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This study was designed to determine the psychometric properties of the School Readiness Assessment Tool (SRAT), a new measurement tool for assessing school readiness. The measure aims to assess preschool children's school readiness by estimating their academic, motor, social, emotional, and self regulation skills. Both academic and motor skills are assessed through direct child observation while teacher ratings evaluate social-emotional and self-regulation skills. 228 children attending preschool participated in the study's first phase and 185 children in the second phase. The results show that the items of the new measurement tool had sufficient internal consistency. Both study phases also showed strong evidence of face (content) and construct validity (i.e., convergent and concurrent validity). Overall, the results show that SRAT is a promising new measure for school readiness among preschoolers in Türkiye. In addition to the evidence from randomized control trials, studies should be conducted to determine its psychometric properties with diverse samples, such as rural children and children not enrolled in preschool education.

The study aims to investigate the influence of the online professional development (PD) program focused on precollege engineering education on science teachers' teaching engineering self-efficacy. A nested mixed research design was employed to conduct the study, in which the basic qualitative design was integrated into a weak experimental design and data collection was interrelated. The quantitative dimension of the study utilized the engineering teaching self-efficacy scale, while the qualitative dimension utilized the teachers' reflections as a data collection instrument. Fourteen science educators were selected through purposive random sampling in a province in the Black Sea region of Türkiye. The study's results suggested that the self-efficacy of science teachers in teaching engineering was significantly enhanced by the PD program, which focused on engineering education. The qualitative results were consistent with the quantitative results. Considering the study's results, practitioners and researchers were provided with suggestions for future research in the field of teacher education or PD programs.

The current study is located among the body of language teacher identity research by focusing on the identities of pre-service language teachers in Japan. This study looks at how pre-service language teacher identities are situated among Japanese values and belief systems and investigates how participants are coping with disrupted language teacher identities as they are preparing to embark on teaching careers. Three pre-service teachers took part in this study, and data originated from narrative frames and semi-structured interviews. These participants are preparing for future employment as K-12 English teachers in Japan. Drawing upon grounded theory and Gross' (2015) process model of emotional regulation, findings illustrate the conflicted manner in which pre-service teachers are constructing their nascent language teacher identities against the backdrop of Japanese values and belief systems and the realities of teaching in Japan. In this context, the participants are approaching their future careers with deeply held emotions of both hope and dread, complicating the development of empowered language teacher identities. Additionally, this study found that the participants were able to employ Gross' (2015) emotional regulation strategies to varying degrees of success. This article concludes with implications for pre-service teachers and pre-service teacher training programs in Japan and abroad.

Within the field of K-2 computer science (CS) education, unplugged computational thinking (CT) activities have been suggested as beneficial for younger students and shown to impact young students' skills and motivation to learn about CS. This study sought to examine how children demonstrate CT competencies in unplugged sequencing tasks and how children use manipulatives to solve unplugged sequencing tasks. This case study approach examined two unplugged sequencing tasks for six children ranging from ages five to eight (pre-kindergarten to 2nd grade). Children showed evidence of several CT competencies during the sequencing tasks: (1) pattern recognition, (2) algorithms and procedures, (3) problem decomposition, and (4) debugging. The strategies and use of manipulatives to showcase CT competencies seemed to evolve in complexity based on age and developmental levels. Taking into account children's abilities to demonstrate CT competencies, this study suggests that sequencing is a developmentally appropriate entry point for young children to begin engaging in other CT competencies. In addition, these unplugged sequencing tasks can also be easily integrated into other activities commonly experienced in early childhood classrooms.

In the global context, male participation in early childhood education is notably low, with only 3% of the workforce in mainland China comprising male professionals. This study delves into the intrinsic motivation of male kindergarten teachers, employing the framework of self-determination theory. Qualitative research, comprising face-to-face interviews with seven Chinese kindergarten teachers, aims to uncover the factors influencing their intrinsic motivation at work. By understanding their perspectives on intrinsic motivation, this research offers valuable insights to professionals in the field of early childhood education.

The article examines the current situation of language instruction in higher educational institutions in the Republic of Kazakhstan. Higher educational institutions play a crucial role in providing professional training in the country. The official language strategy focuses on developing the Kazakh language as the language of science. The researchers performed a survey among educators and students from both national and regional universities in the country. They then analysed the findings to identify the issues within this domain. The survey included 122 participants from 16 different universities. An investigation was conducted to analyse respondents' answers using both quantitative and qualitative methods. The results of the study were used to identify the critical problems. The concerns were identified based on the viewpoints and stances of both native and foreign scientists, and implications were provided.

