The Role Of Native And Non-Native Teachers In Selecting Children’S Literature By Native Authors, Trisha Moquino, Katie Kitchens, Laini Szostkowski, Tiffany Jewell, Debbie Reese

Occasional Paper Series

Our contribution to the Occasional Paper Series is driven by the editors request for articles that will provide readers with an opportunity to learn how to use Indigenous Children’s and Young Adult Literature (ICYAL) texts responsibly. In our experience, children encounter far too much anti-Indigeneity in literature, and therefore the classroom.. Before using a book, a teacher must select the book they plan to use in the classroom. If the teacher is seeking to “provide opportunities for students to develop interpersonal relationships between real live kids and those who live only on the page,” (Leitich Smith, 2020) we think it …

“We Sing Too:” Pedagogical Approaches For Listening To Children In Indigenous Picturebooks, Rachel Stubbs, Anja Dressler Araujo, Kari Dressler, Jadyn Fischer-Mcnabb, Aubrey Hanson, Erin Spring

Occasional Paper Series

This article explores how storytelling, particularly through picture books, facilitates learning across boundaries of age, culture, gender, and education. In this article, we emphasize the value of picture books in integrating Indigenous oral traditions into the classroom, highlighting how these texts foster a reciprocal relationship between listener and storyteller. By focusing on the act of listening, our article argues that Indigenous picture books require active participation and decentering of the individual, positioning listeners as part of a larger collective. This article also underscores the importance of viewing children as active, responsible, and agential members of their communities, aligning with Indigenous …

Making Connections To The Local: Exploring The Role Of Indigenous Literature In Early Childhood Education, Lori Huston, Dr. Jan Hare, Ashleigh Janis, Leigh Kweon

Occasional Paper Series

Indigenous children's literature is a vital resource for nurturing cultural understandings and appreciation from an early age for both Indigenous and non-Indigenous children. This paper presents insights gathered from a workshop titled "Nurturing Indigenous Childhoods Through Themed Picture Books: Making Connections to the Local," which emerged as a culmination of our collaborative work on a massive open online course (MOOC) centered on Indigenous pedagogy in early childhood education. We curated a list of Indigenous children's books and engaged in discussions on the significance of Indigenous literature in nurturing cultural identity and literacy learning. In doing so, we aspired to create …

Transdisciplinarity Through A Functional Approach In The Content Areas: Commonalities For School Teachers, Karen L. Terrell, Luciana C. De Oliveira, Jia Gui

Journal of English Learner Education

In 2020, the WIDA Consortium released a revised English language development standards framework that integrates a functional approach to language development, grounded in systemic functional linguistics, across core subjects: English Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies. Central to this framework are four Key Language Uses—Narrate, Inform, Explain, and Argue. While this holistic approach is promising, it poses challenges for elementary and middle-grade teachers and ESOL specialists, who often teach multiple subjects. To ensure all teachers can implement this approach effectively, the integration of functional language must be simplified for generalist instructors. This article explores how identifying linguistic commonalities across …

Ensuring Ossabaw Island’S Lasting Legacy: Jimmy Carter And The Heritage Trust Act, Ariel Cornett, Cynthia C. Massey, Kathryn L. Haughney, Amanda Wall, Cora Mccaffrey

Teaching Social Studies in the Peach State

These classroom-based activities focus on Jimmy Carter, the Heritage Trust Act, and Ossabaw Island. We developed two short classroom experiences based on Georgia social studies standards with supporting English language arts standards: one classroom experience for second grade and the other for eighth grade. Teachers can adapt content and sequence for their grade levels, schedules, and other school-specific factors. Students will explore the history, culture, and geography of Ossabaw Island, Georgia’s third-largest barrier island. Classroom experiences include different sources, photo analysis, and a range of learning activities with modifications; figures and appendices are included.

