Music educators typically use a variety of strategies to teach their subject matter, one core practice of which is modeling. Vocal modeling is a type of aural demonstration, with uses ranging from pitch matching and song instruction to vocal tone building and musicianship development. In early studies, researchers primarily studied the effects of…

Due to the increased use of scientific models and modelling in K-12 education, there is a need to uncover its effects on students over time. Prior research has shown that the use of scientific modelling in K-12 classes is associated with improved conceptual knowledge and problem-solving skills. However, few studies have explicitly tested the…

Students today spend more time writing on social media than they do in formal classrooms and have developed distinct and complex literacies separate from traditional writing curricula. Although several studies have explored teens' informal literacy practices online, research investigating how these spaces may inform or be effectively utilized in…

This dissertation focuses on the ways in which conceptual modeling illuminates, supports, and enhances historical thinking; and examines the extent to which modeling can help students get past the misconceptions that form barriers on their way to gaining better understanding. Conceptual modeling is done in four phases---preparation, development,…

An established research base exists for using video modeling to teach students with severe disabilities. However, the application of this strategy for teaching academic skills to students with a learning disability is less known, particularly in secondary mathematics. Video modeling provides a resource for supplementary instruction using…

Diversity and inclusion are popular, yet often challenging, topics for youth in schools. A common approach to address the issues is to invite outside speakers to discuss ways to "celebrate diversity." After being invited to give such a talk, I created and enacted a presentation at an affluent high school on this topic that is grounded in…

Research suggests that high school aged individuals with developmental disabilities are at a higher likelihood of lacking the prosocial behaviors necessary for successful transition into post high school life and a work environment. Decreased vocational success often leads to increased likelihood of mental health issues for individuals with…

Modeling is considered an important scientific practice, and modeling instruction has the potential to support conceptual change in students in physics. However, when students are not taught how to think about modeling, and how to develop and use models, the learning potential of modeling may be limited. This paper argues that the use and explicit…

We delineate some types of structured practice (modeling, requests, feedback, and space-making) that help students learn to pose appropriate questions and to initiate exploration of those questions. Developing skills requires practice, so we suggest ways to embed structured practice into existing class sessions. Including structured practice is…

In this study, the effectiveness of teaching problem-solving to improve transition-related task performance of three students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) was examined using a multiple probe across students design. Target behaviors included various transition-related tasks individualized for each student based on their individual…

The present experimental study examined whether a different focus during a pre-task planning observation task affects learners' subsequent oral task performance. Forty-eight ninth-grade students learning German as a foreign language were randomly assigned to two different planning conditions: video observations with a focus on language (FonL) and…

Interest in student-centered active learning pedagogies is widespread, but discipline-specific examples of implemented instructional approaches are needed to bridge the gap between pedagogical ideas and their enactment. One of these approaches, Modeling Instruction, is an active, student-centered approach wherein students learn through…

Self-instruction for individuals with an intellectual disability can be viewed as a pivotal skill in that once learned this skill has collateral effects on future behaviors in various environments. This study used a multiple probe across participants design to evaluate video modeling to teach high school students with an intellectual disability to…

The present study explores how engaging in modeling practice, along with argumentation, leverages students' epistemic and conceptual understanding in an afterschool science/math class of 16 tenth graders. The study also explores how students used mobile Internet phones (smart phones) productively to support modeling practices. As the modeling…

The dissertation, with a collected papers approach, focused on evaluating the implementation of MI curriculum in high school Biology I classes in south Florida. The dissertation included the development and validation of the Biology Identity and Persistence Survey (BIPS), the connection of instructors' teaching practices with students' biology…