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Attention spans have been decreasing throughout society for many years, partially due to the constant increase of technological advances. The average human attention span of eight seconds is particularly concerning to teachers and others in the classroom. It does not seem that the average attention span is ever going to increase, so teachers must implement intentional methods and strategies within their classroom to keep their students’ attention. Physical activities, technology and hands-on supports, small group instruction, shorter lessons, making intentional mistakes, flexible seating, and differentiated instruction are all strategies supported by research to improve student engagement within the classroom. Every classroom will respond differently, so teachers will benefit by incorporating the set of methods that work best for their students.

This study involved a qualitative exploratory case study research design and employed in-depth online interviews as the primary data collection method. Participants were former or current special education teachers in Minnesota who had worked with Grade 2-6 girls on the autism spectrum and were sourced from professional networks, educational associations, online platforms, chain sampling, and snowball sampling. This study sought to elucidate the reasons behind the underidentification of girls eligible for autism spectrum special education services, streamline their qualification process, reveal practical educational strategies for academic, emotional, and social support, and furnish accessible resources and training alternatives for classroom teachers assisting girls diagnosed on the autism spectrum or eligible for autism spectrum special education services. Four key themes related to grade 2 to 6 girls on the autism spectrum emerged in this study: "Identification and Referral Challenges," emphasizing the need to broaden expectations and recognize diverse behaviors; "Qualification Challenges," highlighting concerns about standardized checklists and advocating for a tailored evaluation approach and enhanced collaboration among professionals; "Misidentification Challenges and Complexities," exploring unintentional and intentional misidentification, emphasizing the need for a flexible, culturally sensitive diagnostic process; and "Improving Educational Outcomes," which discusses effective classroom supports and accommodations for these girls, emphasizing the challenges in measuring educational outcomes and the need for realistic goal tracking within Individualized Education Programs (IEPs). Recommendations for educational leaders include enhanced training and professional development for teachers, collaborative evaluation practices with multidisciplinary teams, a critical review and update of evaluation tools, and mechanisms for continuous improvement in educational le

Environmental education has the potential to extend its transformative potential by reframing social and ecological justice as always interconnected. This paper introduces vulnerable reading as a method for unsettling anthropocentric and colonial influences on how educators conceptualise and respond to environmental precarity through a socio-ecological lens. It has emerged from a six-month walking project during which the authors developed vulnerable reading practices as they walked with young children, educators, and a weedy landscape in Boorloo (Perth), Western Australia. With a focus on reimagining pedagogies to be inclusive of multiple weedy ideas, bodies and voices, the paper uses empirical examples of practice to illustrate how vulnerable reading across temporalities, scales, disciplines, and genres draws attention to the complex relations humans share with weedy worlds. The paper shows how vulnerable reading is a feminist and anticolonial practice that makes visible the complexity of relations humans share with more-than-human worlds and is an example of ecosocial justice in action.

The global push towards widening participation for equity cohorts, including students with disabilities, is promising, but it is yet to translate into improved employment experiences. In this commentary, we highlight what higher education institutions must now do to drive meaningful change and better support students with disabilities’ workforce transitions. In doing so, we advocate for a much-needed change towards inclusive work-integrated learning practices that enable students with disabilities to leverage these opportunities to trial career pathways, build networks, and develop their future career goals. Necessary in this is the adoption of co-designed work-integrated learning, that brings together students with disabilities, industry and community, and academics to ensure non-ableist inclusive practices and a culture which understands the strength in diversity.

Young people mitigate their climate distress, develop their efficacy, and contribute to the effectiveness of climate movements through activism. However, they are often excluded from adult-led climate movements and exposed to a number of risks when they do participate. In this context, this participatory action research study draws on multiple care theories to offer collective care praxis through which adults and young people might co-create more care-full and safe climate justice movements capable of supporting, sustaining, and sharing power with young people. The study examines how 13 young and three adult co-researchers learned about and applied collective care through a youth climate justice training program in Western Australia. The program enabled young people to engage with climate emotions, identify care practices, and map support networks. Furthermore, the study developed three practices for adult-led climate movements engaging with young people: Responding to intersectionality with active solidarity, child safeguarding, and building care-full community coalitions. We conclude that a collective care praxis offers organisers and activists in all their diversities an opportunity to prefigure more care-full and just climate movements.