Developing Civic Competence With Educative Curriculum Materials Featuring A Historical Photograph Of Antarctica, Cory Callahan

The Councilor: A National Journal of the Social Studies

Here the author advocates for an innovative teaching approach synthesizing three research-based, instructional strategies: promoting civic competence within international and global contexts, planning with educative curriculum materials, and exploring historical photographs for higher-order thinking. He traces the crafting of an exemplary lesson through this approach and discusses its underpinning rationale. The lesson helps students and teachers think deeply about land claims and resource disputes in Antarctica while addressing a persistent value conflict throughout history: balancing national sovereignty and international law. A teacher-friendly narrative constitutes the lesson plan; however, it is not teacher-proof, as teachers are encouraged to make instructional decisions …

What Can Bird Poop Teach Us About The History Of U.S. Imperialism?: Guano Islands And Manifest Destiny Beyond Continental Borders, Eliot Fackler

The Councilor: A National Journal of the Social Studies

In high school and college history courses, Manifest Destiny is often taught as a period when the United States expanded across the North American continent in the decades before the Civil War. This article outlines an inquiry-driven lesson examining the Antebellum guano rush and its devastating consequences to show that Manifest Destiny was also characterized by extracontinental imperial ambitions. It highlights the lasting impacts of the 1856 Guano Islands Act and links the guano rush to subsequent empire-building efforts, U.S. militarism, and ecological destruction. The article provides relevant background history, descriptions of possible class activities and assessments, and options for …

Whose Histories Will A Genai Tool Generate? Prompting Chatgpt-4 For Diverse History Lesson Plans For The Cold War Space Race, Robert W. Maloy, Sai Gattupalli, Torrey Trust

The Councilor: A National Journal of the Social Studies

This paper explores strategies for teachers to use in prompting ChatGPT-4 to develop diverse history lesson plans for the Cold War Space Race. Prior research showed that when given a single, broadly phrased “design a lesson plan” prompt, chatbots are less likely to generate material about experiences of African Americans, women, and other historically marginalized groups. We tried two alternative prompting strategies: a) Change the wording of the prompt to incorporate James Banks’ Levels of Multicultural Content Model, and b) Change the source of the content for the prompt by using teacher-curated materials from an open online wikispace, resourcesforhistoryteachers that …

Teaching Inquiry: A Guiding Template Fosters Critical Thinking, Barbara D. O'Donnell, Abigail C. Schwent

The Councilor: A National Journal of the Social Studies

This article provides a supportive way to address the marginalization of social studies by teaching inquiry through the use of a template. Inquiry based learning encourages students to make real-world connections by engaging in problem solving and exploration through research. It fosters higher level skills like critical thinking, evaluation, and synthesis of knowledge through experiential learning (Bell, Urhahne, Schanze and Ploetzner 2009). Using inquiry to investigate social studies topics encourages the use of sources from diverse perspectives to understand the complete picture of the event being researched. Teaching social studies through inquiry is a daunting task due to multiple obstacles …

Tackling Mississippi’S Brain Drain: A Problem-Based Geographic Inquiry Approach For Social Studies Educators, James B. Howell, Lamont E. Maddox, J.O. Joby Bass, Benjamin H. Austin, Skye Morgan

The Councilor: A National Journal of the Social Studies

This paper offers an overview of brain drain as a social problem and shares insights on integrating problem-based geographic inquiry (PBGI) into classrooms. It aims to help social studies teachers: 1) understand brain drain and its geographic relevance, 2) explore how brain drain serves as an engaging public policy issue for PBGI, and 3) identify resources to support problem-based learning. Additionally, the paper provides practical recommendations on designing effective PBGI units, selecting relevant resources, and utilizing geographic tools to foster civic and geographic reasoning skills. Investigating human migration associated with brain drain using a public policy lens should help students …

Making Math Accessible: Addressing Language Challenges In 3rd Grade English Medium Math Classrooms, Salha Mohamad

Theses

The research article, Making Math Accessible: Addressing Language Difficulties in 3^rd Grade English Medium Math Classrooms, addresses the issue of how the teachers in UAE elementary schools assist a student who is to study mathematics in English rather than Arabic. In the School X, Grades 1 and 2 applied mathematics and science using the Ministry of Education (MOE) Arabic-medium curriculum. Since Grade 3, however, the school has used the American curriculum, so students are expected to study these subjects in English. This change brings major barriers in understanding basic mathematical terms, word problems, and instructions. The research applies …

Playful Learning Journeys: Exploring The Perceptions And Knowledge Of Lecturers/Tutors And Student Teachers, Frank Twum, Samuel Kweku Hayford, Dandy Dampson, Johnnie Kojo Hayford

