Secondary Education Commons^™

What Educational Experiences Influence 2nd Level Students To Study Computer Science? - A Longitudinal Phd Study, Miriam Harte

Women+ in Early Career Research Symposium

Computing is an increasingly vital skill within the modern economy [3], prompting the Irish Department of Education to take action to integrate computing curricula across all stages of formal education. Despite the growing demand for computer scientists, a significant gap exists between the introduction of computing at 2nd level and students’ continuation in computing at Senior Cycle and 3rd Level education. We are aware that factors such as socioeconomic back- ground [2] and even teacher availability affect student engagement in Computer Science (CS) [1]. We intend to investigate the role of educational experiences in shaping 2nd Level students’ decisions to …

A Snapshot Of Three High School, Female Students' Writing Knowledge, Apryl L. Poch

Journal of Curriculum, Teaching, Learning and Leadership in Education

This study explored the writing knowledge of three typically developing strong high school female writers. Students completed one semi-structured, individual interview. Interview questions were adopted from Lin et al. (2007) and Saddler and Graham (2007). Results indicated that students possess relatively mature conceptions of writing, focusing more on the collective expression of writing. However, students did struggle with understanding the meaning of expository writing. Further consideration of students’ writing knowledge may allow teachers to better scaffold and develop the ways in which they teach writing across the high school grades, and to advance students’ content acquisition.

“These Kids Can’T Access The Information”: A Case Study Of Teacher Understanding Of Foundational Reading Skills At The Secondary Level, Stevy Schliewe, Emily Zoeller

Journal of Curriculum, Teaching, Learning and Leadership in Education

National literacy reforms aim to improve students’ basic reading skills, yet adolescent readers and teachers have not been adequately included in the conversation. The purpose of this study was to explore perceptions of foundational reading skills at the secondary level among high school literacy practitioners. The study used a case study method to learn participant understanding of foundational skills and contextual factors surrounding their ability to teach them. Findings revealed how participants recognized the need for foundational reading skill development in their high school students. However, participants reported not feeling prepared to design this instruction and barriers presented in standards, …

Using Paired Queer Literature To Foster Critical Literacy And Intersectionality, Ferial Pearson, Jennifer L. Lemke

Journal of Curriculum, Teaching, Learning and Leadership in Education

This article explores the use of paired queer literature as a tool for fostering critical literacy and intersectional understanding in K–12 educational settings. Grounded in the belief that literature should serve as both a mirror and a window for students (Bishop, 1990), the paper argues for the inclusion of LGBTQ+ narratives to challenge dominant heteronormative frameworks that pervade U.S. school culture. By pairing texts that reflect diverse sexual orientations, gender identities, and intersecting social identities, educators can cultivate inclusive classrooms that affirm all students’ experiences. The paper provides a framework for selecting high-quality, developmentally appropriate LGBTQ+ texts across grade levels …

“It’S A Lot More To It Than Just Research”: Integrating Critical Data Literacy And Reasoning With Data Into A Stem Summer Camp, Marc T. Sager, Saki L. Milton, Candace Walkington

Publications

Purpose: This study explores how middle-grade girls from predominantly underrepresented and underserved racially and ethnically minoritized (UUREM) backgrounds developed critical data literacy (CDL) through participation in a week-long residential STEM camp. Given the increasing importance of data science education in a data-driven world, this research examines how informal learning environments can support CDL development among youth from historically marginalized groups.

Design/Methodology/Approach: The study draws on qualitative interview data from eleven participants, and their group-produced artifacts to investigate how the camp experience supported engagement with data and the development of CDL. Interviews explored participants' experiences with data collection, organization, analysis, and …

Elevating The Underrepresented And Marginalized Using Experiences In Stem (Lumens): A Stem Diversity And Inclusion Initiative, Robert Cobb Jr, Paula E. Faulkner, Deiadra Modlin, Obinna Chiekezi, Victoria Cobbold, Madison Beaudoin

Journal of Research Initiatives

The study offered a 5-week summer immersion program to address the shortage of students from underrepresented populations enrolling in degree programs and seeking careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). The study also addressed the importance of offering summer immersion programs to close the achievement gap. A quantitative descriptive design was used to gather data from participants related to STEM lessons during the program. Gender, grade level, and race served as the demographic variables. The study included 21 secondary students in grades 9–12. Pre- and post-tests assessed participants' knowledge gain regarding STEM lessons. Data analyzed with SPSS version 29 …

22nd Annual Diversity Law Symposium Dinner March 23, 2026, Roger Williams University School Of Law

School of Law Conferences, Lectures & Events

No abstract provided.

