The terms 'authenticity' and 'authentic' have been used increasingly frequently in educational contexts over the past decades. In science education, authenticity is claimed to be a crucial concept, inter alia, for students' motivation and interest in science. However, both terms are used, defined and conceptualised in various and ambiguous ways.…

Exploring authentic connections between the arts leads to a deeper understanding of artistic processes and prepares students for formulating connections in our increasingly interrelated world. Differentiated assessments allow students to demonstrate understanding through their choice of artistic media and work at their individual level increasing…

Project-based learning (PBL) is gaining momentum as a rich and multifaceted instructional approach that is motivating and engaging. Miranda S. Fitzgerald and Annemarie Sullivan Palincsar argue that PBL provides a particularly rich context for fostering students' literacy motivation and engagement. One reason for this is that characteristic…

Teaching statistics to generalist students oriented toward a profession, rather than academic merits, may be challenging. As statistics courses also tend to have a low student appeal, tailoring a course toward this type of audience is demanding. Framed within the theory of statistical thinking and literacy, this article shows how an investigative…

Democracy and capitalism are two of the most consequential institutional systems in the world. However, their dynamic complexity, current turmoil, and evolution make them challenging to study. High-engagement teaching can bring the subjects alive, motivate student exploration, inform choices, animate sensible policy recommendations, and make a…

Developing self-regulated learning (SRL) processes (i.e., goal-setting, strategy use, self-monitoring, and attributions) can enhance motivational beliefs including self-efficacy, interest, and task value. In this article, SRL processes and motivation are conceptualized within a cyclical feedback loop, which demonstrates how SRL processes affect…

One antecedent-based intervention -- choice-making opportunities -- is an easy and effective way to motivate students with autism to stay on task, complete academic tasks, and engage in appropriate behavior during academic instruction. The purpose of this article is to discuss three main methods for incorporating choice-making opportunities and…

Fun facts--facts that are interesting, unusual, and often little-known--are a popular form of entertainment throughout the world. There are countless books, TV quiz shows (Jeopardy!), board games (Trivial Pursuit), and museums (Ripley's Believe It or Not!) dedicated to trivia and the unusual that fascinate people of all ages. Short oral…

Students' valuing of academic content impacts their engagement in learning and plays a pivotal role in shaping their future academic and career choices. Fortunately, practicing educators can integrate many readily applicable strategies into teaching to enhance students' valuing of academic content. Drawing from expectancy-value theory, Eric M.…

Background: Student transition to university can be a challenging time. Research suggests that providing space for student reflection and goal setting may facilitate this period of transition. Objective: I describe the "Postcard to my Graduating Self Project," in which psychology students were invited to write postcards to their future…

Superhero themes have been increasingly used in the teaching of a range of topics including business, humanities and science in recent years. Typically, characters from existing popular media are adopted for the teaching activities. On the other hand, customised characters that are developed from scratch allow the educator to have more control of…

Nathanson, Pruslow, and Levitt (2008) found a high prevalence of aliteracy among inservice and preservice teachers. They determined that although teachers acknowledged the importance of personal reading, few invested the time to read for fun. They further noted that preservice teachers were motivated by literacy activities that had intrinsic value…

Graphic novels are everywhere! The popularity of graphic novels is not surprising. They are colorful and engaging, marrying text to images, with diverse characters doing everything from struggling with their tennis game to solving engineering problems to battling villains from the Multiverse. Graphic novels promote both language and scientific…

How can educators engage students in learning, thinking, and inquiring? One consideration is teaching with a set of two contradictory texts--texts that have some contradiction between them. The authors find that when students read these books in tandem, they show an innate response of actively wanting to learn, think, and inquire in powerful ways.…

In today's dynamic and high-tech learning environment, offering flexible and innovative assignment options is crucial for engaging students across varied learning preferences and backgrounds. Alternative formats, such as gamification and storyboards, can boost engagement, spark creativity, and enhance learning outcomes in college classrooms. By…