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

This paper investigated the perceptions and knowledge of play-based learning (PBL) by lecturers/tutors and student teachers. Ninety lecturers/tutors (68 males, 22 females) and 363 student teachers (191 males, 172 females) participated in the study. While both lecturers/tutors and student teachers favored PBL, they had some concerns. Lecturers/tutors acknowledged the benefits of PBL, including its enhancement of memory, conceptual development, and motor skills in children. However, nearly two-thirds found it time-consuming. Student teachers were of the view PBL promoted positive student experiences. However, more than half felt PBL offered limited opportunities for their own learning during lessons. Both groups demonstrated knowledge …

Online Resources For Oral Communication Courses, Sean P. Palmer

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Online resources focusing on oral communication skills are lacking, even as online education itself expands. While I was aware of this lack, I didn’t realize its severity until LaGuardia Community College went fully remote during the 2020 global pandemic, and I was looking for online tutoring aids for oral communication. Furthermore, the information presented online is frequently unsuitable for the purposes of online pedagogy due to its specialized and jargony mode of presentation. Also, many existing assignments involving oral communication assume public speaking as the default model, despite the growing importance of emergent digital modes of oral performance, like podcasting …

Development Of A Geography Supplementary Book Based On The Environmental Education Approach Using An Encyclopedic Model, Badrizal Al Hazar, Muhammad Zulfi Al'ghani, Iskandar Iskandar, Fitri Handayani, Ease Arent

Jurnal Pendidikan: Teori, Penelitian, dan Pengembangan

Research and development that has been carried out by researchers has the aim of producing supplement books with encyclopedia patterns in cultural diversity material and knowing the effectiveness of supplement books with encyclopedia patterns using the EE (Environmental Education) approach. The process of developing teaching materials uses the Borg & Gall model and the implementation of teaching material supplements with encyclopedias using the EE approach with a form of trial or teaching using Serial Position Effect. Based on experiments carried out to validators, the value of Indonesian language validators was 78.3%, material experts by lecturers 90.53%, material experts by teachers …

The Multicultural Social Fabric And Its Impact On The Assimilation Of The French And British Education Systems In Cameroon, Fatima Zohra Gueddouda Mekhanet

Jurnal Pendidikan: Teori, Penelitian, dan Pengembangan

This article examines the impact of Cameroon's diverse social fabric on the successful adoption of the French and British colonial educational systems. Relying on the descriptive analytical approach, the historical and social contexts that contributed to local communities’ acceptance of colonial education were studied, with a focus on cultural values, ethnic, and religious diversity. The research aims to provide a comprehensive view on how education and educational policies are affected by cultural and social diversity in Cameroon. The research began with a historical background on ethnic and cultural diversity in pre-colonial Cameroon, pointing to the nature of the diverse social …

Leading And Learning From Inside Out: Insights From Meditative Inquiry, Jody L. Rebek

Journal of Contemplative and Holistic Education

This article explores our modern world and our role in shaping collective experiences. By our thoughts, choices and behaviours (our character), we influence our shared reality. Higher education has an imperative responsibility to engage students ethically and develop their character. I offer a teaching metaphor and case study to meaningfully develop students’ self-awareness of character via an undergraduate leadership course. I employed the ‘seed’ metaphor to illustrate how nurturing students’ self-awareness and agency mirrors the growth of a seed within a carefully cultivated ecosystem. Each contemplative practice (character development) intertwined with leadership content (competence and confidence), serves as essential nourishment, …

Teachers' Difficulty Factors In Implementing Differentiated Learning In Geography Subjects, Aulia Nindy Fadila Gastama

Jurnal Pendidikan: Teori, Penelitian, dan Pengembangan

The implementation of differentiated learning in geography subjects provides benefits for teachers and students. On the other hand, teachers still have difficulty implementing differentiated learning elements. This research aims to analyze the factors related to teacher difficulties in implementing differentiated learning in geography subjects. The research method used descriptive qualitative research with semi-structured interviews. The informants used were geography teachers of SMAN Malang City. Data analysis was conducted by 1) data reduction, 2) data presentation, and 3) conclusion drawing. The results showed that geography teachers in Malang City State Senior High School faced difficulties in implementing differentiated learning. In content …

The Influence Of Artists And Artworks On Identity Development: The Student Perspective, Celeste M. Boseman

Masters Theses, 2020-current

This study investigates the ways in which the artists and artworks depicted throughout their K-12 art education influence students’ personal sociocultural identity development. By utilizing a self-reporting survey and individual interviews, this study explores the perspectives of current university students; their exposure to diversity in their K-12 art education; and the curricular perspectives that influence their identity. The artists and the artwork that art educators show in the classroom are only one aspect of what makes up a student’s art curriculum; this research project demonstrates the impact those artists can have on students’ identity development. The results of this study …

