To broaden participation in robotics education, a free, after-school robotics program has been designed and developed at a public university. As part of a longitudinal study, this paper reports the first iteration of the program, offered to 12 students from Grades 3 through 7 in spring 2022. Three preservice teachers were trained as…

The aim of this study was to develop, implement, and evaluate an intervention program focusing on developing Grade 5 and 6 students' functional thinking. The innovative aspect lies in addressing simultaneously various aspects of function--input--output, covariation, correspondence, and object--in terms of manipulating tasks that involve functional…

Bystanders play an essential role in school bullying prevention. This study examines student bystanders' perceptions of severity and willingness to intervene in scenarios involving physical, verbal, relational, and cyberbullying. It focuses on five distinct victim reactions: pretending nothing happened, seeking help, fighting back, crying, and no…

Sustainable development (SD) and science education have become interwoven categorical issues under the name of science education for sustainable development (SESD). Education can play a crucial role in merging the dimensions of SD as ecology, economy, and energy, along with society in a united holistic goal. Furthermore, it can provide the…

Extension can play a key role in providing food waste education nation-wide. This study is the first to evaluate the effects of environmentally focused lesson plans on elementary student knowledge and perceptions regarding food waste. Herein we provide suggestions on concepts to teach students for the greatest impact on food waste reduction. We…

Background: The goal of the study was to develop and verify a pathway model (or theory of change) for STEM Scouts, an out-of-school time (OST), positive youth development program for elementary through high school-aged youth. Pathway models include connections between hypothesized activities to short-, mid-, and long-term outcomes. STEM Scouts is…

This dissertation developed the Teach program, a psychoeducation program for teachers. Teach is based on research demonstrating a positive correlation between teacher depression literacy and the mental health and academic success of their students, in addition to improved teacher-student relationships. Studies also found that stress management…

This paper presents a framework for implementing informal learning events through a multi-modal event. A specific example is provided using the Mars LEGO Robotics challenge during the global pandemic Novel-coronavirus-19 (COVID). Students in grades 4-6 typically develop Lego Mars Rovers and compete in a face-to-face large competition in three…

This study describes the development of a climate change SSIBL-STEAM program that was aligned to the Grade 6 elementary school national curriculum using the ADDIE model for design. The efficacy of the climate change SSIBL-STEAM program was investigated by measuring the impact of the program on cultivating elementary students' personalities…

A strong value system and work ethic have always been a part of the schools in the community in northeast Kansas, but it was not until 2012 that the school staff began to initiate an organized comprehensive plan and approach to teaching character education and making it a viable part of the school culture at Nemaha Central Elementary and Middle…

In this exploratory research project, our team's goal was to design and begin validation of a measurement approach that could provide indication of a student's ability to transfer their mathematics understanding to future, more advanced mathematical topics. Assessing transfer of learning in mathematics and other topics is an enduring challenge. We…

Multitiered systems of support (MTSS) is an effective model for identifying students at risk for academic failure as well as behavioral concerns (excesses and deficits) that impede classroom success. Over the years, researchers have investigated the positive effects of the MTSS model on behavioral needs of students; however, to date the research…

Indigenous communities demonstrate immense cultural strengths despite being impacted by mental health and academic disparities due to ongoing systemic racism and historical trauma. Given that schools are a context in which indigenous youths' needs have potential to be met through preventive intervention, this scoping review explores and summarizes…

Indigenous communities demonstrate immense cultural strengths despite being impacted by mental health and academic disparities due to ongoing systemic racism and historical trauma. Given that schools are a context in which indigenous youths' needs have potential to be met through preventive intervention, this scoping review explores and summarizes…

Living Book--Augmenting Reading for Life, a three-year EU-funded Erasmus + project (September 2016-August 2019), exploited the affordances of augmented reality (AR) and other emerging technologies in order to address the underachievement of European youth in reading skills. The program developed an innovative approach that empowers teachers from…