The purpose of this study was to identify the obstacles to the adoption of Web 2.0 technologies as part of corporate learning solutions and strategies. The study followed a qualitative inquiry approach. The sample consisted of 20 corporate learning professionals who are members of the American Society for Training and Development (ASTD) social…

Action research is increasingly recognized as an important component in initial teacher education programs in different countries around the world. Either as an inquiry project conducted during a field experience, or as a research-inclusive course, action research processes are introduced to student teachers during their study period in order to…

The author has found over her 13 years of teaching that starting off the school year with a science investigation has been a great method to learn about her students, to engage them about science before the school year even starts, and to build a foundation for a year of engaging science experiences. This article describes four such activities…

In intermediate and college algebra courses there are a number of methods for factoring quadratic trinomials with integer coefficients over the integers. Some of these methods have been given names, such as trial and error, reversing FOIL, AC method, middle term splitting method and slip and slide method. The purpose of this article is to discuss…

Recent publications have documented positive attitudinal shifts on the Colorado Learning Attitudes about Science Survey (CLASS) among students enrolled in courses with an explicit epistemological focus. We now report positive attitudinal shifts in classes using the "Physics by Inquiry" ("PbI") curriculum, which has only an…

The author's thesis is simple and direct. Those in the mixed methods qualitative inquiry community need a new story line, one that does not confuse pragmatism for triangulation, and triangulation for mixed methods research (MMR). A different third way is required, one that inspires generative politics and dialogic democracy and helps shape…

Often research on the professional development (PD) of staff is framed within a problem-based context that focuses on the PD-related problems experienced by staff. This study pursued a different approach by using the appreciative inquiry (AI) theoretical perspective to study the positive experiences of staff in respect of PD and their desire to…

If academic development is to contribute to (re)shaping the purposes and means of pedagogy in higher education, then it has to be based on educational inquiry, for only inquiry will allow us to undertake a critical analysis of educational policies, practices and beliefs with the goal of transforming them. However, the conditions under which…

This documentary account explores the potential of public art pedagogy to co-construct imaginative spaces in pre-service teacher education. Based upon a collaborative venture between two professors and an arts-based educational organization, the present article describes and analyzes key features and relations that were influential in transforming…

This inquiry developed during the process of "quantitizing" qualitative data the authors had gathered for a mixed methods curriculum efficacy study. Rather than providing the intended rigor to their data coding process, their use of an intercoder reliability metric prompted their investigation of the multiplicity and messiness that, as they…

In this concluding article of the special issue entitled "Identity Formation in Educational Settings", we explicate the notion of identity as an integrative concept, discuss its growing popularity in the social sciences, and point to its special significance to education in contemporary society. Following an Eriksonian psychosocial approach and…

This paper describes doctoral research that focuses on the development of a learning analytics framework for inquiry-based digital learning. Building on the Community of Inquiry model (CoI)--a foundation commonly used in the research and practice of digital learning and teaching--this research builds on the existing body of knowledge in two…

Non-major students taking science courses to fulfill degree requirements may show low interest in traditional lecture-based classrooms. While professors may try to incorporate hands-on activities to the classroom to foster enthusiasm, the development of a low-cost, low-hazard scienitfic activity that engages students can be challenging. Moreover,…

Informal learning relates to activities that occur outside the school environment. These learning environments, such as visits to science centers provide valuable motivational opportunities for students to learn science. The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of the pre-academic center in science education and particularly to…

Motivating students in analytical chemistry can be challenging, in part because of the complexity and breadth of topics involved. Some methods that help encourage students and convey real-world relevancy of the material include incorporating environmental issues, research-based lab experiments, and service learning projects. In this paper, we…