Secondary Education Commons^™

Commedia Dell’Arte - Serious Funny Business, Caleb Dransfield

Course Materials

[From Introduction]

Picture this. It’s the year 1570. You fi nd yourself in Venice for the fi rst time and you are delighted by the unique culture around you. It’s a city built on the water, streets are replaced by canals. St Mark’s Basilica, the Doge’s palace, and the piazza do not disappoint. The Rialto is a hive of markets and vendors. As you wander the city you encounter something you haven’t seen before. A wooden stage erected, backed by a simple cloth. Onstage, actors in masks are leaping about and speaking to each other animatedly. Even with your limited …

Poetry Personified, Joseph Midolo

Course Materials

[From Introduction]

This chapter introduces several important elements of poetry, including figurative language, sound devices, Mood & Tone, theme, and common poetic forms. Throughout the chapter, readers will examine examples of poems and literary devices while learning how poets use language to shape meaning and emotion. Students will also practice identifying poetic techniques and analyzing how these elements work together within a text.

Check Before You Trust: Teaching K–12 Students To Evaluate Digital Information, Elexia Hertel

Resources for Educators

[First paragraph]

Students in K–12 schools encounter digital information every day, but they are not always prepared to decide whether that information is credible, useful, biased, incomplete, or misleading. This chapter is written specifically for K–12 school library and classroom instruction, not for academic library users or college-level research instruction. Its primary audience is upper elementary, middle school, and early high school learners who are beginning to conduct research, cite sources, compare online information, and participate in digital life.

Mokken Scale Analysis Of The Teacher Formative Assessment Practice Scale, Eric Asare

Knowledge and Creativity Expo

This study examined the nonparametric item response characteristics of the Teacher Formative Assessment Practice Scale (TFAPS) using Mokken scale analysis within its established two‑factor structure. The TFAPS includes a teacher‑directed subscale (items 1–6) and a student‑directed subscale (items 7–10), each intended to capture distinct dimensions of formative assessment practice. Weighted Loevinger scalability coefficients for polytomous items were computed to assess how well each subscale met the assumptions of the monotone homogeneity model. Results indicated that the teacher‑directed subscale had a scalability coefficient of H = 0.354 and Cronbach’s alpha of 0.721, suggesting weak but acceptable internal structure. In contrast, the …

Artifact Centered Interdisciplinary Instruction Supports Secondary Student Learning In Chemistry History And Engineering, Rachel Sparks White, Kristie S. Gutierrez, James K. Ferri

Teaching & Learning Faculty Publications

Secondary STEM instruction often remains organized in disciplinary silos, limiting opportunities for students to apply Concepts across domains incoherent, authentic contexts. This mixed methods implementation study examined Convergence Research in STEM and Tradition (CReST), an Artifact centered interdisciplinary curriculum model designed to connect chemistry, world history, and engineering through a shared instructional context. In this implementation, Italian frescoes served as a boundary object anchoring a six-day sequence on mural materials, deterioration, and restoration. The sequence integrated targeted concepts in inorganic chemistry (e.g., the lime cycle and thermal processes), renaissance era historical contacts and the engineering design process within tasks related …

Preservice Teachers' Visions And Understandings Of Classroom Documentation And Displays Of Children's Work In Elementary Schools, Angela Eckhoff

Teaching & Learning Faculty Publications

At present, research exploring educator’s understandings of displays of student work is scant yet such displays are regularly exhibited within the community spaces of early learning and elementary schools. These displays communicate messages to those within the space about teacher and student agency, curricular priorities, children and their work, and the relationship between teaching and learning. Grounded in a framework of documentality and teacher vision, this paper explores the ways in which preservice teachers (PSTs) understand teacher-cultivated, student work documentation. This research used a Photo-Elicitation Interview methodology to develop a descriptive account of PSTs' visions and understandings of teacher-cultivated, classroom …

Secondary Teachers' Experiences In International Professional Development For Convergence Research In Stem And Tradition, Rachel Sparks White, Kristie S. Gutierrez, James K. Ferri

