In the Bulgarian public space social distances and stereotypes regarding the Roma ethnicity are still difficult to overcome. This process' impact on the social development of the Roma child is an indisputable fact that has negative social implications when the child joins the school community. Predicting and overcoming these consequences implies…

A growing body of scholarship in writing studies has started exploring threshold concepts for writing, providing a synoptic view of the transformations students undergo as they learn about writing. However, the field has not yet undertaken a systematic investigation of threshold concepts for the teaching of writing. A distinction between threshold…

Previous research in clinical, community, and school settings has demonstrated positive outcomes for the Secret Agent Society (SAS) social skills training program. This is designed to help children on the autism spectrum become more aware of emotions in themselves and others and to 'problem-solve' complex social scenarios. Parents play a key role…

Young children's speech and communication skills have been in the spotlight in recent years, often in association with parental socio-economic status and children's 'readiness' for school. Finding innovative and open-ended ways to encourage children with communication difficulties to engage in interactive play was the premise for this action…

Sociology students are interested in having meaningful careers that use their sociological knowledge and skills, and higher education institutions are under pressure to show that their graduates achieve career success. A one-credit-hour course focused on careers, professional development, and resources for sociology majors can increase students'…

"Active ingredients" are one way to describe the elements of a program that are responsible for the targeted change in behavior, skill, attitude, or belief (Li & Julian "American Journal of Orthopsychiatry," 82(2), 157-166, 2012). This term assumes a connection between program elements (ingredients) and participant…

It is proposed that young children may develop a felt sense of God through an attachment to nature that parallels their attachment to significant people in their lives. Children learn through their senses and young children experience a sense of awe and wonder when immersed in nature. Research supports the argument that children who are exposed to…

Sustainability learning is holistic and complex as it draws on diverse disciplines and can be interpreted differently within individual pedagogies. Embedding sustainability across and within business schools relies on developing suitable boundary objects. These may include representations such as models, frameworks or classificatory schemes that…

This conceptual paper explores the pedagogical implications of educational robotics (ER) in management education. Premised on Vygotsky's social constructivism, this paper conceptualizes ER as a stimulus for serving dual roles, as a pedagogical means and as a learning outcome, by presenting a number of justifications and viable approaches. This…

The purpose of the study was to investigate the effectiveness of a three-phased self-directed model in enhancing the social problem-solving skills and the levels of self-determination of students with ASD. A total of 44 junior high school students with ASD were assigned to either an experimental group (n = 24) receiving the three-phased…

Waste created by modern lifestyles is of key concern to sustainable development globally. Early childhood centres engage in sustainable practices, and waste management is one of these practices. Past research has indicated that early childhood staff are challenged to implement sustainable practices. However, the National Quality Standard requires…

This paper presents findings from a year-long qualitative study of three primary schools in South-East England, focussing on the importance of leadership in changing the culture of a school. In each school, the aim was to embed nurturing principles across the whole school, not just run a nurture group as a specialist intervention. The underlying…

Advancements in medical technology have contributed to increased rates of preterm birth. Prematurity places infants at high risk for feeding difficulties, however. Early identification and assessment of preterm infant dysphagia is critical to maximize nutrition and hydration, feeding safety, and growth and development. The purpose of this study…

The spring of 2020 surfaced unprecedented challenges, with a global pandemic and societal unrest initiated by highly publicized police killings of citizens in Minnesota, Kentucky, and elsewhere. Although for many people throughout the US and Canada, the confluence of events has brought a new level of awareness and new vocabulary for such issues as…

The U.S. R&D enterprise relies on businesses, federal and nonfederal governments, higher education institutions, and other nonprofit organizations. This report identifies trends in R&D performance and funding and compares them to those of the world's other major economies. The U.S. annual total of R&D has expanded steadily since 2010…