Secondary Education Commons^™

Humanizing Online Learning Through Culturally Responsive Pedagogy: Preserving Cultural Identity And Human Connection In Digital Spaces, Michael Mills

International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education

The rapid shift to online and hybrid learning environments has highlighted the need for culturally responsive pedagogical approaches in digital spaces. While much research has explored culturally responsive teaching in traditional classrooms, less attention has been paid to how these principles can be effectively translated to online learning environments. This article examines how culturally responsive pedagogy can be meaningfully integrated into online learning spaces through intentional course design, assessment practices, and community building. Drawing from existing literature on culturally responsive teaching, online learning, and digital equity, this paper provides a framework for educators to create more inclusive and culturally sustaining …

Implementation Of The Framework For Great Schools: Lessons From New York City, Jay M. Langkamp

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation explores the implementation of the Framework for Great Schools in the New York City Department of Education from 2015 through 2019. The study addresses a gap in the literature, specifically regarding NYC School Survey data and the relationship between it, school context, and student outcomes, at a time when families and district leaders regularly use publicly available school-level data to inform their decision-making, understanding how frameworks such as the Framework for Great Schools is essential. The Framework focuses on six elements: Rigorous Instruction, Supportive Environment, Collaborative Teachers, Effective School Leadership, Strong Family and Community Ties, and Trust. It …

Amplifying Student Voice With Academic Conversations Across The Curriculum, Tara Temprano, Margaret Gelbwasser

New Jersey English Journal

This article explores the power of academic conversations to foster student engagement across disciplines. Students develop communication skills essential for all subjects through writing exercises, collaborative critiques, and historical role-playing. Strategies for integrating discussion into Art, Social Studies, and ELA classrooms help bridge the gap between the subject and the literacy space.

Moving Beyond Reading And Writing: Incorporating Historically Responsive Literacy Into Literacy Instruction In Content Area Classrooms, Andrea Lemahieu Glaws

New Jersey English Journal

This article describes the practices on teacher educator used to incorporate a historically responsive literacy framework into a disciplinary literacy course offered for pre-service teachers. This article begins with an overview of disciplinary literacy and Dr. Muhammad’s historically responsive literacy framework. Following, this article describes three assignments that the teacher educator used within her classroom to support pre-service teachers across multiple content areas in making connections between HRL and their content area discipline. These three assignments include: lab reflections, curriculum analysis, and mini-lesson facilitation. Connections to implications beyond teacher education are made.

Electronic Encyclopedia Of Traditional Medicinal Plants At The Museum Pusaka Nias As Supporting Media For Students’ Plant Awareness, Ester Novi Kurnia Zebua, Siti Zubaidah, Sitoresmi Prabaningtyas

Jurnal Pendidikan: Teori, Penelitian, dan Pengembangan

Low student awareness of the existence, diversity, and importance of plants in daily life—referred to as plant awareness, which includes attention, attitudes, relative interest, and knowledge toward plants—remains a challenge in biology learning, partly due to the limited use of electronic learning media that integrate biodiversity with local wisdom or indigenous knowledge. Traditional medicinal plants from the Museum Pusaka Nias have strong potential as contextual learning resources; however, they have not been optimally developed in electronic form. This study aimed to develop an electronic encyclopedia of Nias traditional medicinal plants for high school biology learning and to examine students' plant …

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, 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, 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, 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, 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, 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, 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, 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.

How Does A Wellness Program Support Students’ Physical, Mental, Emotional, Spiritual, Social And Environmental Well-Being In High School And College?, Zully M. Petrucci

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore how the implementation of a wellness period as part of the daily schedule supported students’ well-being at a Catholic all-girls high school and in their following years at college. The participants were two guidance counselors, two administrators, two teachers and six students that graduated between 2020 and 2023 for a total of twelve participants. All the participants were female. Data was collected through one-on-one interviews conducted using Teams platform, reflective journaling and artifact collection. The Six dimensions of wellness from the Global Wellness Institute and Bandura’s Social Cognitive Theory were …

The Relationship Between Extracurricular Participation, Absence Rate, And Academic Achievement In Adolescents: The Moderating Role Of Socioeconomic Status And Gender, Maria A. Pace

Theses and Dissertations

Extracurricular activity (ECA) participation has been linked to higher levels of student engagement, lower absenteeism, and stronger academic achievement. Ensuring equitable access remains critical, as socioeconomic status (SES) and gender may shape opportunities for involvement and the outcomes associated with participation. This study examined the relationships between extracurricular participation, absence rate, and grade point average (GPA) among high school students, while analyzing whether SES and gender moderate these relationships. Grounded in Coleman’s multiple-role theory and Hirschi’s social-control theory, this study employed a quantitative, nonexperimental, correlational design utilizing secondary data from a suburban high school in New York.. The sample included …

