Helping students learn how to interpret themes in text can be, without a doubt, challenging. Students benefit from knowing different aspects/textual elements within stories to look for when constructing themes. In this teaching and learning guide, we share seven concrete ways to help students anchor their theme thinking. These seven elements can…

It is natural to interpret entropy as a measure of energy dispersion. However, the classical, phenomenological introduction to the topic, which relies on detailed analysis of Carnot engines, obscures this interpretation. Here, we propose a modification of the classical approach, which allows the basic properties of entropy to be proven without…

In this article, the central question is how the relationship between democracy and education can be understood in terms of civic literacy. By taking as a point of departure John Dewey's basic understanding of democracy in terms of communication and experience, which also forms the basis for the pragmatist knowledge concept of "transactional…

This meditation on subjectivity draws on mundane and explicitly political contexts to argue for mathematics education practices that help us understand how people use mathematics to shape our world. I use two contexts to consider how to develop citizens who understand how we are subjugated by mathematical systems (designed and sustained by…

This article discusses considerations and methodologies for leadership educators to assess leadership development in groups and organizations using groups as the unit of analysis rather than aggregating individual scores.

In this digital ITEMS module, Dr. Stella Kim provides an overview of multidimensional item response theory (MIRT) equating. Traditional unidimensional item response theory (IRT) equating methods impose the sometimes untenable restriction on data that only a single ability is assessed. This module discusses potential sources of multidimensionality…

This article contributes to conversations around difficult knowledge in pedagogy by (a) investigating how post-truth claims about issues of race and racism may constitute forms of difficult knowledge, and (b) proposing that fostering 'affective solidarity' can constitute a productive pedagogical response to post-truth claims, because it moves…

If the challenges of teaching and learning do not amount to simple empirical questions about effective pedagogical strategies but are instead complex "wicked problems" that may be impossible to solve, where does that leave the practice of backward design? Drawing on the intellectual history of instructional design, I argue that the use…

Purpose: Movement integration (MI) is a method to increase physical activity with numerous learning outcomes. However, MI implementation is low. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of a job-embedded professional development intervention on teachers' MI barriers. An implementation science approach was used. Methods: The…

Though the number of instructional design models has increased, the usefulness of an instructional design process (linear or iterative) when making design decisions for e-learning solutions remains uncertain. This basic qualitative study was used to explore the perspectives of corporate instructional designers who were mandated to move from a…

Society has grown out of touch with moral character and virtues. The effect of this disregard for virtue is a departure in the collective of our societal moral values. As individuals, without upholding virtuous ways of being, our character can regress and therefore prevent us from reaching our best potential as individuals participating in…

While adolescent foundational skills interventions can be critical levers for reading improvement, district leaders, teachers, and researchers must make complex decisions about how to evaluate their effectiveness in context. In this discussion article, we explore three issues and tensions we experienced during a 2-year research-practice…

Synthesizing the breadth of current research on the teaching and learning of writing, the third edition of this definitive handbook has more than 90% new content, reflecting the growth and dynamism of the field. Leading scholars--including many international voices--review major theories, developmental issues, and instructional approaches for…

The "Evaluating and Improving Teacher Preparation Programs" consensus report provides critical, evidence-based recommendations for teacher preparation program (TPP) evaluation and improvement and the systemic changes necessary to improve teaching as a profession. The report documents the extensive research that supports four groups of…

The purpose of this mixed methods sequential explanatory study was to identify the best pedagogical practices of leadership educators by obtaining quantitative data from surveying 836 leadership educators about their instructional and assessment strategy choices and then following up with qualitative interviews of 13 leadership educators…