Drawing on Pepetela's novel "The Generation of Utopia," the article situates and dissects the role of a group of intellectuals within a radical critical curriculum river, working towards a more just society and education, and enhancing a utopian generation. The article emphasizes the erroneous persistence of intellectuals associated with…

This article traces three key critiques (insufficient consideration of emotions, insufficient attention to social interaction, and insufficient theoretical foundations) of Mezirow's theory of transformative learning in the field of adult education, with emphasis on discussions that have played out in the pages of the "International Journal of…

A conceptualization of multiple-choice exams in terms of signal detection theory (SDT) leads to simple measures of item difficulty and item discrimination that are closely related to, but also distinct from, those used in classical item analysis (CIA). The theory defines a "true split," depending on whether or not examinees know an item,…

While there is widespread agreement about the need to evaluate professional development, actual evaluation remains rare, despite the fact that K-12 school districts invest in professional development as the main mechanism to grow teacher practice and improve student learning. This article explores research literature about why current mechanisms…

Developmental theorists use their research to generate philosophies on children's development. They organize and interpret data based on a scheme to develop their theory. A theory refers to a systematic statement of principles related to observed phenomena and their relationship to each other. A theory of child development looks at the children's…

This paper explores two prominent strands of inquiry within new materialism -- Deleuze and Guattari's assemblage thinking and Karen Barad's agential realism -- and situates them in relation to language studies. While a singular definition of new materialist scholarship is not feasible, we argue that the selected approaches have potential to come…

The current case study examines the process and components of a multi-site school-wide restorative justice (SWRJ) implementation program. Using Participatory Action Research (PAR) methodology and the Outcome Logic Model (OLM), the authors describe results from a collaborative program evaluation conducted by university researchers and external…

Paramount to both academic success and success in life is the ability to read. Faced with the arduous task of teaching this process, teachers must be knowledgeable of reading theories and pedagogies. Although the theory-to-practice gap is a valid concern that has been researched in many professions, more needs to be known about how novice teachers…

This research examined theory based teaching processes of science teachers to understand the mechanism by which theory and practice were connected. Four science teachers desgined lesson plans by applying the empirical-abductive learning cycle (EALC) model and modified lesson plans through a collaborative interview with the researcher. Data were…

The current study sought out to advance the Social Self-Efficacy and Social Outcome Expectations scale using multiple approaches to scale development. Data from 583 undergraduate students were used in two scale development approaches: Classic Test Theory (CTT) and Item Response Theory (IRT). Confirmatory factor analysis suggested a 2-factor…

This paper, conceptual but with empirical support, fills in some blanks in Vygotsky's reworking of Spinoza's "Ethics." Here Vygotsky sought to develop a developmental theory of emotions that would fit his developmental theory of higher psychological functions; that is, one which used function to explain how structure changes (much as…

Many educational philosophers have criticized the shift from lifelong education to lifelong learning. Gert Biesta, in particular, claims that learning individualistically promotes 'learnification', that is, a pernicious politics at the expense of relational educational experiences. While I endorse many of his critical points, I have argued that…

In this commentary, we argue that literacy research would be more productive if researchers had a clearer, more nuanced understanding of theory. Specifically, we argue that theory in a practice-oriented field is most fundamentally productive when it provides instrumental guidance for literacy beyond academic understanding about literacy. Premises…

What education should children and youth be offered about climate mitigation choices? Drawing on critical pedagogy, political ecology, and environmental justice, I here suggest the elaboration of a critical climate education that would provide citizens with knowledge and skills to respond to the climate crisis with responsible action. I argue that…

Whether recognition memory is mediated by discrete or continuous processes has long been the subject of debate. Deemed "the ignored alternative" by Kellen, Erdfelder, Malmberg, Dubé, and Criss (2016), Luce's (1963) low-threshold model is a discrete model that describes data thought to be indicative of continuous mediation. Kellen et al.…