The problem addressed in this study was that teachers struggle to apply the middle school concept in three middle schools in the U.S. region of New England. This study was a qualitative investigation of teachers' perceptions of the middle school concept and their needs for additional support to effectively apply it. The conceptual framework for…

This study presents a review of the guides and tools found in the literature regarding the implementation of inclusive education to support schools in the development and improvement of their educational practices. A total of 22 guides were reviewed, with their corresponding analyses of: the purpose for which they were created, their inclusive…

This chapter introduces Universal Design for Learning, outlining the key elements and ideas behind UDL, with some examples from the author's own teaching practice in a postgraduate business school class illustrating the application of UDL. A toolkit of some useful resources for newcomers to UDL is also provided.

Purpose: The purpose of this case study was to reflect the essence of the lived experience of 10 elementary school teachers in Southern California as they integrate social-emotional learning (SEL) into the instructional day with the Recognize, Understand, Label, Express, and Regulate (RULER) Approach. Conceptual Framework: The conceptual framework…

Move away from "the way we have always done things" and embrace an improved approach to student intervention. At Tier 2 of the RTI at Work™ process, interventions do not require hiring additional staff, buying more resources, or extending the school day. Instead, this book offers a step-by-step process for how to use your current time…

This article describes the implementation of a new student partnership across a large and diverse STEM faculty and the impact this four-year partnership had on enhancing students' experience. This innovative partnership recruited and employed students, termed student experience champions (SEC), to inform and develop inclusive educational…

The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to explore how elementary school administrators and teachers comprehend, evaluate, and create instructional practices for students with learning disabilities in upper grades (3rd through 5th) in central Arizona. The theoretical foundation for this study included the inclusion model and the…

How does an educator ensure that an audience is receiving an intended message? Further complicating this matter, what happens if the audience members' primary language differs from that of the presenter and the use of an interpreter is not feasible? We explore these questions through a case study based on our experience as three Extension…

What can the Investing in Innovation (i3) grantees tell us about scaling innovative educational practices? The newly released white paper "Scaling Up Evidence-Based Practices: Strategies from Investing in Innovation (i3)" captures the experiences of nine grantees whose projects collectively have reached over 1.2 million students across…

Partnering with Commonwealth schools and districts focused on continuous learning and improving student outcomes has had a profound impact on how the Rennie Center thinks about effective and sustainable change. This knowledge has guided the creation of Rennie's Change Management Framework, a rigorous, structured approach to planning and…

Starting with the fact that school education has failed to become education for critical thinking and that one of the reasons for that could be in how education for critical thinking is conceptualised, this paper presents: (1) an analysis of the predominant approach to education for critical thinking through the implementation of special programs…

Within their teacher preparation courses and field experiences, preservice teachers are introduced to numerous instructional practices, not all of which are considered research-based. For this reason, instruction in how to evaluate the effectiveness of one's practices is essential, but it is often a lacking component of initial certification…

This issue is part of a series on the Teacher Practice Networks initiative and its efforts to broadly support teachers in implementing college- and career-readiness instruction. Effective teachers frequently reflect on how to improve their practice: "Did I scaffold the lesson well? Did I give students enough processing time? How can I help…

Curriculum mapping can be used to document, align, visualize, and assess curricular data, such as learning outcomes, assessment materials, instructional techniques, and student pre- and post-testing scores. A cross-disciplinary Curriculum Mapping Initiative currently underway at the University of Toronto Mississauga aims to: (1) develop guidelines…

This article explores the process and outcomes of teaching critical reflection to social work students in an Australian university, based on our experience with teaching critical reflection. The application by students of a particular model of critical reflection to their learning experiences during field education placements is described and…