An Analysis Of The Impact Of Cognitive Writing Strategies On High School Writing Scores In A Suburban Tennessee District, Bethany A. Wilson

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The 2011 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) writing assessment revealed that only 27% of eighth and 12^th graders are proficient in writing. The federal No Child Left Behind and Every Student Succeeds Acts have put pressure on schools to demonstrate proficiency on reading and math tests, leaving minimal time for instruction in other subjects, including writing. In addition to the pressure of standardized testing, teachers also find themselves underprepared to teach writing and overwhelmed by the demands of large teaching loads. While researchers have reported benefits associated with cognitive writing strategies since the 1960s, instructional demands have prevented …

"Where The Grass Is Greener": Youth Participatory Action Research Examining The Lived Student Experience Through Cross-Campus Shadowing, Justin Matthew Antos

Dissertations of Practice

This Youth Participatory Action Research study examined how alumni perceive student experiences related to school culture and climate, classroom learning environments, and equity of opportunity and resources across three sister high schools within a single district. Six alumni, all recent graduates, participated in a three-day, cross-campus shadowing experience, observing classrooms and school environments, and reflecting on key similarities and differences across campuses through focus groups. Findings indicated that climate, engagement, and equity are shaped not only by curriculum, but by the interaction of policies, relationships, physical spaces, and consistency of expectations. Classrooms emphasizing interaction, relevance, and structure fostered higher engagement, …

Preparing Students For What Comes Next: A Qualitative Study Of District Approaches To Postsecondary And Career Readiness, Amanda C. Pelsor

Dissertations of Practice

PREPARING STUDENTS FOR WHAT COMES NEXT: A QUALITATIVE STUDY OF DISTRICT APPROACHES TO POSTSECONDARY AND CAREER READINESS

This qualitative study examines how Illinois school districts support students’ readiness for postsecondary success and career planning and exploration. Despite longstanding state and federal efforts to improve college and career readiness, many students continue to face challenges after high school, including lack of workforce readiness, underpreparedness for postsecondary education, unclear career pathways, and difficulty navigating complex transitions. Using semi-structured interviews, this study explores how districts conceptualize and implement career readiness frameworks, the ways readiness work is embedded within district systems, and the barriers …

Analyzing Educators’ Roles In Preparing Students For Civic Engagement In Arkansas Communities, Mia L. Hastings

2026 Honors Symposium

Young adults ages eighteen to twenty-nine make up a large portion of the voting age population but historically participate in elections at lower rates. Although most students take at least one high school civics course, civic education often emphasizes the memorization of governmental facts rather than preparing students with the skills needed for active civic participation. This gap highlights the need to examine how educators can better prepare students for meaningful civic engagement. The purpose of this study is to examine how educators prepare students for civic engagement in Arkansas communities. The study defines practical strategies educators can implement in …

Chronic Absenteeism In Long Island Secondary Schools: A Mixed-Methods Study Of Post-Covid-19 Trends And Professional Perceptions, William M. Gibbons

Selected Full Text Dissertations, 2011-

Recent educational research studies have shown that an alarming number of students are chronically absent from school, a trend that is occurring both nationwide and in New York State. While this number had been slowly increasing before the COVID-19 pandemic, it has accelerated significantly following the pandemic. This increase in chronic absenteeism is also prevalent across Nassau and Suffolk County high schools; there has been a large increase in the percentage of students who are chronically absent in high school since the COVID-19 pandemic. Experts warn that this increased number can lead to multiple negative consequences for students, including social …

Literacy Professional Development: Evidence-Based Practices And Insights From Virginia, Meleah Ellison, Shelby Garofalo, Vanessa Sekinger, Joan A. Rhodes, Sharrie Merritte, Maggie Szydlowski, Meera Mehtaji, Valerie Robnolt, Thea Racelis

MERC Publications

This report is part of the MERC Literacy Study. It explores recently published research and publicly accessible professional development (PD) offerings frequently used across the Commonwealth to support the implementation of the Virginia Literacy Act (VLA). Findings from this report support the ongoing PD of school staff and relevant partners in the VLA’s purpose of improving literacy outcomes for students in grades K-8 across Virginia.

