Beyond Words: Supporting Nonverbal Autistic Preschoolers With Exceptional Cognitive Abilities,
2026
Old Dominion University
Beyond Words: Supporting Nonverbal Autistic Preschoolers With Exceptional Cognitive Abilities, Dawn Timms
Knowledge and Creativity Expo
This project explores how caregivers can support autistic preschoolers who are nonverbal yet demonstrate advanced cognitive abilities. Grounded in communication theory and neurodiversity‑affirming practice, it reframes communication as a shared, relational process that extends beyond spoken language. Drawing from interdisciplinary research, I created a strengths‑based caregiver communication toolkit that translates complex theory into clear, practical strategies families can use in everyday routines. This work honors the intelligence of children whose thinking outpaces their speech and equips caregivers with tools that make communication more accessible, responsive, and affirming.
“I’M So Hungry”: Assessing Stem Sensemaking Through Data-Informed Writing,
2026
Georgia Southern University
“I’M So Hungry”: Assessing Stem Sensemaking Through Data-Informed Writing, Bailey Nafziger, Alesia Mickle Moldavan, Katie Brkich
Journal of STEM Teacher Education
To engage elementary learners in the complex task of STEM sensemaking, teachers must entice and inspire learners to ask questions, explore, and communicate their findings. This article shares a 5E/3D lesson designed and taught in our elementary science methods courses to model how preservice teachers can integrate literacy and mathematics into a science investigation for STEM sensemaking. We modified a traditional lesson on bird beak adaptations to have a differentiated, interdisciplinary writing component justified by data. We discuss why data-supported literacy is a non-negotiable in science education reforms and how teachers can differentiate tasks to make scientific writing more approachable …
Exploring The Experiences Of Physically Challenged Students Enrolled In Path-Fit Courses: A Case Study,
2026
Saint Columban College
Exploring The Experiences Of Physically Challenged Students Enrolled In Path-Fit Courses: A Case Study, Princess Jhoarn A. Sarael, Shermina C. Yusop, Jessel A. Lapinig, Chandelyn C. Linto, Vanessa Lynne C. Seville
Journal of Science Education for Students with Disabilities
This qualitative case study explores physically challenged students’ experiences in PATH-fit courses within Philippine higher education, investigating their challenges and adaptive strategies. Through in-depth interviews with five students and two instructors in Pagadian City, researchers uncovered significant barriers, including exercise difficulties, physical discomfort, and social exclusion that profoundly impacted course participation. Despite facing substantial obstacles, students demonstrated remarkable resilience by developing innovative coping mechanisms such as proactive instructor communication, creative alternative activity engagement, and strategic leveraging of written assignments. Employing Resiliency Theory, the research challenged conventional disability perspectives, emphasizing that students’ true potential lies in psychological flexibility and problem-solving skills …
Breaking Barriers, Transforming Digital Literacy, And Creating Immersive Learning Environments In The 21st Century,
2026
St John College of Engineering and Management
Breaking Barriers, Transforming Digital Literacy, And Creating Immersive Learning Environments In The 21st Century, Romero D'Souza
Journal of Research Initiatives
This paper explores the future of educational technologies with a focus on breaking systemic barriers, enhancing digital literacy, and fostering immersive learning environments. Using Maharashtra, India as a case study, it examines disparities in infrastructure, internet access, and teacher readiness across government and private institutions. Local challenges are analyzed alongside initiatives like the Digital India Mission, while national policies and international best practices are reviewed for broader context. Cross-cutting themes of equity, access, and professional development highlight the need for inclusive technological integration. The pedagogical implications of emerging technologies—particularly AI and AR/VR—are assessed alongside ethical concerns around data privacy and …
My Schoolhouse Remains A Ghost Town: When The School Closes, The Block Dies,
2026
Northeastern Illinois University
My Schoolhouse Remains A Ghost Town: When The School Closes, The Block Dies, Sunni Ali
Journal of Research Initiatives
This conceptual essay examines the neoliberal policy forces driving widespread public school closures in urban communities across the United States. Drawing on scholarship in education policy, urban sociology, and community studies, the author argues that the closure of traditional public schools — accelerated by charter school expansion and accountability-driven federal policies such as No Child Left Behind and Race to the Top — has had devastating consequences for low-income communities of color. The essay explores how school closures erode neighborhood cohesion, dismantle civic anchors, and disproportionately burden students and families with the fewest school choice options. The author advocates for …
The Campaign For Motivation: Comparing Tabletop Role-Playing Game Running With Classroom Instruction,
2026
SUNY Potsdam
The Campaign For Motivation: Comparing Tabletop Role-Playing Game Running With Classroom Instruction, Arpit Bawa
Journal of Research Initiatives
