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This document presents an in-depth exploration of the challenges and dynamics in discussing Critical Race Theory (CRT) in Texas high schools, particularly in the wake of House Bill 3979, often called the Critical Race Theory Bill. The author, a Mexican female educator, and a recent doctoral graduate, utilizes a unique narrative bridging academic research and practical teaching experiences. Through the lens of Critical Organic Writing (COW) and the theoretical framework of Nepantla, as conceptualized by Gloria Anzaldúa, the paper examines the impact of such legislation on educational discourse and practice. The study employs qualitative narrative inquiry, focusing on the author's self-narratives and student responses to COW methodologies, to investigate the effectiveness and challenges of implementing COW as a pedagogical tool in politically sensitive environments. This work contributes to broader discussions on education policy, pedagogical innovation, and social justice, advocating for adaptable and inclusive teaching strategies that facilitate meaningful dialogues about discrimination and empower students to discover diverse truths. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the early 1980s, the environmental justice (EJ) movement was critical in drawing much needed attention on how Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC), and low-income groups have experienced a disproportionate burden of environmental harms. This movement eventually formed the field of environmental justice, a multidisciplinary area of study that attempts to identify environmental injustices and provide theory and practice for their resolution. Despite the expansion of the EJ field and recent public attention, research shows that both EJ content knowledge and BIPOC students are isolated and excluded from Interdisciplinary, Environmental, and Sustainability (IES) programs within higher education. In addition, these studies have shown a relationship between EJ content and community-engaged practices with the inclusion of BIPOC students. This study sought to examine how and why EJ teaching and community-engaged pedagogies may be associated with inclusive or anti-racist practices by examining four faculty members teaching undergraduate EJ courses at four institutions. Using a multi-case study design, primary findings showed that faculty members held activist course objectives, which led to distinct community-engaged practices, such as the invitation of diverse guest educators, inclusion of readings from diverse authors, field experiences with EJ communities, and the integration of alternative ways of knowing that resist Eurocentric biases. The discussion and implications explore how these practices intersect with inclusive and anti-racist pedagogies, and provide recommendations for their implementation within the context of Environmental Studies and Sciences (ESS) in higher education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Education for Life / Yaşadıkça Eğitim Dergisi is the property of Istanbul Kultur Universitesi and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Teaching and learning centers play an important role in ensuring access to high-quality education. The goal of this research is to investigate the teaching and learning centers of Ivy League universities. The research is qualitative, and the document analysis method was preferred. The data obtained from document analysis were subjected to content analysis. Higher education institutions made up the population of the study, and the sample included the web pages of Ivy League University Teaching and Learning Centers, which were chosen using criterion sampling from purposive sampling methods. According to the research findings, Ivy League Teaching and Learning Centers promote quality higher education through active activities in five categories and 26 themes: strengthening academic and administrative staff, supporting students, developing educational programs, and university-community cooperation. These activities are critical for successful outcomes while applying to higher education institutions in Türkiye and other developing nations. Considering the findings of the study, it is thought that these functions, which make Ivy League Universities a powerful actor in the field of education, would be beneficial to be implemented both in Türkiye and around the world. As a matter of fact, teaching and learning centers serve the individual and society as a national social intervention tool where all stakeholders, the curriculum and the educational institution as a learning organization are also developed by taking education beyond the curriculum.

