The purpose of this quasi-experimental quantitative study was to explore how the implementation of physical movement brain breaks impacts engagement and academic achievement for middle school students. This study is grounded in brain-based learning theory which explains how we can use brain science to inform instructional decisions in the…

The purpose of this quantitative cluster analysis was to create a profile of students attending, graduating, and withdrawing from an alternative high school located in Georgia. Using a hierarchical cluster analysis method, clusters were formed based on the clustering variables of age overage, poverty, Multilingual Learner status, student…

Teachers' ability to elicit and use evidence of student thinking during instruction is critical in high-quality mathematics instruction. The practice of anticipating students' mathematics supports teachers in noticing and being prepared to respond to student thinking during in-the-moment instruction. To date, most research on anticipating has…

Mathematics is the language and foundation for the science, engineering, and technological fields that define and enhance our lives in the 21st century. Proficiency in math requires problem solving, logical reasoning, and critical thinking skills that are essential to success in college, the workplace, and everyday life. Unfortunately, math has…

With a plethora of digital tools at their disposal and knowledge at their fingertips, Generation Z students must be engaged in ways that differ from previous generations of students. Using Ryan and Deci's (2000, 2020) self-determination theory and the Student Engagement Core model proposed by Bundick et al. (2014), this qualitative research study…

With the surge of the academic disengagement of secondary African American students in the United States, there have been numerous attempts at recapturing students' engagement in school. When African American students disengage in school, they are at a greater risk of adverse educational outcomes, which potentially impacts the students, their…

In 2022, generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) chatbots like ChatGPT were released to the public and were rapidly embraced by many. Educational stakeholders are divided about whether to incorporate or ban chatbot usage in classrooms. Student engagement, a meta construct comprised of behavioral, cognitive, affective, and social components, is…

The transition from face-to-face, in-person learning to distance learning during COVID-19 happened from one day to the next and was not easy or smooth (llona Huszti et al., 2021). Consequently, teachers were largely unprepared for the online platforms they were forced to use as their single means of teaching and for maintaining student engagement…

In the secondary school setting, student engagement with mathematics has been declining for various reasons and for a significant amount of time. Gamification and standards-based grading are strategies that have the potential to improve student engagement with mathematics. The problem was poor student engagement with classroom activities in…

COVID-19 abruptly changed educational institutions globally and challenged teachers and students. This immediate shift was difficult for K12 teachers because they were required to teach their courses online or using a blended learning (BL) model. As BL use continues to grow, concerns about student-content engagement have emerged. This single case…

There are ramifications for the educational loss that comes with student disengagement. Contemporary use of alternative high schools focuses on Tier III responses to intervention for disengaged students at comprehensive high schools. Alternative schools are affiliated with students disenfranchised by traditional educational institutions and are…

As the number of STEM opportunities and the need for a scientifically literate society increases, educators in STEM fields require tools that help support these needs. Chemistry is one STEM content area that would benefit from exploring educational technology that supports conceptual understanding. An action research study was conducted to…

The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine the relationship between participation in career-based learning opportunities and students' level of engagement in school. In this study, a survey measured the level of engagement reported by students. Students indicated if they were involved in a career-based learning opportunity and their…

The COVID-19 pandemic of 2020-2021 forced teachers and students of the research site (given the pseudonym Roxy High School) into an online learning environment. Neither the school nor the teachers had previously experienced such a high demand for online courses, and many did not recognize the differences between online and face-to-face…

The problem addressed in this study was that the transition from traditional schooling to online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic caused high school students and teachers to pivot and, as a result, negatively impacted instruction and learning. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to investigate and understand secondary education…