Building Self-Efficacy In Students With Dyslexia: A Practice-Forward Framework For Classrooms, Families, And Teacher Preparation, Jennifer L. Vanderground

Michigan Reading Journal

Self-efficacy—the belief in one’s capacity to organize and carry out actions to reach goals—predicts persistence, strategic behavior, and academic outcomes (Bandura, 1997). For students with dyslexia, recurring experiences of effortful reading and peer comparison can suppress self-efficacy and elevate anxiety (Humphrey & Mullins, 2002; Nalavany et al., 2017). Research consistently links dyslexia with higher rates of internalizing symptoms such as anxiety and depression, alongside modifiable correlates including self-beliefs, coping, and school connectedness—promising leverage points for educators and families (Livingston et al., 2018).

Prevalence estimates vary widely. Under strict criteria, fewer than 10% of students qualify, but when thresholds include those …

Human Capital And Labor Market Effects Of Elite Schooling In England, Scotland, And Wales: New Causal Evidence From Nonparametric Bounds, Zhanhan Yu, Vikesh Amin, Carlos A. Flores, Alfonso Flores-Lagunes, Giuseppe Germinario

Upjohn Institute Working Papers

We estimate the causal effect of attending elite schools in England, Scotland, and Wales on human capital and labor market outcomes for cohorts of children from the 1958 National Child Development Study and the 1970 British Cohort Study. For identification, we employ a nonparametric partial-identification approach that provides bounds on the causal effect by assuming that, on average, there is positive selection into elite school attendance, and that attending an elite school does not worsen average potential human capital or labor market outcomes. The bounds indicate that there could possibly be large education and labor market returns from attending an …

Consequences Of Time Poverty Due To Work Intensification: Lived Experiences Of High School Teachers, John Manning, Lisa Reason

Journal of Organizational & Educational Leadership

This qualitative study sought to explore teachers’ lived experiences with work intensification in a public high school. Apple’s teacher work intensification thesis was used as a framework to evaluate how organizational conditions, time poverty, and job demands contribute to increasing complexity in teachers’ work as well as how they mediate their own responses to it. The research explored the lived experiences of 10 public high school teachers as they managed their perceived feelings of time poverty alongside increasing job demands. Data was collected through interviews, reflective journals, and a qualitative survey. Analysis strategies included in vivo coding, horizontalization, triangulation, and …

Leveraging The Intersection Of Ai And Play To Foster Human Connectedness And Character Formation, Lori B. Doyle, Ashley Brandon

Journal of Organizational & Educational Leadership

The benefits of fostering character formation are vast, encompassing psychological, social and emotional growth, yet there is no universally prescribed manner by which to proceed. Central to these efforts is human connectedness, which enhances psychological functioning and provides a pivotal foundation for well-being. Emerging factors such as integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the pedagogy of play are novel topics for the conversation within the character formation discourse. These elements, while tangentially related, hold significant potential to amplify character formation and sense of belonging. This paper examines the intersection of AI, pedagogy of play, and character formation through a theoretical …

Linking Illinois High School To College Data And Beyond, Benjamin Boer

Reports, Analyses, and other Publications

This brief examines the challenges and opportunities in linking high school, postsecondary, and workforce data in Illinois. Despite significant investments in education pathways, career programs, and dual credit initiatives, there is no central source of data showing whether Illinois high school graduates are enrolling in college, persisting through their programs, and securing quality employment. The brief explores why data linking is technically and structurally challenging, reviews existing efforts at state and national levels, and provides specific recommendations for improving data infrastructure. Using the STAMP (Scaling Transformative Advanced Manufacturing Pathways) program as a case study, the authors demonstrate how linked data …

Book Review: Assessing Autoethnography: Notes On Analysis, Evaluation, And Craft, Margaret Berg

Journal of Educational Research and Innovation

No abstract provided.

