Mathematics is the language and foundation for the science, engineering, and technological fields that define and enhance our lives in the 21st century. Proficiency in math requires problem solving, logical reasoning, and critical thinking skills that are essential to success in college, the workplace, and everyday life. Unfortunately, math has…

One reason for the widespread use of the energy concept across the sciences is that energy analysis can be used to interpret the behavior of systems even if one does not know the particular mechanisms that underlie the observed behavior. By providing an approach to interpreting unfamiliar phenomena, energy provides a lens on phenomena that can set…

This study investigated how peer feedback as an instructional tool might increase the engagement of gifted middle school science students, potentially impacting their academic performance in science. It specifically addressed gifted students' perceptions of peer feedback in science. Furthermore, it explored how peer feedback could be considered a…

Over the past decade, personalized learning has emerged as a major aim in the contemporary education systems of many countries. This qualitative case study examined middle school educators' perceptions of how their school's collective experimentation with Genius Hour supported the broader implementation of personalized learning. Teachers in the…

SWLD are often underperforming in STEM courses compared to their peers without learning difficulties. Furthermore, how students perform in 9th grade is found to be a strong predictor of high school success, graduation, enrolling, and persisting in college (Easton et al., 2017). The study aimed to investigate whether the use of PBA, a…

An interdisciplinary climate change project aligned with Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) was developed and implemented in an undergraduate chemistry course for K-8 preservice science teachers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Three demonstration activities aligned with NGSS and the Framework for K-12 Science Education are included in this…

Middle school is about the growth, potential, and change of adolescents. Students at the middle school age level, generally ages 10 to 14, struggle with the dynamics of making the transitions from recess and active learning in elementary school to multiple teachers, bigger workloads and campuses, and larger student populations (Alexander et al.,…

When we give meanings to a physical space, we engage in place-making. With technologies, the place-making activities can be extended to virtual and hybrid spaces. In games, actual or virtual space can gain narrative and meaning transforming into a playce (i.e., a place for play). We suggest that playce-making (i.e., transforming a space into a…

Opportunity and learning gaps between upper-middle-class students and lower SES students that impact academic performance and social development are widening. The purpose of this Action Research study was to understand the interests of students, as well as the academic support most needed, to cultivate the development of 21st century skills and…

This research is aimed at developing novel theory to advance innovative methods for examining how collaborative groups progress toward productively engaging during classroom activity that integrates disciplinary practices. This work draws on a situative perspective, along with prior framings of individual engagement, to conceptualize engagement as…

During the COVID-19 pandemic, online learning has experienced increasing utilization and poses new challenges for schoolteachers to engage students. Project-based Learning (PBL) is widely acknowledged as an effective pedagogy for motivating and involving students. However, few studies have examined scaffolds that facilitate student engagement in…

The practices of Project-Based Learning (PjBL) are known to be widespread and effective in both K-12 and higher education settings. There is still little research on how it can provide a community of engagement for middle school learners. This paper reports how engaging middle school learners in PjBL tasks influences the students' perceptions and…

The Billion Oyster Project and Curriculum and Community Enterprise for the Restoration of New York Harbor with New York City Public Schools (BOP-CCERS) program is a National Science Foundation (NSF) supported initiative and collaboration of multiple institutions and organizations led by Pace University. The NSF project, Innovative Technology…

The purpose of this study was to understand how teachers leveraged the components of Project Based Learning (PBL) in a hybrid, remote, or in-person classroom environment to promote cognitive, emotional, and behavioral engagement. A narrative inquiry was conducted examining three teachers' implementation of PBL with students in Grades 4, 5, and 8…

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing many industries and becoming increasingly ubiquitous in everyday life. To empower children growing up with AI to navigate society's evolving sociotechnical context, we developed three middle school AI literacy curricula: "Creative AI,| "Dancing with AI," and "How to Train Your…