This study reports on the findings of a PhD study investigating the implications of the division between language and content in Modern Language degrees on students' development of intercultural competence and criticality across four universities, two in the US and two in the UK. It draws upon the theoretical frameworks of Intercultural…

In the age of web 2.0, the university is constantly challenged to re-adapt its "old-fashioned" pedagogies to the new possibilities opened up by digital technologies. This article proposes a rethinking of the relation between university and (digital) technologies by focusing not on how technologies function in the university, but on their…

The authors challenged their second grade students to design and build a small house for a Skylander toy character that would be economical, yet able to withstand "the elements of wind and rain." While this social studies (economics)/science/math integrated project was completed with second grade students, the lessons presented in this…

This paper explores, educators' use of technology to supplement traditional professional development that they may receive in their schools or institutions. Many educators in the 21st century use various forms of technology as part of their daily teaching practices and as part of their personal lives. This paper sets out to explore the impact of a…

To help students build twenty-first century learning skills, teachers must have reasonable perceptions about twenty-first century learning. To investigate Chinese teachers' perceptions of twenty-first century learning competencies (TP21CLC), we conducted a survey (N = 340) using the questionnaire "Teachers' Perceptions of 21st Century…

The Common Core does not advance democratic education. Far from it, the opening section of the language standards argues that the goal of public K-12 education is "college and career readiness." Only at the end of their introductory section do the Common Core's authors suggest that K-12 education has any goals beyond the economic:…

This paper reflects on the teaching of science fiction texts to first-year engineering students at the University of the Witwatersrand as part of a Critical Thinking course that uses literature as a vehicle through which to develop competence in critical literacy and communication. This course aims to equip engineering students, as future…

Through literature study of researches on critical thinking, this paper gives an analysis of the present situation and existing problems of critical thinking cultivation in Chinese college English classes, probes into the rationale for critical thinking cultivation and discusses how to cultivate students' critical thinking in Chinese college…

The primary aim of current study was to investigate the possible relationship between Metacognitive Awareness (MA) and Critical Thinking Skills (CTS) in a foreign language learning context. In addition, this research aimed to probe the effect of gender and years of pre-service English language teachers on the relation between metacognitive…

A 21st-century challenge for educators is to promote meaningful engagement in online courses, and student development of critical thinking skills is an essential aspect of higher order learning. Evaluation of critical thinking in online discussions is often facilitated by the use of rubrics; however, it is not unusual for rubrics to either omit…

This interview-based study investigated the impact of two academic development courses about assessment. Participants learnt concepts and terminology that enabled them to better understand and communicate about assessment. The courses also stimulated critical thinking about assessment practices and conceptual change, with 'assessment for learning'…

Critical reflexivity has been acknowledged as fundamental in higher education. For facing complex situations in turbulent environments, students nowadays need not only to be taught technical knowledge, but also to be helped develop "relevant" learning for their future professional practice. In recent years, scholars have concentrated on…

Cases like that of John Howard Yoder--a pacifist theorist who perpetrated sexual violence--raise difficult questions about teaching material implicated in traumatic pasts. This paper argues that "moral injury" provides a useful framework for understanding the dynamics of teaching prominent cases of tainted legacies like Yoder's and for…

Student evaluations of teaching (SETs) are frequently used to assess college teachers. However, education research has shown that there is potential for bias in SETs, especially based on instructor variables. Aside from Amy Dayton's 2015 work on assessment that advises using SETs only in concert with other measures, English studies scholars have…

Makerspaces, collaborative workspaces stocked with materials and tools for creating, building, designing, and learning, are becoming more and more common in schools and, in particular, in school libraries. Makerspaces in the school library allow for connections between making and literacy. Indeed, such connections are authentic and natural as…