Gifted students differ from their peers in cognitive, social and emotional development. This study aims to compare gifted and typically developing students in terms of friendship quality and empathy level and examine the gender differences in a sample of Turkish students. In addition, the predictive role of empathy in friendship quality among…

When the current generation of K-12 learners has the opportunity to improve global issues and quality of life, they are inspired to advocate for worthy and ethical causes. Thus, we consider moving beyond the perspective of STE(A)M education from a workforce and global economic focus towards empathy-oriented STE(A)M learning as a humanistic pursuit…

Integrated STEAM instruction continues to be a major focus of K-12 education. In effort to better understand STEAM education, we reviewed existing frameworks for implementing integrated STEAM in classrooms. We found that existing frameworks largely focused on the lens of the teacher, thus leaving the student perspective of STEAM learning…

Scholars and educators are turning to culturally responsive education to create more inclusive and equitable educational experiences for an increasingly diverse student population (Gay, 2010, 2013, 2018; Ladson-Billings, 1995a, 1995b, 2014). However, despite its immense potential, challenges and pitfalls still exist (Sleeter, 2012; Warren, 2014,…

In this quantitative study, the relationship between levels of empathy and advocacy competencies among a sample of K-12 educational leaders are examined. The researchers determined higher levels of empathy to be a positive, statistically significant predictor of advocacy for students at the individual as well as community levels. Researchers…

Purpose: This scoping review examines the literature on school leadership during the COVID-19 crisis to consolidate knowledge on how school leaders adapted to unprecedented challenges. It aims to highlight the multifaceted aspects of school leadership during the pandemic, emphasizing the need for distinct approaches in crisis situations.…

This brief emphasizes the importance of including the voices and experiences of students, families, staff, and community partners in educational decision-making processes. It provides five key considerations for schools to effectively engage with their educational partners, such as making authentic connections through listening sessions and…

This dissertation aims to bridge the gap between validity theory and the practice of validation. The dissertation employs a three-article approach. Following the introduction in Chapter I, three independent manuscripts representing three empirical studies are presented (i.e., Chapters II - IV). Each chapter is a stand-alone publishable manuscript,…

Care theory began as an ethical framework focused on the creation of classrooms and schools that treat students and communities in more empathetic and meaningful ways. Over thirty years after its application to the field, there is broad agreement that students need caring classrooms and teachers have come to be the primary providers of this care.…

Although research has suggested that emotional intelligence (EI) is an important factor in career and life success, teacher preparation programs often fail to include topics for developing EI. The college of education that participated in this study sought to explore EI development in its teacher preparation program. This multimodal descriptive…

In this paper, we present the findings of a qualitative study conducted in 2018 in five schools (three primary and two secondary schools) in a rural community in the south of Durban in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa (SA). It adopted a case study methodology and explored principals' understandings and practices of servant leadership (SL), which is…

This study sought to determine the differences in Title IX administrators' professional quality of life when considering their years of experience, self-care participation, and gender identity. Findings suggest high levels of compassion satisfaction, compassion fatigue, and burnout within the Title IX field. Further, self-care participation…

The study considers the opportunities and barriers facing the implementation of virtual exchange in K-12 education, and the perceptions of access to these opportunities for underrepresented students in the context of the federal US education system. These issues are examined through the lens of a domestic program offered by Empatico known as…

English language learners (ELLs) experience higher barriers to education than non-ELLs. School counselors are uniquely positioned to identify and respond to the needs of these students. This phenomenological study explored the advocacy efforts of 14 school counselors working with ELLs. Major themes included creating space for culture and context,…

Public school leaders in Kindergarten through grade 12 school systems must support teachers in understanding and valuing diverse types of Family Engagement. Regular Family Engagement can have positive outcomes for students, including increased academic success, social-emotional stability, and opportunities for community involvement (Arce, 2019;…