Background: In response to the effort to increase minority enrollment in college science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) majors, STEM summer bridge programs were created to help minorities with the transition from high school to college with the long-term goal of increasing the diversity of professionals in STEM. The goal of this…

This study draws upon faculty interviews conducted in 2019 and 2021 to document dramatic shifts in primary source instruction of undergraduate students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Synthesizing these data, it analyzes how faculty cultivated pedagogical practice, developed practical approaches to teaching with primary sources, and adjusted goals…

Faculty are increasingly interested in engaging in the scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL) across disciplines, necessitating educational development support. While many institutions utilize one-time workshops and faculty communities offering professional development funding, the case study presented in this article takes a different…

This pilot study examined (a) the perceived barriers to creating high-quality social and emotional learning (SEL) IEP goals for autistic students without intellectual disabilities, and (b) the impact of using a data-driven SEL IEP goal builder--a key component of the Ivymount Social Cognition Instructional Package (IvySCIP)--on the quality of SEL…

The "Code of Virginia" vests the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV) with the responsibility to develop a statewide strategic plan that reflects statutory goals for higher education in the Commonwealth, identifies a coordinated approach to such state and regional goals, and emphasizes the future needs for higher…

In 2014 the Virginia General Assembly passed legislation replacing end-of-course, multiple-choice assessments with locally developed alternative assessments in five courses, including two middle school social studies courses. This policy allowed Virginia school divisions the autonomy to develop the format, quantity, and focus of their assessments…

This article describes the PDS partnership between George Mason University and Daniels Run Elementary School, which are located in Fairfax, Virginia. In the spring of 2020, during their fifth year together, the partnership was awarded the National Association of Professional Development Schools Exemplary PDS Award. The Mason PDS program structure…

This paper examines community-campus partnerships, specifically regarding community partner representatives' lived experience of trust and reciprocity with community-engaged administrators at an institution. This research focused on how trust and reciprocity manifested and was sustained within these relationships, with the goal of supporting…

The purpose of this case study was to analyze the school culture of an arts-integrated, urban middle school in Richmond, Virginia. Four teacher interview questions and classroom and school observations were conducted based on two contributing factors in shaping school culture (visions and values and physical environment). The findings of this…

Reacting directly to the fact that even the best syllabus is worthless to the student who does not read it, this essay draws inspiration from research of the past decade, especially from the learning-focused syllabus concept that was introduced by three researchers at the University of Virginia, and uses a questionnaire to gauge our community…

Leaders of Tomorrow is a leadership program developed by the Institute for Educational Leadership (IEL) with a curriculum co-created by immigrant and refugee youth. The goal of Leaders of Tomorrow is to support and mobilize immigrant and refugee youth through opportunities to expand their knowledge, strengthen their skills, access tools and…

As the arts are integral to shaping our culture, rigorous education that will prepare art students to create compelling artworks is necessary. Employing a tool such as Bloom's Taxonomy aids instructors in creating assignments that fulfill high-order concerns in the art-writing classroom. Because writing is one way for would-be artists to shape…

Higher education transforms learners, cultivates talent and offers pathways to opportunity. Education is the rising tide that should lift all boats, and "Pathways to Opportunity: The Virginia Plan for Higher Education" charts the course for doing so. The Plan reflects those near- and longer-term issues that significantly impact the…

The aim of the research is to comparatively investigate the opinions of students in doctoral education in the USA and Turkey about academic self-efficacy. The research used the basic qualitative research pattern from among qualitative research designs. The study group in the research comprised a total of 32 doctoral students with 16 from Turkey…

Joy, freedom, and benefit--the reasons we are at our colleges and universities. The joy of learning, the freedom to grow, and the benefit of education are all basic human rights, or at least they ought to be. We believe that both honors and faculty development affirm, support, and sustain those rights. We married in 2000, at the beginnings of our…