We report on a playful introduction of optimization in a high school. The final event of this experience has been an orienteering competition, in which the decision-making component plays a central role. This type of event has been very involving, and it boosted the interest of the students toward operations research. After summarizing the…

Since the publication of Pedagogy of the Oppressed, Paulo Freire has been important for disseminating the concept of dialogue in education. Dialogue is often framed as the kind of interaction that educators should enact in their practice, to right historical and socio-political wrongs. With this, speaking and assuming one's voice has a special…

Project-based learning (PBL) engages students deeply with course concepts and empowers them to drive their own learning through the development of solutions to real-world challenges. By taking ownership of and completing a project that they designed, students develop and demonstrate creativity, critical thinking, and collaboration skills. This…

The authors explain that the commonly held concept of project-based learning (PBL) as a student investigating a topic or creating something individually (a passion project) is only part of the PBL story. Projects in which students collaborate and do something to make a difference in their community are also a way to structure PBL and build agency.…

Spatial fluency describes the ability and confidence of an individual to navigate and negotiate their experiences in a postdigital world. This paper reflects on teaching and learning experiences from the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown and its aftermath, and on the volatile nature of social media, and the threats and opportunities afforded by AI. It…

Providing opportunities for elementary students to engage with enduring social issues, such as houselessness, is essential in preparing informed, engaged, and social justice-oriented citizens. This article draws from the following standards: (1) C3 Framework for Social Studies Standards that center inquiry; (2) Learning for Justice's Social…

Advocacy is an ongoing imperative for school librarians. This article examines the role of inquiry in empowering students to learn critical skills in literacy and inquiry and develop their own agency. It also outlines advocacy strategies to share the impact of inquiry-based learning.

School boards have the opportunity to shape a new vision for instruction where students take an active role in their learning and build the skills necessary to mitigate effects of opportunity gaps. This publication provides a framework for implementing active student roles and provides data and case studies to support its recommendations.

This paper describes the implementation of a new and innovative learning activity created to enhance the learning experience of psychology undergraduate dissertation students. The writing retreat is a student-based learning activity which aims to address students' needs over the final stages of the dissertation module. Involving active-learning,…

This article discusses how the Kindness Initiative at the Dr. Michael Conti School in Jersey City, New Jersey, where the author is the school librarian and a literacy support teacher, promotes a climate where students feel accepted. As they progress from pre-K through middle school, students are exposed to social justice literature designed to get…

When school is engaging, relevant, and meaningful, students returning from correctional facilities and those at-risk of dropping out are more likely to achieve educational success. This brief is intended to assist district leaders and school administrators--both at the district and school level- who are seeking to implement strategies designed to…

Providing effective leadership and mentorship to students often requires an understanding of power systems and a focus on amplifying marginalized voices. The author, who identifies as a queer white woman, in her years as a graduate student, has found that attention to voice is essential, but also messy. As Donna M. Lanclos reminds,…

Containing all of the practical tools needed to put theory into practice, "STEM for All" by Leena Bakshi McLean provides a roadmap for teachers, instructional coaches, and leaders to better understand the challenges that create low engagement and scores in STEM subjects and implement exciting and culturally relevant teaching plans. This…

Over the past 50 years, the number of alternative schools for at-risk students have increased exponentially. However, the research concerning the students that attend these institutions has been, at best, unhurried. Even more wanting is the research regarding the development and critical evaluation of educational interventions that can motivate…

Asian Americans are the fastest-growing population of any minority group in the United States (Lopez, Ruiz, & Patten, 2017). As colleges seek to become more diverse and increase their enrollment of minority students, educators need to understand the cultural dynamics that affect Asian Americans in the classroom. Because the Confucian values of…