This study was conducted to specifically determine the present strategic initiatives and practices, opportunities and challenges of the college or the university on globalization based on the following: curriculum and instruction; research and extension and international linkages and networking as basis to propose a program of development on internationalization of education. It is quantitative in approach, using descriptive survey research design. The participants were 98 officials and staff of six selected Higher Education Institutions in Surigao del Norte namely: Surigao State College of Technology now Surigao de Norte State University (with three satellite campuses in del Carmen, Mainit and Malimono), Surigao Education Center, St. Jude Thaddeus Institute of Technology and St. Paul University. Findings revealed that the strategic initiatives and practices and the opportunities on globalization as to Curriculum and Instruction (M= 1.96, SD = 0.48), Research and Extension (M= 2.55, SD = 0.60, and International Linkages and Networking (M=1.78=SD0.42) is not so evident which means that the readiness is to a less extent or is barely noticeable. Results on the opportunities and challenges (M=2.07, SD=0.52) described that the challenges which prevailed over the opportunities are not so evidently addressed so readiness is barely noticeable. The researcher thus, recommends the use of the researcher proposed development program on internationalization of education by the selected HEIs who participated in this study for their reference in moving forward in internationalization of education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Pedagogical approaches that support young people's well‐being and maximize their potential are among the Journal of School Health research priorities. A unique form of observational learning called biblioguidance could be a pedagogical approach. Methods: We, a team of researchers and teachers, implemented biblioguidance book clubs with 10th‐grade health education students. While the initial focus was health literacy skills, we also aimed to generate psychosocial benefits. Those benefits are the focus of the current descriptive phenomenological research. A final book club reflection captured the benefits students received and documented their transformation. We randomly selected 42 reflections from the sample pool (n = 168) and coded them via descriptive document analysis. Results: The results indicate that the book clubs provided psychosocial benefits. Students identified with the stories and characters, gained insight into others' perspectives, lived experiences, and "ways of the world," and were, in many ways, transformed. Some students even experienced catharsis, citing hope, validation, and feeling less alone. Implications for School Health Policy, Practice, and Equity: Biblioguidance book clubs could offer an innovative pedagogical approach to advance students' psychosocial well‐being and engage them as active participants in their own learning and health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this article is to describe a doctoral residency seminar course that is part of a Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction degree program. Courses such as these provide new doctoral students with the necessary experiences to help them succeed in the program. This course is a venue for students to discuss the degree program, including academic writing, publishing, presenting at conferences, teaching in higher education, and serving the university, profession, and community, and course assignments corresponding to these areas will be presented. After completing my Summer 2021 seminar course, my students received an electronic survey that consisted of six Likert scale items and six open-ended response items that asked about their experiences in the course, as well as five demographic items. Descriptive statistics were run for the survey's Likert items. The open-ended responses were coded, and the codes were grouped into themes. Overall, the responses to the Likert scale items were positive. The following themes emerged from the survey: academic writing and disseminating research, networking, the dissertation journey, and recommendations for future seminar courses. The findings have implications for doctoral program instructors who are creating or sustaining a seminar course. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interest in media literacy education is increasing across the United States and around the world but little is still known about the prevalence of various instructional practices used to implement it in elementary and secondary schools. Surveys and semi-structured interviews with a statewide quota sample of education stakeholders included school leaders, educators, librarians, elected public officials, parents, and members of the community in all 24 school districts in Rhode Island. Results show that only a few instructional practices are implemented with most or nearly all students in the state. However, the implementation of various media literacy instructional practices varied considerably from one community to another but these differences were not due to the size of the community, its geographic location, or its socioeconomic status. Nearly half the variance in instructional practices can be accounted for by obstacles including technology limitations, school policies, academic priorities, perceptions of students, and educator response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BackgroundThis paper describes a developmental evaluation (DE) of a pilot of a puberty curriculum that was implemented in grades four to six in San Antonio, Texas. The pilot evaluation assessed the initial feasibility and acceptability of curricular components. The DE framework guided the questions in an ever-changing environment where new tools were created as the situation called for them (10).MethodsThe evaluation team utilized purposive sampling methods, surveys, and facilitator notes to guide the collaborative process. Both Google and Microsoft platforms were used for analysis and collection of findings.ResultsFacilitator notes and surveys revealed that while comfortable leading sessions, there were still issues in timing and student comprehension. From a student’s point of view, while many (60%) reported feeling uncomfortable during lessons, a greater majority (80%) reported learning something from the sessions.ConclusionDE was a crucial piece of the pilot sessions and revision process despite any limitations. A user-focused and adaptable evaluation generated greater opportunities for positive change within the curriculum and its delivery.

