This article provides an account of how six mentor teachers in Sweden reflect on the professional development opportunities they encounter, in the act of mentoring student teachers. The interview data come from the initial phase of a study titled "Growing through mentoring: An activity-based inquiry into mentor teacher growth in knowledge and…

Professional learning communities (PLCs) have been commonly implemented in educational context, specifically in English language education. While prior studies have continuously reported PLCs' contribution and impacts on teacher professional development (TPD), some also reported several challenges in implementing PLCs. In this regard, a…

Student parents--college students with dependent children--are highly motivated to succeed in college. They pursue degrees not only to achieve economic mobility for themselves but also to secure a better future for their children. Despite their high aspirations, they encounter significant barriers that contribute to frequent stop-outs--withdrawing…

The pandemic-related educational emergency created the need to re-organise teaching and learning processes, as well as teacher professional development (TPD) opportunities. The forced nature of the transition to remote teaching during the pandemic somewhat shifted the micro or macro-level factors in the re-organisation of teaching and learning,…

Mid-career faculty are tasked with becoming the next generation of faculty leaders and mentors with minimal support and limited opportunities for professional growth and mentorship (Baker et al., 2019; Hamilton, 2022). To support mid-career faculty, the Office of Teaching and Learning (OTL) developed the University Teaching Leadership Fellows…

In recent years, digital education has become a cornerstone of higher education, particularly following the rapid expansion of online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. The specific objective of this study was to identify the key affordances (critical factors) and essential features for effective digital course design within higher education.…

This research study compares student outcomes and perceptions in two in-person sections of the same community college business law course: one with the previously used commercial textbook and the other with an open textbook created by the faculty specifically for the course outcomes. The faculty was motivated to create the open textbook to make…

This policy brief describes the academic impact of the PLC at Work® process in Texas Model PLC Schools. By comparing student performance in designated schools to matched peers, the study finds that students in PLC schools experience meaningful gains in math and reading achievement--equivalent to two to four months of additional learning. Gains…

Since summer 2023, Texas' Financial Aid for Swift Transfer (FAST) program reimburses public colleges for the cost of delivering Dual Credit (DC) programs to low-income students, based on eligibility for federal Free- and Reduced-Lunch (FRL) programs. FAST is a potentially transformational state policy that can improve access to DC. This brief…

In their quest to further their understanding of the power of plática (authentic dialogue) in community engagement efforts, the researchers/practitioners embedded themselves in deep, critical conversations with family leaders from a community-based organization on issues of equity and excellence in education. The researchers/practitioners…

Student affairs practice must proactively address issues of access in the design and delivery of community service experiences. Gone are the days of presuming equitable access to opportunities. Recent research identifies significant barriers associated with financial security, familial responsibilities, time, and transportation as critical…

Teachers who adopt a growth mindset significantly enhance student development, facilitating learning, and continuous improvement, leading to better student learning outcomes and a more positive learning environment. This research aimed to develop a growth mindset to improve the facilitating learning skills of primary school teachers. The research…

Knowledge integration is a common challenge in medical education, but its importance is even more pronounced in times of crisis and prolonged disruption of the educational process. In this article, we explore how the use of creative and generative teaching and learning activities, including presentations, drawing association maps, role-playing,…

The concept of a connected classroom climate considers that peer-to-peer interaction, not just instructor-student interaction, contributes to a sense of community in the classroom that can impact student outcomes. This qualitative case study considers both student and instructor perceptions of what contributes to that sense of connection in the…

This paper critically examines the transformative potential of integrating Community Engagement (CE) and Culturally Responsive Pedagogy (CRP) within Initial Teacher Education (ITE) programs globally. It highlights the significance of community-based learning and the Funds of Knowledge (FoK) framework in preparing educators to address the…