The community of inquiry (COI) framework is a theoretical and practical model for creating deep, meaningful online learning experiences through three essential and interconnected elements: teaching presence, social presence, and cognitive presence. Asynchronous online discussions (AODs) are the typical communication medium in a COI; therein, a…

This study asks, "How do instructors successfully engage students in learning about controversial issues of race without hitting the common tripwires of low trust, stereotyping or racial microaggressions?" To address this question, I conducted a study of two courses on race that were focussed on difficult issues, yet were consistently…

The role of emotions in learning has been the focus of much debate in teaching circles, as has the question of discussing controversial issues in the classroom. The aim of this small-scale inquiry was to investigate how two groups of intermediate level students of French as a foreign language expressed emotion in discussing the controversial issue…

Despite efforts to address all forms of diversity among learners and promote inclusion in education, and much research done on inclusive education in Namibia, there remains a scarcity of empirical evidence of the inclusion of gender and sexual diversity in Namibian education. This study employed a Social Identity Perspective within a qualitative…

In December 2021, Texas lawmakers passed a bill related to the national debate and politicization of critical race theory (CRT). Texas Senate Bill 3 seemingly limits the teaching of "sensitive" topics. These perceived limitations may present challenges for social studies teachers in the state. This study examines the knowledge and…

Teaching controversial issues poses challenges for teacher candidates, stemming from apprehensions about potential backlash and gaps in content and pedagogical knowledge. The prevailing emphasis on tested subjects such as mathematics and reading/writing in elementary school education often sidelines social studies and science, limiting…

To support preservice teacher education and in-service professional development for rural social studies teachers, I examine the degree to which rural teachers, students, and communities are reflected in social studies education research. I first developed a theoretical framework for analyzing the rural research quality in the articles I found. I…

Purpose: Through the lenses of deprofessionalization, demoralization, and remoralization, this study investigates the experiences of five educators with commitments to social justice education as they navigate teaching in an affluent, rural, and overwhelmingly white community in New Hampshire--a state that at the time of data collection had…

This study presents findings from a narrative inquiry into the experiences of secondary English language arts (ELA) educators in Georgia who aim to teach through critical and culturally affirming pedagogies. It uses a complexity theory framework to consider how these teachers have responded to the current sociopolitical context in the state, which…

Public schools are currently at the center of a set of multifaceted culture wars around questions about who decides the purpose of and sets the agenda for what should be taught in our nation's schools. Although culture wars are not new, today's conflicts are distinguished by their intensity and hostility directed toward marginalized and…

With the continued unfolding of major climatic shifts, questions continue to emerge about how to approach climate change in the science classroom, at least in the USA where it is often perceived as socio-politically controversial. Broadly, research in science education has shown that the learning process around climate change is highly complex and…

The author's eighth-grade ELA curriculum is rich with opportunities for students to bear witness to a variety of experiences. Besides the Holocaust unit, they read "Ghost Boys" by Jewell Parker Rhodes (2018) while exploring police brutality and segregation; "The Giver" by Lois Lowry (1993) while investigating government…

Context: College campuses in the United States are currently engaged in public and ongoing negotiation of the value and limits of free speech in educational contexts. Responses to invited campus speakers from students, faculty, and campus leaders point to diverging perspectives on the roles and responsibilities of higher education institutions and…

As a social sciences methods professor, I face a growing concern over preparing Teacher Candidates (TC) for an ever-divided political system. The purpose of this study was to create and use primary source reading techniques regarding modern controversial issues. As educators, it is clear that the divide from political allegiance is hard to…

Gibbs's detailed description of decision-making around teaching war in a school that taught the children of active-duty soldiers provides an important glimpse into the numerous factors influencing their curricular and pedagogical choices. Gibbs rightly argued that the limited perspective of patriotism that resulted from the teachers' reluctance to…