This paper explores learning about environments with a focus on starting with trees. The paper examines children and young people's perceptions of and engagement with trees, as part of a large grant that sought to examine the dis/benefits of trees for children's lives and learning. In this paper, we attempt to move beyond notions of 'education for…

There exist already many practical projects that bring together Education for sustainable development (ESD) and artistic practices. They tie in with the transformative potential and the power that are attributed to the field of art in dealing with issues in the context of sustainable development. However, it is currently not clear how this…

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to propose a model for integrating microgames in teaching primary Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) and illustrate the application of the proposed model in teaching integrated mathematics, arts, technology and language in primary ESD. Design/methodology/approach: The model was based on conceptual…

In this case study, two teacher educators at Minority Serving Institutions explore how artifacts can foster deep, original thinking in a classroom. We share how we modeled the use of artifacts to design an interdisciplinary social studies lesson with teacher candidates (TCs). Making connections to "realia," such as maps, brochures, and…

The 2019 science results from the National Assessment of Educational Progress showed that 8th-grade students, especially economically challenged and emergent bilingual students, made few gains in science and reading achievement. Researchers have found that scientific language may be a significant barrier to student comprehension. Researchers have…

Integrating scientific disciplines through a transdisciplinary approach is a pivotal component of contemporary learning paradigms, fostering educational experiences that transcend monodisciplinary boundaries and embrace the integration of diverse fields. Addressing this imperative, we collaborated with educators in Indonesia to devise a learning…

This article describes how intra- and interdisciplinary learning experiences can activate the interests and capabilities among children in their early years. A developmental sequence delineates a series of stage-by-stage experiences describing the skill and content to be introduced and mastered in the teaching and learning process, which include…

Kindergartners' math skills predict later academic outcomes. However, we know little about kindergarten mathematics instruction. Using data from 182 classroom observations in a large urban district, we explore time spent on mathematics and math content coverage. We also examine two underinvestigated aspects of kindergarten math instruction: (1)…

Middle school math students are underperforming on teacher-created assessments and assignments, state assessments, and nationally normed assessments, such as the Measures of Academic Performance (MAP) and the National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP). Only 35.7% of sixth graders in South Carolina scored "meets or exceeds…

Climate change is a contemporary global crisis that necessitates pedagogical innovation for the middle school dance classroom. This article describes an integrated design for a dance and science unit. Building on students' kinesthetic abilities, teachers are able to create a unit comprising a series of lessons on bird migrations effected by…

Integrated arts education (IAE) promotes authentic interdisciplinary connections, linking the arts with other subjects in meaningful ways. In this intrinsic case study, we explored perspectives of teacher-educators and non-arts student-teacher interns regarding the ways pre-service K-8 classroom teachers are prepared to incorporate IAE into their…

Since the "Next Generation Science Standards" (NGSS) were released, K-12 science teachers have been figuring out how to extend related learning opportunities to all students, including multilingual learners (MLLs) who are new to speaking English. Elementary schools often prioritize math and English language arts, the subjects that are…

This dissertation presents a qualitative study that utilized Design-Based Research (Reinking & Watkins, 1996) to understand how an interdisciplinary unit using project-based learning unit on diverse family structures and experiences can shift children's preconceptions about families. In this study, I addressed two research questions: 1. In…

This study explored primary school teachers' self-efficacy beliefs about interdisciplinary teaching practices related to science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics (STEAM) education and project-based learning to understand teacher perceptions and practices and to recommend some teacher training according to the national curricular…

Society is currently experiencing a wave of misinformation and disinformation spread through social media and other means. Widespread false information threatens our social relationships and our democracy. A shift toward inquiry learning in PreK-12 education can both improve student learning in general and teach students to assess the validity of…