Experiences occur in a continual succession, and the temporal structure of those experiences is often preserved in memory. The temporal contiguity effect of free recall reveals the temporal structure of memory: when a particular item is remembered, the next response is likely to come from a nearby list position. This effect is remarkably robust,…

This multiple case study explores how two elementary mathematics teachers made themselves and their students comfortable with the teacher delegating authority to students while also positioning them with agency. I conducted three Video-Stimulated Recall (VSR) interviews and pre- and post-semi-structured interviews with each teacher to understand…

Historically, students have had little influence over the design of education institutions or opportunities (Benner et al., 2019; Lac & Cumings Mansfield, 2018). Decisions about school policies, programs, and structures are primarily steered by administrators, policymakers, and teachers. In recent years, however, educators and policy advocates…

This study explores the way in which secondary schools can accommodate student-led, community-based pedagogies within the formal education system. The study identifies benefits and drawbacks associated with different strategies. Through such projects, students can develop their agentic power, that is, an ability to bring about change which is seen…

The promotion of language learner autonomy has been recognized as being beneficial in various domains, from linguistic achievement to personal growth. Key to the development of learner autonomy is shifting control from the teacher to the learner. While much has been written about the construct of learner control, there has been little close…

The purpose of this paper was to investigate the interventions and strategies used with students considered at-risk of dropping out of high school in Missouri public high schools. Self-determination theory was used to explain how students became motivated to stay in school when their need for competence, connection, and autonomy are fulfilled.…

Natural learning is a countercultural home education approach characterized by the notion of freedom and autonomy in life and learning, intertwined in cultural environments. Using purposive sampling, two single parents from a "township" culture provided an in-depth understanding of natural learning in their context. A case study design…

While there are a variety of teaching methods that may or may not be successful, this study focused on a student led, autonomous classroom environment--where autonomy is defined as offering students several choices and much control of a classroom. The researcher addressed how this learning environment supported the idea of demonstrating care in…

Throughout a unit of study about survival, students and their teacher engaged in individualized learning. Discussions of teacher-dictated curriculum versus student-driven learning, design of the unit, and students' and teacher's experiences and takeaways from the unit are included.

Providing students with choice can be a powerful means of supporting student engagement. However, not all choice opportunities lead to improved student engagement. Teachers can increase the likelihood that students will value choice by analyzing how students associate feelings of autonomy, competence, and relatedness with the choice provided them.…

This article shares our experience designing and deploying writing assessment in English Composition I: Achieving Expertise, the first-ever first-year writing Massive Open Online Course (MOOC). We argue that writing assessment can be effectively adapted to the MOOC environment, and that doing so reaffirms the importance of mixed-methods approaches…

"Autonomous Learner Model Resource Book" includes activities and strategies to support the development of autonomous learners. More than 40 activities are included, all geared to the emotional, social, cognitive, and physical development of students. Teachers may use these activities and strategies with the entire class, small groups, or…

Promoting self-determined learning through student-directed learning strategies has been documented to promote more positive school-related outcomes for upper elementary grade learners with disabilities and other students who are struggling. These strategies are typically introduced in multicomponent interventions combining several…

The Assessment for Learning in International Contexts (ALIC) project sought to extend knowledge around teachers' understandings of Assessment for Learning (AfL). Using a modified version of a survey item devised by James and Pedder for use with teachers in England, evidence was gathered about the assessment practices that were highly valued by…

This article presents a "child-centered" model of the teaching-learning process--the challenge kindergarten model. The model is an attempt to deal with the limitations of the "child-centered" approach without giving up its benefits. In this model, the teachers enable the children to direct their activities and improve their…