Leading Where You Live: A Qualitative Multi-Case Study Of Public High School Principals Who Reside In Their School Communities, Joseph Held

Doctorate in Education

Despite extensive scholarship on relational trust, social capital, place-based leadership, and culturally responsive practice, little is known about how a principal’s residency within the school community shapes leadership demands. This qualitative, multi-case study employed semi-structured interviews, reflexive memoing, and cross-case thematic analysis to examine how nine Minnesota high school principals who lived in the urban, suburban, and rural communities they served experienced leadership practice, equity work, and emotional labor. Findings revealed that residency functions as a consequential leadership condition that reorganizes how principals build trust, exercise judgment, engage families, navigate boundaries, and interpret equity-related tensions. Six themes illuminated residency as: …

Greater Newark Stem Ecosystem - 2026 Convening - Small Group Outcomes & Action Plan, Brad Schenker

STEM for Success Showcase

In January 2026, GNSE convened ecosystem partners for a co-design session focused on identifying shared challenges, opportunities, and near-term actions to strengthen STEM education and career-connected learning. Participants engaged in small-group discussions to surface barriers, enablers, and potential areas for coordinated action.

Slow Education, Sit Spot, And Holistic Well-Being: A Narrative Case Study In Secondary Science Education, Steph Dean, Jim Lane, Paul Bocko, Albert Gilbert, Devan A. Jones

Publications

The demands of a test-dominant education system point towards the need for students to have opportunities for unhurried learning engagements, a movement known as slow education. The purpose of this study was to examine the long-term influence of Sit Spot–a recurrent, structured time to reflect outdoors–on students’ holistic well-being. Using a narrative case study approach, we interviewed a secondary field ecology teacher and seven of his former students to understand the impact of high school Sit Spot experiences during a semester-long science class. Three primary outcomes emerged: (1) enduring impact on the whole person, (2) engagement with affect, and (3) …

Developing Ecosocial Literacy / Transforming Ecosocial Leadership: A Curriculum Research & Development Project, Chris Zorn, Lois A. Yamauchi, Madiha Jamil

IALS Journal

This case study examines the Global Leadership Laboratory (GLL), a yearlong high school leadership course at University Laboratory School in Hawaiʻi. The curriculum integrates transformative learning and contemplative practices to promote student voice, self-awareness, leadership skills, and personal agency. Through interviews, observations, and student artifacts, the study found that reflective journaling, dialogue, contemplative practices, and transformative learning activities supported the development of authentic student voice and perspective transformation, although outcomes varied by classroom conditions and student readiness.

Students’ Perceptions At The University Of Puerto Rico Secondary School Regarding Cellphone Use In The School Environmen, Nicolás Ramos, Nydiaam Vilanova

IALS Journal

This mixed-methods study investigates students’ perceptions of cellphone use at the University of Puerto Rico Secondary School. Data were collected from 133 students through a structured electronic survey examining phone ownership, usage patterns, emotional responses, parental regulation, and opinions regarding cellphone restrictions in schools. Results indicate that most students perceive their cellphone use as appropriate, recognize both educational and social benefits, and oppose complete bans while supporting responsible use and guided autonomy. The findings suggest that schools should emphasize digital citizenship, self-regulation, and balanced technology use rather than punitive restrictions.

Students’ Conceptions Of The Future: Participatory Co-Research And Teaching Experiment, Anna Veijola, Tuukka Tomperi

IALS Journal

This study examines upper secondary students’ conceptions of the future through a participatory teaching and research experiment conducted in a philosophy course at the University of Jyväskylä Teacher Training School. Students collaboratively created short films imagining the world in 2043 and wrote reflective essays about the ethical and philosophical issues represented in their films. Using the framework of Futures Consciousness, the researchers analyzed themes related to time perspective, agency, openness to alternatives, systems thinking, and concern for others. Findings revealed that students expressed both utopian and dystopian visions rooted in contemporary global concerns such as climate change, inequality, technological development, …

Necessary, But Insufficient: School Counselors’ Informal Learning Experiences With Writing Letters Of Recommendations, Mandy Savitz-Romer, Tara Nicola, Julius Dilorenzo, Jen Ha, Amy Desiderio, Sebastian Munoz Galvez, Matthew O'Brien

Journal of College Access

Submission of recommendation letters from high school counselors is a requirement for undergraduate admission at many selective colleges. However, there has been limited research to-date examining these critical application components and the front-line professionals who generate them. This study examines how high school counselors, who are key actors in holistic admission practices, learn how to craft recommendation letters. Given previous research has found that counselors have limited training in college admission counseling, understanding the learning processes that shape their letter writing is a critical first step for improving the quality of letters and their utility for student success in the …