Objective/Research Question: This practitioner-scholar study investigated perceptions and experiences of community college students who transferred upon completion of their associate degree programs in Colorado, a state with multiple state-level transfer policies. Each student participated in a cohort-based transfer support program offered at their community college. The research questions were: 1. Do community college students who participated in transfer programing while earning their associate degree perceive that it helped prepare them for successful transfer? 2. Do community college students perceive that their courses prepared them to be successful at a university? 3. What are the perceptions and experiences of community college students who transferred upon completion of their associate degree programs within a context of a state with multiple transfer policy initiatives? Methods: This study used a phenomenological approach and qualitative data collection methods. Results: While students believed their community colleges prepared them academically, and their transfer preparation programing was beneficial, their reflections highlight that regardless of support provided, academic preparation, or policy context, transfer from community college to university is challenging, problematic, and bureaucratic. Often community college students are viewed with a deficit lens by university staff. Conclusions/Contributions: Regardless of state policy context, transfer preparation, and support, obstacles encountered in the transfer process from community college to university must be negotiated through relationships and advocacy both on the part of college staff and the students themselves. However, students who transfer from a college with dedicated transfer support and preparation demonstrate resilience to complete the process successfully. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Teaching the components of health advocacy is straightforward, but fostering young people's self-efficacy to be health advocates for themselves, others, and their community is more complex. This complexity sometimes renders advocating for health, the basis of National Health Education Standard (NHES) #8, challenging to teach. We utilized a pedagogical approach called biblioguidance to teach this skill to 10th-grade students. The premise of biblioguidance, also called bibliotherapy, is that information, guidance, and even solace can be found through reading and vicariously living story events. To implement this approach, we consulted the literature and created a six-step framework to guide the design, development, and evaluation of a health advocacy curriculum, including young adult novels, guided reading prompts, electronic journals, and small group discussions. Our pre/post-assessment, rooted in NHES #8, evaluated the impact on students' (N = 168) self-efficacy to health advocate for themselves, others, and the community. Results revealed a significant change (p <.001), particularly in advocating for community health. Further, the teachers found that the curriculum facilitated the discussion of health-related topics in subsequent units. We will continue using the curriculum but expand it to include opportunities for authentic application and qualitative data evaluation techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The work of teacher education in a 2020’s context is challenging and filled with opportunity. With a diversifying P-12 student body (Love, 2020; Pitts, 2019) and the confluence of social, political, and educational factors (Nieto & Bode, 2018), the complexities of teacher education are vast and fluid. In a historical moment that has included teaching in a time of pandemic, national reckonings over race and injustice, and explicit legislation to guide teaching about social history (Kelly et al, 2023), effective middle level teacher education is multifaceted. It calls for the development of teacher candidates skilled in creating school environments that are “welcoming, inclusive, and affirming for all” (Bishop & Harrison, 2021, p. 12). It also necessitates middle level educators to grapple with the impact of systemic bias and to hold explicit commitments toward equitable and justice-oriented pedagogies (Bishop & Harrison, 2021; Ranschaert, 2021). In “Course Correction” we tell the story of our collaborative self-study of teacher education practices, situated in middle level education. Within this inquiry, we sought to identify points of bias that influence and inhabit our work by assessing our instructional frames, curricular resources, and practices. We also sought to examine our teaching through a critical, antiracist lens, a necessary framing for the 2020’s teacher education context.

Looking towards the future, what STEM skills will be most important for students? Going beyond memorization and recitation of scientific facts, how do we get students to fully engage in science and engineering design practices (as defined in the Next Generation Science Standards) and to improve their science literacy? The answers to these questions are at the heart of the "Learning by Making" (LbyM) experience. LbyM is an innovative, integrated year-long curriculum that includes skill building units that teach coding and how to build simple electronic circuits. Using a simple browser-based interface, LbyM students are able to easily write code, control LED lights and acquire and analyze sensor data within the overarching theme of energy and matter. Rather than being siloed in pre-engineering courses, these important STEM skills are developed within the context of a physical science class. By engaging in phenomena-based explorations, LbyM develops students' self-efficacy, and ability to work in teams to gather environmental data relevant to their communities and critical to the future of our planet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - Although there exists a substantial body of research discussing the efficient implementation of classroom-based assessment (CBA), there is a dearth of knowledge regarding its application within the context of English as a Second Language (ESL) education in Malaysia. The current study aimed to investigate the ESL teachers' practices in implementing CBA, with a specific emphasis on the alignment of their assessment procedures with the policy requirements. Methodology - Hence, this research utilizes a qualitative approach, employing data triangulation through semi-structured interviews, classroom observations, and document analysis. Four ESL teachers from two public secondary schools in the northeast district of the Malaysian city of Pulau Pinang were selected to participate in the study. The four ESL teachers taught the same grade (Form 2) at the secondary level. The data collected were analyzed through thematic analysis procedures. Findings - This research discovered that teachers demonstrate commendable practices in planning the