Teaching & Learning Faculty Publications

Convergence education promotes learning experiences that integrate science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) to address complex real-world problems. However, secondary teachers often report limited access to professional development (PD) and curricular resources that support transdisciplinary instruction. This exploratory case study examines how four secondary teachers (three chemistry; one engineering) made sense of a transdisciplinary PD model, Convergence Research in STEM and Tradition (CReST), that leverages cultural heritage artifacts (Renaissance frescoes) as boundary objects to connect chemistry, engineering, world history, and technology. Teachers participated in a four-day immersive PD experience in Firenze (Florence) and Pisa, Italy, that included site-based learning, interaction …

Promoting Peer Collaboration Through A Blending Of Synchronous And Asynchronous Technologies In An Engineering Focused Nsf Research Experience For Teachers (Ret) Project, Joseph Brobst, Melani Loney, Imole Samson

Center for Educational Partnerships Publications

This brief paper describes findings drawn from a summer Research Experiences for Teachers project, in which secondary science teachers completed engineering research activities and designed related lessons using the Argument Driven Inquiry (ADI) framework. Teachers participated in a hybrid professional development sequence, engaging with a STEM program manager and each other in-person and through both synchronous online sessions and asynchronous engagement in a shared virtual space. We use a multiple case study approach to describe how interactions within these spaces facilitated peer feedback and informal mentoring and coaching, ultimately strengthening teachers’ lesson plans and leaving them better poised to translate …

Make It Maritime: A Simulation-Based Engineering Design Challenge Using Multimodal Technologies, Jessica M. Johnson, Jennifer Renne, Jason Dudley

Virginia Digital Maritime Center (VDMC) Faculty Publications

This paper presents The Incredible Bulk, a multimodal, simulation-based engineering challenge that introduces Grades 4–12 to maritime careers and digital transformation. Students assume the roles of different maritime careers to assemble aircraft carrier bulkhead systems using: VR for spatial orientation and task preview; a 3D model as visual work instruction; paper blueprints for part identification and dimensioning; 3D-printed components for hands-on assembly; and an AR app for quality assurance/inspection. Grounded in constructionism and cognitive apprenticeship, the plan–build–inspect loop externalizes thinking and situates coached, authentic practice that advances engineering design, systems thinking, and technological literacy.

Educators' Uses Of Social Capital In K-12 Book Challenges, Danielle E. Sachdeva, Sue C. Kimmel

STEMPS Faculty Publications

In this case study, we apply understandings of social capital informed by Pierre Bourdieu and Nan Lin to analyze how seven educators used their capital to navigate book censorship incidents in K-12 public schools. Our findings indicate that participants often used social capital to meet expressive goals, such as seeking support from others, and less often to meet instrumental goals like advocating for policies and legislation in support of students’ intellectual freedom. These findings have implications for practitioners, school administrators, and university faculty, especially now as an unprecedented number of books is being challenged in public institutions throughout the U.S.

Ai-Enhanced Structured Literacy Intervention For Secondary Students: A Case Study Of Science Of Reading, Jennifer Bird

Teaching & Learning Faculty Publications

This study examines the effectiveness of Lexia PowerUp, an AI-powered literacy program, for sixth-grade students requiring Tier 3 reading intervention. Seven sixth-grade students (six boys, one girl; five African American, two Caucasian; all qualifying for free/reduced lunch) participated in a six-month intervention combining 50 minutes of daily small-group instruction with individualized Lexia PowerUp usage. Researchers measured progress through Achieve 3000 Lexile assessments and Lexia PowerUp performance data across three skill strands: Word Study, Grammar, and Comprehension. All participants demonstrated Lexile level improvements from beginning-of-year to mid-year assessments, though students remained below sixth-grade benchmarks (925-1070L). Analysis of Lexia PowerUp progression showed …

Analysis Of Industry Recognized Credentials That Lead To Quality Employment For High School Graduates, Teri L. Harris

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to identify to what extent industry recognized credentials (IRCs) earned in secondary school lead to high quality employment for students after high school and which specific IRCs should be integrated into career and technical education (CTE) courses. This author sought to explore if CTE courses in high school could be the vehicle for students to earn IRCs that led to higher quality jobs, higher pay, and a job to support a family. The researcher gathered empirical evidence using existing data from a survey of business leaders in each of the nationally recognized 14 Career …

