Whilst the fitness testing debate has become more nuanced over time, the voice that is often absent from discussions is that of students. Located within the 'big tent' of critical pedagogy, and using an expansive learning approach that is grounded in cultural historical activity theory, this paper responds to the following research questions: (i)…

Cross-case study research was used to explore the school readiness of four 5-year-old children entering kindergarten during the 2020-2021 school year after three or more years of play-based early childhood education at a Reggio Emilia-inspired early childhood education center. Data included a series of three 1-h individual interviews with four…

This study examines and preserves a record of the preferences and experiences of junior-level business students majoring in accounting when online instruction was mandatory during the COVID-19 pandemic. Two separate surveys were completed by 327 and 247 students covering five semesters. Among other results, the data collected and analyzed included…

Prior research suggests that critical participatory action research (CPAR) -- a research approach that centers democratic participation, agency, and collective capacity-building -- may be one way to improve teachers' professional development and increase their feelings of agency and well-being. Engaging in CPAR has the potential to foster…

Gaining useful insight into real-world problems through mathematical modelling is a valued activity across several disciplines including mathematics, biology, computer science and engineering. Differential equations are a valuable tool used in modelling. Modelling provides a way for students to engage with differential equations within a…

In this paper, we investigate the working lives of three Australian teachers in the hardest-to-staff schools as they tell their stories of how teacher attrition has impacted them and others. Drawing on Zavelevsky & Shapira-Lishchinsky's ecological framework (2020) we analyse their work-stories to better understand issues impacting the teaching…

This paper scrutinizes the nature and scope of deleterious consequences arising from the pursuit of unattainable pedagogical exemplars on social media. We cash out this phenomenon using exemplarist theory to emphasize the fact that social media (e.g., Facebook, Instagram, TikTok) are platforms in which the vast majority of users present idealized…

The purpose of the study was to better understand the phenomenon of exploring early mathematics through book reading. The study centers on Head Start and lays on Bronfenbrenner's bioecological framework). Two sub-questions guided the qualitative single case study of six Head Start adult participants (teachers, parents, administrators): (1) What…

In this essay, four teacher educators explore their journeys towards foregrounding students' lived experiences when teaching literature. Data about our teaching of literature in different contexts were generated through our personal reflective narratives and ensuing dialogic critical friend conversations. Inductive thematic analysis of the…

Faculty continue to support extracurricular activities, co-curricular activities and service learning for the long-term student's benefits that outweigh obstacles present in community engagement. This case study describes relationship building between a community partner and an interior design programme through extra- and co-curricular activities…

This article investigated the multifaceted role of artists in educational programmes, focusing on the challenges they face while balancing their identity as artist-teacher, artist teacher, artist-educator, and artist educator. This research was conducted in two phases. Phase one interrogated the effectiveness of artists taking on dual roles as…

There are no consistent answers to why challenging behaviour is perceived to be a problem across time and place. This article explores challenging behaviour and how it is constructed as a problem by professionals in North West England. The research was designed as a qualitative single case study that analysed the perspectives of staff from two…

Growing evidence has underscored the importance of female students' relationships and interactions in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) programs as crucial factors influencing their thriving within these programs. However, the discourse has seen a dearth of literature, especially in low-middle-income countries where…

This ethnographic case study investigates one dual language (DL) program in the midwestern United States. Drawing on concepts of "The White Space" (Anderson, 2015) and spaces of multilingualism (Blommaert et al., 2005), it explores the social perceptions, actions, and normative sensibilities of young children in a DL program where people…

Over 80,000 children in England were being looked after in Local Authority care in 2020 and a further 40,000 people were defined as 'care leavers'. Although a significant body of research highlights the prevalence of educational low achievement in the care experienced population, official government figures show that around 13% of care experienced…