CBA. They exhibited discernment by formulating instructional objectives in line with the curriculum document. However, a misalignment was observed in teachers' practices during the implementation phase. Despite employing various assessment methods, teachers predominantly leaned towards formal assessments, with less emphasis on studentcentred approaches. Challenges surfaced when explicit learning objectives were not effectively communicated, and the use of standardized rubrics, was not tailored to students' diverse capabilities. At the reporting phase, concerns were raised about an excessive focus on administrative data recording. This study brought to light that teachers relied on the accumulation of students' grades and marks to determine the mastery levels, thus corroborating with the examoriented practices. Significance - This study holds significant value for the field of ESL education in Malaysia by shedding light on the actual implementation of CBA and its alignment with policy directives. By providing information on how policies are implemented at the local level, contributes to the improvement of assessment policies that can be tailored to classroom realities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article describes the cultural characteristics of four elite African American high schools, initiated prior to Brown v. Board of Education, that produced outstanding graduates. Positive school culture characteristics examined were leadership, faculty, curriculum and instruction, student qualities, the environment, and internal and external relationships. The authors posed questions investigating how educators and alumni of Gary, Indiana's Theodore Roosevelt High School viewed the characteristics of its culture and how the culture compared to other elite African American high schools in the extant literature. Using surveys, archival information, and the research literature, the authors collected information describing the high school's distinctive features. Comparing the results of Roosevelt with the other exemplary high school cultures of Dunbar, Sumner, and Terrell, they reported these insights about their cultural characteristics: (a) high caliber and sustained leadership of individuals who cultivated positive school environments and created institutions that were a distinctive blend of school and community; (b) highly educated and qualified faculty members; (c) a rigorous and challenging curriculum emphasizing the preparation of students for higher education; (d) students who exhibited a strong sense of self-esteem, self-efficacy, and a rejection of the concept of inferiority; (e) a family-like environment that was welcoming, inclusive, and receptive to individuals from varied backgrounds that fostered a strong sense of pride and efficacy; and (f) a family climate experienced by internal and external stakeholders that created a sense of belonging and place. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous research in film and television (film/TV) has shown that the field has grown considerably in the past century, though most college programs lack substantial content on the business side of the industry. Literature regarding career decision self-efficacy (CDSE) noted that various forms of academic support could lead to increased CDSE. Despite the knowledge accumulated in both fields, no prior researchers had tackled whether completing film/ TV business coursework resulted in a statistically significant difference in CDSE. By giving 267 young film/TV professionals the Career Decision Self-Efficacy Scale-Short Form (CDSES-SF), the authors measured the CDSE of subjects who had either taken or not taken film/TV business coursework, finding that there was not a significant difference in CDSE between the two groups. This result may indicate the need for collegiate programs to re-examine their offerings, curricula, and instructional practices for film/TV students in an effort to bolster the career confidence of graduates as they enter the industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Turkish Studies - Educational Sciences is the property of Electronic Turkish Studies and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Ms. Sampson, a White eighth-grade teacher in a predominately White suburban school district in the southern United States, decided to include several books in her lesson plan. Selected books were from the school's library and had been previously approved by stakeholders as instructional resources for the district. One parent, a school board member, became enraged when he heard about the readings during a Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) back-from-spring-break celebration and contacted the district superintendent. A book was subsequently removed from the library and Ms. Sampson was placed on administrative leave without pay. This case centers on the critical race debate in public schools and how school leaders and other stakeholders address a teacher's decision to diversify curriculum and instructional resources amid stakeholder pushback. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Physical education is a relevant setting to develop students' social competence. The sport education model has the potential to promote social competence as it provides students with meaningful socialization opportunities. The purpose of this literature review paper was to (a) describe the inherent structures and characteristics of the sport education model that may promote social competence, and (b) summarize the patterns of the published studies that examined social competence in sport education-based physical education, and then (c) elucidate the effect of sport education on social competence in physical education. We used keywords to search full-text articles related to social competence in sport education and then applied inclusion criteria to identify 31 articles for data analysis. The sport education model has shown usefulness in advancing citizenship education and social relationship. Two essential factors for nurturing students' social competence in sport education-based physical education are (a) striking an optimal balance between competition and cooperation and (b) promoting inclusiveness. The article concludes with highlighting three research gaps that warrant future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – Although there exists a substantial body of research discussing the efficient implementation of classroom-based assessment (CBA), there is a dearth of knowledge regarding its application within the context of English as a Second Language (ESL) education in Malaysia. The current study aimed to investigate the ESL teachers’ practices in implementing CBA, with a specific emphasis on the alignment of their assessment procedures with the policy requirements. Methodology – Hence, this research utilizes a qualitative approach, employing data triangulation through semi-structured