Integrasi Accera Pare Bagi Kehidupan Masyarakat Parigi Dalam Membangun Solidaritas Peserta Didik, Inas Tahirah, I Komang Astina, Yuswanti Ariani Wirahayu

Jurnal Pendidikan: Teori, Penelitian, dan Pengembangan

Accera pare is a harvest party of the Parigi Village community which is held as a form of gratitude of the farmers for the gifts given by God for being given a smooth harvest. The purpose of this research is to explore the meaning of the accera pare ceremony for the people of Parigi Village and the integration of accera pare in building students' sense of solidarity. The research method used descriptive qualitative with ethnographic approach where the data were analyzed by domain analysis, taxonomy, components and cultural themes. Data sources were obtained through participant observation and in-depth interviews. The …

Illinois Model Programs Of Study Guide: Agriculture, Food, And Natural Resources, Education Systems Center

Reports, Analyses, and other Publications

First published in August 2021. Significantly revised in September 2024 to incorporate updated labor market information. An update in April 2025 included minor corrections. In August 2025, two new sections were added: key terminology and the relationship between concepts.

Participatory Community Archiving To Preserve And Sustain North Georgia Appalachia’S Language, Literacy Practices, And Histories, Leah Panther Dr., Lindsey Walker, Presley Dyer, Tyler Osborn, Kerri Abernathy

Georgia Library Quarterly

This case study presents Swappin’ Stories, a community-based archiving event that serves as a model for public and participatory archiving. The event aimed to address gaps and misrepresentations of southern Appalachia by gathering the voices, artifacts, and stories of Towns County residents. By centering local narratives, it sought to foster a sense of community identity and offer an authentic portrayal of North Georgia, distinct from the narratives shaped by popular media and political figures. This case highlights the potential of community-driven archives to reclaim and reshape regional histories.

Effectiveness Of Geo Fun Thinkers Digital Learning Media On Student Understanding, Nur Halimah Silviatus Zahra, Budi Handoyo, I Komang Astina, Wan Ibrahim Wan Ahmad

Jurnal Pendidikan: Teori, Penelitian, dan Pengembangan

This study aims to develop and test the effectiveness of Digital Geo Fun Thinkers learning media on student understanding of the material on the utilization of natural resources and their problems. The research used the Research and Development (R&D) method with the ADDIE model (Analysis-Design-Development-Implementation-Evaluation) which was carried out at Almaarif Singosari Islamic High School with the subject of 27 students in class XI IPS 1. Digital Geo Fun Thinkers media was developed based on digital technology by raising the contextual phenomenon of natural resources at the foot of Mount Arjuno, especially in Sumber Brantas and Toyomarto villages. This media …

Rhetorics Of Encounter: Toward A Biocentric Theory Of Discourse, Matthew D. Whitaker

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

Encounters with more-than-human identities are transformative moments that stand to affect dispositional and bodily change in individuals. From close brushes with wild animals in National Parks to everyday interactions with local ecologies, encounters invite us to feel and think differently about the nature of our realities. In Rhetorics of Encounter: Toward a Biocentric Theory of Discourse, I draw from interdisciplinary perspectives to disrupt the idea of rhetoric as a representational medium, arguing that rhetoric occurs not just through textual exchanges of words and symbols, but through embodied moments of contact with other responsive beings. Invoking George Kennedy’s theory …

What Happened To The Creative In The Creative Curriculum?, Lacey Peters, Mark K. Nagasawa, Maria Mavrides Calderon, Abigail Kerlin, Helen Frazier, Beth Ferholt, Erica Clarke Yardy, Margie Brickley, Alisa Algava

Straus Institute for Thriving Children & Families

This empirically-grounded commentary questions the basis for New York City Public Schools’ (NYCPS) adoption of the Teaching Strategies products—the Creative Curriculum (CC) and Teaching Strategies GOLD—as the mandated curriculum and assessment systems for early childhood education (ECE) programs administered by the New York City Public Schools. In an analysis shaped by our hybrid positionalities as early childhood educators, parents, policy makers, and researchers, we argue that this decision is a local case of neoliberalism’s simultaneous narrowing of educational quality and a transfer of public funding into private hands under the guise of the free market. Our commentary, …

