The ubiquity of online programs in higher education requires continued focus on designing instructional environments that improve students' learning. We examine students' perceptions of sense of community and learning, as well as academic achievement, using grades obtained from a final project and participation in asynchronous discussion forums.…

The use of critical literacy with children's books that focus on social issues and disrupt the status quo can be a powerful way to create spaces for conversations with students about social justice and empowerment. Teacher candidates in a semester long children's literature course were asked to respond to a range of children's texts that dealt…

In theory, engaging students in discussion helps them learn how to understand and think critically about texts. Researchers have sought to identify effective features of teacher-led text-based discussions by designing specific discussion-group programs and investigating their influence on students' comprehension in upper elementary classrooms.…

In acknowledging the privilege that we as Montessorians are given, "the privilege of being present as children construct themselves," Mary Caroline Parker proposes that parents also should be given that same privilege. Parker created an "Art of Observation" workshop for the parents at her school. She walks us through the…

The question of how schools can help parents experience joy in observing their children led to a quest to identify experiences that can contribute to the awakening of consciousness. Workshops, surveys, discussion, and interviews yielded data that led to some unexpected conclusions about sources of personal transformation. [Reprinted from "AMI…

Peer-to-peer (P2P) learning within two distinct groups of disadvantaged adults was studied during a two-hour computer skills workshop. Of interest was whether or not P2P learning with this population was a viable method for increasing performance and confidence. Two qualified instructors at two locations taught the same introductory…

The inclusion and the Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) configure a field of great scientific interest in the current society. In this context, the attitudes of the teachers towards the ICT play an important role. The present article gathers the results of a study whose purpose was to determine how a teacher will use and integrate…

(Purpose) This study assessed the integration of community services and research through the livelihood needs assessment of a countryside in the Philippines particularly Sitio Malanas, Lettac Sur, Santol, La Union as basis of the actions in addressing the needs. Specifically, the livelihood situation and needs were determined and proposed actions…

The curriculum of each learning community at Duquesne University is integrated around a shared theme. The integrated classes equip students to articulate their biases in reference to the theme. The residual effect of the thematic communities is a byproduct of pedagogy informed by theory and embodied in service. The learning communities at Duquesne…

In this paper, I will reflect on the initial reconnaissance, action, and reflection cycle of my doctoral research, exploring Community Philosophy as a tool for critical parental engagement in a primary school (Elliot, 1991). I will examine how I reflexively engaged with my influence on participants, which then significantly influenced the framing…

Teachers facilitate math talk in the classroom, but introducing a structured discussion format called the "talking circle" can influence opportunities for equitable student participation. Drawing on his reflections over the 2013-14 academic year and reviewing his detailed teaching notes and lesson plans, Marcus Hung takes a close look at…

There are many instructional approaches for helping English language learners improve both reading comprehension and overall language proficiency. One such approach, the literature circle--which is somewhat like a student book club in the classroom--has drawn a great deal of attention in recent years (Schlick Noe and Johnson 1999). Many teachers…

We examined the codevelopment of mathematical concepts and the mathematical practice of defining within a sixth-grade class investigating space and geometry. Drawing upon existing literature, we present a framework for describing forms of participation in defining, what we term aspects of definitional practice. Analysis of classroom interactions…

The concepts of social and sociomathematical norms have proved to be useful in guiding the participation of students in mathematical discussions and developing the quality of their contributions when inquiry-based, collaborative approaches are applied in studying mathematics. The first author conducted a teaching experiment with her 17-year-old…

What types of talk promote teachers' professional growth? In the following vignettes, 4th-grade teachers and instructional leaders examine student work and observe classroom instruction. These learning designs encourage teachers to talk in ways that develop a shared understanding of teaching, which is instrumental to their professional growth…