interviews, classroom observations, and document analysis. Four ESL teachers from two public secondary schools in the northeast district of the Malaysian city of Pulau Pinang were selected to participate in the study. The four ESL teachers taught the same grade (Form 2) at the secondary level. The data collected were analyzed through thematic analysis procedures. Findings – This research discovered that teachers demonstrate commendable practices in planning the CBA. They exhibited discernment by formulating instructional objectives in line with the curriculum document. However, a misalignment was observed in teachers’ practices during the implementation phase. Despite employing various assessment methods, teachers predominantly leaned towards formal assessments, with less emphasis on studentcentred approaches. Challenges surfaced when explicit learning objectives were not effectively communicated, and the use of standardized rubrics, was not tailored to students’ diverse capabilities. At the reporting phase, concerns were raised about an excessive focus on administrative data recording. This study brought to light that teachers relied on the accumulation of students’ grades and marks to determine the mastery levels, thus corroborating with the examoriented practices. Significance – This study holds significant value for the field of ESL education in Malaysia by shedding light on the actual implementation of CBA and its alignment with policy directives. By providing information on how policies are implemented at the local level, contributes to the improvement of assessment policies that can be tailored to classroom realities.

Middle grades students across the U.S. are learning about citizenship both explicitly and overtly through the hidden curriculum, which, in the majority of schools, promotes passive compliant citizenship. Culturally and developmentally responsive teaching in the middle grades, however, necessitates active authentic learning that engages the emerging criticality and sense of justice of young adolescents. For this reason, social justice education (SJE) is an especially promising responsive pedagogy for the middle grades. This study investigates the impact of a social justice project designed to promote justice-oriented views of citizenship on middle grades student perceptions of "good citizenship". Findings indicate shifts in student perceptions of good citizenship toward more participatory and justice-oriented views of citizenship as well as increased critical consciousness. In addition, the findings indicate two new themes in student perceptions: (a) good citizens work together and (b) good citizens sometimes have to defy norms for justice. We close with a critical analysis of the findings and implications for responsive justice-oriented teaching and scholarship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The study purpose was to examine performance differences in physical education among learners from two middle schools from two different states. Methods: Performance in physical education was represented by attitude toward physical education, knowledge of physical activity and fitness, and active living behaviors (i.e., physical activity and sedentary behavior). The sixth, seventh, and eighth graders of a midwestern state school (n = 397) and a deep southern state school (n = 350) completed the surveys (N = 747). Results: The authors observed statistically significant school differences in physical activity and fitness knowledge and physical activity behavior (favoring the deep southern state school), and in attitude and sedentary behavior (favoring the midwestern state school). The authors also found stronger associations between attitude and physical activity (but weaker associations between attitude and sedentary behavior) among the deep southern state school students than the midwestern state school students. Conclusion: These observed performance differences and their pedagogical ramifications are discussed in relation to sociodemographic and environmental factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article focuses on the extraordinary literacies of four Haitian and Haitian American Girls enrolled in a middle grades out-of-school literacy program in Miami, Florida. I examine how the girls narrated Black transnational girlhood through autobiographical writings, classroom discussions, and media analyses. I define the girls' intellectual contributions to the classroom as the superpower of dyasporic dreaming. The concept calls on scholars to affirm the global negotiations of Black transnational girls as literacies. Further, I argue that the superpower of dyasporic dreaming manifested through learning dynamics grounded in Haitian empyreal logics of Vodou and the Diasporic Lakou. Lastly, I make a case for an increased focus on the transnational nature of Black Girls' Literacies, and curriculum specifically oriented towards the Black Global South. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of E-International Journal of Educational Research is the property of E-International Journal of Educational Research and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of International Journal of Education Technology & Scientific Researches is the property of Ayse Burcu Ulusoy and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of E-International Journal of Educational Research is the property of E-International Journal of Educational Research and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Due to the diversity of steps to be followed in program evaluation and knowledge, skills, qualification and competency requirements, the evaluation should be a field of expertise similar to other disciplines. Thus, it is important to consider program evaluation as a field of expertise and to determine the required competencies. This study aimed to determine the competencies of program evaluation experts based on the views of curriculum and instruction experts. A Delphi study was carried out with 23 participants in the first round and each was selected via the purposive sampling method. In the first round of the Delphi study, the open-ended questions were sent to the participants and qualitative data were analyzed with content analysis. At the end of the first round, a 5-point Likert-type questionnaire with 82 items was developed. In the second round, participants were asked to answer questions and also the views of the participants on main and sub-themes and their comments on these concepts were analyzed. In the third round, participants were asked to reevaluate their responses. The study was finalized with an 82 itemed-questionnaire under four main themes: “theoretical professional competencies of program evaluation experts”, “practical professional competencies of program evaluation experts”, “professional values that program evaluation experts should have”, “professional skills that program evaluation experts should have”.

