While civic participation is a crucial component of healthy and sustainable democracies, young adolescents may perceive or experience barriers that limit their civic action. This study draws from focus groups and surveys during a week-long summer civics camp to explore ways in which 47 young adolescents entering Grades 6-9 described barriers they…

According to self-determination theory, both provision of choice and reduced task difficulty facilitate learners' motivation via an increase in 2 basic psychological needs. This study examines the moderating role of the autonomy-changing effect of "choice" on the competence-altering effect of differences in "perceived task…

This study examines the structural relationship among motivation, deep learning approach, and academic achievement of middle school students in Turkey. Participants were 746 seventh grade and eighth grade students enrolled in public middle schools in Sinop and Ankara, Turkey. Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire, Study Process…

This longitudinal study of Mexican-American youth and emerging adults examines several ecodevelopmental factors longitudinally predicting high school and college graduation. Data from 1257 Mexican-American youth (including those born in Mexico and whose families are from Mexico) from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add…

Using confirmatory factor analysis, this study examines the validity of the Usher and Pajares Sources of Self-Efficacy in Mathematics (SSEM) for prospective or eventual first-generation college students while still in middle school, a population not studied with the SSEM heretofore. Studying this population is especially noteworthy as educators…

The purpose of the present study was twofold: first to adapt the Relationship and Motivation (REMO) scale addressing role of peers and teachers in students' motivations into Turkish culture, and second to determine whether there were any differences between girls and boys regarding the scores obtained from this scale. To achieve these aims, the…

Too many talented students who go to under-resourced schools do not achieve their full potential. Though they may perform very well relative to their classmates, these students do not receive the same kinds of academically challenging opportunities throughout their educational journey as do their counterparts in better-resourced public and private…

During the Soviet era, the Kazakh language underwent harsh times and was on the brink of extinction from urban areas in Kazakhstan. Today, the country is paving its way towards reviving the language. This article details an effort to support Kazakh language learning in motivating secondary school students through the use of technology. Through the…

This paper describes the journey of a group of university students as they worked with underserved middle school students as mentors in a STEM-based afterschool program. Design thinking provided a frame within which students learned how to be mentors, how to create user-centered learning experiences, and how to share their experiences as…

In this chapter, we describe several intelligent tutoring systems (ITSs) designed to support student literacy through reading comprehension and writing instruction and practice. Although adaptive instruction can be a powerful tool in the literacy domain, developing these technologies poses significant challenges. For example, evaluating the…

Student self-concept of math ability (SCMA) and math utility value shape course-taking patterns, achievement, and entree into mathematics-intensive college majors (Eccles & Wigfield, 2005). The development of SCMA and math utility value are embedded in social contexts (Marsh et al., 2005). School racial climate is a particularly important…

We describe several service-learning initiatives implemented by the mathematics and education departments. College students with majors and minors in math and math education have helped to design and implement math events for elementary and middle school students. Formal and informal reflections on these service-related experiences have…

We explored whether exposure to different kinds of comprehension tests during elementary years influenced metacomprehension accuracy among 7th and 8th graders. This research was conducted in a kindergarten through 8th grade charter school with an expeditionary learning curriculum. In literacy instruction, teachers emphasize reading for meaning and…

The current study investigated the relationship between adolescent bullying behaviors and early adulthood depression. 305 education majors were given the Zung (1965) self-rating depression scale and a bullying survey containing four descriptions of bullying behavior (Victim, Bully, Non-involved, Victim/Bully) from which they were asked to select…

The College Bound Scholarship (CBS) is designed to inspire and encourage Washington middle school students from low-income families to prepare for and pursue postsecondary education. Postsecondary enrollment rates of College Bound students match or exceed those of non-College Bound Washington high school graduates; however, the postsecondary…