The preschool period is recognized as a crucial phase for fostering the social development of children. Self-regulation during the developmental period contributes to management skills in social contexts and thus helps establish positive standards of behavior for peer relationships. Effective interventions can improve self-regulation skills. The main purpose of this study is to detect the predictive impact of self-regulation skills on peer relationships in preschool children. The participants consisted of 165 children of Turkish extraction (between the ages of 5 and 6). 81 of them were girls, and 84 were boys. The Self-Regulation Skills Scale for Children aged 4-6 (Teacher Form) and the sociometry technique based on peer nomination were utilized. The study results asserted that young children's self-regulation variables (inhibitory control, attention, and working memory) influenced their levels of being positively and significantly liked by peers. Moreover, young children's self-regulation variables (inhibitory control, attention, and working memory) affected their levels of being negatively and significantly disliked by peers. Also, inhibitory control, attention, and working memory significantly predicted the levels of social preference.

We compare the institutional standards and expectations for English language arts (ELA) educators from the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE), the leading professional organization in this field, and the state of Georgia. By conducting a critical policy analysis of documents from NCTE and the Georgia Department of Education (GADoE) we sought to understand the tension between standards set for training English education students in institutions of higher education and the standards those teachers would be required to use in Georgia K-12 schools. We analyze these documents through Cooper et al.'s (2004) policy analysis framework, which questions the normative, structural, constituent, and technical dimensions of policy development. We found that the ideological beliefs and values embedded in the policies and documents from NCTE and GADoE have developed divergent sets of expectations for ELA teachers in Georgia, particularly around how teachers respond to oppression in our society; how we understand the overall purpose of ELA instruction; and the scope of responsibilities for educators. We end by presenting implications for educators working among these two sets of policies, in recognizing where these expectations may overlap as well as diverge.

This research aims to compare the social studies curricula of Thailand and New York State, USA, analyze their similarities and differences, and propose guidelines for improving the Thai social studies curriculum. The study employed a qualitative research methodology, using documentary analysis of the Thai Basic Education Core Curriculum B.E. 2551 (Revised B.E. 2560) in the social studies, religion, and culture learning area, and the New York State K-12 Social Studies Framework. The findings revealed that the social studies curricula of Thailand and New York State differ in many aspects, including their fundamental philosophies, goals for student development, curriculum structures, learning content, and instructional approaches. The Thai curriculum emphasizes cultivating morally good citizens with a love for the nation, while the New York curriculum focuses on developing knowledgeable, skilled citizens who actively participate in a democratic society. In today's rapidly changing world, the development of Thailand's social studies curriculum should foster 21st-century skills, digital citizenship, and a sense of global citizenship among learners while maintaining Thai identity and values. Policy-level recommendations include creating a new vision, designing a flexible curriculum, developing online platforms, and integrating artificial intelligence. At the practical level, suggestions include creating community learning innovations, using the city as a classroom, developing a competency-based curriculum, and building learning communities with local partners.

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is America's most common childhood disorder. Although an ADHD diagnosis can bring positives, recent research uncovers potential negatives associated with diagnosis. This study examines understudied racial-ethnic heterogeneity in the relationships between an early elementary school ADHD diagnosis--with or without medication treatment--and children's future perceived self-competence, teacher-rated school behaviors, and parent-rated educational expectations. Findings are consistent with the notion that diagnosis can trigger racialized patterns of stigma. That is, relative to undiagnosed matches of the same social class and regardless of medication use, diagnosed Black children demonstrate worse teacher-rated school behaviors, diagnosed White children report poorer perceived self-competence, and parents of diagnosed Hispanic children report poorer educational expectations. Racialized patterns of stigma might amplify the consequences of negative-ability stereotyping on Black children, academic pressure on White children, and mental health stigma on Hispanic children. Findings also highlight the challenges of identification posed by differential unobserved selection into diagnosis.