Adopting an ethnographic lens, readers are provided a look inside a California high school sexuality education classroom. On this chosen day, two invited guest speakers from an outside company are teaching students about pregnancy prevention, healthy relationships, and risks associated with having sex. Analysis of the guest speakers' pedagogical strategies and accompanying curricula reveal exclusionary abstinence-only ideologies that provide students with limited and narrow constructions of commitment, romance, love, and sexuality. Although considered to be a comprehensive and inclusive sexuality education classroom space, content delivery strategically instills fear and disseminates misinformation. Through classroom observations and student interviews, findings highlight the need for increased attention to guest speakers' involvement in sexuality education classrooms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Focusing on episodes of student-generated and - sustained talk during document-based disciplinary history discussions, this study explored what teacher candidates prioritize and value about social studies discussions, and how these priorities align with their actions and goals as facilitators. Using a complex systems-based model, we investigated candidates' goals as they planned for, facilitated, and reflected upon student sense-making relative to three common orientations for social studies discussions: disciplinary history, participatory civics, and critical literacy. Findings revealed that candidates employed elements from all three orientations, yet without clear alignment to any particular approach. This misalignment reflected tensions between candidates' stated goals, beliefs about student engagement, and instructional decisions. We draw implications for teacher education to support candidates in developing coherent practices for discussion facilitation that align with their instructional visions and socio-cultural contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This critical ethnography explains how and why refugee children experience schooling in specific ways by examining teachers' use and interpretation of local refugee accommodation policies. It argues that locals' understanding of refugee protection framework to host refugees generates discourses such as brotherhood/sisterhood and guest and these discourses have an impact on the schooling practices and teachers' approaches to educating refugee children. The findings show that teachers pedagogic decisions rely on these discourses, and refugee children are affected by their teachers' adaptation of these local discourses to their classroom activities. Although teachers claim that they use child-centred and politics-free instructional methods as mandated in refugee education policies, their practices often challenge their claims. As a result, refugee children experience isolation, assimilation and a form of restriction of their critical thinking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the United States, school mathematics standards require students to learn how to read analog clocks in elementary school. However, recent reports show that students may struggle with reading these devices. This study quantified the ability of school students in grades 3-12 to read numbered and numberless clocks. Students reached an 83% proficiency in reading numbered clocks around the 5th grade, but many continued to struggle with reading numberless clocks until about 8th grade. About 10% of the high school students never reached proficiency. Misconceptions included reading the hour hand as the minute hand and vice versa, not reading the minutes in multiples of five, reading the hands counterclockwise, and reading the minute hand in multiples of five but starting in the wrong place. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Turkish Studies - Educational Sciences is the property of Electronic Turkish Studies and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Climate change has been identified as both a challenge and an opportunity for public health. The onus to prepare the next generation of public health practitioners lies heavily on schools and programs of public health. This article (i) assesses the status of climate change and health curricula in accredited schools of public health in the United States and (ii) proposes strategies to better train professionals so they are more informed and prepared to mitigate, manage, and respond to the health impacts of climate change. Course offerings and syllabi listed in online course catalogs from 90 nationally accredited schools of public health were evaluated with the purpose of identifying the extent of climate change education in graduate programs. Only 44 public health institutions were found to offer a climate change related course at the graduate level of education. Of the 103 courses identified, approximately 50% (n = 46) are focused on this climate change and health. These courses cover a wide array of topics with an emphasis on conveying fundamental concepts. In-depth assessment revealed a need for integrating learning opportunities that build practical skills useful in a hands-on public health practice environment. This assessment indicates the limited availability of climate-health course offerings available to graduate students in accredited schools. The findings are used to propose an educational framework to integrate climate change into public health curricula. The proposed framework, while rooted in existing directives, adopts a tiered approach that can be readily applied by institutions training the next generation of public health leaders.

