Collaborative learning has long been investigated for its benefits to learners. Prior research indicates that collaboration may help students develop more sophisticated arguments and learn more effectively. While a great deal of research has been completed on how elementary students collaborate, there has been little research on how they…

Students in the intermediate grades love to talk--but not necessarily about making sense of what they are learning. How do teachers design classrooms that cultivate productive discourse? How do they get out of the way and teach children to learn? First, let's give them something to talk about. Second, teachers need to teach them how to engage in…

The current study investigated how perceived popularity and collaboration quality were associated with knowledge gain of adolescents during a collaborative learning task. Participants included 264 children ages 10-12 years (52.3% boys), who collaborated 3 times in same-sex dyads on a computer assignment. Results indicated that the knowledge of the…

Cardiovascular fitness is an important aspect of overall fitness, health, and wellness, and running can be an excellent lifetime physical activity. One of the most simple and effective means of exercise, running raises heart rate in a short amount of time and can be done with little to no cost for equipment. There are many benefits to running,…

As part of a 3-year longitudinal study, 136 sixth-grade students completed an engineering-based problem on earthquakes involving integrated STEM learning. Students employed engineering design processes and STEM disciplinary knowledge to plan, sketch, then construct a building designed to withstand earthquake damage, taking into account a number of…

This report provides a snapshot of information from the 2016 New Zealand Council for Educational Research (NZCER) national survey regarding the role and impact of digital technologies for learning in New Zealand primary and intermediate schools. We asked teachers and principals how students were using digital technology in the classroom, and how…