In this exploratory study we examined the alignment of Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) middle school engineering design standards with lesson ideas from middle school teachers, science education faculty, and engineering faculty (4-6 members per group). Respondents were prompted to provide plain language interpretations of two middle…

The article discusses a year-long outreach activity, "Sparking interest in German." Five University of Utah German students engaged in the AATG/Goethe-Institut-sponsored SPARK program and taught German to local middle schoolers. At the heart of this outreach project were questions such as whether student-run outreach programs could truly…

The Japanese educational system is highly competitive and applies high stakes standardized admission testing. As this approach has led to student stress and a narrow instructional focus, the Japanese Government revised educational goals toward more holistic development of well-rounded citizens who are healthy, independent, creative, and work…

Alternative schools can provide all students, especially those with challenging behaviors, low motivation, poor attendance, failing grades, or those afraid to even walk into the school building, with an engaging and enriching educational experience. Through designing, leading, and serving students as an administrator of an alternative middle…

In this study, we examine a multiyear professional development program designed to help English teachers incorporate "connected learning" into their classrooms. We propose a model of professional learning we term "collaborative design as mediated praxis," which refines and extends the five features of high-quality professional…

The goal of this study was to further evaluate the impact of IXL Math on math learning outcomes. Using a quasi-experimental design with matched treatment and control groups, this analysis utilized data from 312 public schools in Mississippi during the 2021-2022 school year. The middle school analysis included 272 schools (136 treatment, 136…

Successful educator preparation programs rely on partnerships with K-12 schools. The literature emphasizes the importance of strong partnerships, but illustrates limitations in creating and maintaining partnerships that meet the needs of all parties--the partnering school and its students, the college/university and teacher candidates. The purpose…

Humility is considered to be an important social virtue, particularly in interpersonal contexts. Given the highly social nature of music participation, researchers have begun exploring the potential role that humility might play in music education. The purpose of this study was to examine how middle school, high school, and undergraduate band…

It is important to examine the perceived relevance of edTPA, a nationally recognized summative performance assessment of teacher education program graduates, after those graduates enter the teaching profession. This study collected and analyzed responses from educator preparation program completers who passed edTPA as a licensure requirement and…

The study's purpose was to investigate whether two different pedagogical strategies, flipped classroom and flipped team-based learning (FTBL), had different impacts on preservice teachers' TPACK, attitudes, self-efficacy, and perceptions of teamwork. Several survey instruments were sent to 32 preservice teachers who were Middle Grades Education…

We used community partnerships to develop an integrated science-learning program focused on two groups of learners -- university and middle school (MS) students -- to increase students' interest and confidence in science as well as motivation to pursue science. Key program elements include a university course for undergraduate and graduate…

Concerns have been raised about the high-stakes nature of edTPA potentially leading to reductionist, test-driven approaches to teacher preparation. This has come to fruition in practice within many teacher preparation classrooms. EdTPA can devalue anything that is not formally assessed and limit opportunities for faculty and teacher candidates to…

Recent legislation related to dyslexia has increased the focus on how reading is being taught in schools and how teachers are prepared to teach reading at the pre-service level. One promising teaching approach to supporting students with reading difficulties is the self-regulated strategy development (SRSD) model. However, there is limited…

In this conceptual piece, we offer a new definition of triad in the context of clinical experiences and describe the collaborative triad model developed for a middle school STEM teacher preparation program. We propose our model as a more viable option than traditional student-teaching triads to support the formation and sustainability of…

The purpose of this study is to carry out a meta-analysis study on the results of the studies on the effect of gender on academic motivation in Turkey between 2004 and 2019. For this purpose, this study aims to present a comprehensive study in which the results of the studies on this matter were combined and extended by using meta-analysis method.…