This paper presents an interpretative phenomenological analysis study of students' experiences with ungrading in the form of reflection-based self-evaluation in a college course. In the landscape of student evaluation, ungrading strategies respond to the limitations of traditional grading systems, particularly with respect to cultivating in-demand…

We collected narratives from five undergraduates who identified as either in the process of or had formerly transitioned from one gender to another while enrolled in a postsecondary institution. We used a narrative life story protocol to explore the greater context of participants as individuals. Participant stories focused on: the importance of…

This study seeks to add to our understanding of preschool students' experiences in urban spaces. Very few studies, including educational research, have directly addressed what urban nature spaces, specifically urban parks, mean to young children and even fewer have focused on children's own perception. The study presented here was conducted with…

"Safe spaces" denote areas where students show up as they are and express themselves without fear of being made uncomfortable because of their sex, cultural background, or other status. Many dismiss the importance of safe spaces for students by accusing the institution of becoming a "therapeutic institution" concerned with…

Research has shown that ethnic-racial socialization (ERS) predicts education and mental health outcomes for adolescents. However, limited research has evaluated the ERS experiences of Latinx students. The current study examined ERS experiences of Mexican American youth in four focus group interviews that were transcribed and analyzed at both the…

One consequence of the widened participation in higher education (HE) is that the social demarcation line that once existed at the entrance to HE has moved inside the HE system. This study investigates how students experience social friction when demarcation lines are crossed and how such friction develops over time. This was achieved by repeated…

Contributions: This article provides valuable insights into the varying approaches of engineering students in their understanding and application of project-based learning (PBL) and its relationship with student success. The findings can be used to improve the design and implementation of effective learning environments, evaluate the effectiveness…

In this phenomenological study, we explored what and how 15 counselor trainees experienced online learning, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. We identified three emerging themes that illuminated the essence of their online learning experiences: (a) multifaceted factors contribute to counselor trainees' satisfaction with online learning;…

In this reflective essay, I explore learnings and reflections along my doctoral journey and analyze how this journey has been untraditional for an education administrator. As a scholar-practitioner, I include a section on the impact of societal changes since the COVID-19 pandemic. I then document continuing challenges for women of color…

The authors in this article suggest the use of autoethnographic activities in classrooms to value and honor diversity in schools to promote multicultural education. Students can share their stories and experiences with their own voice. Autoethnography is the qualitative methodology that connects personal experiences to make meaning of social and…

Although several studies highlight the benefit of short-term immersion programs abroad among social work students, few studies have examined their transformative nature. In response, this study aimed to describe the transformative change experienced by MSW students from the Southwest USA who participated in a short-term, immersion program in…

Background: Smart classroom environment has drawn worldwide attention, however, there is still a lack of studies that can explore and analyse potential factors, which affect students' satisfaction with smart classrooms in higher education. Objectives: To assess students' satisfaction with smart classrooms in higher education, this study proposed…

This article examines Higher Education students' experiences of academic reading as a grudging act: something that is performed reluctantly or half-heartedly, because it has to be done. Drawing on group interviews with 30 social science undergraduates, registered at a research-intensive UK university, we offer a reflexive thematic analysis of…

This article examines how trauma and affective injustice permeate the school life trajectory of a female student (Sofia) in Argentina. The study is theoretically grounded in the field of trauma studies in education and contributes to this literature by attending to affective injustice, a concept that has not received much attention yet. This study…

Assessment drives learning and determines success in higher education. In a robust and defensible system, assessment should not exclude based on extraneous student characteristics, particularly as the student body becomes more diverse. This research sought to examine classroom assessment designs that might make assessment inclusive. A critical…