This paper grapples with methodological issues related to ongoing debates on positionality and reflexivity by drawing on the author's experience of conducting research in a culturally familiar field. The paper is based on in-depth qualitative research that examined the lived realities of unemployed young people residing in the township of Daveyton…

Causal asymmetry is a situation where the causal factors under study are more suitable for explaining the outcome than its absence (or vice versa); they do not explain both equally well. In such a situation, presence of a cause leads to presence of the effect, but absence of the cause may not lead to absence of the effect. A conceptual discussion…

Our technological, information-rich society thrives because of scientific thinking. However, a comprehensive theory of the development of scientific thinking remains elusive. Building on previous theoretical and empirical work in conceptual change, the role of credibility and plausibility in evaluating scientific evidence and claims, science…

In this conceptual article, we posit that Black life matters in the Black Belt of the American South. We connect two current trends in rural educational research--a return to questions of place and sincere attention to race as a crucial conversation in the field--and provide readers with an introduction to Black Geography as a means to inform…

Planning longitudinal studies can be challenging as various design decisions need to be made. Often, researchers are in search for the optimal design that maximizes statistical power to test certain parameters of the employed model. We provide a user-friendly Shiny app OptDynMo available at https://shiny.psychologie.hu-berlin.de/optdynmo that…

Functional analysis methods allow clinicians to determine the variable(s) that maintain destructive behavior. Previous reviews of functional analysis outcomes have included large samples of published and unpublished data sets (i.e., clinical samples). The purpose of this review was to conduct a large retrospective consecutive controlled case…

In this metasynthesis, we examined 21 highly cited qualitative studies on family literacy scholarship conducted by Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) scholars from 1981 to 2019. This metasynthesis integrates findings to present a counterstory that challenges dominant narratives in family literacy. By amplifying often overlooked or…

In the ever-evolving landscape of higher education research, the intersection of performance-based funding policy, export control laws, and research endeavors presents a complex web of challenges and opportunities. This dissertation explores this intricate interplay through two distinct yet interconnected lenses. The first paper, a law review…

Background: Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) is a powerful and broadly utilized statistical framework. Researchers employ these models to dissect relationships into direct, indirect, and total effects (Bollen, 1989). These models unpack the "black box" issues within cause-and-effect studies by examining the underlying theoretical…

The visual analysis of data presented in time-series graphs are common in single-case design (SCD) research and applied practice in school psychology. A growing body of research suggests that visual analysts' ratings are often influenced by construct-irrelevant features including Y-axis truncation and compression of the number of data points per…

E-schools, marked by their digital and interactive settings, offer synchronous and asynchronous learning, transcending traditional educational confines. Highlighted during the COVID-19 pandemic, these schools emphasize flexibility and accessibility, crucial for education during crises. The expected post-pandemic growth of e-learning stresses…

This study examined tensions affecting university English language teachers, and subsequently the liminal space they occupied. In this study, tensions arose because of the introduction and promotion of Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) for conducting language pedagogical research. This move had inadvertently displaced existing research…

Increased specialisation of disciplinary cultures creates barriers for students who may not understand the genre, style and conventions of disciplinary writing. Academic literacies research recognises that literacy is a social practice where writing is inextricably linked to knowledge construction. Learning to write, therefore, requires…

Purpose: Since teaching practice is the most important within-school determinant of student learning outcomes, a deepened understanding of how and why school leadership contributes to effective teaching is needed. This article aimed to systematically review the knowledge that has been accumulated about the indirect relations between school…

Science teachers play a crucial role in the science education system, significantly influencing the development of students. However, existing research highlights issues such as a wide age span and uneven quality among science teachers, which undermines the effectiveness of science education. In addition, the role of science teachers can be…