Motivation is a cornerstone of effective teaching and learning, influencing student engagement, satisfaction, and academic performance. This descriptive case study examines Tabletop Role-Playing Games (TRPGs) as an underutilized pedagogical approach in higher education and compares the motivational processes involved in TRPG game running with those in classroom instruction. Leveraging the mere exposure effect (Zajonc, 1968), the study proposes that faculty unfamiliar with TRPGs can lower perceived barriers to adoption by identifying familiar motivational elements shared with classroom teaching. The study draws on self-determination theory, motivational frameworks, and case study methodology to analyze structural parallels between TRPG game mastering and instructional …
The Counseling Experiences Of Gifted Adults,
2026
University of Holy Cross
The Counseling Experiences Of Gifted Adults, Kelli Busbee, Theodore Remley
Adultspan Journal
In this transcendental phenomenological study, we followed the traditions of Moustakas and explored the counseling experiences of adults who had been identified as gifted during their school years and had experienced counseling for issues related to anxiety, depression, perfectionism, or hypersensitivity. We identified the following themes after interviewing participants: (1) growing up gifted; (2) challenges for gifted individuals at the college level; (3) living with anxiety and depression as a gifted adult; (4) medication and tools used by gifted adults; (5) being a perfectionist and dealing with hypersensitivity as a gifted adult; (6) experiences in counseling as a gifted adult; …
A Qualitative Examination Of The Motivations For Homeschooling Among Black Americans,
2026
Louisiana State University
A Qualitative Examination Of The Motivations For Homeschooling Among Black Americans, Portia J. Witt
LSU Doctoral Dissertations
This qualitative phenomenological study explored the motivations and lived experiences of African American homeschooling families. Twelve Black parents from multiple states participated in semi-structured interviews. Data were analyzed using Moustakas’ (1994) Modified Stevick–Colaizzi–Keen method and coded thematically using NVivo. Nine themes emerged: autonomy, holistic education, community belonging, online networks, public resources, curriculum gaps, personal values, effective learning, and legacy of harm. While racialization in schools—including tracking, microaggressions, and misidentification—contributed to participants’ decisions, motivations also reflected intersectional factors such as faith, disability, mental health needs, giftedness, and a desire for cultural protection and flexible learning. Findings suggest homeschooling serves as a …
The Impact And Legacy Of The Kaplans,
2026
None
The Impact And Legacy Of The Kaplans, Craig Daniels
Journal of Math Circles
As we conclude this special issue on the Kaplans, we want to leave you with some reflections on their legacy. Craig Daniels attended seven week-long Math Circle Institutes organized by Bob and Ellen Kaplan at Notre Dame between 2009 and 2016, and was inspired to lead his own Math Circles for many years. Craig collected comments from many people who knew the Kaplans.
Bob And Ellen Kaplan's Brazilian Adventure: O Círculo Da Matemática Do Brasil,
2026
The Math Circle Inc
Bob And Ellen Kaplan's Brazilian Adventure: O Círculo Da Matemática Do Brasil, Angels Varea
Journal of Math Circles
Bob and Ellen Kaplan deployed their boundless energy to spread The Math Circle word in Brazil in what they called their “Brazilian adventure.” They are the inspiration for the project O Círculo da Matemática do Brasil and participated wholeheartedly in its implementation, travelling to Brazil six times over five years to train teams of young Math Circle leaders that taught over twenty-seven thousand underprivileged children within the framework of the project.
Bringing Math Circles Into New Mexico Classrooms: An Interview With James Taylor,
2026
Central Washington University
Bringing Math Circles Into New Mexico Classrooms: An Interview With James Taylor, Amanda Serenevy
Journal of Math Circles
In this interview, conducted on December 14th, 2022, James described his math outreach journey and the many members of the Math Circle community who helped him along the way.
Corresponding With The Kaplans,
2026
Central Washington University
Corresponding With The Kaplans, Rodi Steinig
Journal of Math Circles
Readers of this journal have asked to hear the Kaplans’ voices: their tone, the way they were able to contextualize math questions, their generosity, and their joy. We think it’s important to share a few of these hundred-plus emails so that readers can feel that tone.
The Kaplans’ Math Circle Method,
2026
Central Washington University
The Kaplans’ Math Circle Method, Amanda Serenevy
Journal of Math Circles
This essay explores what is meant by "The Socratic Method" in classical and modern times and examines the extent to which the Kaplans employed it in their Math Circles. We offer an imagined dialogue between the Kaplans and their students on the same mathematical subject explored by Socrates and the slave boy in Plato's dialogue \emph{Meno} to illustrate how the Kaplans might have handled that topic
The Joy Of Participatory Learning: The Math Circle,
2026
Mindspring
The Joy Of Participatory Learning: The Math Circle, Peter Flom
Journal of Math Circles
Peter Flom was inspired to write this blog post after visiting the Kaplans' Math Circle in Boston.