This longitudinal, mixed-methods study reports on the development and implementation of an early phonological awareness screening and intervention program for struggling emergent readers in a French immersion school in Manitoba. The program was created by a professional learning community made up of the school administrator, teachers, and clinical support staff. This paper describes the process of developing the phonological awareness program and the intervention itself. Forty-two children participated in the phonological awareness intervention that lasted 10 weeks. The intervention was given in English in kindergarten. Significant gains were found in the phonological awareness skills of the children who participated in the intervention. Results also indicated that children's phonological awareness skills in English predicted their French reading levels in Grade 1. In addition, we provide insight into the roles played by key members of the school's PLC through qualitative analysis of a series of semi-structured interviews. The work of the school's professional learning community offers a model that may be implemented by other school teams to promote equity and accessibility for all learners in FI programs.

French immersion (FI) programs are becoming increasingly culturally and linguistically diverse as a result of growing migration to Canada. In the present mixed-methods study, I explore the perspectives and ideologies of teachers, principals, and central office staff in eight school divisions in Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Alberta with respect to refugee-background students in FI programs. Through the triangulation of survey responses (N=126) and interviews (N=40), I examine perspectives pertaining to four themes: 1) suitability of FI for refugee-background students; 2) language learning; 3) challenges facing refugee-background students; and 4) supports and resources in FI programs. Adopting the theoretical perspective of sociolinguistics for change, I discuss three underlying ideologies shaping the perspectives of FI educators across the Canadian Prairies: 1) English-first ideologies; 2) deficit ideologies; and 3) ideological tensions between inclusion and support.

Through the lens of transformative learning theory, this qualitative study examines how pre-service teachers (PSTs) in a teacher education program in rural Appalachia shared their perspectives on their preparation to work with diverse students. It examines how their lived experiences and their teacher education program impacted their approach to understanding and addressing diverse needs of their students. Results illustrate the unique way the pre-service teachers [re]imagined their program to better equip future PSTs for diverse classrooms. We argue for programmatic approaches to developing a teaching corps prepared for diversity in the classroom and challenging the shortsighted notion that students in rural Appalachia are unwilling to face the realities of diverse classrooms.

This study investigates the way a kindergarten teacher implemented a three-stage project to support children's map understanding. The project, the Map and Play, was designed to help children understand the relationship between reality and its abstract representation. The guided play was adopted as the pedagogical approach because it empowers children to make independent decisions, encourages critical thinking, and offers opportunities for exploration. At the same time, adults take part in purposeful activities alongside the children. The research employed an ethnographic methodology involving classroom observations, video recordings, and interviews. Content analysis was used to explore the data sources. The results illustrated the stages taken to introduce children to the idea of map considering scientific research about how to foster map understanding. The data displays occasional mistakes made by the teacher, offering valuable insights into the dynamics of classrooms where similar activities might be introduced. The MPP was a promising experience for kindergarten children in enhancing their map reasoning and use of spatial language. Still, there is a need for teacher training to guide this complex learning process effectively.

Inclusive education presents a significant challenge for contemporary society. All children should have the opportunity to develop according to their educational needs within an inclusive environment. The effectiveness of the school support team plays a crucial role in achieving this goal. This research aimed to explore the perspectives of teaching staff in kindergartens, including headmasters, teachers, and teaching assistants, regarding inclusive education, with a specific focus on their views and attitudes towards the roles of school special educators and teaching assistants in preschool education. A mixed-methods research strategy was employed to achieve this aim. Data were collected using a self-constructed questionnaire containing both closed and open items, completed by 394 respondents from 142 kindergartens. The findings indicated that teaching staff perceived the existence of a school support team as having a positive impact on addressing various children's issues and enhancing teachers' work. These results contribute to a broader understanding of the roles and responsibilities of the members of a school support team in kindergartens.

The purpose of this research was to study and compare children's collaborative behaviours through organising experiences based on the engineering design process. This research was conducted in the context of Thai early childhood classroom. The study group used in this research was 30 students from Kindergarten 3/1 Anubansamsen School (The Government Lottery Office Support) studying in the second semester of the academic year 2022 using a cluster random sampling method. The instruments used in the research were: 1) an experience plan based on the engineering design process for early childhood children; and 2) an observational form of early childhood children's collaborative behaviours. Statistics used for data analysis were mean, standard deviation, and t-test dependent. The results of the research revealed that, before organising experiences based on the engineering design process, early childhood children showed collaborative behaviours at a moderate level (M = 19.06). After the experience, the collaborative behaviours of early childhood children overall were at a very good level (M = 42.46). When comparing the collaborative behaviour scores of early childhood children, it was found that after the engineering design experience, the scores were significantly higher than before, at a statistical level of 0.01.

