Lewis structures are fundamental to learning chemistry, yet many students struggle to develop a complex understanding of its meaning and uses. Writing-to-Learn supports students in developing a deeper conceptual understanding of the topic, making it an ideal pedagogy to apply to student learning of Lewis structures. One difficulty often associated…

In this article, I discuss the potential uses of the Department of Labor-sponsored Occupational Information Network (O*NET) in the classroom context. O*NET is a free, publicly available resource that provides an array of occupation-specific information, such as relevant tasks, knowledge, skills, abilities, and salary information. Tools such as the…

The concept of "non-disposable assignments" (NDAs), including those referred to as "renewable assignments," has grown in popularity in recent years in select education circles, particularly alongside an enthusiastic push toward open pedagogy. Unfortunately, little organized literature exists to effectively define, implement,…

This paper reports findings from a qualitative investigation that documented the exhibition of children's work in public spaces within early learning centers and elementary schools. An iterative, photo-documentation methodology was used to document the student work on display using photographs taken in 20 public elementary schools and four early…

We explored the differences in academic achievement, personality, and cognitive factors among students who did and did not do extra credit. A total of 276 undergraduate students enrolled in introductory or upper-level psychology and biology courses were surveyed following their final exams to determine levels of academic self-efficacy,…

This systematic review of 46 published articles investigates the constructs employed and the meanings assigned to writing in writing-to-learn assignments given to students in science courses. Using components of assignments associated with the greatest learning gains--meaning making, clear expectations, interactive writing processes, and…

To combat the inevitable intellectual fatigue that autobiographical essay assignments often engender and, more importantly, to provide students with an authentic audience and purpose for their writing, the author designed an autobiographical assignment that liberates students from the traditional essay format while empowering them to envision…

Calls for reform in STEM education have proliferated as nations strive to prepare students for the future global economy. The 21st century competencies described in the most recent reforms are represented in new standards (such as the Common Core State and Next Generation Science Standards). However, it is not enough to develop reforms through…

In 2007, Jake, the author's 14-year-old son, died. Though he had a known heart condition, Jake was vibrant and lived a life with no restrictions. The heart attack that killed him was unexpected. As a teacher, the author was left with the question of how to return to the classroom and what she would share with the students. This article explores…

The conceptual framework for the College of Education at Georgia Southern University is: "Reflective Practitioners for a Diverse World." Three of the five Middle Level Teacher Preparation Standards from the Association of Middle Level Education (AMLE, 2012) also specify reflection as a habit. Standard 5 on Middle Level Professional…

Drawing on the outputs of a wider democracy of online reviewers presents the academic study of children's literature with opportunities and challenges, and can enhance critical discussion. As it is now easy to locate a large number of online reviews, it is argued that children's literature studies needs to make room for a wider range of critical…

In 1950 Mason Haire used projective research techniques to examine consumer perceptions of a new product, instant coffee. This article adapts his original experiment for use as a classroom exercise, discusses the pedagogical benefits of the exercise, and demonstrates how it can facilitate discussions about marketing history, the changing nature of…

The present paper examines, in a case study format, the use of films, short films and audiovisual documentaries as reasoning and references for design assignments during the first years of an architectural degree course. The aim of this fruitful and comparable experience is not so much to study and verify the well-known synergies between film and…

Guided notes covering lectures have been shown to improve note quality and increase scores on quizzes covering lecture material. We sought to determine whether guided notes would also be beneficial in helping students prepare for quizzes covering assigned readings. We evaluated the efficacy of guided notes for reading assignments on…

Transformative learning approaches in social work education emphasize the importance of bringing together experience, critical reflection, and dialogue to promote individual and social change. An experiential learning assignment, Social Work Week, was designed to sharpen undergraduate students' group practice skills and introduce them to the range…