage their students to ask original questions and think for themselves, motivate their students to evaluate their learning experiences based on multiple criteria, encourage their students to empathize and be motivated, help their students to cope with the difficulties, create environments where students can reflect their ideas, try to make students aware of their behaviors, ask their students to explain their statements, perform role-playing and drama activities, and try to be a role model for their students. However, science teachers use journal-keeping strategies less than other strategies. We believe that the research can make a significant contribution to the literature and serve as a substantial resource especially for young teachers to gain a solid background in metacognition and how it can be incorporated into one's teaching practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Action research offers teachers an empowering and transformative experience of professional engagement. Teachers engaging in action research are encouraged to develop their inquiry skills and to adopt a growth mindset in contrast to a fixed mindset. This study explored the complex relationship between teachers' researcher self-efficacy beliefs and growth mindset, hypothesizing that action research can impact. The participants of this study comprised 219 practicing English language teachers who had varying degrees of action research engagement during or after their graduate programs in English language teaching. The study used a quantitative research design employing two questionnaires. The findings show that while teachers' researcher efficacy beliefs increased dramatically with the increase in their action research involvement, there was no noticeable relationship between teachers' mindset and teacher-researcher self-efficacy beliefs. We draw critical implications for language teachers and provide recommendations for a sustainable engagement in action research, which could impact both self-efficacy and mindset. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to investigate preservice science teachers' favorite scientists. This study was conducted according to a screening model. The study group consisted of 199 volunteer preservice teachers who were studying in the science education department at a state university in Turkey. Of the total preservice science teachers, 56 were first year, 57 second year, 55 third year, 31 fourth year; 172 were female, and 27 were male. I asked, "Who is your favorite scientist? Why? Please, write your reason." The preservice science teachers wrote their favorite scientists along with their reasons. The data obtained was analyzed using the content analysis method. The results show that preservice science teachers named 28 different scientists. Eight scientists were Turkish-Islamic, and twenty were foreign. Twenty-seven scientists were male, and one was female. Six female preservice science teachers wrote Marie Curie as their favorite scientist. Preservice science teachers' favorite scientists were mostly foreign, both at each grade level and overall. The most frequently named favorite scientists were Aziz Sancar, Ibn-i Sina, Albert Einstein, Isaac Newton, and Nikola Tesla. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores how past and present experiences with mathematics interact as teacher candidates engage in a series of critical inquiry and reflection opportunities embedded in a mathematics methods course. The study involved 28 teacher candidates enrolled in an undergraduate education program within a large university. Data were collected through a series of written reflections and semi-structured interviews. The results reveal that the teacher candidates possess a wide variety of feelings towards mathematics, yet they are often influenced by how they were taught as students. Further, negative experiences with mathematics appear to be more prevalent than positive ones. Opportunities for critical inquiry and reflective thinking allowed the participants to develop new understandings about teaching and learning mathematics. Overall, the findings indicate that there are meaningful pedagogical opportunities for giving teacher candidates opportunities to revisit previous experience, construct new meaning, and challenge old assumptions about teaching and learning mathematics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the relationships between organizational innovativeness levels of schools and school administrators' demographic characteristics, school climate, school leadership, and job satisfaction. To this end, it employed a correlational design. The sample consisted of 808 school administrators working in primary schools, lower secondary schools, and high schools in Turkey. The participants took the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS, 2018). The study revealed that demographic characteristics of schools, including school size, adequacy of resources, and personnel, affect organizational innovativeness levels. In addition, school climate and school leadership were significant predictors of organizational innovativeness levels. The other predictors of schools' organizational innovativeness levels were lack of resources and human capital and job satisfaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the relationship between change fatigue and job satisfaction. It also aims to test the moderator roles of gender and experience in this relationship. To this end, we conducted an online data collection procedure during the 2020-2021 academic year. Participants were recruited through convenient sampling, and they worked in different parts of Turkey. In all, 379 teachers participated in the study voluntarily. The PROCESS macro was used to test the moderator roles of gender and experience. The findings showed that change fatigue and job satisfaction were negatively correlated. While gender moderated the relationship between change fatigue and job satisfaction, experience did not. The findings were discussed based on previous literature, and some suggestions were presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The primary purpose of the present study was to examine what good teaching is and what characteristics good teachers carry for preservice teachers who were registered in an introductory teaching class at a land-grant university in Midwest, USA. Participants included 18 teacher candidates. I collected the data by conducting semi-structured interviews with the participants. The findings of the study indicate that good teaching is (1) creative, (2) studentcentered, (3) stimulative, (4) relevant, (5) adaptable, and (6) challenging. Similarly, the findings also reveal that good teachers (1) build personal relationships with their students, (2) mentor their students, (3) are enthusiastic, (4) respect their students, and (5) are experts in their field. Based on the findings of the study, I argue that the conception of good teaching and good teachers that emerged from this study is congruent with other teaching frameworks such as culturally relevant teaching. