The ubiquity and ease with which microbial cells disperse over space is a key concept in microbiology, especially in microbial ecology. The phenomenon prompted Baas Becking's famous "everything is everywhere" statement that now acts as the null hypothesis in studies that test the dispersal limitation of microbial taxa. Despite covering…

"Dungeons and Dragons" is classified as a table-top role-playing game (TTRPG) and it is not surprising that TTRPGs exist for every genre and period that can possibly be imagined. TTRPGs are, as the name suggests, played around a table and benefit from not relying on some of the potential barriers players may perceive when playing…

Care teams, an important structure at most institutions of higher education, coordinate the work of various units to intervene with students who are at risk of attrition, academic failure, and/or are experiencing socio-emotional struggles. The authors provide various examples of how case management and Care Teamwork is structured in the small…

With the reduction in the number of teachers who also coach, schools are hiring more coaches that are not teachers. For the non-teaching coach, fitting in with the educational staff can be difficult, especially when the coach is new to the school building. Some teachers have a belief that non-teaching sport coaches are there to play sports and win…

The logic behind "continuous improvement" sounds simple--but it takes a skillful leader to make the process pay off. While the logic behind the popular "continuous improvement" process seems simple, the authors' study of schools using approaches based on continuous improvement revealed that skilled leadership is as important as…

The Summit on the National Assessment of Psychology was held on June 2016 to chart a path for assessing student achievement of the goals of the undergraduate psychology major. Our subcommittee was charged with identifying evaluation strategies and tools for students' professional development, which included applying psychology to various careers;…

Designed to overcome a common barrier to successful implementation of school improvement efforts--entrenched belief systems--this book digs deeper into the power of collective efficacy. Teams with a strong sense of collective efficacy devise ways to make "what's supposed to work" actually work, and find ways to exercise control over…

Of the myriad responsibilities of the building principal, the most recognized and critical activity is overseeing and ensuring student success in the classroom. Considering the diverse population of professionals that building principals have under their supervision that directly impact students' classroom learning, the authors posit that a…

Project-/Problem-Based Learning (PBL) creates dynamic learning environments, incorporates various stimuli, allows learners to gain valuable experiences that extend to real-world applicability, and should be considered as a primary delivery method in STEM classes. The application and benefits of PBL in STEM classes are limitless. Students learn…

Students may benefit from evidence-based interventions to support their classroom learning (Carmago et al., 2016). Additionally, laws and policies, such as the Every Student Succeeds Act (2015) and the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (2006), mandate the implementation of evidence-based practices to improve student outcomes in schools.…

Bringing the transformative change to classrooms that supports student achievement requires a high level of collaboration and leadership. This article describes an innovative model for school improvement that focuses on coaching to elevate educators into true change-makers.

Much attention has been paid to administrators and teachers in turnaround schools; however, little focus, if any, is given to school counselors and the vital role that they play in improving student outcomes. In turnaround schools, it is critical that all school personnel are involved in improving school outcomes, such as academic achievement and…

School culture is the belief and attitude influencing every aspect of how a school functions. Culture shared by all school stakeholders makes the actualization of both short-and long-term objectives easier. In this context, the best practices for shaping school culture for professional educators are personal mastery, team learning, and building a…

Founded in Minneapolis by Angela Jerabek, a former school counselor, Building Assets, Reducing Risks (BARR) is an education model built on research about the importance of prioritizing relationships with the power of data. The implementation of BARR at South Fort Myers High School saw dramatic and measurable changes as well as exponential academic…

This research report examines the dramatic turnaround of the Mildred Avenue School in Mattapan, which won EdVestors' 2017 School on the Move Prize. We teamed up with EdVestors to investigate the role of teacher leadership and labor-management collaboration in driving rapid school improvement. In 2013, the Mildred was a school in crisis. Academic…