This paper, conceptual but with empirical support, fills in some blanks in Vygotsky's reworking of Spinoza's "Ethics." Here Vygotsky sought to develop a developmental theory of emotions that would fit his developmental theory of higher psychological functions; that is, one which used function to explain how structure changes (much as…

This paper responds to the need to support complexities of literacy instruction by identifying and illustrating teaching strategies used by a practicing special education teacher rooted in a multi-theoretical approach to teaching literacy. We argue the importance of teaching from multiple theoretical standpoints and utilizing student-centered,…

This essay tracks and expands upon critical exchanges with graduate students in a course for adult educators, highlighting conflicting perspectives among participants on the relative value of theory in enhancing practice. An underlying focus of the course consisted of comparing constructivist and cognitive perspectives on learning theory and their…

Speaking to the political and social upheaval of our present moment, and drawing on discourses of democratic education, we argue that the U.S.'s racial reckoning propelled by recent events constitutes a sort of "founding" for our democracy and that this founding has important implications for reconfiguring citizenship within institutions…

The atom is science's biggest idea! And now it is known that even children from 4 years of age can grasp it, creating science education's biggest worldwide opportunity. Dr. Jenny Donovan and Dr. Carole Haeusler of the University of Southern Queensland conducted multiple studies to show that primary-age children, mostly aged 7-9 years in their…

In this article, we explore Terry Wood's participation in the Purdue Problem-Centered Mathematics Curriculum Project, along with the rich and enduring personal and professional friendships that she built with the classroom teachers who were so important to the project. We highlight connections between these working relationships and the research…

A disconnect from environments has largely dominated educational discourse and policy. Attention to place and environment in education has gained momentum recently through several relational theories. Application of these theories in education notes the materiality and relationality of pedagogy, though often without specificity as to what the…

Friedrich Froebel is well-known for the invention of kindergarten and the pioneering educational philosophy he developed in the 1800s, which respected children's self activity and women's capabilities for the role of teacher, while promoting play as the primary medium for learning. His radical ideas and principled approach to early childhood…

In this paper, we turn to the notion of networking theories with the aim of contrasting two theoretical mathematics education perspectives inspired by Vygotsky's work, namely, the Theory of Objectification and the Documentational Approach to Didactics. We are interested in comparing/contrasting these theories in accordance with the following three…

This article presents a methodological approach to educational psychology research in which researchers engage in collaborative transformations of educational practice while developing theory concerning the societal and scientific relevance of these transformative processes. The theoretical inspiration for this approach stems from…

This paper introduces a model built upon the Method of Varying Inquiry, offering a didactical approach to problem posing and solving activities that stimulates inquiry-based learning in mathematics classrooms. The model combines the inquiry-based framework with the variation theory and with specific didactical and theoretical elements (the…

The instructional rationale behind critical pedagogy is to provide students the opportunity to voice their personal stories and opinions, and to reflect and act upon social concerns relevant to their daily lives. Students can then practice being agents of transformation in their own lives, starting in the classroom. This paper is based on the…

Clinical supervisors serve an essential role in the field of teacher preparation. Despite acknowledgment of the complexity of this work, supervisors are often marginalized, provided inadequate support in their roles, and seen as evaluators for individual student teachers as opposed to part of a larger program. Instead of positioning clinical…

This Perspectives article proposes a renewed vision of teaching English to speakers of other languages (TESOL) through a translanguaging (TL) stance, grounded in critical sociolinguistic inquiry and embodied practice. A TL theory of language asserts an activist agenda to dismantle mono/lingualism, inviting a more dynamic and expansive view of…

As more states pass bills banning critical race theory in schools, it is especially important for teachers to understand what critical race theory is and the implications of such bills. To understand what critical race theory is and intends to do. I look at its origins and how it has been employed in the field of education. Recognizing the legacy…