The goal of this research was to test the effectiveness of a new science curriculum focused on increasing awareness and knowledge of microplastic pollution in middle school students. The curriculum utilized three teaching methods including lectures, object-mediated learning, and peer collaboration to enhance student engagement and learning. The 84…

Using a student-centered approach, Generation Citizen's (GC) action civics model helps students gain civic knowledge and skills as they work together to take action on a local issue in their community. This paper draws upon reflections from GC's decade-plus of teaching action civics at scale in middle and high schools across the United States,…

Despite their demographic importance in U.S. classrooms, little is known about how the strengths and needs of English learners are engaged through technology, particularly as it is embodied by one-to-one devices such as iPads and Chromebooks. An exploratory study of English learners in technology-enhanced classrooms was undertaken at an urban…

The Better Math Teaching Network (BMTN) is looking to transform high school math instruction in New England and beyond. Through this network, researchers and practitioners are working together to make high school Algebra I classes more student centered. This report outlines findings from the first year of this developmental evaluation of the…

The Winter Hill Community Innovation School in Somerville, Massachusetts and the Paul Revere Innovation School in Revere, Massachusetts, winners of the 2017 Pozen Prize for Innovative Schools--excel in attending to the social, emotional, and intellectual needs of all students in the diverse communities they serve. Leveraging autonomy to strengthen…

The Condition of Education in the Commonwealth project provides an annual, evidence-based review of student progress and proficiency throughout the education pipeline from birth into adulthood. Serving as a bellwether for Massachusetts education reform agenda, the project examines learning outcomes and investigates policy solutions to support…

This year's Condition of Education "Action Guide" offers a series of policy and practice changes to support a student-centered approach to education. Student-Centered Learning (SCL) is any instructional approach that begins with the needs and interests of the individual learner and engages students as drivers of their own learning. SCL…

Research on blended learning's effect on student motivation has been largely limited to undergraduate and adult populations. To address this gap in research, a mixed methods approach is used to examine the impact of the STEM21 Academy's blended instructional approach on 9th-grade students' (1) engagement in science and mathematics learning; (2)…

Today, far too many students see mathematics as a subject that must be endured, not a source of inspiration or a way of thinking that can enrich their understanding of the world. Advocates of student-centered instruction argue that good teachers have the ability to transform mathematics classrooms into lively, engaging learning environments in…

While many of the concepts and approaches that comprise student-centered learning have deep roots in learning theory, the cognitive sciences, and youth and child development, empirical research on student-centered learning's impact in K-12 classrooms remains limited. This report offers highlights from three studies commissioned by Nellie Mae,…