Mathematical modeling is a high-leverage topic; it is critical to students' participation in STEM education and supports civic engagement. Until recently, research on modeling at the elementary level has been underemphasized, particularly research on supports and challenges for teachers who engage in designing authentic modeling tasks. In this…

The concept of professional learning communities (PLCs) has attracted global attention because of its significant role in facilitating teacher professional learning. While increasing efforts have been invested in building PLCs in many systems, few studies have investigated how teacher leaders lead and sustain PLCs. Drawing on qualitative findings…

This study's main objective was to use structural equation modeling to examine the direct effects of teachers' amotivation, identified regulation, external regulation, introjected regulation, and intrinsic motivation on PLC development in Ethiopia's Awi administrative zone's primary and middle schools. For this purpose, a correlational…

The purpose of this action research study was to understand and develop school-wide critical literacy practices with middle school teachers. During Cycle 1, students, teachers, and administrators from one school within an urbanized district spoke with the researcher in either interviews or focus groups. Results indicated that in order to implement…

Teachers who work at small schools often do not have colleagues at their workplace who teach the same content area and therefore cannot benefit from the professional growth that comes with having same-subject colleagues in one's workplace. The purpose of this study was to see if participating in a teacher Facebook group as a Virtual Community of…

The problem was that professional learning communities (PLCs) have not focused on topics relevant to teachers of students with developmental disabilities, limiting these teachers' professional development (PD) and their students' educational opportunities. The purpose of this qualitative single case study was to explore whether fifth grade…

This study documented an interdisciplinary team of grade 8 teachers' utilization and implementation of research-based reading strategies introduced through collaboration during a Professional Learning Community (PLC). This study also investigated the teachers' perspectives on the implementation of research-based strategies, including the factors…

Early adolescence is a dynamic stage for the development of critical consciousness, yet there are few resources focused on social justice education (SJE) in the middle grades. This article shares the findings from a study that investigated the experiences of three social justice educators as they engaged in SJE with young adolescents (YAs). We…

In an effort to meet the requirements of the many reform efforts facing schools, professional learning communities (PLCs) have been created and implemented by many schools as a valuable strategy to increase student achievement. The main focus of most PLCs is on the cultivation of learning, which includes teachers and administrators working…

The main goal in this study was to explore the impact of a professional learning community (PLC) on social studies (SS) teachers' professional development (PD) and student academic achievement. With this in mind, the study was carried out using a design-based research approach with an overarching ADDIE design model. The participants of the study…

Veteran secondary teachers are becoming complacent and isolating themselves because of changes in teacher professional development; however, continuing to learn and update instructional practices is part of teacher professional development. To better understand veteran secondary teachers, their views and experiences must be understood. The problem…

Teachers set the tone for their classrooms, but what teacher beliefs shape students' sense of belonging? We investigate how teachers' mindsets--or their beliefs about learning and school--relate to adolescents' individual and collective reports of classroom belonging. Our pre-registered analyses include a multilevel design of how 1,200 US middle…

This article is about a radio program called Little Thinkers Society that has been running for five years with children at Açik Radyo, an independent radio station in Istanbul. The radio program's goal is to engage children in philosophical inquiries on various questions and concepts and to share their voices with a wider audience. The article…

This study piloted a survey to determine possible use in a future study that would assess teacher efficacy, the relationship between teacher self-efficacy and the implementation of professional learning communities, and how perceived leadership support impacts that relationship in an urban school district. The data collection process included…

Standardization has been part of teaching and learning in the United States since the late 19th century. This technocratic approach has gained more traction in the past two decades beginning with the passage of the landmark No Child Left Behind law in 2001 and continuing through the recent standardization movement to restrict content and…