Motivation cannot be measured directly but has to be evaluated through other indirect measurements, of which questionnaires are the most common. This chapter presents the results from the development and use of a model to approach motivation in the science classroom from multiple theoretical and methodological perspectives. The model emerged from…

Whether high-stakes exams such as the SAT or College Board AP exams should penalize incorrect answers is a controversial question. In this paper, we document that penalty functions can have differential effects depending on a student's risk tolerance. Moreover, literature shows that risk aversion tends to vary along other areas of concern such as…

The "Next Generation Science Standards" calls for new assessments that measure students' integrated three-dimensional science learning. The National Research Council has suggested that these assessments utilize a combination of item formats including constructed-response and multiple-choice. In this study, students were randomly assigned…

Complexity Theory (CT) provides a useful framework for understanding Second Language Acquisition (SLA). Using an ecological model, CT studies the dynamic processes of change and emergent outcomes over time, tracing back how trajectories may have been affected by changes in and interactions among multiple variables and subsystems. Language learners…

This paper articulates a stance on the study of students' meaningful mathematics understanding with multiple representations. We integrate Thompson's theory of quantitative reasoning and Dreyfus' theory of multiple representations in our approach to frame and conduct empirical investigations of the study of meaningful understanding of function. We…

As mathematics educators, we teach and research a particular form of knowledge. However, in reacting to Platonic views of mathematics, we often overlook its unique characteristics. This paper presents a Kantian and Piagetian perspective that defines mathematics as a product of psychology. This perspective, based in human activity, unites…

In educational applications, "Knowledge Tracing" (KT) has been widely studied for decades as it is considered a fundamental task towards adaptive online learning. Among proposed KT methods, Deep Knowledge Tracing (DKT) and its variants are by far the most effective ones due to the high flexibility of the neural network. However, DKT…

Writing skills are vital to college and career success; therefore, students who do not succeed in writing will likely struggle in their subsequent coursework. Latino male college students are the most at-risk group. Following a single case study approach, this qualitative study examines the writing perceptions of three Latino males in their…

Interest-driven activities, such as mathematical play, can support student agency, motivation, and engagement, and can foster dispositions that reflect authentic disciplinary engagement. However, the bulk of research on mathematical play investigates the mathematics that emerges in young children's natural play or in informal spaces such as video…

This study presents a novel video recommendation system for an algebra virtual learning environment (VLE) that leverages ideas and methods from engagement measurement, item response theory, and reinforcement learning. Following Vygotsky's Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) theory, but considering low affect and high affect students separately, we…

As lessons were forced to switch to online or hybrid mode during COVID-19, educators need to apply tools to foster engagement inside and outside the classroom. Screencasting software enables teachers to evaluate students' learning outcomes in compensation for the lack of face-to-face interactions. This study investigated the use of…

The paper examines the role educators and members of school management teams (SMTs) play in transforming schools towards integrative learning environments. Data was collected through a survey and individual interviews that were administered to educators and members of SMTs (N = 88) in four multiracial schools. The survey included open-ended…

Mathematics curricula are often the primary resource used in the teaching and learning of mathematics--in particular, they represent mathematical knowledge for teachers and students. Yet, there seems to be a discrepancy between the curricular materials written for teachers and students (e.g., more variety in the semiotic choices in text provided…

Being a complex social process, open and distance learning includes many different dynamics and interaction elements. Activity theory provides a comprehensive framework for understanding complex human interactions and the lack of appropriate methods to address the complexity of online learning environments. The main purpose of this study is to…

In this article we present and discuss some theoretical and methodological elements of a wider research that analyzes the teaching practice of two teachers novice and expert from a semiotic theoretical approach. The conceptual framework of this work allows for addressing the epistemological and didactic dimensions of the teaching practice. Three…