The aim of this paper is to identify the dominant discourses of health and wellbeing that are offered in health education in Swedish schools. Issues of health and wellbeing are covered mainly in four school subjects in Sweden: physical education and health, home and consumer studies, biology, and social studies, and therefore, we interviewed teachers from those subjects to generate data. Six interrelated health discourses were identified from the data. All discourses were, however, also embedded within a health discourse with a comprehensive description of health as physical, psychological and social wellbeing. Results suggest that schools offer a Western and White discourse of health and that some content is overemphasised, and some is missing in relation to other non-dominant discourses of health and wellbeing.

In rural communities in Australia, the provision of sport and physical activities for children almost exclusively relies upon parents and their ability to access and contribute to facilities, funding, volunteers, and administration. This paper brings Putnam’s social capital framework to Whitehead’s conceptualisation of physical literacy as a journey to offer original insight into children’s sport participation and the opportunities arising for physical literacy development in rural communities in Australia. Changes in sport participation in Australia and directions in sport policy set an important context for the project, which is located in a small rural community in Western Australia. It was recognised that access to and engagement with both formal and informal sport environments were important to examine, particularly given participation trends and the need to consider issues of equity and inclusivity concerning the physical literacy opportunities for children in diverse rural communities. Narrative inquiry methodology enabled in-depth exploration of issues of access and opportunity created through rural mothers’ social resources and identity. Participants provided rich insights into the realities and complexities of the rural social landscape and how this impacts their children’s participation. Data illustrates the importance of conceptual links between social capital and physical literacy development. The paper provides new perspectives for policymakers and the local community to consider in seeking more significant equity in children’s sport participation and physical literacy development in rural communities.

There is an extensive international literature on different forms of ability grouping in schools, much of which describes their impact on students' academic achievement, motivation, self-concept and/or attitudes towards learning. Comparatively little research has focused on students' perspectives of these practices, while the research that has been conducted has primarily focused on mathematics, English and science. There is a conspicuous and arguably significant absence of research that explores students' perspectives on different forms of ability grouping in other areas of the school curriculum, including physical education (PE). In contrast to the relative privacy of classroom-based subjects, students' bodies, physical competencies and performances are very openly on display in PE, which potentially accentuates the importance of grouping strategies from students' perspectives. This study sought to extend current grouping and ability research by generating large-scale data relating to students' preferences for setting, mixed-ability grouping or a combination of these approaches in secondary school PE. Data were collected through an online survey administered to 4908 students in 48 mainstream state-funded secondary schools located in all nine regions of England. The responses showed that overall, most students preferred setting to mixed-ability grouping or a combination of these approaches. Variations in preferences are discussed in relation to demographic and situational factors, including gender, self-identified ability, school year group, previous experiences and the nature of the learning environment. Implications of the findings for policy, practice and future research are discussed, and the need for ability to be problematised and further explored in PE research and practice is highlighted.

This qualitative case study explores the leadership strategies of three high school principals to promote equity and inclusivity amid multifaceted challenges in the diverse schooling contexts of Nepal. By shedding light on equitable school leadership practices within a complex web of long-held socio-economic and structural disparities, the findings reveal persistent educational inequalities stemming from caste discrimination, gender biases, economic gaps, and social prejudices. Leadership emerges as crucial in addressing these disparities, with empowering strategies showing promise in bridging educational divides. Policymakers, educators, and leaders can benefit from these insights in fostering equitable educational environments. As Nepal addresses historical inequities, the study advocates for systemic change and social justice in education, aiming to create a more inclusive future for Nepali students.

The rising use of technology in classrooms has also brought with it a concomitant wave of computer-based assessments. The argument for computer-based testing is often framed in terms of efficiency and data management: computer-based tests facilitate more efficient processing of test data and the rate at which feedback can be leveraged for student learning rather than being framed in terms of the direct effects that students experience from engaging with novel learning tools. Whilst potentially beneficial, for some students the outcomes of computer-based tests may be counter-productive. This review considers the cognitive, and often implicit, consequences of testing mode upon students with reference to testing performance and subjective measures of cognitive load. Considerations for teachers, test writers and future research are presented with a view to raising the significance of learners’ subjective experiences as a guiding perspective in educational policy making.

