Educational assessment is an ever-present component of any formal learning environment that has critical consequences for students. Despite this relevance, there is a gap in knowledge regarding one of its foundations--namely, assessment "fairness." In particular, social class-based fairness of classroom assessment practices has been…

The global status of English as a lingua franca necessitates effective English language teaching (TEFL) to meet the demands of the global economy and social development. This article explores key principles for effective TEFL, grounded in a sophisticated theoretical framework that integrates cognitive, sociocultural, and constructivist…

John Hattie's Visible Learning research has been read, dissected, and implemented by educators and leaders around the world. Whether it's the effect sizes or the influences that challenge the thinking of the status quo, the Visible Learning research has taken a place in many educational conversations. Over the last three years, the author of this…

This qualitative study explored how using effective assessment can engage learners and motivate student learning in the Dehradun, Noida, Delhi, and Trivandrum regions in India. The study randomly sampled 26 teachers from six private schools. Private schools were used in this study since such schools allot substantial funds to support ongoing…

The 44th annual conference of the Adult and Higher Education Alliance (AHEA) was held at the University of Central Florida in March 2020. Papers in these proceedings include the following: (1) Enhancing Pedagogy in the Virtual Classroom: An Exploration of Qualitative Student Assessment (Jeff Aulgur); (2) Does Gender Influence Major Selection?…

An exit survey performed for graduating students is an economical way to assess the outcomes of teacher education. In this study, exit survey data were collected from eight cohorts of Finnish student teachers who graduated between the years 2008 and 2015. A final sample consisted of 1102 preservice primary and subject teachers. A 10-item scale…

This paper examines Donald Schon's critique of Herbert Simon's "science of design" to determine whether later developments in Simon's thought--particularly, his theories of "bounded rationality" and "goal-less designing"--can contribute to an appreciation of Schon's notion of reflective practice. The paper then argues, that viewed through the…

For the inclusive education indicated in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) to occur at the high school level, teachers must be prepared to teach students with multiple ability levels and learning profiles in one classroom. Since the passage of IDEA, large numbers of students with mild to severe learning needs have been placed…

The principal aim of this study is to consider the competencies of the modern teacher. To understand 21st-century instructional skills, we researched the following issues: students' skills; levels of teachers' professional growth; teachers' pedagogical culture; pedagogical innovations, and 21st-century teaching competencies. [For complete volume,…

This paper describes how a cluster of nine secondary science teachers and lecturers from five schools and colleges in the United Kingdom designed and undertook small-scale action research projects as an approach to their own continuing professional development. The participating teachers identified a range of topics for investigation such as:…

An examination of how the use of descriptive analysis of children's work such as the Modified Descriptive Review process supported professional inquiry and growth for educators and for children they serve, is presented. The Modified Descriptive Review process fed immediate actions as well as the posing and exploring of large questions about…

This paper explores the metaphor of the "teacher as stranger" as a guide for curriculum inquiry. It describes investigations conducted by educators in an introductory curriculum studies course and illustrates the themes revealed in students' lived-curriculum journals. In particular, it examines several journals to document how…

This study explored classroom teachers' roles as reflective decision makers, surveying 260 K-12 teachers about professional development, teaching strategies, textbooks, testing and measurement, and mechanisms they used to distinguish between successful and unsuccessful teaching methods. Results indicate that nearly all of the teachers think about…

Examined the consequences for 5 teachers of joining a school/university partnership to inquire into the routines of 13 of their colleagues in the same district. Sought to determine whether studying peers helped teachers conduct inquiries into their own practice and how the teacher-researchers used the findings from the original study to alter…

Studying hypothetical cases enables preservice and inservice teachers to discuss real life scenarios in a nonthreatening environment and encourages active learning. The article presents a hypothetical case about student evaluation and a discussion guide with questions that teacher educators and staff developers can use to plan discussions. (SM)