Generation Z, the postmillennial generation, has come to college. Their characteristics, motivations, and learning preferences, which differ from those of millennials, may require educators to rethink and redesign strengths-based education to ensure content and pedagogical approaches align with this new generation. This article offers suggestions…

In today's fast-changing, highly technical world, few challenges are more daunting for those who care about student-centered learning than engaging students and faculty with technology in ways that matter. As a student, faculty member, and administrator, author Paul Trebian begins by saying that having worked to help institutions find paths to…

Anything messy, noisy, cute or unexpected will usually generate an excited reaction or a 'wow' moment for children when they experience a new or surprising phenomenon in science. not to lose the moment after the wow but to ensure that the enthusiasm and interest of the children is channelled into new learning experiences. This involves careful…

Current motivation theory and research face serious theoretical, methodological, and practical challenges. One central challenge is the fact that research has focused mainly on motivation for traditional achievement tasks such as graded assignments and normative educational trajectories. Arguably, current motivation theory and research may be…

Purpose: Motivation declines as children reach adolescence. Poor motivation inhibits participation and engagement in language-based interventions. The purpose of this tutorial is to demonstrate how intervention can be designed to increase client motivation to participate while improving language-based literacy skills. Method: Motivation and…

Approximately 65% of young children with visual impairments have another disability such as developmental delay, cerebral palsy, or hearing loss. Furthermore, cerebral/cortical visual impairment is the most prevalent visual condition among young children with severe visual impairment in the United States (Hatton et al., 2013). This article…

Traditional literacies centering on effective reading and writing remain a focus in Texas schools. However, students come to our classrooms with a variety of experiences in new literacies, particularly those based on students' interests in popular media. In an effort to bridge students' digital media experiences with in-school literacies, teachers…

Learning games are an ideal vessel for many kinds of learning content. Playful interaction with the subject matter makes the human mind more receptive and thus learning itself more effective. Well designed games also come with an addictive game-play that makes users want to play the game over and over. This is intended in fun games but it can be…

Building a website allows students to find and evaluate resources, pose and answer scientific questions, and connect class content to real-world problems and possible solutions. Writing explanations for a particular audience, instead of only the teacher, requires students to state concepts clearly, leading to increased comprehension. Finding the…

This chapter identifies effective ways to address learner and faculty support. It introduces methods for building a successful learner support system by providing sufficient resources and proactively addressing learner motivation. It also addresses effective faculty support through institutional policies, resources, training, and course…

The issue of motivation is relevant to all students (Martin, 2001, 2002, in press). However, for some specific groups of students, not only are the fundamental principles of motivation relevant, but there are some additional principles or issues that need to be considered or refined. One case in point is the gifted and talented student, and in…

Laughing with students can help them connect on a deeper level with the teacher and the learning. This article offers the following four strategies to incorporate humor into teaching: (1) Integrate humorous bits to boost engagement; (2) Choose humorous materials; (3) Create interest with humorous web tools and apps; and (4) Teach with silly…

Physical educators are constantly looking for new ideas and activities that will quickly grab the interest of their students. 9 Square in the Air is a game that does just this. The game was developed as a way to integrate students who enjoy volleyball and those who like Four Square. 9 Square in the Air provides the opportunity for students to use…

This article is based upon autobiographical narratives of two students exploring their experiences in finding commonality through an institutionalized domestic and international student community. Both students' paths intersected at the East-West Center (EWC), an independent, public, nonprofit organization formed by the US Congress in 1960 with…

The article conceptualizes coursework in teacher education through the lens of intrinsic motivation. Authors theorize a pragmatic heuristic known as the motivational framework for culturally responsive teaching to achieve that goal. Then, using two illustrative examples, one of which is shadowing high school students, authors show how the…