Despite the escalating global impact of cybercrime, cyber security is an industry undergoing unparalleled expansion. The consequential surge in demand for cyber security professionals has propelled universities to augment their offerings in this domain, aiming to furnish a workforce adept in cyber security practices. However, this surge in program offerings has yet to be paralleled by a commensurate increase in research scrutinising the efficacy in producing work ready graduates for roles within the cyber industry. The principal objective of this research was to propose a work readiness model, informed by theories of capital, to guide universities in optimally preparing cyber security graduates for a successful transition into their professional careers, thereby maximising the returns on their educational investment. This study employs a multiple-study, mixed-method approach focused on undergraduate cyber security programs across Australian universities. The research delineated the requisite 21st century skills and cyber security curriculum components essential for preparing graduates into work ready professionals by analysing diverse data sources encompassing student, employee and employer perspectives. Data collection methodologies encompassed student surveys, interviews with employers and employees and a comprehensive review of the curricula offered by Australian universities. The culmination of this endeavour resulted in the development of the Cyber Security Curriculum Work Readiness Model, designed to serve as a blueprint for universities in crafting curricula tailored to undergraduate cyber security degrees. This model encapsulates the core principles necessary for nurturing a cadre of cyber security professionals primed to meet the demands of the contemporary workforce. By synthesising insights from various stakeholders and drawing upon theoretical frameworks rooted in capital theories, the model offers a systematic approach for universities to align their cu

The purpose of this doctoral study was to investigate parental experiences and perceptions of utilising a literacy-based text messaging program, Kindytxt, and explore how this program may have influenced parental literacy practices with kindergarten-aged children. The study was grounded in social constructivism and employed an interpretivist epistemological approach, emphasising the participants’ views to generate meaning. The research was underpinned by Vygotsky’s sociocultural theoretical perspective, highlighting the role of parents in shaping their child’s literacy development based on their individual experiences, cultural traditions, languages, and beliefs. This theoretical perspective was paired with Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory and his later bioecological systems theory, which underscore the substantial impact of a child's family on their literacy learning. Both theories support the concept that family literacy practices are culturally and socially situated. To ensure a rich understanding of parents’ experiences and perceptions of the phenomenon, Kindytxt, a hermeneutic phenomenological methodology was adopted. This methodological approach allowed the researcher to capture the essence of participants’ experiences. Additionally, the data was considered in the context of parents’ utilisation of this new literacy-based text messaging program; therefore, a mixed-methods research design was employed. The data collection methods included semi-structured interviews, audio recordings of parents reading a book to their child, parent text message record grids, participant technology diaries, and concluding focus groups. These data were used to compare individual participant experiences and perceptions of the Kindytxt program across multiple data sets, and multiple participant experiences and perceptions across individual data sets, identifying similarities and differences within the data. These methods were also used to assess the impact of the Kindytxt

This study examined how middle-class Asian families who speak English as an additional language or dialect (EAL/D) engaged in their children’s education during the COVID-19 pandemic in Brisbane, Australia. Literature underscores the benefits of family engagement for children, families and schools, yet the concept’s varied definitions contribute to inconsistency within educational frameworks. Literature highlights the challenges to EAL/D family engagement, such as improving teacher openness to enhancing cultural competency within educational institutions, which significantly influence family engagement in children’s education. Additionally, socioeconomic status has emerged as a crucial determinant shaping the extent of family engagement, particularly during crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, literature has examined the intricate dynamics of family engagement amidst the COVID-19 crisis, highlighting both positive outcomes and the evolving discourse surrounding the pandemic’s impact on family engagement in education. This study investigated family engagement among middle-class Asian families residing in Brisbane, aiming to unveil their perspectives on how they engaged with their children’s education during the pandemic, the challenges they endured and the conditions that supported their engagement. This qualitative study was situated within a social constructivist paradigm through the lens of relativist ontology and subjectivist epistemology. Employing a narrative inquiry methodology, data were collected, triangulated and co-constructed from focus groups and individual narrative interviews, which were enriched by an artefact elicitation activity using a COVID-19 pandemic timeline to prompt participant responses. A two-stage approach to data interpretation was employed: narrative analysis and analysis of narratives. This culminated in the co-construction of narratives from three cultural groups: South Asia, Southeast Asia and East Asia. Findings indicate

