Team-based learning (TBL) is a non-traditional method of instruction that utilizes permanent teams working together to solve problems and make decisions. The authors extend the prior TBL criminal justice literature through a detailed explanation of the use of application-focused activities in the classroom. Specifically, application-focused…

To learn with data, students need "data" to explore. This can be deceptive--data-rich experiences typically involve much more than a straightforward science lab. Solving real problems with data means identifying authentic questions that are meaningful to students and provide a foundation for deep inquiry. Such situations often lend…

Mathematical paradoxes often produce awe and wonder in the mathematics classroom. In this classroom episode, I share a paradoxical task, based on Simpson's Paradox, and its power as an intervention for a child diagnosed with ADHD. The Paradox leveraged his strengths to help him build understandings in proportional reasoning.

Learning outcomes can structure and enhance the undergraduate research experience, building skills such as critical thinking/problem solving, communication, and teamwork/collaboration. These skills often correspond to what employers desire in their recruitment of recent college graduates: students possess career competencies that result from…

Many secondary students with specific learning disabilities (SLD) struggle with mathematics problem solving. When students with SLD are taught to use effective problem-solving strategies, their ability to solve mathematics word problems improves. The purpose of this article is to provide a guide for secondary teachers to implement self-regulated…

One of the most fundamental strategies in mathematics instruction is practice problems because teachers know that practicing a skill improves performance. At the same time, teachers also know that just because students can correctly answer practice problems does not mean they fully understand the concept or how to apply a formula--especially not…

The Self-Determined Learning Model of Instruction (SDLMI) is an evidence-based model of instruction implemented by a facilitator (e.g., general or special education teacher, family member, related service professional, transition professional) to enable students to learn to self-regulate problem solving in service to a goal. Students learn how to…

The Self-Determined Learning Model of Instruction (SDLMI) is an evidence-based model of instruction implemented by a facilitator (e.g., general or special education teacher, family member, related service professional, transition professional) to enable students to learn to self-regulate problem solving in service to a goal. Students learn how to…

Social connections are crucial for today's middle and high school students. We address this social need through a 3-H Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) Cycle. Through the Three Sisters Garden activity presented here, we teach secondary school students about biodiversity and sustainability as we integrate the arts into STEM (STEAM). Students…

This is the executive summary for the report "North Carolina Pre-K Pyramid Model Evaluation Study: Implementation and Outcomes Evaluation Study Final Results." The report is an assessment of a pilot implementation of the NC Preschool Pyramid Model (Pyramid Model), a social-emotional coaching program to support NC Pre-K teachers to engage…

Collaborative Problem Solving (CPS) skills are receiving increased attention in the current workforce and in lifelong learning. In learning and labor contexts, successful teamwork is however not always guaranteed, due to several reasons, such as an unequal level of individual participation. Training in CPS for all groups is therefore needed.…

Creativity and innovation are frequently mentioned as key 21st-century skills for career and life success. Indeed, recent research provides evidence that the jobs of the future will increasingly require the ability to bring creative solutions to complex problems. And creativity is often the spice of life, that little extra something that makes the…

The concept of intrinsic complexity explains why different problems of the same type, tackled by the same problem solver, can require different times to solve and yield solutions of different quality. This paper proposes a general four-step approach that can be used to establish a model for the intrinsic complexity of a problem class in terms of…

We present a method for finding partial fraction decompositions of rational functions with linear or quadratic factors in the denominators by means of repeated polynomial divisions. This method does not involve differentiation or solving linear equations for obtaining the unknown partial fraction coefficients, which is very suitable for either…

Building students' understanding of cardinality is fundamental for working with numbers and operations. Without these early mathematical foundations in place, students will fall behind. Consequently, it is imperative to build on students' strengths to address their weaknesses with the notion of cardinality.