Virginia Academy Of Sleep Medicine Position Statement On School Start Times In Virginia, Sean Hesselbacher, Mariana Szklo-Coxe, Sachin Relia, Jonathan Gellman, Nicole Mcintyre

Eastern Virginia Medical Journal

The VASM endorses the 2017 AASM position statement that middle and high schools should begin no earlier than 8:30 a.m. The existing and updated scientific literature repeatedly identifies the detrimental impact of early high school start times, and the benefits of delaying start times, on the safety and well-being of students in Virginia. The adverse effects of early school start times on Virginia’s students have been demonstrated, with regards to academic performance, mental health, and driving risks. Data published since the AASM position paper highlight these dangers further. Importantly, recent studies also demonstrate some of the benefits that can come …

Teacher Moves For Building A Mathematical Modeling Classroom Community, Ayse Ozturk

Teaching & Learning Faculty Publications

This study investigates the role of teacher talk moves in cultivating a mathematical modeling classroom community. From the models and modeling perspective, it explores how specific teacher talk moves promote student participation in modeling phases and the exchange of ideas with other students. Through a four-week after-school program involving eight secondary students, data were collected from small-group and whole-class discussions. The findings reveal that teacher talk moves can be categorized into three core types: eliciting students’ ideas, introducing key terms and ideas used in mathematical modeling, and encouraging students to take a position during discussions. These moves are shown to …

The Continuing, Resistance Popularity Of Critical Race Theory- Informed Pedagogy, Kaavonia Hinton, Karen Chandler

Teaching & Learning Faculty Publications

The article focuses on the ongoing commitment of educators to incorporate critical race theory (CRT)–informed pedagogy in English classrooms despite legislative efforts to suppress it. Topics include the historical and political context of anti-CRT policies, the personal and professional responses of educators to these restrictions, and student-centered strategies used to navigate and resist such limitations in meaningful and legally cautious ways.

A Deep Dive In Preservice Teacher Self-Efficacy Development For Teaching Robotics (Rtp), Jennifer Jill Kidd, Kristie Gutierrez, Min Jung Lee, Danielle Marie Rhemer, Krishnanand Kaipa, Pilar Pazos, Stacie I. Ringleb, Orlando M. Ayala, Francisco Cima, Isaac Koduah Kumi

Teaching & Learning Faculty Publications

Nationwide K–6 engineering and coding standards have made it increasingly important to prepare elementary preservice teachers (PSTs) to teach these subjects confidently and effectively. Robotics, which combines coding and engineering, provides a rich context for developing PSTs’ expertise and self-efficacy. This study builds on prior work in which PSTs in an instructional technology course collaborated with undergraduate engineering students to co-teach robotics lessons to fifth graders. Using a multiple-embedded case study approach, we examine how the interactions and teaching roles within these partnerships influenced PSTs’ teaching self-efficacy. Drawing on reflections, lesson recordings, surveys, and interviews, we present the cases of …

Understanding Teacher Leadership: Development And Testing Of The Survey Of Teacher Leadership, Peter D. Wiens, Vanessa Vongkulluksn, Jori Beck, Brenda Pearson

Teaching & Learning Faculty Publications

Teacher leadership (TL) has been identified as key component of effective schools. While research has grown in this area, there is a dearth of empirically and theoretically supported measures for understanding TL. This study examines the validity and reliability of the Survey of Teacher Leadership (STL). The STL builds on previous theory and research in TL by creating an assessment of teacher TL practices and their associated self-efficacy in these practices. In addition to more established domains of TL, the STL also examines teachers’ leadership practices and self-efficacy in diversity and equity. The STL was sent to all non-charter public …

Learning And Belonging In A Museum-School Environmental Stewardship Partnership, Joanna K. Garner, Mel Kuhn, Andrea M. Rocchio, Grace Friedenreich