The aim of this research was to identify students’ perceptions of school-based well-being and effective components of well-being programs they have participated in during their time in secondary school. With research indicating that one in four adolescents grapple with mental health disorders impacting their academic performance, schools are increasingly adopting holistic educational approaches. This shift has spurred the development of well-being programs within the school setting, which serves as a primary access point for adolescents and thus an ideal environment for such initiatives. Despite this, substantial evidence on the impact of these programs on adolescents remains limited. Utilising a social constructivist framework, this study employs a mixed-methods approach, gathering quantitative data through a bespoke self-report survey and qualitative data via individual interviews and a focus group with students from three independent co-educational schools in Western Australia. The study places student perceptions at the forefront, revealing that while students acknowledge the importance of connections, mental stability, coping capacity, and uniqueness for well-being, they also express scepticism regarding the effectiveness of current well-being programs. Moreover, they suggest that well-being should not be taught by classroom teachers. The findings reveal a critical demand for well-being programs that resonate with and are embraced by students. The research contributes to educational theory, policy, and practice, with clear implications for policy, particularly in incorporating student voice and necessitating future longitudinal studies. It also confronts the prevailing trend of adopting non-evidence-based well-being programs, often propelled by marketing rather than empirical evidence, calling into question their capacity to genuinely support student well-being in the long term.

It is crucial for the public and more specifically those who are a part of vulnerable populations to understand the dangers of both human and sex trafficking. One sub-group of vulnerable populations that are likely to encounter a trafficking situation are college students, as many of these students are unaware of trafficking’s prevalence. While there have been studies of specific populations with prior specialized knowledge, there is little information on the knowledge, perceptions, and awareness levels of the general college-aged population. This study will be quantitatively structured into a two-part survey, seeking to collect data from a sample size of 300 students on the campus of Catawba College. Catawba College’s student population provides a diverse sample of participants in terms of economic status, sex, gender identity, race, religion, age, and geographical location. Part one of this study will measure demographic information including gender, age, race, and socioeconomic status. Part two of this study will examine the knowledge and awareness levels of students on the topic of human trafficking. Questions will include identification of various trafficking forms, willingness to intervene, and awareness of trafficking’s prevalence. A measurement of student’s knowledge and awareness of human trafficking will provide future educational and legislative opportunities but will contribute to the dismantling and termination of human trafficking.

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to describe the lived experiences that motivated and contributed to first-generation minority college student success (FGMCSS) at a university in the southeastern United States. This study involved 12 first-generation minority college students (FGMCS) enrolled in an undergraduate degree program. Bandura's social cognitive theory guided this research, which explains that the human learning process develops through social context. Research questions emerged from understanding the problem and purpose statements. The question guiding this research was: What are the experiences that motivate and contribute to FGMCS success at a university in the southeastern United States? Data was collected using interviews, focus groups, and journaling. Data analysis entailed using epoché, phenomenological reduction, and creative variation techniques to uncover and explore emergent themes. The data analysis revealed six distinct themes: difficulties in adjusting to college life, involvement in various groups and activities, determination to complete a degree, confidence in overcoming obstacles, lack of support, and emotional and resource assistance received, which emphasized the intricate interaction of motivation, assistance, and obstacles encountered by FGMCS. The findings also uncovered several complex factors that contribute to the success of FGMCS, such as the desire for personal and family improvement, even in the face of doubt and lack of support. Additional research is needed to investigate successful tactics and interventions that may help overcome the many obstacles experienced by first-generation minority college students, eventually leading to their successful completion of degrees and academic achievements.

This quantitative, correlational study aims to determine if a predictive relationship exists between teacher perceptions of Tennessee's teacher evaluation and the linear combination of teacher gender, years of experience, and school-level taught (elementary, middle, high). Although teachers have recognized the current teacher evaluation system, many educators expressed concerns about it. This study is vital in determining teachers' perceptions of the evaluation system. Participants of this study included a sample of 108 certified elementary, middle, and high school teachers from one of the public school districts in southwestern Tennessee. Data were collected via an anonymous, self-paced online survey utilizing a modified Teacher Evaluation Profile (TEP) questionnaire. Multiple regression was used to measure the correlation between the predictor variables and the criterion variable. The findings revealed that no significant relationship existed between the predictor variables, taken together as a model, and the criterion variables (F(3,104) = 1.86, p = .14, R2 = .05). This study findings emphasize the critical need to incorporate teachers' perspectives in developing a fair teacher evaluation system, rather than relying on a one-size-fits-all approach. Recommendations for future research include conducting a qualitative research design incorporating teacher interviews to uncover teachers' experiences and classroom decisions regarding the Tennessee teacher evaluation system.