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to investigate the identities of pre-service teachers and the effects of teaching practice and video reflections on the identities of pre-service teachers enrolled in the Turkish Language Teaching Department. The researcher used a qualitative research design, primarily a case study, in this study. Six senior pre-service teachers enrolled in the Teaching Practicum course during the spring semester of 2019 volunteered to participate in this study. The author collected data through video reflections, pre-practice and post-practice teaching focus group interviews and analyzed data through a cyclical-reiterative analysis process. The results showed that the identities of pre-service teachers could be grouped under three sub-identities: the subject-matter expert, didactical expert, and pedagogical expert identities. Also, pre-service Turkish Language teachers saw their identity at the beginning as being more cue-based and exemplar-based. However, at the end of the practicum, they heavily displayed rule-based identities due to the requirements of the Turkish educational system or schema-based identities that mainly emerged with the impact of contextual factors and conditions of the practicum schools. Lastly, the author discussed the findings in detail and provided implications for practice and future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic, which broke out in late 2019 and which we are still facing today, has caused an extraordinary disruption of many systems globally, including educational ones, and affected the lives of many students and families. Various measures were abruptly taken in order to ensure that students, teachers, and school principals continued their educational processes safely and also to lessen the crisis situation and chaos. One of these measures was country-wide school closures, and along with Turkey, most countries chose to close schools and make a quick transition to remote learning. During those weeks, several policy responses aimed at making sure that students attended online classes regularly and that they felt well. In the meantime, diverse stakeholders of educational systems (students, teachers, educational leaders etc.) have learned some lessons from this situation. The purpose of this study is to emphasize the lessons that Turkish school principals learned during the school closure period in Turkey. Within the scope of maximum diversity sampling, a purposeful sampling method, a sampling frame was established, and 105 school principals working in primary, secondary, and high schools in different provinces participated in the study. In the study, in which a qualitative online survey method was used, a Google drive form with open-ended questions was employed. Based on the findings obtained in the study, main themes have been created. These are personal, organizational, and educational lessons learned. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined school principals' instructional leadership as a predictor of teachers' motivation. The sample included 306 elementary school teachers. The study took place in the western Black Sea region of Turkey. Data collection tools included two instruments: the Instructional Leadership Scale (ILS) and the Teacher Motivation Scale (TMS). Correlation analysis was employed to examine the relationship between school principals' instructional leadership and teacher motivation. Multiple regression analysis was used to identify the predictive role of instructional leadership in teacher motivation. The findings of this study demonstrate significant relationships between instructional leadership and teacher motivation. Ultimately, instructional leadership can serve as a predictor of teacher motivation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Historically, formative assessment has been credited with increasing student achievement. Student outcomes increase when constructive, immediate, formative feedback is provided in a systematic way for all students. Educators need to implement effective formative assessments in order to deepen learning through more critical thinking and reflection. Teachers who monitor student progress and make instructional adjustments based on gathered information implement formative assessment. Teachers in this study used teacher inquiry to reflect upon their practice in order to design a reflective record tool. This tool was intended as a supporting assessment in a Response to Intervention (RtI) service delivery model. Results showed teacher reflections in designing and field-testing a systematic reflective record tool. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Group level assessment (GLA) allows participants or co-researchers the opportunity to voice their opinions on a specific topic while also developing action strategies for change. The purpose of the method is to empower participants and provide them an outlet for sharing their experiences in addition to developing a salient action plan. In this article, we describe how the process of participating in a GLA impacted the undergraduate women engineering students who participated. We conclude that merely facilitating a GLA positively impacted participants, aside from the action steps. Women who participated in the GLA felt supported, thought that their voice was heard, and developed a heightened awareness of other women's experiences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was conducted to test whether social-emotional learning skills are a significant predictor of academic achievement and happiness in middle school students. A total of three different data collection tools were used in the study: A Personal Information Form, The Social-Emotional Learning Skills Scale, and The Adolescent Happiness Scale. The study was carried out with 337 middle school students from six different middle schools in Erzurum province. Of these students, 203 (60.2%) were female, and 134 (39.8%) were male. The ages of these students varied between 10 and 14, and the mean age was 12.07 (Sd = 0.93). Descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, and hierarchical regression analysis were employed in the analysis of the data. The findings obtained as a result of the study indicated that there were positive and significant correlations between social-emotional learning skills and academic achievement and happiness. In addition, social-emotional learning skills were a significant predictor of academic achievement and happiness in middle school students. Accordingly, social-emotional learning skills explained 18% of the total variance in academic achievement and 44% of the variance in happiness in middle school students. When all these results are evaluated together, it can be said that promoting the social-emotional learning skills of middle school students will increase academic achievement and happiness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this research was to investigate a formal principal mentoring program and report on