Learning in makerspaces involves doing, playing, thinking, experimenting, creating, collaborating, mentoring, inquiring, problem-solving, producing, inventing, designing, building, and sharing (Loertscher, Preddy, and Derry 2013). Whatever the character of a makerspace, all makerspaces have the same goal: to actively engage students in open-ended…

We know from previous survey research that teachers who hold high expectations for all of their students significantly increase the odds that those young people will go on to complete high school and college. One indicator of teachers' expectations is their approach to grading--specifically, whether they subject students to more or less rigorous…

As new science standards increase emphasis on the teaching of science and engineering practices, research is needed on the implementation and outcomes of students' experiences with authentic inquiry-based activities. Using a framework on teacher support for inquiry, we examined results from a national survey of middle school science fairs. Three…

This qualitative study aimed to explore ESL teachers' and school leaders' perspectives of K-8 social studies content. Specifically, this study sought to answer the following guiding research questions: What are English as a Second Language teachers and school leaders' perspectives of self-efficacy among their English language learners? What are…

Adoption of new instructional standards in science demands high-quality information about classroom practice. Teacher portfolios can be used to assess instructional practice and support teacher self-reflection anchored in authentic evidence from classrooms. This study investigated a new type of electronic portfolio tool that allows efficient…

The current focus of education is on preparing diverse student populations for college and career readiness. One critical aspect of this preparation is the development of 21st century learning skills that integrate technology to support students in becoming active members of a globalized society. According to the National Assessment of Educational…

The Literacy Design Collaborative (LDC) was created to support teachers in implementing college and career readiness standards. Teachers work collaboratively with coaches to further develop their expertise and design standards-driven, literacy-rich writing assignments within their existing curriculum across all content areas. Findings from…

Saudi Arabia has expanded access to secondary schooling over the past generation, while also pushing to lift quality. This includes decentralising authority out to principals, equipping them to set higher performance expectations and deploy incentives to attract and retain strong teachers. We find wide variability in the extent to which principals…

A tension in designing classroom learning involves balancing the questions and interests of students with the goals of teachers and standards. One approach to navigating this tension in science classrooms is to simultaneously support and constrain students' questions about an observable natural phenomenon in the classroom and then take up those…

Contemporary professional development efforts have shifted away from a deficit model toward the acknowledgment of the agency and ability of teachers to evaluate and direct their own professional learning. This article describes how middle school science teachers can take charge of their own learning by initiating and participating in…

The Next Generation Science Standard (NGSS) is an educational standard used in the United States. It is also used in Indonesia because it has characteristics similar to Curriculum 2013, which is used today. This standard is adapted in science learning because it is expected to easily measure students' processing skills in a specific theme. Science…

Existing research in global and social studies education has focused on methods, tools, and instruments to impart dispositions and skills for global learning, with little research pertaining to key global content knowledge. In this manuscript, the authors consider the use of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals as a prospective global…

With the increase in the number of students with disabilities receiving the majority of their instruction in inclusionary settings, middle school teachers are seeking effective methods that support all learners. Cue cards are a flexible instructional tool that middle school teachers can use to differentiate instruction. This article describes cue…

This article reviews the development of a qualitative summative assessment based on the National Theater Standards to evaluate theater education classes. The authors examine the current state of the field of theater education; the use of the assessment; an overview of the results of an arts integration U.S. Department of Education project; and a…

Chapter One explores whether teacher grading standards affect learning. Lenient standards are controversial because of concerns that students may put less effort into a course. Conversely, harder standards may discourage the lower performing students. Using detailed longitudinal data on all North Carolina public school students and teachers over…