Background: Early childhood education (ECE) is crucial in cultivating creativity, especially in today's tech-savvy world. This study explores the impact of collaborative project-based learning (PjBL) with computer and play motivation on kindergarten children's creativity. Aim: Our research aimed to determine if collaborative PjBL, combined with computer-based activities, enhances creativity compared to independent PjBL. We also examined the influence of play motivation on computer-based creativity. Setting: The study was conducted in Makassar Lotus Kindergarten, Indonesia, involving 30 Grade B kindergarten students. Methods: We employed a post-test control group design and systematically selected two matched classes. The experimental group engaged in collaborative PjBL, focussing on computer activities to foster creativity, while the control group experienced independent PjBL. Creativity assessment encompassed originality, art, fluency, flexibility, self-actualisation, and creative skills. Results: Collaborative PjBL had a more significant impact on children's computer-based creativity than independent PjBL. Children with high play motivation also exhibited higher creativity levels during computer-based activities. Conclusion: This study underscores the potential of collaborative PjBL in promoting creativity among kindergarten children in the digital era. It highlights the significance of innovative teaching methods and children's intrinsic motivation in nurturing creativity. Contribution: These findings contribute to the ongoing discourse on effective ECE strategies that harness technology to foster creativity.

STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education is a 21st century learning approach that is extremely important to students and children nowadays. Many developed countries have emphasized this approach to early childhood education (ECE). Although there are some challenges in promoting children's cognitive development in preschool, there are some best practices that early childhood educators can use as a guideline in planning, implementing, and evaluating their development at school. Four databases were used to find the best practices consist of Scopus, ERIC, Web of Science, and Science Direct. These databases are consulted to analyze published articles that produce findings on the best practices and challenges of implementing STEM activities that have been recorded either in kindergarten or preschool environments. The findings revealed there were 23 themes for the best practices and 10 themes for challenges that were successfully analyzed. In order to ensure that STEM education can be implemented with better quality in the future, educators should know the best way to implement the activities by practicing the best practices. In addition, educators also need to take action wisely when there are challenges in implementing STEM activities so that children can acquire meaningful experience when participating in the activities.

In this paper, we examine 4- and 5-year-old Anishinaabek children's text creation and identity (re)formations while involved in collaborative writing with their Anishinaabek teacher about the moose hunting practices of their northern community. The teacher took on a role as an emergent writer alongside the children, voicing her memories of moose hunting with family members and her thinking as she drew pictures and used the marks, letter-like forms, and letters that her students used to create the collaborative text. Inductive analysis of talk and nonverbal communication in the video recordings of the teacher's interactions with the children, as well as analysis of the collaboratively created text and the children's independent texts, shows that the teacher created spaces for children to learn Anishinaabek cultural knowledge alongside literacy skills and knowledge.

Executive function skills are crucial for children in the 21st century, serving as indicators of their readiness for learning. Children with well-developed executive function skills can effectively accomplish various tasks, solve problems using diverse strategies, and collaborate with others happily. This research aims to: 1. Identify the necessity for fostering executive function skills among early childhood students in Nonthaburi Province. 2. Analyze the causes underlying the necessity to promote executive function skills in early childhood students. 3. Propose strategies to enhance executive function skills in early childhood students. The research consists of two phases. Phase 1 involves identifying the necessity for developing executive function skills among early childhood students, with a sample group comprising 12 volunteer kindergarten teachers randomly selected from 12 classrooms and 328 early childhood students aged 5 to 5 years 11 months (162 boys and 166 girls). The research instrument used is the MU.EF-101 assessment. Data analysis involves calculating the mean and standard deviation of T-scores for working memory, inhibitory control, and shift/cognitive flexibility. Phase 2 analyzes the causes of necessity and proposes strategies to promote executive function skills in early childhood students. The data sources for this phase are 12 teachers, and the research instruments include fishbone diagram recording forms and group discussion recording forms. Findings suggest that parental involvement is crucial in training children to perform tasks independently and in teaching children patience. Additionally, teachers should analyze children's behaviors to plan appropriate learning activities based on their context. Teachers must encourage children to think and make decisions independently, encourage when mistakes occur, and ensure the availability of suitable tools and toys that promote the development of executive function skills in early childhood students, which teachers or parents can conveniently utilize.

