The objective of this study was to examine students' experiences with regard to the factors influencing academic self-efficacy (ASE) in higher secondary schools, employing a mixed-method approach. There is a considerable body of literature examining the role of parents and schools in supporting ASE. However, there is a paucity of data on the role…

Across the country, questions about the value of higher education persist, remaining top of mind for students, families, and policymakers. Rising tuition costs, student debt burdens, and uncertain employment outcomes have led many to wonder whether a college degree is still worth the investment. The metrics used to answer this question--earnings…

Using improvement science principles and an equity perspective, this book demonstrates how schools and districts can increase their efficacy and how teachers and leaders can improve their practice for the benefit of all students. Through eight case studies representing a variety of K-12 school and community settings, the authors address a range of…

In this paper, we present an empirical study carried out in a country where STEM education does not have a tradition, and the content and didactics of mathematics are typically studied separately from the content and didactics of biology. In that context, we focus on analogies in the conceptual structure of mathematics and biology, and study how…

This article explores the historical roots and significant contributions of the Science, Technology, Society (STS) movement and its evolutionary offshoots Science, Technology, Society, Environment (STSE) and Socio-Scientific Issues (SSIs) within the context of science education. It critically assesses traditional STEM education, noting its…

This systematic review examines how students manage cognitive load during STEM problem solving by using self-regulated learning (SRL) and metacognitive strategies, and how instructional designs can support these attempts. Fourteen empirical studies published since 2010 were thematically analyzed using the SALSA framework and PRISMA guidelines.…

The aim of this paper is to raise awareness of problem-based learning (PBL) and more specifically the problem analysis as a set of learning principles and practices offering the potential to bridge higher education to the complexities and uncertainties of science and society. Literature on PBL often argues that PBL supports education aimed at…

The economic fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic is exposing more and more Australians to financial loss, hardship and poverty. Even primary-aged students may be privy to conversations about unemployment, business closures, household budgeting, and difficulties making ends meet. Mathematics is a powerful tool that can raise awareness of inequity…

This paper details an exploratory study of ten elementary preservice teachers (PSTs) involvement in the problem-solving process in a mathematics methods course. The dynamic, messy and nonlinear nature of this process was demonstrated by discussing PSTs' solution process of an open box construction problem. Effective approaches to solve this…

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of a mathematics intervention that utilized the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework on mathematical problem solving skills for three middle school students with extensive support needs (ESN). Participants were taught to solve percent of change word problems related to personal finance…

Singaporean children are the best performers on international achievement tests in mathematics (i.e. the TIMSS). Their excellent results could be due at least partly to certain characteristics of the textbooks used there (Oates 2014). Therefore, these materials could be taken as a good benchmark to describe and evaluate aspects of the textbooks of…

Purpose: Traveling Salesman Problem (TSP) that can be extended and modified in various ways, is a practical and realistic type of problem and forms the basis for the visual and spatial solution of many optimization problems. In this study, 15, 25 and 35 nodes Travelling Salesman Problems were solved by secondary school, high school and…

In this study we investigated word-problem (WP) item characteristics, individual differences in text comprehension and arithmetic skills, and their relations to mathematical WP-solving. The participants were 891 fourth-grade students from elementary schools in Finland. Analyses were conducted in two phases. In the first phase, WP characteristics…

This paper presents the second phase of a larger research program with the purpose of exploring the possible consequences of a gap between what is done in the classroom regarding mathematical word problem solving and what research shows to be effective in this particular field of study. Data from the first phase of our study on teachers'…

Check-in, check-out (CICO), an intervention implemented with students at risk for behavioral disorders, addresses minor misbehaviors by providing students with a structured means of receiving positive adult attention. CICO reduces problem behaviors and improves appropriate behaviors of students with and without behavioral disorders. Research…