The purpose of this case study was to understand how collaboration, or lack of collaboration between community college-level silos, affected the process of accreditation as conducted by the Higher Learning Commission. The theory that guided this study is Smith’s theory of seven silos of higher education, as it explains the relationships between the areas of assessment, strategic planning, institutional effectiveness, and their impact on accreditation. This study sought to discover how collaboration and communication between administration, faculty, and staff, as well as between the silos of assessment, strategic planning, and institutional effectiveness, affected accreditation efforts at Moses Community College. The site was one community college in Kansas that had findings during its last Higher Learning Commission visit. The sample included the administrative team, assessment team, site steering committee, and others involved in the institution's assessment, strategic planning, and accreditation. Data were collected using interviews, document analysis, and focus groups. All interviews and focus groups were transcribed and provided to the participants for member checking. Data were analyzed holistically using Qualitative Data Analysis Software (QDAS).

The purpose of this qualitative hermeneutical phenomenological study was to understand the mindsets of preservice educators regarding mandatory training in pre-violence indicator patterns at XYZ University. Pre-violence indicator patterns are defined as behaviors symptomatic of violent or aggressive behavior. The theory guiding this study was Dweck’s implicit theory of intelligence. The central research question was: What is the mindset of preservice educators regarding mandatory training in pre-violence indicator patterns? Qualitative hermeneutical phenomenological methods were used to study the beliefs of 12 preservice educators through a questionnaire, individual interviews, and a group discussion. The data were examined through line-by-line coding and thematic analysis to understand each participant’s process, narrative, structure, and values. The findings revealed deficiencies in current training and collegiate conversations on pre-violence indicators, the need to integrate growth mindset principles and situational awareness to improve educator preparedness and safer educational environments, and an overall mindset shift toward pre-violence indicator pattern training.

This white paper proposes the establishment of a National Repository for NSF Alliance for Graduate Education and the Professoriate (AGEP) Deliverables to address the critical need for preserving and sharing a wide array of materials generated from the AGEP program. Recognizing the challenges of ephemeral storage solutions and the absence of a unified collection mechanism, the paper underscores the repository's role in promoting justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion (JEDI) research. It emphasizes the importance of accommodating diverse data types, enhancing discoverability, and ensuring long-term access to educational materials, policy documents, and research outcomes. Through a comprehensive approach, the proposed repository aims to foster collaboration, innovation, and sustained impact in the JEDI research domain.

Ungrading emphasizes formative feedback over summative judgment, promoting intrinsic motivation and student agency. While implementing ungrading requires effort, the benefit to students and teachers is significant.

As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, teachers across the world have been forced to explore different modalities of assessment, many of them virtual. Now that many of the most restricting policies for schools due to pandemic have been lifted, the use of these virtual assessments remain. Due to the recent nature of their use though means that not many studies have looked into the implications of these assessments on students let alone middle school students. This study aims to help fill in some of the gaps in this research. In this study, students will take one of two assessments with the exact same questions. One of the assessments will be paper and pencil, the other will be on Google Form. Students will be randomized into which modality they will complete and then the scores of the two groups will be compared. The goal of this is to determine if taking an assessment virtually provides a roadblock to displaying mastery of learning for the students. After students are done with their assessment, they will then take a short survey asking them how hard they perceived their assessment to be. The results of this study will hopefully tell us two things: whether one assessment is more challenging based on the scores and based off student’s perceptions.

This study seeks to determine the predictive relationship between the performance on a middle school Civics practice assessment and performance on the State of Florida Civics assessment. In the current public-school environment across the United States, using high-stakes assessments to measure student performance is the norm. This quantitative correlation study strives to determine if locally developed benchmark assessments accurately predict student achievement on school high-stakes social studies state-mandated assessments. Using post hoc data from 355 middle school students ranging from 12 to 14 years old from a suburban Central Florida charter school who were administered a computer-based Civics practice end-of-course assessment in late March with state testing settings. The 65-question instrument was scored, and the results indicate that 88% of the students passed with a 3 or higher on a 5-point Likert scale. The State of Florida Civics assessment was administered computer-based in May approximately 8 weeks after the practice assessment. This study utilized bivariate regression analysis due to its predictive nature application and was determined to be the best fit to determine the correlation between the predictor and criterion variables. The study found a statistically significant relationship between student performance on the practice EOC assessment and the state Civics EOC assessment. Recommendations for further research include replicating this study to additional schools and districts. There is an additional need for further research on the Florida middle grades science and U.S. history assessments to predict the relationship between student performance on practice science and U.S. history assessments and student performance on the state science assessment and the state U.S. history assessment.

