The purposes of this study were to investigate the extent to which students' course perceptions of the components of the MUSIC Model of Motivation (Jones, 2009, 2018) were related to their engagement in college courses and their instructor and course ratings. Participants included 285 college students who completed questionnaires once or twice…

Dynamic and responsive methods enable teachers to assess students' writing skills precisely and equitably, and to empower students of diverse skill levels to develop their writing. Assessing writing with equity-minded precision requires paying close attention to students' performances as writers, identifying challenges in those performances, and…

This study, conducted in a Business/Technology course in a large public high school in Southeastern USA, Fall Semester, 2014, supports the use of Service-Learning in the schools for empowering students to serve the public good. Ninety-two students created classroom "DREAM TEAMS" for researching and seeking solutions for selected…

Despite decades of education reform, the US school curricula remain virtually unchanged. Multi-billion dollar initiatives such as "No Child Left Behind," "Common Core State Standards," "Race to the Top," and "Every Student Succeeds Act" have not resulted in significant academic gains or curricula change. The…

The 2020 election brought about legislative change across the country. New and veteran policymakers need information about the schools in their state. What programs are the most cost effective and work best for students? How can states attract and retain great teachers? What information do parents need to ensure that their kids are on track to…

In this chapter, two student members of the Student Voice Collaborative (SVC) describe their experiences as "Student Shadows" during the annual Quality Review process, used throughout the New York Department of Education to evaluate how well schools are organized to support student achievement. They chronicle how this experience enhanced…

Longstanding research correlates locus of control (LOC)-- the sense of self-empowerment (internal orientation) versus feeling influenced by events others control (external orientation)--with self-motivation, persistence, high academic achievement, and workplace success. In study 1, undergraduate peer tutors (n = 31) at a midsize,…

In classroom spaces on a daily basis, students are encouraged to express who they are as learners and demonstrate their own understanding of their learning. Students' ability to contribute to their own learning is an essential characteristic of an engaging classroom space and supports high academic achievement. The authors' work highlights one…

This study evaluated the Science and Literacy Instructional Model aimed at helping primarily Hispanic bilingual/English Learners (ELs) and economically disadvantaged fifth grade students with science achievement as measured by high-stakes standardized science achievement scores. The model combined purposeful planning, innovative academic…

Although English language competence is directly linked to better job opportunities and an improved quality of life in Mexico, relatively few Mexicans (5-14%) can communicate effectively in English. Research of the Mexican educational system has suggested that outdated teaching methods contribute to a lack of student motivation, which negatively…

This article examines different approaches to motivation and effective motivational strategies to engage students to learn. It discusses major perspectives on motivation and classroom applications. It analyses the teacher's role in creating motivational atmosphere. It suggests various motivational strategies for creating effective learning…

Disparities in academic performance based on race in the United States are a persistent problem. As a result, a plethora of remedies such as using student-centered instructional strategies, de-tracking, ensuring low teacher-student ratios, and promoting high teacher expectations for all learners have been tried with limited success. Thus, this…

The Juntos Program empowers Latina/o students and their families to gain the knowledge and resources necessary for academic success in high school and college. This is made possible via four interlinking components: Family Engagement; 4-H Clubs; Success Coaching and Mentoring; and a Juntos Summer Academy. Nineteen focus groups with participants in…

This article discusses factors to consider as we evaluate the professional learning occurring in our schools. The article describes how a committee of six teachers and one administrator at Hershey Middle School in Pennsylvania's Derry Township School District adapted an activity for use in a two-hour professional learning session called "The…

This study conducted a secondary analysis using data from the "National Longitudinal Transition Study-2" (NLTS-2) to examine the degree to which three of the four essential characteristics of self-determination (autonomy, psychological empowerment, and self-realization) predict enrollment in, and completion of, postsecondary education…