Universities are specific local entities, and as such are in competition with one another for resources and prestige. The general tone of the literature--which sees universities mainly as specific organizations--is quite negative, with competition leading to destructive market and political forces. The tone is surprising, given the extraordinary…

Science learning that is rooted in local climate phenomena is a powerful way to initiate climate change learning that is meaningful and leaves learners feeling more motivated to take climate action. Local climate phenomenon connects youth with community interests, place, diverse people, and actionable solutions. In this article we identify why…

This paper explores multiple conceptualisations of interculturality situated within an Ecuadorian Amazonian Kichwa indigenous territory expressed through local discourses. Considering Amerindian perspectivism I analyse three discursive moments occurring within this territory. The first, is a community elder's narrative constructing a distinctive…

Socioscientific issues (SSIs), which are an important component of scientific literacy in science education, are scientific-based issues with dilemmas and no clear answers. SSIs can be local issues that affect a region or global issues that affect the world. This study aimed to investigate informal reasoning (IR) patterns and their influencing…

The purpose of this study was to examine middle school students' informal reasoning patterns and socioscientific reasoning about local and general socioscientific issues (SSI). The study was conducted with 59 7th-grade students using a case study, a qualitative research design. Data collection included activity sheets completed by students based…

The purpose of this article is to examine the critical components to successfully serving on a school board or leadership roles, as a member of the Latino(a) community. According to a 2010 national school board survey, only 3% of the 900 board respondents identified as Latino(a) compared with almost 80% who identified as White. The first author…

Contemporary scholars have called for more diverse conceptions and practices of alternative 'democratic' education to contest the increasingly neoliberal and neoconservative educational systems. The current study responds to this call by exploring how the notion of 'democratic' education can be enriched using the contextual practices of education…

As social, racial, and environmental justice topics dominate national conversations, STEM teachers must provide learning opportunities that support students to make sense of these problems and co-construct hope for their futures (Calabrese-Barton et al., 2020; Ojala, 2012). Thinking about how teachers can begin to transform their classrooms into…

This paper explores the implementation and evaluation of Imagination Agents, a mixed-methods case study, with young people aged 12-13, funded by a Royal Society of Arts Catalyst Award. The project was grounded in a flexible theory that imagination enables the necessary originality for creativity, enabling learners to construct personal…

Only weeks into its new term, the Trump administration has taken steps to lay off federally funded education research staff, cancel nearly $1 billion in contracts and dismantle the U.S. Department of Education. These moves have upended evaluations of federally funded education programs and threatened access to massive data sets that states,…

Background: While the rhetoric of evidence-based policymaking and practice is pervasive and persuasive, the extent to which either have been achieved is contested. Both require effective approaches to research-based knowledge mobilisation, particularly at the local level where context specificities undermine generic 'what works' claims. There has…

Housing is a basic need. The National Association of Community Development Extension Professionals (NACDEP), Land Use Planning Community of Practice held a virtual forum in December 2021 on the national housing crisis. The session revealed common challenges communities face when addressing these issues locally. As a follow-up to that session, this…

Purpose: This paper aims to analyze the influences of context and methodological differences in how universities confront, report and manage carbon neutrality in selected Andean universities, contrasted with a university in the USA. Design/methodology/approach: A sequential, mixed-methods design, using quantitative and qualitative approaches was…

This study examines two decades of efforts to Europeanize teacher education in Kosovo, addressing how European frameworks have influenced national policies and practices. Employing a qualitative methodology that integrates historical analysis with semistructured interviews of key stakeholders, the research highlights the tension between external…

Having access to the Internet and acquiring the skills necessary to use, question, and create in a digital environment have become essential to living and working in the 21st century. Yet, this move to digitalization has created a digital divide between those who have broadband "access" and the "skills and attitudes" to…