Most people associate summer with activities that have nothing to do with school, or, if they do, summer school comes to mind -- the remediation variety. Historically, summer school is for struggling students who need to relearn and firm up skills from prior years or for those required to retake a class. But what if it could be reimagined how to…

Context: This critical narrative study analyzes the discursive means by which the educational nonprofit AVID acculturates teacher educators and teacher preparation programs to its ideological network. Through scenes reconstructed from Cornell notes taken at an AVID Summer Institute, the author examines his double identity as an AVID for Higher…

The COVID-19 pandemic forced faculty across the country to review, reenvision, and implement different educational practices that have previously been taken for granted. In this article, we, a group of faculty, share our experiences of pivoting a major event: The traditionally on-site summer institute for doctoral students, into a virtual summer…

The COVID-19 Omicron variant was causing a new wave of infections and, because of school and life disruptions, students were struggling with learning loss and a decline in mental and emotional health in 2021. Against this backdrop, FHI 360, an organization whose education initiatives aim to dismantle obstacles and give students the tools they need…

While the COVID-19 pandemic has affected all families and communities, it is most deeply impacting students of color, students from low-income families, English learners, youth in foster care, unhoused students, students with disabilities, and other marginalized children and youth -- as well as their families. The pandemic has exposed and worsened…

In this article, I describe a few personal favorite contributions of Dr. Marcia Gentry, one of the most successful graduates from our doctoral program at the University of Connecticut, as well as a dear friend and collaborator. Marcia focused her life's work on the need to serve underserved and often-neglected populations in our field and…

The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated unprecedented changes to teaching and learning in higher education. SoTL-active faculty were uniquely positioned to leverage their knowledge and expertise to improve teaching and learning during the pandemic not only in their own courses, but through a knowledge mobilization approach also in broader contexts…

Out-of-school time academic/STEM programs provide educational enrichment to a myriad of student populations with some designed to assist those underrepresented and at-risk who desire to purse post-secondary studies. One such program in West Virginia (WV) is the Health Sciences and Technology Academy (HSTA), which provides hands-on, in person and…

This chapter offers a chronological narrative of the steps taken by the Centre for Foreign Language Study (CFLS) at Durham University to move language teaching, learning, and assessment online following the announcement of the global COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020. This includes immediate steps to suspend classroom teaching, a move to online…

Recognizing the changing demographics of students applying to college coupled with Trinity University's responsibility to help our students succeed, we have created a Summer Bridge program that focuses on first-generation, underrepresented students (FGUS). Trinity's Summer Bridge program has been a success--both in terms of student performance and…

As learning institutions, U.S. universities aim to provide abundant learning opportunities to fulfill students' right to learn. Undergraduate education is considered an important component of lifelong learning and aims to enable students to "learn how to learn." During the undergraduate stage, schools pay special attention to cultivating…

While the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted all families and communities, it has particularly devastated students of color, students from low-income families, English learners, youth in foster care, unhoused students, students with disabilities, and other historically marginalized children and youth. The pandemic has exposed and exacerbated…

This paper introduces a novel framework aimed at supporting non-education faculty and facilitators in creating inclusive educational programs and learning opportunities that address the needs, interests, and priorities of underrepresented individuals and communities in the field of STEM. The framework centers on the fundamental concept of…

Many studies illustrate the positive influences of undergraduate research experiences on student learning, attitudes, and retention in the sciences. At our institution, over 90% of the biology majors surveyed reported a desire to participate in undergraduate research, but only 3% per year have the opportunity to work in a traditional…

Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) has exacerbated existing inequities and inadequacies across a range of social structures, including our nation's education system. The pandemic has also had a more damaging impact on communities and people of color, including many who already faced health challenges. Congress has provided significant federal…