High-performing suburban districts are often looked to as a model for teaching and learning. The status quo, for many students, indicated future success. However, when the authors critically examined their structures and practices, they saw places where they perpetuated inequities. Specifically, these practices included tracking students in…

This article captures a convergence of its authors' life experiences and existent data, made possible by Complex Instruction (CI). There is a pressing need to study and support the foundational practice of "assigning competence," which requires that a teacher first recognise students' strengths and publicly name their academic…

Using the frameworks of Critical Race Feminism (CRF) and Representational Intersectionality, we employ photovoice as a form of Participatory Action Research (PAR) method to illustrate the lived experiences and voices of Muslim, immigrant-origin, women doctoral students, and Black faculty in predominantly and historically white institutions (PHWIs)…

Purpose: This paper explores perspectives on social justice, equity and agency when schools address health, wellbeing and sustainability challenges. Design/methodology/approach: The paper draws on a literature review of educational research. The analysis is narrative, highlighting how binary conceptions of equity, social justice and agency are…

The high incarceration rate and systemic racism in the United States, along with entrenched social barriers, highlight the need for creative solutions to help formerly incarcerated individuals (FIIs) reintegrate successfully. This paper highlights social entrepreneurial ventures (SEVs) as powerful agents of social change, underscoring the…

Purpose: This article details findings on how leaders of deeper learning schools establish, maintain, and propel unique teaching and learning environments. In this case study, the authors present findings from data collected through interviews with 30 leaders of self-proclaimed deeper learning initiatives and site visits to those elementary and…

This article addresses the question of how theatre interventions as elements of a participatory and action-oriented research design can contribute to justice-oriented Caring Community processes. Caring Communities are local initiatives that strengthen everyday solidarity through civic engagement and neighbourhood support, link informal and formal…

In this case study, we focus on a particular University of the Arts London positive action intervention, the Women+ of Colour in Leadership Programme (W+CinL) developed by Creative Shift. The case study explores how taking a more equitable, asset-based approach supports the retention, attainment, and employability of Black, Asian and Minority…

Purpose: This research has been conducted to determine the core reasons for gender inequality and to evaluate the effectiveness of higher education as a sole solution to ensure gender equality. Design/methodology/approach: This qualitative case study research explores the causes behind gender inequality, and interviews were conducted with 20 male…

This action research introduces an innovative construct entitled R.A.I.S.E. (Representation, Amplification of Assets, Inspiration, Support, and Empowerment and Engagement) to scale up leadership excellence in Ontario education systems. Equity (or the E-word) has become a highly contentious and volatile left-and right-wing political hotbed.…

Creating a socially just pedagogy from a grassroots level could help address issues of educational injustice. This paper focuses on the creation of the student voice for social justice (SVSJ) pedagogical method that is based on Nancy Fraser's political social justice framework. The resulting approach, developed through participatory action…

This qualitative multiple case study explored Saudi World Language English instructional approaches from a Positioning Theory perspective, focusing on empowering learner agency in tertiary-level education in Saudi Arabia. Using a combination of semi-structured interviews, classroom observations, researcher journals, and analysis of classroom…

This article provides an analysis of how equitable, inclusive, and meaningful partnerships between the Global South and Global North, which have been characterized by challenges (Kumar 2019), can be established and enhanced by minimizing the power dynamics that undermine their intended goals. This article argues for a relook and disruption of the…

This paper draws on Bernstein's educational sociology to illustrate how a language-focused "subversive" pedagogic approach (Martin, 2011) was systematically realised through classroom interactions. While educational inequalities are often addressed at the level of policy and budgets, this paper provides a perspective on inequality and…

Scholars Leonard & Woodland (2022) suggest schools and districts face a crucial challenge. Are schools and districts ensuring their personnel are prepared to engage in critical practices to affirm, include, and support all students, families, peers, and communities? Or are schools and districts just haphazardly committing to diversity, equity,…