perceived learning benefits and the well-being of the participants. The study highlights aspects of the mentoring relationship evidenced in the explicit and intentional development of school leaders. The empirical investigation used qualitative-naturalistic inquiry methods. Data were collected primarily through in-depth, focused participant interviews. The findings of this study revealed both the "what" and "how" of perceived benefits within formal mentoring relationships under the direction of a state-wide programmatic initiative. Of particular interest was the role of social learning through reflective activity and the results of occupational well-being. A truthful representation of aspects of mentoring relationships between novice and mentor principals within formal programming provided insights into how novice learning supports their well-being. Implications for the development and retention of principals are considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this research was to investigate the effect of simulation-supported inquiry-based learning on pre-service teachers' conceptual understanding of capacitors. The participants consisted of 50 pre-service teachers studying at a state university in Turkey. The participants were divided into two groups of 25 each on the basis of their physics grades in the previous semester. The research was patterned according to a non-equivalent control group design with pretest and posttest. The experimental group used simulation-supported inquiry-based learning, and the control group used lecture-based learning supported by simulations. The research data were collected with the Capacitor Concept Test prepared by the researchers. The findings showed that pre-service teachers had various misconceptions about parallel plate capacitors before the implementation. The research revealed that inquiry-based learning was more effective than lecture-based learning in eliminating these misconceptions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between high schools' instructional capacities and students' achievement gains. Designed using a relational screening model descriptive research method, the study draws upon the statistical data on students' high school and UPE success scores obtained from Ministry of National Education and Center for Evaluation, Selection, and Placement as well as teachers' responses to the data collection tool in this study. The Instructional Capacity Scale (ICS) was the data collection instrument the researchers developed. The ICS has six subscales, including instructional management practices, teacher quality, quality and quantity of curriculum and materials, instructional climate, students' readiness to learn, and financial resources. The data were analyzed using multilevel structural equation modeling (ML-SEM) to determine the direct or indirect relationships between dependent variables and independent variables. The findings show that teacher quality and students' readiness to learn affect students' achievement directly, while there is an indirect relationship between instructional climate and instructional management practices. There is also evidence to suggest that the previous achievement level of students is the most effective variable for predicting academic achievement. The findings have confirmed the model presenting that instructional capacity components affect the academic achievement of the students either directly or indirectly. In this sense, the most effective variable on the students' academic achievement was the previous academic achievement level (SBS base scores). Several limitations and recommendations for future research are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to examine teachers' self-assessments of their ability to create a positive classroom environment. The study used a survey method, and the sample was composed of 260 teachers who worked in the province of Tokat in Turkey in the 2017-2018 academic year. Research data were collected through the Class Control Index developed by Howard (1978) and translated into Turkish by Özden (2005). To analyze the data, the researchers used the t-test, one-way analysis of variance, Kruskal-Wallis H and Mann-Whitney U tests, and Pearson Moments Multiplication Correlation Coefficient. According to the results, teachers have high self-assessments of their ability to create a positive classroom environment. Primary school teachers had higher self-assessment scores than middle and high school teachers. Women's scores were higher than men's, classroom teachers had the highest scores, and information technology teachers had the lowest. In addition, there was no significant difference in terms of age, occupational seniority, postgraduate education, type of school (for high school teachers), department from which teachers graduated, or classroom management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Participatory evaluation tools have been shown to be effective for program development in various settings, including in higher education. Taking student perspectives into consideration is key for graduate program development, particularly in interdisciplinary programs. The current study utilizes Group Level Assessment (GLA), a participatory program evaluation tool, to evaluate the Biomedical Informatics (BMI) PhD Program at the University of Cincinnati (UC) and Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center (CCHMC). The study was conducted two years after the program was established, an appropriate timing to gauge the opinions of current doctoral students as the program grows and develops. The findings show the strengths and identify areas of improvement of the doctoral program, providing an evidence base for administrators and faculty to work collaboratively with students to capitalize on assets and address potential issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to reveal the experiences of science education graduate students about education in out-of-school learning environments before and after they took a course on this topic. The study group consisted of four students who were attending the science education graduate program at a state university in Turkey and who were taking the "science education in out-of-school learning environments" course. In the study, the students answered seven semi-structured, open-ended questions that were prepared by the researcher at the beginning of the semester. Then, they took the 16-weeks course and answered the same questions at the end of the semester. The interviews were recorded using a voice recorder. Data obtained was analyzed using the descriptive analysis method. The findings of the study showed that at the beginning of the semester the graduate students did not have any scientific knowledge about out-of-school learning environments and that their answers to questions did not go beyond presumptions. On the other hand, the students' level of knowledge about out-of-school environments was observed to increase after the intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]