In this paper, I propose shifts in perspective and practice in initial teacher education from the reflective to the diffractive practitioner as a productive way of supporting new teachers to prepare for the complex and non-linear nature of teaching. The reflective practitioner is a figure deeply embedded in humanist and anthropocentric discourses,…

The relationship between teacher quality and student achievement is often at the heart of educational debates about student success. In this study, we leverage data from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) to explore relationships between geography achievement in the 8th grade and various indicators of teacher quality. We found…

An approach to solving complicated and multileveled issues, design thinking offers strategies for secondary and higher education curricula innovation. Recent scholarship on the teaching and learning of world languages and cultures (WLC) has focused on some of the design thinking aspects: innovation, interpersonal connection, and creativity.…

Active learning yields better learning outcomes than traditional, lecture-based teaching. Common approaches in large lecture courses are activating elements during the lectures and warm-up activities using online learning environments. However, implementing warm-up exercises, on which students work on by themselves makes formative feedback…

In this case study, we explored an innovative Professional Development (PD) approach where teachers were positioned as experts and drivers of change. Simplified as Participatory PD, Michigan State University Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources (AFNR) Education faculty constructed an experience for Michigan AFNR Educators following the…

Green Architecture for Sustainable Communities (GASC) was a joint event organised by Dutch and Vietnamese universities with the aim of boosting sustainable development in the built environment of Vietnam. As a key activity of the event, the international student design workshop focused on renovation of typical Vietnamese row houses -- aiming…

Food security is one of the most pressing concerns of our times. Despite the vast opportunities, there is a shortage of skilled professionals in the food, agriculture, and plant sciences. Although most programs focused on addressing this concern have targeted students, we have often overlooked another critical group--the teachers. To address this…

This article presents an original and innovative way for primary teacher training concerning teaching the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) using concept maps. Four types of concept maps were designed and built so that the interconnections between the 17 SDGs could be captured and the complexity of their interdependencies could be…

Two science teaching workshops for students of the elementary teacher education degree course at the University of Palermo, Italy are discussed, one based on inquiry-based methods and the other on "traditional" teaching methods. A questionnaire aimed to understand the teaching styles preferred by students, their reasons for…

Diabetes is one of the largest global epidemics, necessitating training for a new generation of scientists and physicians to work on the disease. Undergraduate research experiences can build an educational pipeline for talent in these professions. A NIH-sponsored summer diabetes research internship at the University of Virginia provided…

This study examines the perceptions of 49 educators participating in a three-day English Language Proficiency (ELP) standards professional development (PD) workshop to assist K-12 in-service teachers in responding to the dual challenge for English Learners: learning academic English while simultaneously using academic English to learn subject…

Low-income parents often have limited involvement in the education of their children, and children who live in poverty frequently do not have the prerequisite skills needed to enter kindergarten. The purpose of the current study was to determine if parent participation in a brief kindergarten readiness workshop developed and led by occupational…

In each of two studies, teachers were randomly assigned to either a Virtual Workshop (VW) group that used a computerized professional development program or an Actual Workshop (AW) group that participated in face-to-face professional development, including discussion, feedback, and collaboration. In both studies, teachers' posttest scores related…

This study focuses on a course belonging to the University of Bologna's bachelor's degrees 'Expert in Social and Cultural Education' and 'Educator in Childhood Social Services' called 'Computer Science Lab-based course', which aims to develop digital competences necessary for the educational profession. Before COVID-19, this face-to-face…

Informed by the notions of public pedagogy, cultural production as civic/political participation, and the multiliteracies perspective, this article explores the connection between (inter)cultural/art production, public pedagogy, and civic education in a community festival setting in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside. Drawing upon three examples of…