Background: Early childhood is a formative period during which distinguishable development has projections of bearing desirable outcomes within an individual. Hence, physical, language, cognitive, emotional and social independence are healthy components of a typical child's development that early childhood development (ECD) educators deem essential for Grade R readiness. Aim: This article aims to explore ECD educators' perceptions of typical 4-year-old learners' aspects of development and how this supports their readiness for Grade R. Setting: This study was conducted in an ECD centre in a marginalised rural context of the Mandlankala area, Empangeni, north of Zululand. Methods: An interpretive qualitative case study methodological design framed within Bronfenbrenner's person-proximal processes-context model was adopted. Purposive convenient sampling was used to select three ECD educators from an ECD centre. Semi-structured interviews and learners' physical, language, cognitive, emotional and social behaviour observations were used to generate data. Data were analysed thematically. Results: Findings revealed that early childhood educators perceive 4-year-old learners' readiness for Grade R differently based on criteria such as their personalities based on developmental milestones and the educator's experience in the field and training. Conclusion: This study concluded that the learner's level of physical, language, cognitive, emotional and social development influences their readiness for Grade R. Contribution: School readiness skills allow school teachers to expand and further develop learners' skills in the specific areas of social interaction, play, language, emotional development, physical skills, literacy and fine motor skills.

This study examined the perceptions of participants regarding the use of embedded video demonstration lessons during literacy professional development sessions. The videos were captured in an urban elementary classroom and modeled two new literacy strategies. Based on survey responses from 160 kindergarten through fifth grade elementary school teachers and 117 school or district administrators and instructional specialists, the findings revealed positive participant perceptions and effective instructional use of the videos that modeled the implementation of the strategies in a relevant classroom setting. The analysis of the use of videos during the professional development (PD) sessions was found to positively affect the instructional capacity of teachers to implement the strategies in their classroom settings. The findings also suggest that school administrators more positively understood the process of using the strategies to support the standards, resulting in increased leadership capacity. Implications of using specifically created videos to enhance clarity and credibility of PD for participants are discussed.

The aim of this research is to reveal the effects of symbolic play content activities organized in kindergarten to first reading and writing skills. For this purpose, mixed-method research has been designed. In the first stage of this research, four experiments, including pretest-posttest applied, a paired experiment-control group, were applied. 30 kindergarten students from 15 experimental and 15 control group-students participated. The data obtained from the experimental process were analyzed with the Man-Whitney U Test and Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test. In the second stage, the data were collected through semi-structured observation and interview forms. 20 first-grade students from 10 experimental and 10 control group-students participated. Qualitative data were analyzed through descriptive analysis. The control group participants who successfully acquired the read-write preparation outcomes in the kindergarten and passed to the first grade were more successful in obtaining the first reading and first writing compared to the supervisory set participants who passed the first grade without acquiring the literacy preparation achievements in the kindergarten.

This study investigated the noticing of teachers who teach mathematics at different grade levels in the context of lesson study. The study specifically focused on teachers' noticing during the planning phase of the lesson. For this, the lesson planning phase of a group of four teachers consisting of kindergarten and primary school 1st grade teachers (vertical teacher team) was investigated. Teachers' planning process for the 1st grade level mathematics lesson was the focus in the context of lesson study. We examined categories and subcategories that emerged in the planning phase of the lesson study and noticing levels dealt with those categories. We examined which categories and subcategories emerged in planning and at which noticing levels they dealt with those categories. The results of the study provide comprehensive data on categories and noticing levels of teachers teaching mathematics at different grade levels in the collaborative planning process of a lesson study focusing on improving problem-solving. The results of the study showed that the teachers' noticing was clustered under three categories: curriculum, teaching methods, and conceptual understanding. In terms of noticing levels, the study's results revealed that noticing is performed at the attending to level in all categories. Although less frequently than the attending to level, teachers noticed making sense of level in all the other categories except the curriculum category. Besides, noticing that the deciding to respond level did not occur at any level might be due to the cultural challenges of adaptation of lesson study and the amount of support, we researchers provided teachers as facilitators.

