Laboratory courses can help students learn in a meaningful way. In the past, students encountered difficulties in chemistry laboratory courses due to limited access to equipment and space for practicing experimental operations. In recent years, virtual laboratories have allowed students to repeatedly practice in order to achieve their experimental…

Research has linked social presence in virtual teaching and learning to greater retention of students, increased student satisfaction, and higher levels of perceived learning. Teachers and families also benefit from increased social presence and community. However, challenges exist to implementing effective virtual teaching and learning at all…

In this article, the authors discuss the possibilities and benefits of inquiry-based learning at National Park Service (NPS) parks, historic sites, and their companion websites. They also stress that you can extend the guidance and resources that may be provided by any historic monument or park close to your school, whether it is a part of the NPS…

The COVID-19 pandemic has created unprecedented events that impacted all walks of life, including education. A significant shift in all levels of education, including K-12, happened quickly and abruptly. All classes transitioned from traditional, face-to-face to virtual teaching using a Learning Management System (LMS) such as Google Classroom™ to…

This mini-ethnographic study explored virtual elementary student teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic, focusing on mathematics instruction. It was framed using Ecological Systems Theory and Critical Pedagogy. Data were collected from interviews, focus groups, observations, and site documents. Thematic analysis methods were used to analyze the…

Although hands-on laboratory experiments are traditionally used in schools, virtual laboratories have entered today's classrooms, due to their specific affordances. In this study, we compared the effect of using hands-on and virtual laboratories in isolation to two different combinations on middle school (7th grade) students' acquisition of…

Technology-enhanced learning continues to provide opportunities for increased interventions in educational programing. For teacher education programs, novelty pales in comparison to providing meaningful instruction and enduring outcomes. The use of avatars has provided integration of research evidence that increases intended behaviors; however,…

Peek into a math classroom, virtual or physical. What are students doing and saying about their math learning? Are they engaged? Are they thinking critically -- evaluating solutions, assessing their understanding, revising their strategies, explaining concepts, and connecting mathematics to real life? Helping all students become more self-directed…

This paper explores the integration of STEM activities in teaching and learning, emphasizing the importance of innovative pedagogical approaches in effectively introducing theoretical concepts, such as variables and functions, and merging them with practical applications. Drawing on existing literature, this study investigates the integration of…

Recent events have called for a higher proportion of grade school students to learn virtually. The purpose of this qualitative research was to discover effective online teaching strategies that enhance attendance and participation within the virtual classroom setting. A sample of 24 virtual teachers participated in a survey to seek current methods…

This piece summarizes one teacher's experiences during the abrupt move to digital learning due to COVID 19. This is not a full research study.

The COVID-19 pandemic caused a disruption in the educational world where schools across the nation had to shift to online learning very quickly with a lack of instructional strategies and how to differentiate instruction in an online learning environment. The purpose of this qualitative descriptive case study was to explore the perceptions of…

This study investigated how to decrease teacher stress and burnout by a virtual online mindfulness practice intervention with cognitive apprenticeship, self-determination, and self-efficacy theory as the frameworks. My research project examined instruction and training in mindfulness practice as a tool to cultivate stress coping skills in K-12…

This article describes the collaborative journey of two elementary education instructors at a large metropolitan university in the Southeast Region of the United States as they transformed and developed an innovative, engaging, and meaningful assignment utilizing adult avatars in TeachLivE™ to simulate parent-teacher reading conferences. The…

The COVID-19 pandemic is affecting lives around the world in many ways. Governments have temporarily closed schools in an attempt to contain the spread of the virus. Here, an elementary school teacher shares her experiences making the shift to remote teaching.