Learning theories provide philosophically informed, basic principles for understanding the mechanisms through which people learn based on a combination of field or laboratory studies. Unfortunately, however, there are several clear conflicts between theoretical approaches and common methods in teaching. Consequently, key challenges among teachers…

Albert Bandura's social learning theory focused on the interaction of personal, behavioral, and environmental factors. This article honors Bandura's legacy with the real-life application of his theories regarding modeling, enactive rehearsal, vicarious learning, and self-efficacy. Included are excerpts from a discussion of a group of teachers from…

Challenging behavior can impact the learning environment and prevent educators and students from demonstrating behavioral and academic success. Schools and districts may implore a framework of tiered systems of support to respond to students struggling behaviorally or academically. These systems provide a decision-making process to aid educators'…

This brief from the Region 19 Comprehensive Center describes universally effective teaching practices and demonstrates how a school faculty might choose and adapt strategies and actions to fit the specific needs and dreams of their students. The authors suggest how faculties in four distinct Pacific region communities might utilize a continuous…

In the current era of Society 5.0, technology is being used to enhance the quality of human life. This concept is in line with the ideas presented by Churches in 2009 when revising Bloom's Taxonomy, which evolved into Digital Bloom. In addition, the changing era also underscored the competencies that students need to acquire as stated by Trilling…

The COVID-19 pandemic provoked a need for rapid adaptation of teaching strategies and learning environments. Thus novel approaches, predominantly based on online/virtual platforms are needed to minimize the negative effects of the pandemic on teaching (and learning). Herein we describe our recent web-based symposium series on environmental…

This activity helps students conceptualize and apply systems theory principles to a family communication context by having them create personal whole systems using paper, string, index cards, and the floor. In completing this exercise, students see how their subsystems interact and emerge as something greater than the sum of their parts. They also…

The field of epigenetics is progressing rapidly and becoming indispensable to the study of fundamental gene regulation. Recent advances are redefining our understanding of core components that regulate gene expression during development and in human diseases. Scientific knowledge on the importance of epigenetic regulation is now well known and…

Most education systems around the world today rely heavily on conventional methods of teaching. Yet the challenges and needs of contemporary life necessitate innovative ways to teach children life skills. To create a positive and accessible environment in which to build positive life narratives, every student must be able to see people around them…

Many students have very robust misconceptions about natural selection, stemming from intuitive theories that form a child's earliest understandings of the natural world. For example, students often imagine that species evolve in response to environmental pressures that cause a need for change and that all individuals in the population…

This article describes a five-lesson curriculum that introduces students to the primary cause, multiple predicted impacts, and possible solutions to ocean acidification. It builds upon the strengths of over 90 existing teaching resources on the topic while also contributing new ways to teach about the impacts and solutions to this pressing…

This article describes a self-guided, story-like game with creative drawing for grades 3-5 that teaches the evolution concepts of adaptation, natural selection, ecosystem dynamics, inheritance, and mutation following the "Next Generation Science Standards" ("NGSS"). Drawing reinforces concepts through emphasis on students'…

For the past 15 years, pine forests across the United States have experienced devastating mountain and southern pine beetle outbreaks (Rosner 2015). These outbreaks are not uncommon but have become increasingly severe. Due to the effects of global warming, pine beetles have been able to survive warmer winters in their native habitats, producing…

Mathematics instruction tend to center solely on mathematics or children's mathematical thinking and not also on connecting to their interests or their home and community knowledge and experiences. To be responsive to students, teachers must make an intentional effort to integrate a focus on mathematics, children's mathematical thinking, and…

Environmental education for all students is becoming more urgent as societies strive to deal with challenges such as climate change and loss of biodiversity. Teachers have an important role to play in defining the environmental knowledge, beliefs, and actions of the next generation. Understanding the anthropogenic inputs responsible for alteration…