U.S. colleges and universities are facing the challenges of eroding public confidence and financial support, along with high failure rates, especially at a time when increasing numbers of students are matriculating. The demographic profile of students going to college is also more diverse, with students coming from lower socioeconomic backgrounds.…

The concept, use and experiences of 'space' in higher education have a deep influence on students and teachers. Reframing Space for Learning uniquely explores space as both a 'learning place' that may be physical, virtual, in work or in the field, and a 'belonging space' in which learners and teachers can engage and develop individually and…

How does a large research university establish a culture supporting student-centered evidence-based teaching? In this paper, we describe Purdue University's "Instruction Matters: Purdue Academic Course Transformation" (IMPACT) which has involved 321 instructors and 529 courses. Of every first-time undergraduate student, who first…

In the Woodrow Wilson Foundation's 2018 fiscal year (July 1, 2017-June 30, 2018), the Foundation sustained its longstanding emphasis on preparing leaders and institutions for critical national challenges, with a renewed focus on excellence, opportunity, and equity in education. Once again, the Foundation reports the creation of new programs and…

This practical resource will help K--6 practitioners grow their literacy practices while also meeting the needs of emergent bilingual learners. Building on the success of "The Reading Turn-Around," this book adapts the five-part framework for reading instruction to the specific needs of emergent bilinguals. Designed for teachers who have…

'Out-of-field teaching' refers to the practice of assigning teachers to teach subjects that do not match their training or education -- an international phenomenon that seems particularly prevalent in mathematics. This paper reports on a study evaluating the impact of a national professional learning program for out-of-field secondary mathematics…

This report presents key lessons from the third year of the Better Math Teaching Network (BMTN), a networked improvement community aimed at improving student-centered instructional practices. As a networked improvement community, BMTN educators use a collaborative work approach and quick-cycle testing to refine instructional routines, adjusting…

In Fall and Winter 2022-2023, the NSCAS assessments were administered in ELA and mathematics for grades 3-8. In Spring 2022-2023, the NSCAS assessments were administered in English language arts (ELA) and mathematics for grades 3-8 and in science for grades 5 and 8. The purposes of the NSCAS assessments are to measure and report Nebraska students'…

In higher education, despite the emphasis on student-centred pedagogical approaches, undergraduate research methods pedagogy remains surprisingly teacher-directed. Consequently, it may lead to research methods students assuming that becoming a researcher involves gathering information rather than it being a continuous developmental process. To…

This study investigates the impacts of a year-long professional development program on Kindergarten teachers' beliefs and practices and the association of these changes with student achievement in mathematics measured by curriculum-based instruments. Although teacher content knowledge was not statistically significantly different before and after…

It has been argued in the literature that it is harder for Asians than Westerners to think and act in a creative manner due to cultural influences and the discourses of creativity are always culture-specific. This study addresses this issue by using a qualitative research approach, exploring and analysing the characteristic features of creative…

Learning mathematics is problematic for most primary school age children because mathematics is rote and the memorization of steps rather than an approach to seeing relationships that builds inquiry and understanding. Therefore, the traditional "algorithmic" way of teaching mathematics has not fully prepared students to be critical…

This qualitative study examined how National Board certified teachers (NBCTs) perceive the meaning of reflective teaching and how their perceptions compare to the literature on reflective thinking and teaching. The study included five participants who had completed the National Board certification process. Data collection included three…

In its sixth year, the Blended and Personalized Learning Conference (BPLC) hosted by the Highlander Institute, The Learning Accelerator, and the Christensen Institute brought together more than a thousand educators from around the country to share, discuss, and define innovative education practices. An invitation-only Summit was hosted on March…

This paper is based on a study of 20 elementary teachers, especially in their tenth year of teaching (2013-2014). At this time, the teachers were working under heavy pressure from their government and school districts to implement "inquiry learning." While broadly accepting this pedagogy, however, the teachers varied substantially in…