Center for Educational Partnerships Publications

Students in urban, low-income communities can lack access to environmental science outreach in natural settings. As a result, they may face barriers to applying course content to real-world contexts and developing an agentic, hopeful stance towards environmental stewardship. In this paper, we describe a partnership between a maritime museum and park, an urban school district, and ecology experts. The project aimed to increase students’ knowledge of aquatic ecosystems, develop awareness of stewardship-related actions and career pathways, and support a sense of belonging to the museum. Activities included classroom visits by experts, field trips to plant classroom-grown grasses in the museum’s …

Computer Science For Middle School (Cs4ms), Melani Loney, Lisa Steffian, Tancy J. Vandecar-Burdin

Center for Educational Partnerships Publications

This session will discuss the project Computer Science for Middle School and the associated findings. This Virginia Department of Education funded project provides computer science Professional Development opportunities for in-service teachers, located in Southeastern Virginia, who instruct students in middle school grades 6- 8. Participating teachers learn to integrate computer science standards into core and elective content through online, asynchronous microcredentials and in-person Summer Workshops. The presentation will include project findings and next steps including teacher efficacy for implementing the computer science standards before and after completing the microcredentials and their students’ attitudes about computer science.

Instructional Systems Design: The Diffusion And Adoption Of Technology: (Volume 2), Cassandra Celaya (Author), Pamela J. Downing (Author), Jessica Shifflett (Author), Debbie Gdula (Author), Tracie Barr (Author), Miguel Ramlatchan (Author & Editor)

University Administration Bookshelf

Instructional designers, instructional systems designers, and other educational technologists are, by their nature, innovators. These professionals apply and extend the applied science of learning, systems, communication, and instructional design theory to help students learn. Technology in some capacity is used to make the connections between subject matter experts, teachers, instructors, and their learners. It is common for instructional designers to seek new tools, techniques, and innovations for the improvement of learning, access, quality, and student satisfaction. However, the adoption and diffusion of new educational technology and innovation is a complex process that depends on many variables. Understanding these processes and …

A Review Of Secondary Technology Education Teacher Needs In Virginia, M. Kathleen Ferguson

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Theses & Dissertations

Technology education teachers can have varied pre-service training experiences, thus their needs for classroom support may vary greatly. Perkins V requires evidence-based research to justify the use of funding for professional development. This researcher sought to support Virginia’s secondary technology education teachers, professional organizations, and the Virginia Department of Education’s Technology Education Specialist by providing research to determine professional development needs. This three-phase qualitative study used a survey, documents review, and focus groups to triangulate data to provide information about the research questions. The research questions focused on teachers’ educational background, technology program goals, and issues specific to secondary technology …

Exploring The Experiences Of School Counselors Advocating For Social Justice Within Urban Pk-12 Charter Schools, Betsy Marina Perez

Counseling & Human Services Theses & Dissertations

School counselors serve students’ academic, career, and social/emotional needs through a comprehensive school counseling program, and center their work on concepts of equity, advocacy, social justice, and systemic change, to remove barriers and increase opportunities for all PK-12 students. Charter schools are also unique public school settings as they offer flexibility, innovation, and autonomy to staff to create individualized experiences for their students. Held in common by these two educational services is the commitment to serving the needs of historically marginalized populations (Black, Indigenous, People of Color [BIPOC] and those from low socioeconomic backgrounds) and the opportunity to advocate for …

Relationship Between Technology Student Association Participation And Soft Skills Development, Lauren Lapinski, Mickey Kosloski, Philip Reed

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Faculty Publications

The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between student participation in Technology Student Association activities and soft skills development. This study specifically sought information on relationships between soft skills development and (a) time spent on Technology Student Association activities, (b) competitive event success, (c) assumption of leadership roles, and (d) gender. Data were provided by Pennsylvania Technology Student Association and consisted of survey responses from middle and high school students who are active Pennsylvania Technology Student Association members (n = 229). In addition to descriptive data, a multiple linear regression analysis was performed to determine the …

Macromolecular Gold: Navigating Biofuel Extractions In A High School Class, Claire Adrian-Tucci, Andrew Adrian, Sara Beam, Demetrice Smith-Mutegi

