Preconceived expectations for one's behavior drive how people interact with their communities. Messaging via pop culture is a common source for citizens to learn about one community engagement tool: compulsory volunteering. Compulsory volunteering, like court-ordered community service and school-based volunteering, provides an opportunity to learn…

Despite the dramatic increase in the number of graphic novels created and published, and the growing popularity of graphic novels among students, some teachers think that certain sexual and violent imagery in graphic novels renders them unsuitable for teaching (Weiner, 2003). Additionally, the lack of cultural diversity and the depiction of…

This inaugural Saudi Arabian-based (SA) study explored how social media images and cartoons can influence the professional identity of pre-service teachers (PSTs) measured by their reflections on self-selected images of teachers and teaching in Saudi media. PSTs (n = 30) were enrolled in a teacher education program in a faculty of education in a…

Almost twenty years ago, the question of 'How popular musicians learn' (Green, [2002]. "How popular musicians learn: A way ahead for music education." Hants, England: Ashgate Publishing Limited) catalyzed a paradigm shift in music education and music teacher education bringing informal teaching and learning strategies to the fore. In…

LAZARUS is the Lab for the Analysis of Zombie Activity and Research into Undead Simulations. LAZARUS began in 2014 through a [UNIVERSITY] and [ISD] partnership, aimed at engaging K-12 students in rigorous research in a unique way. This partnership was the initial driving force in the conceptualization and creation of a super-computer known as the…

Purpose: Naming practices reflect culture, language and identity considerations. This study aims to explore Chinese American naming choices, revealing nuanced and complex linguistic, cultural and pragmatic considerations for teachers of literacy. Design/methodology/approach: The authors interviewed Chinese parents who are now living with their…

This article presents findings from action research conducted in a graduate level course with practicing K-12 educators. In this article, I consider the usefulness of critical media literacy in the graduate classroom as I engaged students in discussions about multicultural issues including race, class, gender, sexuality, and ability. Through an…

The shortage of Teachers of Color relative to the growing racial/ethnic diversity of the U.S. public school student population has caught the attention of many educators and policy makers. Several factors contribute to this teacher-student demographic diversity gap, especially the lower numbers of college Students of Color, relative to white…

The theme of this year was educate to liberate. A reminder to the literacy community that education, and literacy extend beyond the content and courses we teach. As Freire puts it, "Leaders who do not act dialogically, but insist on imposing their decisions, do not organize the people--they manipulate them. They do not liberate, nor are…

The idea of storytelling goes beyond the borders of language, culture, or traditional education, and has historically been a tie that bonds families, communities, and nations. Digital storytelling offers opportunities for authentic academic and non-academic literacy learning across a multitude of genres. It is easily accessible to most members of…

In this "Issues" column, "The Journal of Physical Education, Recreation & Dance" provides responses to the question: "In Light of the 2012 NASPE Symposium, to What Extent Should Physical Educators Incorporate Pop Culture in Their Classes?" Responses this month come from an assistant professor who says that:…

This column offers the personal reflections of the author on being a member of the band Touch, an iPad performing ensemble composed of music education faculty members and doctoral students at the University of South Florida. The ensemble primarily performed its own arrangements of popular music selections from a number of genres including, but not…

This article examines how undergraduate instructors of pre-service educators can address complex issues of sexuality and sexual orientation within the classroom. First, we explain our own backgrounds and positionalities to provide a context for our ensuing ideas and discussions. Second, by reviewing the literature on homophobic bullying, we…

This paper discusses how practicing teachers conceptualize commercial off the shelf (COTS) videogames within classroom-based English language arts instruction. Understanding how today's teachers perceive virtual worlds and videogames as an instructional tool for schema building within literacy development will help researchers better understand…

"Proceedings of International Conference on Humanities, Social and Education Sciences" includes full papers presented at the International Conference on Humanities, Social and Education Sciences (iHSES) which took place on July 15-19, 2020 in Washington, DC, USA. The aim of the conference is to offer opportunities to share your ideas, to…