To raise math success rates in middle school, many schools and districts have implemented summer math programs designed to improve student preparation for algebra content in grade 8. However, little is known about the effectiveness of these programs. While students who participate typically experience learning gains, there is little rigorous…

The purpose of this qualitative study was to describe secondary teachers' perceptions of online learning in Washington. This was done by distributing a survey to three districts in the State of Washington to identify the advantages and challenges of online learning according to participating secondary teachers. In addition, the teachers provided…

This special "America After 3PM" report takes a closer look at the afterschool experience for children living in rural communities. Earlier "America After 3PM" reports examined how children spend the hours after school, documenting the participation in afterschool programs, the unmet demand for programs, program offerings, and…

Although multiple efforts have been initiated to increase students' science proficiency scores, most of the schools in the United States do not reach the expected student academic performance. This study addresses the impact of a one-week summer scientific learning experience on students that worked with experimental procedures and students that…

This paper describes the adaptation of an upper-division undergraduate seminar course taught at the University of Missouri in Columbia (MU) to the Summer School Program of the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing (UCAS). The course "Scientific Writing in Chemistry" addresses an essential need for science students across…

National calls in science, technology, engineering, and technology education reform efforts have advanced the wide-scale engagement of students in undergraduate research for the preparation of a workforce and citizenry able to attend to the challenges of the 21st century. Awareness of the potential benefits and costs of these experiences has led…

Lessons in community building and cultural understanding are important aspects of a 21st-century education. Through such lessons, students gain the keys to societal understanding as they gain knowledge about their cultural and historical contexts, and use that understanding as a setting for exploration of deeper values, emotional experiences, and…

This article describes a research study in which 10 early childhood education students participated in facilitated critical reflection experiences during a 7-week practicum. Students' critical thinking skills were quantitatively assessed using the Cornell Critical Thinking Test and qualitatively documented through analysis of daily, weekly, and…

This article examines some of the ways in which girls are discursively set up as subordinate in relation to boys and men by and within the digital games industry and culture at large, and how they push back on these imposed subjects positions when engaging in media production (game development) under both regular and inverse conditions. Expanding…

This column examines a case study focusing on web design as an example of interest-driven learning and the acquisition of (digital media) literacies. A summer workshop was offered at a working-class public library, led by a self-taught seventeen year old girl. Nine students (ages 8-16) learned basic HTML and CSS and designed their own websites in…

This report shares stories from around the country about community and state leaders working to strengthen partnerships, practices, and policies--all to improve the odds for youth. Stories in this report include: (1) Using new data to spark public conversations about youth issues in Indianola, MS; (2) Leaders building a children and youth master…

There is currently a lack of theoretically based research regarding positive youth development (PYD) and youth in recreational sport settings, including residential summer sport camps. This qualitative research study explored the ways in which positive developmental experiences are facilitated at a residential summer sport camp. Using a case study…

To assess the impact of a college preparation program, district-wide changes in high-stakes test pass rates are examined, followed by an examination of specific program elements that are associated with students' score changes. Changes in pass rates for districts with and without services are compared for the Latina/o and overall student…

Research on recreational media use among youth indicates young people of color who spend more time with media may also be at higher risk for school disengagement and low personal contentment compared to their white peers. This puts these students in a position to be even more influenced by the themes and messages that abound in pop culture,…

Although the Common Core State Standards call on parents to support professional educators' efforts for improving student academic achievement, we have yet to examine how to best support parents in achieving this goal. The present study addresses this need by examining a five-month mathematics intervention which aimed to increase awareness of the…