Generational poverty is a problem that is not limited by race, gender, geography, or any other demographic. It is widespread and found in every state and city in the United States. Currently, over 17% of the population of the United States lives in poverty, based on a 2019 study. Of those, the vast majority are at least second-generation poverty dwellers. There seems to be no shortage of opinions on why a person lives below the poverty line, and many are willing to share them with those they know and those living in poverty. It is not unusual for one living in poverty to be looked down upon, treated as “less than,” and given no place at “the table” within their community. But just because a person is currently living in poverty, even generational poverty, does not mean they have to stay there. There are ways to break the cycle and change the trajectory of one’s life and the lives of those who come after them. The most effective method found to date is that of education. This researcher, with the assistance of a team of individuals associated with the Greater Oklahoma City Metro YMCA, worked to provide that education and began the process of breaking a cycle of generational poverty within the local community by taking the time to teach others through a 16-week program the basics of how things like generational wealth, compounding interest, cost of borrowing, and renting versus buying, just to name a few, impact one’s financial position. In so doing, the team began the process of breaking the chains of generational poverty. Additionally, as the participants learned who they are in God’s view and that they have been created uniquely and for a purpose, their self-worth and hope increased.

The purpose of this phenomenological study will be to discover insights into how the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) lockdown has caused residual effects on students’ academic, social, and emotional health two years removed from the pandemic. COVID-19 has impacted education from the lockdown that the leaders in the United States mandated. This lockdown removed students from school’s traditional routines, causing them to learn new ways to participate in their education. The method guiding this study is a qualitative phenomenology to focus on the lived experiences of teachers. Using a transcendental approach, the researcher will focus on the depiction of the phenomenon by the participants. This research will provide qualitative data that has been overlooked in studies on COVID-19. Additionally, this study will add new perspectives on how COVID-19 impacted students’ education.

The purpose of this single common case study will be to answer the question, “How does intrinsic motivation and self-determination in the ability to make choices and manage one’s behavior guide the implementation of social-emotional teaching practices into the early childhood classroom?” for the participants at Mount Uinta (pseudonym). The theory guiding this study will be Deci and Ryan’s Self-determination Theory (SDT), as it will validate the three basic psychological needs to strengthen learners’ autonomy, competence, and a sense of positive relatedness in social-emotional learning and teaching. Reaching the goal of implementing intrinsic motivation and professional development (PD) for early childhood teachers can complement the teaching of SEL skills. The method for the selected research will be qualitative, using exploration and understanding of a group of teachers and the social problem of teacher intrinsic motivation and self-determination. Detailed information will be collected using a variety of data collection methods for this single common case study, by conducting interviews with the staff, holding focus groups, and collecting teacher reflection surveys on their level of preparedness to incorporate SEL into early childhood classrooms. The analysis will be conducted via two-cycle coding methods, including emotion coding and pattern matching to form an understanding of teacher self-determination.

This research pairs past evaluation of aid for friends and families throughout the life of a loved one suffering opioid addiction and seeks to elicit the potential for further considerations for after-math care in the wake of overdose bereavement. Traumatic grief and secondary trauma in relation to individuals having suffered the loss of a loved one to opioid-related circumstances will be the framework focus to prove the need to engage a forgotten population of people. Considering the vast review of literature engaging the discussion of addiction as well as traumatic grief, this qualitative analysis takes on a newly woven perspective seeking to intentionally engage the parameters of need not currently sought in current research study. The author uses foundational discussion on both addiction and traumatic grief to develop applicable assessment exploration to bridge the gap for those suffering overdose bereavement. Lastly, this proposal illuminates current research articles that strongly suggest further education and immediacy of resources intervention development for survivors of opioid addiction. This research study collects, reviews, and unpacks the direction of grief trauma care for a specific population of bereaved laying foundation between gaps in literature and driving the continual pursuit of therapeutic practice with the momentum of this new qualitative research analysis.

