The academic, social, and emotional needs of students are rapidly increasing while staff interest in working in special education programs, serving some of the neediest students, is declining. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore a specialized social-emotional support program across elementary, middle, and high school levels…

A group of educators directed their own learning by creating a professional development experience involving peer observations. Professional development (PD) is complex and can be any activity aimed at improving teacher knowledge, enhancing practice, and increasing student achievement. A group of high school teachers gathered and met regularly to…

In this report, the authors provide a preliminary look at the Improving Pre-Engineering and Computer Science Education Through Micro-Credentialing project to develop and implement micro-credentials as a means of providing scalable, competency-based certification of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) teaching skills in…

The selection of tasks based on the evaluation of task features can be considered a core practice of teaching and a relevant component of teaching quality. This is typically part of teachers' preparation for their classroom teaching, which prompts the following question: What are the characteristics of the tasks that teachers use when selecting…

We describe the online summer portion of a quantitative skills bridge program focused on helping students prepare socially and academically for the transition to college. College students are increasingly asked to employ quantitative skills across the curriculum, but students arrive at college with varied preparation. Further, those with the least…

This paper aims to contribute fresh insights into youth participatory action research (YPAR) by using bell hooks' engaged pedagogy to illuminate the process of co-designing a program for transition beyond secondary school. Engaged pedagogy is a critical pedagogy that combines critical consciousness and radical wholeness and seeks to foster a…

The purpose of this Action Research study was to investigate and examine how expatriate educators can make western curriculum more relevant and contextual for Chinese students to increase student engagement and learning outcomes through professional learning communities (PLCs) at a Chinese international school. The study examined experiences of…

Although teachers' learning has been increasingly recognised as nonlinear and contextually responsive, few studies have extended these understandings to the design and evaluation of professional development. In this case study, we examine nonlinear and contextual manifestations of high school science teachers' professional learning from a complex…

The National Science Teaching Association (NSTA) and the "Next Generation Science Standards" ("NGSS") have attempted to make planning easier for teachers by creating a common resource bank, but there is no unit design process specifically created for science teachers in a project- and inquiry-based classroom. Without a common…

Content, pedagogy, and technology knowledge are central to effective teaching. Moreover, the interaction and integration of these knowledge bases challenge teachers, especially non-teacher education graduates including diploma professional education (DPE) graduates. Utilising adapted instruments, this study investigated the teaching competence of…

National Center on Education and the Economy (NCEE) studies education systems with strong student performance across the globe to understand what they do, how they do it, and the context and challenges that they face. This brief shares what has been learned about how global leaders think about high school and how they organize time in school…

This brief, the third in a series produced by the California College Promise Project (CCPP) at WestEd, describes research conducted by the CCPP on the relationship between the 2017 legislation "Community Colleges: California College Promise" (AB19) and the structure of local College Promise programs. The analysis examines College Promise…

Open innovation (OI) has become an essential business model for big tech companies and innovation ecosystems. However, most STEM high schools in the United States do not have appropriate OI programs for students. This paper explores how various perspectives on open innovation as an emerging trend in the entrepreneurial ecosystem can link with STEM…

For decades, businesses and post-secondary educational institutions have complained that students are leaving high school unprepared for their next step. In addition to elevating the rigor and relevance of the school experience, high school internships have been seen by many as a key method to preparing young people for success and allowing…

The Parkway Center City Middle College, Philadelphia's first early/middle college, is overcoming challenges and showing positive early outcomes for students. At Philadelphia's Parkway Center City Middle College, students can step into a college classroom at age 14, and can earn up to 64 credits by the time they graduate. This piece details the…