Evidence-Based Shared Agendas For Scholarship On Teaching With Primary Sources: Reflections On A Bibliometric Analysis, Jen Hoyer, Anne Bahde

Publications and Research

This article explores how scholarship about teaching with primary sources (TPS) has evolved over time and what future directions past work might suggests. Using bibliometric analysis and visualization tools, we examined how TPS work has grown; what fields and disciplines focus on this work; key themes and issues; and what scholarship has been influential to the field. These insights led to reflections on disconnects across the field, considerations for publishing about TPS, and the potential of pedagogical standards and guidelines. Finally, this article concludes with recommendations on how this analysis points to possibilities for shared education, space, conversation, and products.

Redefining Rural Representation In Short Story Anthologies: Using Short Stories To Highlight Rural Counterstories, Brittany Gargano-Smith, Jenna Spiering

The Rural Educator

This article explores the importance of incorporating diverse rural short stories into English language arts (ELA) curricula to foster empathy, understanding, and connection among students. It addresses underrepresentation and lack of variety in rural stories within publishing and traditional curricula, which affects rural students’ sense of identity and belonging. Through exploration of rural short story anthologies, the authors highlight the significance of counterstories that depict the intersectional dimensions of rural life, including geography, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, socioeconomic background, and abilities. By amplifying contemporary rural voices and complicating stereotypes, educators can create more inclusive learning environments that validate diverse experiences.

Wisdom Responses To Troubled Times: Healing Through Contemplative And Somatic Approaches, David Smith, Thomas Falkenberg, Remy Y.S. Low, David Chang, Åsa Jarskog, Jason Brown, Randy Persad, Anna Rumjahn, Charles Scott, Heesoon Bai

Journal of Contemplative and Holistic Education

Humanity is facing troubled times, as witnessed by increased polarization and division that are exploding into various forms of violence. Collectively, we are facing unprecedented ecological and environmental disasters. On campuses throughout North America, and closer to home, student anxiety, depression and other mental health issues are increasingly prevalent. The academic fields of contemplative inquiry and somatic studies, which highlight holistic approaches to education, are responding to these troubled times by showing how we can accomplish presence of mind, promote healing, and embrace the physical, intellectual, emotional, social, spiritual, and ecological dimensions of wellness.

The Enigmatic Samuel Aughey: Nebraska’S Pastor Naturalist, Hugh H. Genoways, Margaret R. Bolick, Mary Anne Andrei

Zea E-Books Collection

Samuel Aughey at age 39 became the first Professor of Natural Science at the new University of Nebraska in Lincoln, serving from 1871 to 1883. He was an ordained pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, with an addendum degree from Pennsylvania College (now Gettysburg College) in 1856 and an A.M. degree two years later. His early pastoral work was in Pennsylvania, but in 1864 he became a home missionary to a church in Dakota City, Nebraska. Aughey’s career at the university was marked with successes and honors, but also criticism and questions about his basic knowledge of the sciences. While …

Ai Avatars In Hospitality Employee Training: Transforming Learning Through Innovation, Eulanda A. Sanders, Nikol K. Lopez Llantuy, Li Jiang

ICHRIE Research Reports

The hospitality industry faces challenges in delivering consistent, engaging, and scalable training. Traditional training often fails to address cost, efficiency, and learner engagement. Organizations are turning to technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance employee development, including AI-driven avatars. Drawing on recent literature in microlearning, avatar-mediated education, and technological adoption models, this study examines the potential of AI avatars to personalize instruction, enhance accessibility, reduce costs, and enhance learning outcomes. Content analysis of fifteen YouTube videos reveals ten themes associated with the use of AI avatars in real-world hospitality settings. The report includes implementation guidelines for integrating AI avatars into …

The Self That Practices Deeper Teaching: An Exploration Of Influences On Teacher Beliefs And Values, Kerstin L. Rowe

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

For decades, educators have called for “a fundamental redesign of the industrial-age classroom.” However, despite ongoing discourse around educational reform, the majority of teachers still use the industrial model of education while too few teachers implement deeper teaching practices which situate students as active learners in addressing complex, real-world challenges rather than being passive recipients of knowledge. Existing literature does not explore the influences upon the beliefs and values of teachers who create deeper learning experiences.

This qualitative study employs educational criticism and connoisseurship to illuminate the inner self of those who practice deeper teaching. Drawing on in-depth observations, interviews, …