For efficient and effective learning, intensive-mode programs have increasingly focused on threshold concepts – transformative, often-troublesome, moments in learning that represent the development of key knowledge. Threshold concept theory has support in the context of content-based, disciplinary domains, but questions remain about its applicability to curricula that have broader aims. This study investigated the 'fit' of threshold concept theory to participants, many of them previously marginalized, in an intensive Widening Participation (WP) program at a regional university in Australia. Thematic analysis of data from focus groups, comprised of students and teachers respectively, revealed that participants perceived not only the development of key conceptual knowledge as integral to learning, but that they also recognized that acculturation, metacognition, and affective attributes were important for success. This finding suggests that a narrow focus on academic knowledge – (both content- and skills-related) – is inadequate in programs that aim to include previously marginalized students in higher education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using Garcia and O'Donnell-Allen's pose, wobble, flow framework, this research discusses how a group of literacy teacher educators worked together to implement culturally proactive pedagogies (CPP) in their undergraduate courses at different universities across the United States. With increased cultural diffusion and diversity across the globe, examining factors that occur across a variety of contexts is paramount. This research looks across four different cultural contexts within the U.S. to determine what similarities occurred between the researchers and should be considered in other contexts. In addition to sharing the readings and assignments implemented in their respective classrooms, the authors discuss the nuanced considerations they had to make when incorporating CPP into their courses, highlight wobbles that brought them both closer to and further from achieving flow, and end with the practices that felt closest to achieving flow. The authors argue that when teacher educators intentionally take time to collaborate with one another, share resources, and reflect upon their wobbles they can design courses that stem from a foundation of culturally proactive pedagogies and real shifts in teaching can occur. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Education Research (1680-6360) is the property of Angle Publishing Co., Ltd. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The integration of mathematics and science in teaching facilitates student learning, engagement, motivation, problem-solving, critical thinking, and real-life application. Although curriculum integration is theoretically desirable for many educators, what to integrate and how to integrate are often the big questions facing teachers working within education systems premised on a culture of segregated subject delivery. This quasi-experimental study reports on a 2-week inquiry of the implementation of an integrated unit of learning on motion problems, within upper secondary education in Turkey. In order to reveal the effect of the instruction on students with different mathematics achievements, the study was conducted with 131 students in two different schools. In the design of the integrated unit, continuum model of learning and four-stages of learning model were employed. The study employed a quantitative approach and examined the key aspects of the practice of the integration of mathematics and science teaching. In light of the data obtained, it was concluded that teaching the subject Motion Problems through an integrated design had a positive effect on students' learning for the experimental groups in each school. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective/Research Question: Community college graduation rates are typically quite low, and developmental mathematics enrollment and coursetaking patterns may constrain academic outcomes. To identify ways in which community college graduation rates may be improved, decision trees were utilized to examine the STEM coursetaking patterns of N = 5,065 students who matriculated in remedial mathematics. Methods: The research design was guided by Tinto’s academic and social integration framework, which provided an analytical lens for identifying how decision trees facilitate academic decision making when academic and social integration is limited. Decision trees identified course sequence rules to predict graduation, which can be used to formulate course pathways for community college advisors and their students. Results: Nine rules from the decision tree were identified, which could be used to advise community college students in coursetaking that aligns with career aspirations. The most important variable predicting graduation was completing College-Level Mathematics, which included Algebra II, Statistics, Precalculus, and survey mathematics courses. General education sciences courses such as Astronomy, Geology, Environmental Science, and Marine Biology were the most important science courses predicting graduation. Conclusions/Contributions: Results suggest the importance of College-Level Mathematics in providing the skills necessary for students to be successful in subsequent STEM coursework and persist to graduation. Designating specific academic pathways may improve social and academic integration and graduation rates, providing continuity as students work with different advisors to choose majors and plan course sequences. Transparent, accessible enrollment planning fosters programmatic consistency and student agency in selecting coursework that will maximize their success. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]