The purpose of this intrinsic case study was to explore the perceptions of school climate as influenced by the implementation of a school-wide house system for staff and students. The theories guiding this study were Maslow’s theory of motivation and the theory of self-determination. The central research question for the study considers ways in which stakeholders, faculty, and staff implement a house system with the goal of creating a positive school climate. The intrinsic case study was situated at a middle school in southwest Virginia that had fully implemented a school-wide house system, and the sample consisted of five 8th graders, four staff members, and one administrator. The data collection incorporated an examination of physical artifacts, as well as individual interviews and journal prompts. An established survey given at the site was examined, but no quantitative analysis of the survey was done. The analysis of the data included transcription, and the development of patterns, themes, and codes. Data analysis also included observations, generous reading, summaries, and analytical memos. Cross-examination of themes and codes was also used, and logic models were used to help portray collected data. Finally, data was synthesized, and trustworthiness, credibility, transferability, dependability, confirmability, and ethics were considered. Five themes emerged from data analysis including holistic learning experiences, optimal learning environment, effective implementation of educational initiatives, cultivating a supportive community, and strategic alignment for sustainable progress. The data analysis and thematic findings suggest the implementation of a house system may increase positive perceptions of school climate.

Teacher-student relationships have been shown to have a marked decline at the transition to middle school (Hughes & Cao, 2018). The decline has been linked to a potential mismatch between middle school structure and the unique needs of the young adolescents that they serve (Eccles et al., 1993). This quantitative, correlational study explored the impact of school master schedules (i.e., school structure) on teacher-student relationships (i.e., TSRs) in Minnesota middle schools. The study searched for potential associations between student perceived teacher care and master scheduling type with the intent to fill a gap in literature and to help inform district and building level leaders about better fit middle school structures. Data relevant to the study’s independent scheduling type as derived from a researcher developed questionnaire. Data relevant to the study’s dependent variable, student perceived teacher care, was derived from the preexisting 2022 Minnesota Student Survey Data for eighth grade. Results showed no significant difference between student perceived care of students experiencing traditional middle school schedules as compared to those experienced a block. The study also revealed a lack of correlation between student perceived teacher care and instructional period length. The results suggest that master schedule does not impact student perceived teacher care.

To prepare students for the challenges of the future that cannot even be imagined, a paradigm shift is needed to change the focus of classroom to a more organic, learner-centered approach. The purpose of this study was to understand the heightened level of engagement with an authentic learning experience that goes beyond the walls of the classroom. It answers one question: Why does authentic learning affect students’ engagement and motivation to learn in English/ language arts (ELA) classes? This qualitative, instrumental case study used an interpretivist paradigm with a combination of emic and etic lenses. The participants were mostly White high school seniors in a small town in Northern Minnesota. They interviewed military veterans for the Veterans History Project, to preserve their stories. They turned those interviews into biographical essays that were revised into polished drafts, given to the veterans, and archived on the Library of Congress website. Triangulation was achieved by collecting three types of qualitative data: student journals, field notes, including photographs and videos, and exit interviews of three students. The results of the study proved that authentic learning works in ELA classrooms. It also answered the question of “why?” When students can see that their work matters to someone else, that it has a purpose outside of the classroom, and that it makes a difference in the world, then they will be more engaged and more motivated to learn. The implications of this study indicate that it is imperative for stakeholders to provide teachers with support to provide authentic learning projects in their classrooms.

This study examined a cohort of 12 study abroad participants taking a course on video game topography and narrative in Salamanca, Spain, to determine how inhabiting and co-creating narrative worlds as part of the coursework might impact the experiences of the students inside and outside of the classroom as they engaged in mandated and optional cultural engagement activities, such as museum tours and excursions to historical sites. Students completed two gameful learning activities: 1) they co-created their own narrative game world in a group game proposal assignment drawing upon research from storytelling through game environments, and 2) they created independent digital journals of their experiences through the perspective of a gaming avatar chosen at the beginning of the course. Results from pre- and post-self-report surveys indicate that the game proposal assignment allowed students to develop stronger connections with one another while conducting research that gave them additional context for their cultural surroundings. However, those same students criticized participation in pre-defined environments or activities within the photo journal assignment that they perceived to lack authenticity. Future iterations of similar course designs should establish the course content and context as a foundation before enabling students to co-author the course’s game narrative. Assessment of learning outcomes beyond self-reports is also recommended.

