Inclusion has become the focus of a significant body of research, advocacy, and committed action in communities, businesses, and schools across the United States and beyond. Professional development focused on inclusion is part of a program called "Joyful Inclusion." Evaluating the impact a professional development program has on…

This case study investigated middle school students' perceptions of digital game-based learning (DGBL) in the classroom, focusing on engagement, motivation, and academic achievement. Using Piaget's (1962) Constructivist Learning Theory as a framework, the research examined the influence of interactive digital games on students' educational…

The current study examined school variations in academic engagement norms and whether such norms affect those most susceptible to peer influence. We presumed that behaviors associated with perceived popularity make norms salient and are most likely to affect socially marginalized (rejected) youth. Focusing on differences across 26 middle schools,…

This dissertation focuses on implementing problem-based learning as an instructional intervention in a middle school civics classroom. This action research study responds to the observations of the teacher-researcher who noticed that her students were not make meaningful connections to the practice of citizenship. The problem of practice was…

Background: Despite educational advances, poor mathematics achievement persists among K-12 students, particularly in rural areas with limited resources and skilled teachers. Artificial Intelligence (AI) based systems have increasingly been adopted to support the diverse learning needs of students and have been shown to enhance mathematics…

Amid a growing national debate regarding the current health and future direction of the history curriculum in Britain, there have been numerous calls for an examination of its roles and purposes, and questions have been raised as to how far it engages an increasingly diverse student body. This article examines the perceptions and attitudes of…

Digital technologies have fast become integral within literacy learning and teaching across contexts as students engage with a variety of digital and multimodal texts. While teachers in New Zealand schools have a high degree of autonomy in the design and planning of literacy programs, little is currently known about how they understand and enact…

The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) put forth an aspiring call for science educators to enact instructional experiences that enable all students to participate in the real-world practices of science. To achieve this, teachers need to create classroom environments that will attract all students to science learning and support and sustain…

This quantitative study was conducted to examine if teacher reflective practices had an impact on student engagement, teacher-student relationships, and student engagement. Survey data were collected from 356 middle school teachers and students. Data concluded no significant relationships among the reflective practices of teachers, student…

In "Teaching Toward Rightful Presence in Middle School STEM," Edna Tan and Angela Calabrese Barton introduce the rightful presence framework, a multifaceted approach to instruction that enables historically marginalized students to gain agency in their science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) learning. This necessary work…

Student engagement has been acknowledged as a crucial factor for promoting successful learning. In this study we adopted a multidimensional approach to study the associations between school climate and student engagement. We aimed to test the direct and indirect associations of five concrete (Rules, Student Support, Student Involvement, Positive…

Students with Emotional Impairment (EI) often have among the worst outcomes of any category of students receiving services for learning disabilities. They earn fewer credits, are less likely to graduate, are more likely to drop out, and are less likely to pursue education beyond high school than almost any other of the categories identified under…

This study examined the reciprocal dynamics of teacher autonomy support with student motivation and engagement during late elementary and early middle school. A total of 861 students in grades 5-7 reported on three components of teacher autonomy support (choice, relevance, and respect), as well as their own engagement and self-system processes…

Mathematically poor students exhibit poor academic performance, as well as increased mental illnesses and behavioural issues; however, the learning dilemma faced by mathematically poor students and the factors affecting their classroom engagements remain unclear. To address this issue, the Perceived Maths Teacher Support Scale, Classroom…

This mixed-methods study explores power dynamics, student engagement, and mathematics identity in online mathematics classrooms. Teacher positioning plays a crucial role in shaping these dynamics, yet research on power dynamics in online math classrooms is limited. The study employs classroom observations, survey questions, and interviews to…