The purpose of this research was to explain why many people do not like mathematics and find it difficult because it is difficult to understand or because a teacher they had did not give the appropriate weight. The methodology used in this research was the quantitative method. The sample was collected through electronic questionnaires involving sixty-three (63) participants from pedagogical departments. The following survey shows the main results of the research, more specifically, that negative emotions about mathematics are more prevalent. The three main elements that characterize the successful teaching approach of mathematics at school are the transmission of knowledge by the teacher, the approach of knowledge through play, and the selection of appropriate activities. While the two most appropriate ways of approaching mathematics in kindergarten are through play but also through investigation and discovery by the child based on the participants' answers.

Early literacy skills are essential for children's academic development. This research used a comprehensive approach that included observations, assessments, and interviews with children and educators from various kindergartens, which involved 1040 children and 99 teachers from 71 early childhood institutions. The comparison of difficulties in pronouncing letters was measured through observation and assessment of children's ability to recognize the shape and pronounce of letters using augmented reality digital flashcards with a companion application called KIDOPA. The results show that children have difficulty saying the letters b, d, m, w, p, q, n, u, x, and z while reading letters. These difficulties are linear with the teacher's understanding of the importance of teaching literacy to children.

During the global pandemic, teachers and students were forced to quickly adjust teaching and learning to fit in the new socially distanced world. Along with the challenge of establishing effective online teaching tools came the need to create social spaces for connecting with students through teacher-student interactions. This study followed the practices of K-12 teachers who were also graduate students seeking an advanced endorsement in literacy as they grappled with problems and solutions of online learning during an intensive K-12 literacy tutoring program. The researchers honed in on the work of one focal teacher as she carved out a new social space for connecting with her students. This work resulted in the identification of specific criteria for three dimensions of social presence: relationship building, engagement, and social interactions.

Many kindergarten educators grapple with how best to teach reading in play-based kindergarten classrooms. The purpose of this mixed-methods study was to ascertain the instructional strengths and needs of kindergarten educators as they teach reading in play-based programs. Fifteen kindergarten teachers participated in an online questionnaire and focus group conversations that explored their concepts of self-efficacy and professional content knowledge to gain an understanding of the tensions these educators expressed, and to compare and confirm these with existing literature. Educators felt quite confident that they were effectively weaving foundational reading skills with learning opportunities into authentic experiences throughout the day. They indicated that balancing competing priorities within their programs was a challenge, and that supporting multilinguals and deepening their understanding of how to effectively build oral language and phonological awareness in their students were areas where they wanted to build their professional content knowledge.

The notion of "professional" is built on a concept of traditionally male professions and patriarchal social orders. ECEC (early childhood education and care), however, is a female-dominated field characterised by its unique caring practice. This study investigated how a group of Australian early childhood preservice teachers presented themselves professionally on social media, in relation to respective infant (0-2) and kindergarten (3-5) practica. Data were drawn from focus group discussions about how the participants shared their practicum experiences on Instagram. The paper is guided by Foucault's concepts of self writing. Findings are organised around four themes of self-writing processes: collecting, selecting, annotating, and managing time and tasks. Two narratives are revealed. In the context of the kindergarten placement, the posts constituted a journey of continuous improvement against all odds. In contrast, the infant placement experiences evoked a sense of struggle and renunciation. The paper concludes with implications for further study beyond the Australian context.

The emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic led to a significant transition towards online education in pre-K-12 schools, prompting school administrators to confront the disparities revealed by the remote learning model. This paper includes the findings of a multi-phase research project exploring the intersection of educational leadership, technology, and systemic inequities aimed to guide administrator preparation programs to meet relevant, post-pandemic leadership standards. Phase One of the research project, conducted early in the pandemic, highlights the findings from a survey administered to technology directors in Minnesota. The survey aimed to understand how school districts were addressing the technology disparities encountered by students and families during hybrid and distance learning models. Phase Two of the research project, conducted as the pandemic waned, focused on school leaders' evaluation of which practices developed and implemented during remote learning should be sustained. Technology directors participated in a focus group and asserted that the pandemic was an opportunity for educational leaders to reimagine schools for the success of all students. Findings call for revised administrator preparation standards, the implementation of technology plans in every state, and continued focus on identifying and addressing educational inequities.

Public school board members are charged with the responsibility and accountability to provide governance-level advocacy for equity and excellence in public education. This qualitative study examined the perceptions of school board members in three K--8 school districts in the midwestern part of the United States regarding the 50+ year Race-Based Academic Achievement Disparity (RBAAD) in public education. Virtual one-on-one interviews, a virtual focus group, and member checks were used to gather data. Utilizing servant and moral leadership as the theoretical frameworks, the findings revealed that school board members are empowered with governance-level authority and the responsibility to address the RBAAD phenomenon, school board members encounter obstacles that challenge their ability to mitigate the RBAAD phenomenon, and school board members contend that opportunities exist to promote mitigation of the RBAAD. Implications for future research and practice are addressed.