Institutions of higher learning are offering varying course modalities to accommodate the changing needs of students. Notably, institutions of higher learning are offering an increasing number of compressed courses to meet student demand and remain competitive in higher education. The increase in the number of compressed classes presents the challenge of ensuring that similar academic rigor and breadth of knowledge are maintained in comparison to the traditional 16-week semester. The purpose of this research study was to determine if students enrolled in off-campus classes with compressed schedules are receiving a similar quality of instruction and achieving the equivalent student learning objectives (SLOs) as students enrolled in traditional on-campus 16-week courses. This study compared the course performance assessments of two groups of undergraduate students enrolled in the same SIU course delivered in two different modalities. The courses used the same course content and were taught by the same instructor. The data consisted of course grades associated with student performance assessments and student information collected using a student pre-course survey completed at the beginning of both courses and post-course survey completed at the end of both courses. Both the on-campus and off-campus students demonstrated a moderate to strong positive correlation between the final course grades. The statistical results from the study provided no evidence that suggests the delivery format of the course (traditional 16-week format or compressed weekend format) resulted in meaningful differences in the final course grades for the participating students. However, a closer analysis of grades on specific performance assessments, achievement of SLOs, and qualitative data yielded greater insight to determine the level of educational quality of the two modalities.

This study examined how vicarious trauma can impact young children in a military family. Vicarious trauma is the effect of living with a person who was directly impacted by trauma of war combat moral injury. Moral injury is described as cognitive dissonance and a shattered moral covenant due to the violation of deeply held beliefs and values, and a breakdown of trust. Through an in-depth series of interviews with a parent of children who have experienced vicarious trauma due to combat-related physical and moral injury, findings reveal the direct negative social and emotional impacts on young children through their relationships in their home and school environments. An overview of how moral injury affected the primary caregiver is examined, along with the description of negative impacts on the young children in their daily routine. The parental perspectives reflect on the children’s personal experiences, which include discussions of frustrations, avoidance, violent physical abuse, yelling and screaming, anxiety, fearfulness, expressions of anger, and impulsive and violent actions with a non-violent intent of the young children in their daily routine, all of which appear to be a result of moral injury experienced by a primary caregiver. The discussion also examined what can be done to change the negative impacts by using strategies including love and nurturance, community resources, and networking implemented for policy change in communities for the families in need, who have experienced domestic abuse or vicarious trauma. Finally, this case study identifies emotional intelligence training along with other strategies for intervening with young children who need help with vicarious trauma, arguing that advocacy for young children is needed to strengthen their moral courage when their lives are impacted socially and emotionally by vicarious trauma.

The practice of persisting and learning from design failures is essential to engineering design and offers unique ways of knowing and learning for K-12 students. To understand how students engage in the practice of persisting and learning from design failures, we must first understand how, if at all, they recognize that a design failure has occurred. We studied a classroom of fourth-grade students engaged in an engineering design challenge and examined the ways in which design failure occurred and how students recognized, neglected to recognize, or misinterpreted design failure. We found that, in addition to anticipating failure, conducting fair tests, and making focused observations, students must have an understanding and awareness of the evolving criteria and constraints of the design problem in order to recognize design failure. If lacking an understanding and awareness of criteria and constraints represents a barrier to recognizing an initial design failure, it also represents a barrier to recognizing any subsequent design failures in the design process and thus a barrier to persisting and learning from design failures.

To prepare our next generation to face geospatial problems that have extreme time constraints (e.g., disasters, climate change) we need to create educational pathways that help students develop their geocomputational thinking skills. First, educators are central in helping us create those pathways, therefore, we need to clearly convey to them why and in which contexts this thinking is necessary. For that purpose, a new definition for geocomputational thinking is suggested that makes it clear that this thinking is needed for geospatial problems that have extreme time constraints. Secondly, we can not further burden educators with more demands, rather we should work with them to better understand the existing curricular context and implement sensible changes where it is most impactful. Lastly, the impacts of these implementations need to be carefully measured, and particularly in terms of broadening participation. A few examples are provided that show promise.

This study analyzes the effect of graphic organizers on the creative writing of fifth grade students in a Montana school. To complete the study, a group of nine fifth grade students’ writing was analyzed and evaluated based on a rubric that focused on four key criteria of creativity: fluency, flexibility, originality, and elaboration. The results of the baseline assessment data were compared to the results of the final unit’s data. The data showed promise with a minimum of 33% growth within each criterion. Students experienced the greatest growth within the criterion of elaboration with a minimum of 67% growth. The initial assessment provided students with minimal guidance on how to complete the assignment, while the subsequent assessments required students to complete a variety of graphic organizers in order to develop and support their creative writing. All students stated that the usage of graphic organizers was beneficial to the development of creativity within their writing. Upon the conclusion of the study, students began to acknowledge opportunities for their usage in academic situations beyond this domain. The initial student hesitation to utilize graphic organizers to support their writing faded and students began to recognize the functionality of graphic organizers to assist in creative development across subject areas.