As a reviewer of middle level schools, their programs, policies, curricula, mission statements, instructional behaviors, assessment processes, and student-oriented community the author offers observations that can promote better student equity. He suggests: (1) "Producing Equity Belief Statements." Mission, Equity, or Inclusion…

Equipping educators to hear students' voices, and then translating that information into concrete behavioral and instructional changes, is what the team at Partners in School Innovation has undertaken in San Jose, California, for the last several years. Their efforts have not only suggested promising practices, but also highlighted important…

Students often have limited opportunities in school to grapple with the ramifications of the increasing influence technology companies exert over their lives. Digital citizenship curricula could be the exception, but they typically emphasize personal safety and respectful behavior online, ignoring more participatory or justice-oriented notions of…

Current policy in England, informed by a version of cognitive science, enforces an absolute distinction between experts and novices, or teachers and learners; from this binary, operating in tandem with regimes of performativity instantiated in a curriculum shaped by high-stakes testing, are derived particular forms of pedagogy and particular…

In this study, we used an extreme case approach to examine the facilitators and barriers of cognitive engagement among freshmen in Advanced Placement (AP) or Pre-International Baccalaureate (IB) courses. Twelve ninth-grade AP/IB students participated in semistructured interviews focused on cognitive engagement. After analyzing the data using a…

Teachers must be able to effectively address the social and academic needs of their students, regardless of cultural differences. It is also critical for teachers to have knowledge of the controlling societal forces affecting their students' lives. Numerous scholars have investigated the overrepresentation of Black males in special education.…

This study examined the relationship between demographic, disability-related, and transition planning experiences and accessing disability-specific and universally available supports at 2- and 4-year colleges by postsecondary students identified in secondary school as English learners with disabilities. Findings were based on secondary analysis of…

Calls for more civic education have risen alongside political polarization, social injustices, and threats to democracy. Although civic learning opportunities are disproportionately accessible and often not inclusive, one model has shown promising results. Through School Participatory Budgeting, students deliberate and decide how to allocate funds…

This preliminary investigation explored associations between Black adolescents' experiences with parental racial socialization (racial pride and racial barrier messages), dimensions of racial identity (centrality and private regard), and critical reflection regarding the need for school change of racial inequity. One hundred fifty-one (78 girls;…

Esports has been adopted by high schools across the country and around the world as a school-based opportunity for students to engage in competitive video gaming. Growth of esports in secondary schools has been informed independently by student and industry interests, leaving school administrators little understanding surrounding the motives and…

Providing opportunities for youth who have been 'pushed out' of traditional schools to re-engage is an issue of social justice. The lack of equitable learning opportunities in the traditional science classroom is a contributing factor to youth being pushed out. Alternative education programs have the potential to support youth who have been…

Gender stereotypes and lack of access to relatable role models, mentors, and STEM opportunities have been suggested to deter middle school girls and students from underrepresented backgrounds away from STEM. Seeds of Success, an out-of-school program, is designed to inspire girls to consider STEM careers by countering gender stereotypes through…

We use an autoethnographic case study of a Latinx high school student from a rural, agricultural community in California to highlight how AI is learned outside classrooms and how her personal background influenced her social-justice-oriented applications of AI technologies. Applying the concept of learning pathways from the learning sciences, we…

Using references to the world outside the classroom is an intrinsic part of teaching content. Cultural references, however, might present a challenge for minority students. This paper investigates how teaching can contribute to the empowerment of all students through a qualitative observational case study of two Norwegian primary and secondary…

Interaction is a pivotal pedagogical concept enjoying wide-scale attention from contemporary e-learning theorists. This study investigated the effects of e-learning environments on Saudi girls' social presence and empowerment to access education. Using the community of inquiry questionnaire, the authors measured the participants' social presence…