Teaching & Learning Faculty Publications

Extracting and creating biofuels from algae is an exciting area of development for renewable energy. There is a lack of protocols for high school students that feature lipid extraction from algae, largely due to the safety considerations and equipment used in industry. Biology standards include the chemistry and function of macromolecules, and biofuels are an engaging, authentic case study for high school students. This paper describes the development of an imperfect lipid extraction method that is safe for the high school classroom. Through the lab and related activities, students develop their understanding of the characteristics of macromolecules, practice developing their …

Prospective Teachers' Conceptions Of Area, Betsy Mcneal, Sayonita Ghosh Hajra, Michael Battista, Ayse Ozturk

Teaching & Learning Faculty Publications

This study explored 10 prospective teachers’ (PTs’) understanding of the area of a rectangular region using square and non-square rectangular area-units. In an hour-long interview, each PT was first asked to explain how they would find the area of a given rectangular region in terms of a non-square notecard. For several PTs, this task prompted discussion of a square unit defined by the edge of the notecard. In a second task, PTs were presented with a rectangular array of squares and were asked to explain to a fictional child why multiplying length times width does not count the top left …

Payday Power-Up: Let's Make A Raise Distribution, Ayse Ozturk

Teaching & Learning Faculty Publications

This study illustrates a problem-solving activity reflective of a real-life situation wherein high school students articulate their reasoning while contemplating the effectiveness and fairness of distributing raises. Study data were gathered via teaching experiment methodology in problem-solving sessions at a mathematics camp for secondary students. Examination of the data indicated that students sought entry points for problem-solving by making assumptions and pinpointing crucial variables. Framing mathematics within the concept of fairness encouraged students to review their work, engage in active listening, and find purpose in mathematical reasoning.

Enhancing Rural Science Education Through School District-University Partnership, Venicia A. Ferrell, Alexis S. Tharpe

Center for Educational Partnerships Publications

This instrumental case study describes the steps taken to establish and implement a university–school partnership to improve rural science teachers’ content knowledge and teaching practices and students’ achievement in elementary science and high school biology courses. Our research questions explored the impact of professional development and place-based learning on student outcomes, with the study’s methodology involving needs assessments, teacher training, and continuous support through modeling and coaching. The findings include gains in achievement and substantial gains in science education. The findings have implications for the design, implementation, and evaluation of university–school partnerships designed to build teachers’ capacity to deliver high-quality …

Simulation-Based Adaptive Interface For Personalized Learning Of Ai Fundamentals In Secondary School, Sara Guerreiro-Santalla, Dalila Duraes, Helen Crompton, Paulo Novais, Francisco Bellas

STEMPS Faculty Publications

This paper presents the first results on the validation of a new Adaptive E-learning System, focused on providing personalized learning to secondary school students in the field of education about AI by means of an adaptive interface based on a 3D robotic simulator. The prototype tool presented here has been tested at schools in USA, Spain, and Portugal, obtaining very valuable insights regarding the high engagement level of students in programming tasks when dealing with the simulated interface. In addition, it has been shown the system reliability in terms of adjusting the students’ learning paths according to their skills and …

Ways To Make Cybersecurity Education/Opportunities More Accessible In The Philippine Public School System, Joshua Oania

Cybersecurity Undergraduate Research Showcase

This paper will examine how the Philippines can make cybersecurity education more accessible in their public school system. The solutions it proposes include making cybersecurity a part of the school curriculum, creating summer/internship programs for Junior and Senior High School students in multiple different areas within cybersecurity, and providing basic infrastructure and resources for students to meet their educational needs and aspirations.

Assessing The Effectiveness Of A Transdisciplinary Culturally Relevant Stem Curriculum Intervention On High School Chemistry Students’ And Teachers’ Learning Experiences, Rachel Sparks White

Teaching & Learning Theses & Dissertations

Within traditional secondary science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education, students in the United States and many other nations are taught and assessed in discipline-specific silos through separately required standards and skills. The integration of curriculum across the STEM disciplines is essential to increase student learning and create relevance in the classroom, yet teachers find this approach to be challenging due to the lack of resources and traditional training methods. In Spring 2023, the CReST (Culturally Relevant STEM) research team conducted a mixed methods study in a mid-Atlantic US high school using a uniquely designed transdisciplinary and culturally relevant six-instructional …