Students, particularly those at academic risk, often experience feelings of alienation and lack a sense of belonging. This can make them reluctant to seek help. A sense of belonging and the willingness to seek help are therefore closely linked. Persistent socioeconomic disparities, inherited from apartheid, make this especially challenging for…

This paper examines the effect of COVID-19 on learning loss and learning inequality in South Africa using 2016 and 2021 Grade 4 PIRLS datasets. On average, South African Grade 4 reading achievement declined by 31 PIRLS points from 320 in 2016 to 288 in 2021, equivalent to a decline of 0.29 standard deviations or 50-60% of a year of learning. The…

Purpose: This paper explores the role that participatory budgeting (PB) plays in enhancing emotional and social well-being through the commissioning, design, delivery of and participation in a drama and theatre intervention in a deprived community in North London. Design/methodology/approach: A qualitative case study methodology employing…

The Smallville Independent School District case study highlights the challenges of a school district facing the COVID-19 pandemic in a rural-urban divide. The district's socioeconomic status, with a high population of economically disadvantaged families, limited resources, and dependence on grants and local charity, further complicates matters.…

Climate change is amplifying existing inequities that disproportionately affect students of color, students from low-income backgrounds, and students with disabilities. Addressing these inequities and educating students about climate change should be a priority, as extreme weather events -- such as flooding, extreme heat or cold, severe storms,…

For 25 years, the National Institute for Excellence in Teaching (NIET) has partnered with states, districts, schools, and educator preparation programs to strengthen educator effectiveness and improve student achievement. This research summary provides an opportunity to reflect on the impact of NIET's initiatives on educator effectiveness, student…

The Virtual School Head (VSH) was, until September 2021, the Local Authority (LA) officer statutorily tasked with promoting the education of children looked after (CLA) and previously looked after children (PLAC). In 2021, following the publication of The Children in Need Review (DfE, 2018b) and subsequent research by the Universities of Bristol…

Introduction: Growing up in poverty increases children's exposure to adversities that undermine healthy development, impeding growth in the social-emotional and language skills that support adaptive coping and promote mental health (Yoshikawa et al., 2012). Head Start promotes preschool gains but benefits fade as children proceed into elementary…

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to investigate important determinants of the culture of collective leadership in academic organizations. The present school improvement framework of Dubai School Inspection Board (DSIB) does not include cultural factors such as collective leadership, which is, according to many researchers, a leading factor of…

This special issue of Learning, Media and Technology contributes to a growing need, not only for critical accounts of digital education that resist the global, but also for a more diverse representation of the multiplicitous practices of teaching and learning with technology across the globe. It builds on important work that has examined open…

In "Funes the Memorius," Jorge Luis Borges tells the tale of an Argentinian man who falls off a horse, becomes paralyzed, and acquires the strange gift of infinite memory (Borges, 1993). Funes remembers everything, which is to say he forgets nothing. The author will use Borges's story as the backdrop for his response to Professor…

Purpose: Providing insights into the need to go beyond superficial equity efforts in classrooms, the authors present a standardized test analogy to make the concept of oppression accessible and relevant for educators. Three levels of oppression (individual, institutional and cultural/societal) are described along with a brief overview of Paulo…

Social justice school leaders can amplify the voices and activism of marginalized students by shifting from hierarchical relationships to working as allies. An ally is commonly defined as a person who is associated with another or others for some common cause or purpose. By transferring Kendall's (2013) concept of "allyship" from racial…

The thoroughly updated second edition of this dynamic and thoughtful collection focuses on the issues that have shaped American higher education in the past decade. "Essential Documents in the History of American Higher Education," designed to be used alongside John R. Thelin's "A History of American Higher Education" or on its…

International research has consistently found that the socioeconomic segregation of schools may worsen inequalities in schooling outcomes through the socioeconomic compositional effect. This study examines whether the socioeconomic compositional effect varies between developed countries and potential mechanisms by which national schooling systems…