The abrupt shift to online instruction that occurred in spring 2020, often referred to as emergency remote teaching (ERT), caught many world language educators off guard. To prepare for future disruptions to face-to-face learning and illustrate promising online teaching practices that emerged during this extended period of time that could serve to expand and enhance world language instruction, it is important to understand how ERT influenced K-12 world language programs around the world. To help the world language teaching community better understand how ERT influenced world language instruction, a team of researchers collected interview data from world language teachers and students in the United States and Germany. Results confirmed that instruction was negatively impacted by the sudden shift to online formats, explained how and why instruction was influenced, and identified promising practices exhibited by teachers to mitigate the negative impact of ERT. World language teachers, stakeholders, and school leaders may wish to consider the results of this study to lessen the impact of future disruptions to on campus learning and to enhance the growing presence of online learning in schools.

Physical activity breaks in the classroom are an efficient way of promoting healthy behaviors in students, enhancing the development of their cognitive and academic abilities. The effects of active breaks, which are exclusive to the academic environment, are almost entirely positive, only a few papers did not show significant improvements, but they did not show any negative impact on academic performance either. This research was carried out to identify the properties and consequences of active breaks and physical activity during classes in school age. We have examined multiple databases, and we have selected 41 papers accounting for a time span of 15 years. Psychology, medicine, and education databases were the most browsed. Most papers revealed positive outcomes for improving skills related to mathematics, language, reading, comprehension, as well as cognitive and executive functions. Overall, the results of this review corroborate the theory that physical education in schools is positively associated with academic performance in children. Education researchers keep investigating in order to fully assess the positive impact on academic performance, behavior during classes, and cognitive functions.

Elasticity, the capacity for students to explore or investigate their own questions of interest during or after teacher-directed events in the classroom, is highly beneficial for students in terms of their retention and deeper understanding of the content. An elastic environment is child-centered and inquiry-based. An inelastic environment (teacher-directed) results in students refraining from asking, investigating, or exploring their interests/curiosities. Teachers' perceptions of their classroom environments become an important consideration when evaluating their ability to enact elastic explorations. In this pilot study, teachers (two separate public-school districts) completed surveys describing perceptions of elasticity in their classrooms. Results indicate teachers' high value for elasticity in learning, inquiry-based investigating, and authentic student questioning. However, most teachers describe their environments as highly inelastic due to multiple barriers including time, standards, testing, stress, and a lack of training. The authors discuss potential pathways for increasing elastic environments including teacher training, professional development, and administrative support. The authors also discuss the relationship between teachers' beliefs and developing an elastic classroom environment.

This study examines the effects of digital game-based and different educational programs on the phonological awareness skills of 60-72-month-old children. The study group of the research consists of 60-72-month-old children studying in kindergartens affiliated with primary schools. The study group was divided into three experimental groups and one control group. There were 22 children in experimental group 1, 16 in experimental group 2, 17 in experimental group 3, and 17 in the control group, totaling 72 children. In the study, a phonological awareness education program was applied to experimental group 1, a digital game-supported phonological awareness education program was applied to experimental group 2, a digital game-based phonological awareness education program was applied to experimental group 3, and no intervention was applied to the control group. A quasiexperimental design was used as the research model. The Study used the Early Literacy Skills Assessment Tool (ELSA) and the Early Literacy Test for Preschoolers (ELTKC) as data collection tools. A pre-test was administered to the study and control groups, and after the pre-test, educational programs were applied to the experimental groups for ten weeks. After the educational programs were implemented, a post-test was administered to the experimental and control groups, and a retention test was administered to the experimental groups. According to the results of the study, it was determined that there was a significant difference between the experimental groups and between the experimental groups and the control group.

Cyber threats have escalated in recent years. Many of these threats have been direct and vicious attacks on K-12 systems. Educators are rarely trained on how to address cyber threats from a systemic and educational perspective when such challenges arise in their school buildings. This article explains the cyber threats that are looming large for K-12 systems and provides concrete tools for school leaders to employ in order to provide preventive education to their school communities.