Integrating Web-Gis And Inquiry Learning To Enhance Spatial Thinking In Geography Learning, Nyokro Mukti Wijaya, Meri Herlina, Sugeng Widodo, Suhendro Suhendro

Journal of Educational Technology Development and Exchange (JETDE)

This study investigates the impact of integrating Web-GIS with Inquiry Learning on secondary school students’ spatial thinking skills. A 2×2 factorial experimental design was employed with 116 eleventh-grade students from SMA Negeri 13 Bandar Lampung, divided into four treatment groups: direct instruction with printed maps, direct instruction with Web-GIS, inquiry learning with printed maps, and inquiry learning with Web-GIS. The Spatial Thinking Ability Test (STAT), a widely validated international instrument, was used to measure outcomes. Data were analysed using two-way ANOVA. The findings indicate that the learning media had a significant effect, with Web-GIS outperforming printed maps, whereas learning strategies …

Making Inquiry Accessible: Inquiry-Based Design And Instruction For English Learners In Secondary Social Studies Classrooms, Meghan T. Hawkins

Theses and Dissertations--Education Sciences

This dissertation explores inquiry-based instruction for English Learners (ELs) in secondary social studies classes. The first article explored the existing literature in the field. The second article considered instructional design choices that could increase learning outcomes in an inquiry designed for ELs, implemented in a culturally and linguistically responsive classroom. Finally, the third article is an exploratory case study that examined how a secondary high school social studies teacher and ESL co-teacher designed and implemented inquiry-based instruction in a co-taught ESL class. The research questions included: 1. How do teachers build trust in a culturally and linguistically responsive social studies …

The Effects Of Parental Involvement On A Child’S Educational Success, Samson Ghirmai

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The accessibility of education has opened doors for children to pursue interests and be prepared for their transition into adulthood. Education is a resource that opens doors, but it has been found that there are gaps in achievement. This opens the conversation on possible solutions to reduce this gap. Schools have been developing new systems and strategies to increase parental involvement, determining this as a possible solution towards bridging the gap. The purpose of this study is to determine whether the solution towards the achievement gap is identifying strategies to get parents more involved in their child's education. Research determined …

The Effect Of Occupational Roles, Burnout, And Efficacy On Job Satisfaction Among K-12 Teachers, Chloe Schwahn

Masters Theses

The aim of this study was to investigate variables that may impact the ratings of job satisfaction by practicing Illinois K-12 teachers specifically examining if the variables of occupational roles, burnout, efficacy, and other relevant covariates are correlated and/or have predictive utility on teacher job satisfaction. A secondary goal was to raise awareness about the stressors teachers face in their work environments. Survey materials included a demographics questionnaire, an occupational roles catalog, the Copenhagen Burnout Inventory, the Teacher Sense of Efficacy Scale, and the Teacher Job Satisfaction Scale. Seventy-six practicing Illinois K-12 teachers completed the study. Results of the current …

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 …

Solving The Middle School Math Problem To Increase Achievement, Andre Goodlow

Educational Leadership Professional Doctorate Dissertations

This study used improvement science to address persistent and disproportionate low mathematics achievement among middle school students, particularly Black/African American and Hispanic students, in an urban school district in the Pacific Northwest. Local data indicated significant deficiencies in math proficiency, with the target district exhibiting achievement disparities exceeding state averages. The project investigated root causes of low math achievement, prioritizing the enhancement of foundational math skills and the implementation of evidence-based interventions. The improvement theory centered on deploying an evidence-based core math curriculum and intervention program for incoming middle school students, tested through cycles during a four-week summer school program. …

'Raissing’ Teacher Practice: A Case Study Of A Living Model Of Professional Learning In Mentoring Pre-Service Teachers, Joanne Yoo, Pauline Kohlhoff, Cathryn Moore, Susan Rowley

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Mentoring is essential for equipping beginner teachers with the skills to navigate the complexities of the classroom. It is paramount to any teacher education program, particularly in relation to learning the practical skills of teaching during placement. This current research presents a case study of a living model of professional learning undertaken within a practicum setting. It introduces a ‘RAISS’ model of professional learning in mentoring, which incorporates relevant, agile, impactful, sustainable and scalable activities that maximise learning for all stakeholders. This case study sheds insight into two pilot deliveries of a mentoring program that can be adopted by other …

The Impact Of Leadership Skills On Pbl Group Dynamics, Jaime W. Burke Hicks

Education Theses and Dissertations

This Improvement Science Dissertation in Practice examined the role of intentional leadership instruction in addressing persistent challenges in Project-Based Learning (PBL) group dynamics within a middle school setting. The Problem of Practice centered on students’ inconsistent demonstration of leadership behaviors, including communication and accountability, which limited the effectiveness of group work despite prior exposure to PBL structures. This study was conducted at a university-affiliated public charter school in East Texas, where PBL serves as a core instructional model.

Guided by an Improvement Science framework and structured through a Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycle, this study employed a mixed-methods embedded design to evaluate …