Finding a pragmatic process across university programs and disciplines that has the potential to strengthen programs and instruction has promise for adoption because of the possible impact and benefits. Jigsaw Lesson Study (JLS) has that potential and could be expanded into not only a teacher-education classroom but also into any discipline across…

Meaningful gamification is the use of game elements and play to build engagement and help learners find personal connections in real-world settings. This study examined the impact of meaningful gamification design on preservice teachers' perceptions, performance, and motivation levels within a gamified lesson planning unit. Participants were…

i-Ready is an English Language Arts (ELA) and mathematics instructional program for Grades K-8 students featuring an individualized plan for instruction based on each student's performance on an online, computer-adaptive diagnostic assessment. Once students complete the diagnostic assessment, i-Ready builds a unique lesson plan with a…

Since ChatGPT launched in 2022, teachers and administrators have had the challenge of using generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) effectively while minimizing the negative consequences of its presence in schools. Today, AI-enabled lesson plan generators such as Diffit and MagicSchool AI are widely available to teachers, but no research has…

Following the emergence of chatbots, especially ChatGPT, researchers have begun to examine their capabilities, credibility, and reliability in educational context. In this study, ChatGPT and Google Gemini are used as technological tools to create 7th-grade lesson plans for mathematics, science, literature, and social studies classes. Using…

Purpose: The purpose of this article is to discuss the impact of an international book exchange project done with elementary students from a professional development school partnership on the understanding of project-based learning by pre-service teachers. Design/methodology/approach: A collaborative project between a school in Uganda, a…

The purpose of this investigation is to examine how teacher candidates create and teach lesson plans that include trade books and the 5E model of inquiry science. Specifically, this study examines how elementary school teacher candidates, enrolled in a science methods course, intended to use trade books to teach interdisciplinary science and…

Looking closely at lesson plans as mediating tools, this study examines preservice teacher learning. By using activity theory in our analysis of lesson plans and other data collected in a student-teaching course, we uncovered tensions within/across the contexts of university teacher education program and secondary school field placements. This…

There has been growing evidence suggesting that collaboration between content teachers and English as a second language (ESL) teachers is crucial for multilingual learners' (MLLs) equitable learning experiences. What is lacking is more nuanced analyses of teacher collaboration in the classroom context. This article reports on the findings of a…

Building on previous studies of ESL and content teachers' collaboration, this qualitative case study relied on Davies and Harré's positioning theory as a theoretical lens to examine the influences that collaboration between an ESL teacher and a language arts teacher had on the language arts teacher's approach to planning for and teaching ESL…

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to understand how preservice teachers (PTs) learn about disciplinary literacy in English language arts (ELA). In mathematics and writing, research has found that teachers' participation in disciplinary work can support their understanding of domain-specific inquiry, problem-solving and argumentation.…

Students with disabilities often face barriers that hinder their capacity to access general education curricula and show their learning. Modifications to curricula and lesson plans can help reduce these barriers. Modifications are changes to what instruction is delivered--which tasks students complete and what content they learn. Previous research…

Federal law requires all students, including those with significant intellectual disability, to make progress toward grade-level general education standards. The alignment between standards, curriculum, and instruction is vital for ensuring equitable opportunities to learn. Commercially available curricula attempt to support teachers and students…

Coherence among components of an instructional system is key to changing teachers' instructional practices in standards-based reforms. Coherence involves working across traditional silos--or system components (e.g., curriculum, professional learning, assessment)--to integrate components to avoid fragmentation of experiences for educators and…

Three preK-6 U.S. university methods instructors-researchers (literacy, science, social studies) joined 17 Title I school teachers for collaborative lesson planning and teaching within the preK-5 school setting. Each team's goal was to create and teach interdisciplinary curriculum units using U.S. English language arts Common Core State Standards…