The Pedagogical Lineage Of The Kaplans And Its Future,
2026
The Global Math Circle
The Pedagogical Lineage Of The Kaplans And Its Future, Taylor Yeracaris
Journal of Math Circles
This article describes the origins of Bob and Ellen Kaplan's Math Circle, one of the first Math Circles in the U.S. It covers Bob and Ellen's personal histories and some of the wide-ranging impact of their work and philosophy of teaching. It also discusses how the current form of their organization, The Global Math Circle, is working to carry forward their legacy, including building community and supporting Math Circle leaders with the Nexus project.
Introduction To The Special Issue Honoring Bob And Ellen Kaplan,
2026
Central Washington University
Introduction To The Special Issue Honoring Bob And Ellen Kaplan, Amanda Serenevy, Rodi Steinig
Journal of Math Circles
In 1994, Bob and Ellen Kaplan embarked together with other friends and colleagues on a wonderful adventure. Friends had lamented that there was a lack of high-quality math learning experiences for kids along the lines of the Math Circles offered in the former Soviet Union, so the Kaplans decided to do something about it. This special issue is dedicated to a remembrance of that adventure and its impact on the mathematical and personal development of many people.
2026 Intersession Catalog,
2026
Illinois Math and Science Academy
2026 Intersession Catalog, Illinois Math And Science Academy
Intersession Catalogs
No abstract provided.
A Regional Multimethod Study On The Impact Of Identification Practices For Diverse Populations In Academically Gifted Programs During The 2022-2025 Aig Plan Implementation,
2026
Gardner-Webb University
A Regional Multimethod Study On The Impact Of Identification Practices For Diverse Populations In Academically Gifted Programs During The 2022-2025 Aig Plan Implementation, Stephanie G. Revis
Doctor of Education Dissertations
Historically, many North Carolina Local Education Agencies (LEAs) have not prioritized diversity in Academically and Intellectually Gifted (AIG) programs, and local control over funding and policies has led to wide variations in how identification and services are implemented. As a result, persistent equity gaps exist between the proportion of culturally, linguistically, and ethnically diverse (CLED) students in the overall population and their representation in AIG programs. The purpose of this study was to examine identification practices implemented by LEAs and determine their impact on the Relative Difference in Composition Index (RDCI), as well as to identify which practices contribute to …
Policy Into Practice: Exploring School Counselors' And School Psychologists' Knowledge And Sensemaking Towards The Application Of Alternative Gifted Identification Criteria For Lower Socioeconomic Students,
2026
University of Central Florida
Policy Into Practice: Exploring School Counselors' And School Psychologists' Knowledge And Sensemaking Towards The Application Of Alternative Gifted Identification Criteria For Lower Socioeconomic Students, Brittany E. Hague
Graduate Studies Theses and Dissertations 2026
Persistent underrepresentation of students from lower socioeconomic status (SES) backgrounds in Gifted education reflects long-standing structural inequities embedded in identification policies and practices. In response, many Florida school districts have adopted equity-oriented identification reforms, including universal screening, local norms, and multiple-measure approaches. However, policy equity does not automatically translate into equitable outcomes; rather, it is mediated through the interpretive work of school-based practitioners. Guided by Sensemaking Theory, this convergent mixed-methods study examines how school counselors and school psychologists construct meaning around alternative Gifted identification criteria and how their beliefs, professional judgment, and organizational contexts shape implementation. The study explores how …
An Examination Of The Impact Of School Context And Socioeconomic Status On Agency And Creative Productivity In Gifted High School Students,
2026
University of Central Florida
An Examination Of The Impact Of School Context And Socioeconomic Status On Agency And Creative Productivity In Gifted High School Students, Elizabeth Bronson
Graduate Studies Theses and Dissertations 2026
This explanatory sequential mixed methods study investigated gifted high school students’ perception of the agency afforded them within school settings, and the relationship between these perceptions and their creative productivity. A sample of 140 students was drawn from a population of 966 identified gifted high school students. These students were contacted via their parents and asked to complete the Agentic Engagement Scale (AES) questionnaire which provided gifted high school students’ perceptions of the agency afforded at school. No significant differences in perceived agency were found across demographic variables, including socioeconomic status and school type. Of the respondents, 10 students were …
