Background: Although past research demonstrated growth mindset interventions to improve school outcomes, effects were small. This may be due to the "theoretical" nature of psychosocial techniques (e.g., reading about brain plasticity), which may not be optimally convincing for students. Aims: To address this issue and improve…

Studies show that students are less successful in their freshman year of high school than in elementary and middle school. The causes of this decline in success range from new schedules, changing of relationships, increased rigor, and less involvement from educators. This applied study will explore the effectiveness of soft skill interventions in…

This action research case study examined how adolescent male readers in reading intervention classes experienced and identified themselves as readers. Additionally, this case study was a self-study in that explored how I, a reading specialist, fostered student reading engagement and reader identity development. This study explored the research…

Past research has shown that intergroup contact can be a promising intervention to improve intergroup relations and that contact-based interventions might be most effective during adolescence. In postconflict Northern Ireland, widespread residential segregation and a largely separate school system limit opportunities for intergroup contact between…

We evaluated a curriculum that focused on bolstering grit and locus of control in seventh grade students at a school in upstate New York. The intervention included lessons aimed at building a growth mindset and determination, along with writing projects and collaborative work. A pre-post design was utilized such that surveys measuring grit and…

In cyber charter schools, middle-school students face many barriers to developing STEM identity. My theory of improvement was to address sense of belonging in a large virtual classroom to develop STEM identity in my students. By utilizing diverse STEM role models that reflected my students' racial or ethnic identities and an inquiry-based approach…

Introduction: Adolescence is a crucial stage for emotional and social development. Therefore, fostering emotional skills is key to improving well-being, social adaptation and providing tools to face the challenges characteristic of this period. This study evaluates the effectiveness of a program for developing emotional skills in adolescents.…

This manuscript style dissertation investigates the impact of a brief positive psychology group intervention on both wellbeing and academic achievement among adolescents. Two experimental research studies were conducted to address this. Participants from a local high school engaged in a brief small group positive psychology intervention in both…

The main objective of this research was to analyze the impact and development of intervention programs based on the Teaching Personal and Social Responsibility (TPSR) model within the school context. A systematic review was conducted in seven international databases. The keywords "TPSR" and "Education" were used in different…

In this study we use data from the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) to investigate the effect of teachers' motivation on students' scientific literacy and motivation in Colombia. These relationships are explored using a multilevel modeling framework and through the lens of Self-Determination Theory. Although difficulties in…

Growth mindset has received more focus in schools in the past fifteen years as a possible way to improve various educational outcomes. There are important possible benefits if students believe in the malleability of intelligence and the potential to improve in ability and various human qualities. Students with growth mindsets set self-improvement…

A growing body of research has recognized the importance of students' having active roles in feedback processes. Feedback literacy refers to students' understandings of and participation in feedback processes, and research on students' feedback literacy has so far focused on higher education; secondary schools have not received attention. This…

The Research-based Developmentally Informed (REDI) program enriched Head Start classrooms with teacher-delivered curriculum components designed to enhance child social-emotional learning and language-literacy skills. Parents received information about the program via backpack express, including weekly handouts about program topics and three DVDs…

Policymakers, educators, and families throughout the world are concerned about the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on school-aged youth. Schools are working to help students readjust to school routines and regain lost ground on academic skill development while also addressing the wounds caused by the pandemic. This study describes one…

This qualitative case study examined the role of three support advocates in an urban middle school setting when working with tier 3 students. Support advocates are support staff members who work with a specific caseload of students- identified because they are at risk of early drop out from high school- but defining their role as a wraparound…