This paper traces the origins of the scaffolding construct, placing it in its theoretical-historical context. The paper discusses the connection between Vygotsky's Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD), and the notion of scaffolding, and explicates the differences between scaffolding and scaffolds. The paper then presents a discussion of the changes…

This article begins with a historical overview of the STEM education policy and related classroom practices in Hong Kong. Against the backdrop that the Hong Kong education authority has been promoting STEM education over the past few years, there has been a pressing need for effective strategies of implementing STEM education in the context of…

Assessments provide teachers with essential information regarding children's learning. Alternative education systems offer insight into ways that assessments can be redesigned to be developmentally appropriate to particular ages, including unique stances on what defines assessment, who should assess, and what should be assessed. We examined themes…

Adolescents present high risk of developing mental health problems. Different school-based programs have been designed to prevent and treat the psychological distress that they often experience with disparate results. In this study, we tested the efficacy of a school-based program framed into the "Escuelas Despiertas" initiative that…

This paper discusses a study that considered how the quality of three different learning environments, indoor classrooms, outdoor classrooms and forest schools, for children aged 3-5 years, is associated with the quality of their utterances. Adopting a theoretical framework of interactionism it was found that, within the study settings (n = 4),…

Classroom management is a popular topic in early childhood settings, but what exactly does it mean? In this eye-opening book, educators and caregivers are invited to redefine what it means to their teaching--shifting away from control and obedience and adopting a model of guidance, support, and celebration. Filled with reflective prompts and…

Classroom lighting, when set to high luminous (lx) and cooler correlated color temperature (CCT) conditions, can increase student focus, concentration, and oral reading fluency (Mott et al., 2012; 2014). However, when illuminance is too high and color temperature is too cool, irritating and adverse effects can occur such as visual fatigue and…

This paper examines the concept of joyful teaching in higher education and discusses common themes associated with it, as well as presents challenges. It is this concept of joyful teaching that we believe should be discussed and explored in greater detail, especially as it is an emerging concept with decolonizing pedagogies. This study uses 29…

Reform-oriented science classrooms encourage environments in which students engage in a collective enterprise of making sense of their science ideas together. Teachers who strive for these sorts of environments support students in collaboratively constructing and answering their own questions about phenomena and making sense of competing ideas…

Effective classroom management is an essential skill for teachers and student teachers alike. Packed full of practical examples and evidence-informed guidance, this book offers a comprehensive approach to classroom management that emphasises the importance of building positive teacher-student relationships and fostering a supportive classroom…

Purpose: Teachers spend a significant amount of time in classrooms, which can be noisy environments. The aim of this scoping review was to determine what is known from the literature about the effect of classroom acoustic conditions on teachers' health and well-being. Method: This scoping review followed the PRISMA-ScR (Preferred Reporting Items…

This article draws on qualitative data from a Two-Way Immersion Spanish environment classroom to explore how African American students lived experiences, language, and cultural practices are regulated and/or constrained. Drawing on the theoretical framework of Bahktin's heteroglossia and raciolinguistics, the authors present two distinct…

This article establishes a framework for teaching and learning for mutual respect. I define mutual respect as intervening on power asymmetries typically found in classrooms by way of according students increased equality, autonomy, and equity. In highlighting how equality, autonomy, and equity interact in ongoing and unpredictable ways in…

The purpose of this dissertation was to expand knowledge and theory around instructor social presence in online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study provided a depiction of real-world experiences from the perspective of high school teachers during their shift to online learning amid the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. The study surveyed 50…

Disengagement by high-ability students from general educational programs has traditionally been examined from a student-centered perspective. This article examines this phenomenon through a relational lens. It focuses on understanding the interactions of these students with the classroom culture and the consequent impact on their creativity. The…