Integrating socioscientific issues (SSI) into classrooms to address science-related social matters has gained attention. Educational comics show promise in introducing SSI content; however, previous studies focus on higher education, leaving gaps in elementary school implementation. We interviewed eight practitioners to explore design principles…

Connecting literacy to social issues such as gender stereotypes supports reading and writing achievement while also allowing students to think critically and in justice-focused ways. Such practices allow students to critique gender stereotypes in texts while also examining and even challenging their own implicit perceptions of gender. However,…

This qualitative study explored how a group of preservice elementary teachers conceptualized social issues and social action and how their conceptions were reflected in their ideas for teaching about social issues and action. This study utilized individual and focus group interviews, class observations, and class artifacts as data points. Using a…

In this article, the authors discuss a month-long research study where sixth grade students researched three women for the half-century after the U.S. Civil War War that worked to change their respective communities to address public issues: Jane Addams, Clara Lemlich, and Ida B. Wells. The sixth graders read a picture book for each of the three…

In today's technology, there are rapid advances in the field of artificial intelligence. With the increasing involvement of artificial intelligence in daily activities, great changes are taking place in our habits. At this point, the necessity of educating students in accordance with the age of artificial intelligence emerges. Students'…

Learners are expected to discuss and debate, using scientific evidence, the Socio-Scientific Issues (SSI) that often overlap with personal experiences and ethical dilemmas. This study investigated the reasoning of 24 Grade 8 Lebanese students when arguing about a scientific scenario as opposed to an SSI. It also examined how students make…

Social problem solving (SPS) represents a social cognitive reasoning process that gives way to behavior when individuals are navigating challenging social situations. Autistic individuals have been shown to struggle with specific aspects of SPS, which, in turn, has been related to social difficulties in children. However, no previous work has…

There is a dearth of studies exploring how younger children engage in civic life, what may be expected of them given their age, and what instruments may be used to capture their levels of civic engagement. Addressing these questions, this article presents key findings from a pilot study that aimed to create a validated instrument designed to…

Fake news and artificial intelligence are phenomena addressed in academia and research within the fields of communication and audiovisual education. As a medium and language, cinema has mirrored these challenges, exemplified by the short film "Deep Soria." The primary objective proposed in this study is to ascertain whether this short…

This study explored how elementary teachers identified and adapted their personal experiences, or lack of them, to address social issues that students face in classrooms. The study involved six elementary school teachers. Using ethics of care and justice theories, the findings show that teachers use their own experiences to help them make…

The PhotoVoice tool invites participants to create photographs that reflect aspects of their surroundings that they find problematic and to elaborate on them in writing. Participants then share their photographs and written accounts with an influential audience with the hope of resolving the highlighted concerns. Aiming to connect the classroom to…

Improving educational performance, including narrowing equity gaps, is frequently touted as a matter of improving the quality of teachers in the lowest performing, often disadvantaged, schools. However, the assumption that teaching is of poorer quality in disadvantaged schools is largely unsubstantiated. Using the Quality Teaching Model of…

This article describes how preservice elementary teachers learn about the nature of science and develop scientific literacy through a collaborative project that prepares them to design meaningful learning experiences for students. The Life's Replica Project was an effort between a college professor and an elementary school teacher to facilitate…

With a change in access to information and a rising social and political consciousness for young people, elementary schools must start to think more about their role in shaping kids' understanding of social issues. While researchers certainly have not agreed upon a single definition of social justice education, Bell (2016) defines its aim as…

"The Impact of Identity in K-12 Mathematics: Rethinking Equity-Based Practices" is a compelling expanded edition of the groundbreaking work focused on grades K-8. Here, the authors delve deeper into the intricate relationship between mathematics education and student identity, extending the conversation to the high school context. This…