Mathematical modeling is a challenging and creative process. If one considers only interim or final solutions to modeling problems or interviews modelers afterward, often only their "explicit" models are accessible -- those expressed in work products or evinced in verbal and written reflections. The inner world of tacit knowledge and its…

Motivation is a key aspect of learning, and the degree of motivation is primarily dependent on the environment in which the learning process takes place. This article employs a museum-based framework to study the design of intrinsically motivating science communication lectures. The analysis was conducted based on the motivational components of…

Efforts to improve student learning in K-12 education in the US are not new; however, educational research has traditionally focused on individual components of schools (e.g., teacher professional development, leadership, social relationships, programs, curricula) targeting teachers to improve student learning. While these innovations provide hope…

The purpose of this quantitative comparative study was to determine to what extent differences exist between rural and non-rural schools in terms of teachers' technology self-efficacy and technology integration in social studies classes in the United States. Two research questions guided this study: (1) Is there a significant difference in…

The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to explore how educators support and describe implementation of intercultural pedagogy practices in one urban dual language elementary school in the northeastern region within the state of Pennsylvania. The overall research question focused on how the K-5th grade principal and teachers…

Reading comprehension seems to be a significant challenge for rising fifth graders with limited vocabulary knowledge. A possible solution is to provide them with explicit vocabulary instruction which may positively impact their reading comprehension. This action research aimed to evaluate the effect of implementing explicit vocabulary instruction…

Digital storytelling (DST) has been widely adopted as a pedagogical approach to English language teaching. However, a few studies have focused on examining primary school students' experience of learning to create digital storytelling of English as a foreign language. To fill the gap, this study reports on an innovation in the use of genre-based…

Adaptive tutoring systems often model student knowledge in ways that break away from a "one size fits all" approach to learning. Nonetheless, the strengths of these systems can often be limited, as knowledge representations are not easily interpreted by teachers, which make these systems difficult to integrate into pedagogical practices.…

Nothing is consistent but change, and that yields true to the educational landscape in the United States of America. Wlodkowski and Ginsberg (1995) stated, "Any educational or training system that ignores the history or perspective of its learners or does not attempt to adjust its teaching practices to benefit all its learners is contributing…

The merits of diversity to business success are well documented. Nevertheless, classroom diversity remains undermaximized in postmillennial schools. Differences across students' cultures, prior experiences, and even resiliency are often approached as deficits versus assets in learning. In addition, although educator awareness is increasing,…

Purpose: This paper aims to examine two teachers' beliefs and practices on teaching writing at an urban, high-performing middle school to determine: What discourses of writing are being taught in an urban, high-performing US public middle school? What factors prevent or enable particular discourses? Design/methodology/approach: Drawing on case…

The project-based learning (PBL) paradigm is one of the most valuable student-centered approaches. In the PBL framework, novices actively participate directly in teaching and learning processes and interact with erudition areas. The setting for this qualitative study is an inner-city Title One school located in Columbia, South Carolina. The eleven…

Purpose: This article aims to share findings from a youth-informed study with interracial anti-racist youth activist groups in two urban high schools. Design/methodology/approach: The study used mostly critical ethnographic methods. Findings: The findings showed that the agency of youth activists amplified their literacies of love and resistance,…

Although extensive research has focused on young children's writing and identified the importance of early writing experiences, there is a limited amount of writing occurring in some early childhood classrooms. Furthermore, existing research on teacher supports for emergent writing in preschool classrooms is limited. This study examined how one…

This book revolves around educating recently arrived immigrant youth in the United States who are emergent bilinguals. Drawing on a seven-year research collaboration with three ESL teachers in an urban secondary school in the United States, it addresses questions around taking a critical approach to language and literacy education, including what…