We report the design of an analog technology, what we refer to as a SunRule, that uses sunlight to model multiplication. Physical models that explore multiplication are fixtures in elementary mathematics classrooms. Our interest in physical models of multiplication was driven by an overarching design problem: How could a physical tool realize a…

It is well established that gesture facilitates learning, but understanding the best way to harness gesture and "how" gesture helps learners are still open questions. Here, we consider one of the properties that may make gesture a powerful teaching tool: its temporal alignment with spoken language. Previous work shows that the…

The pandemic-induced transition to remote instruction provided uniqueopportunities to adapt active and problem-based learning principles to develop newmaterials, teaching strategies, and assessment metrics that enrich studentengagement in transport phenomena. This project used a hybrid teaching strategy that delivered technical contentusing, both,…

Fostering students' spatial thinking skills holds great promise for improving Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education. Recent efforts have focused on the development of classroom interventions to build students' spatial skills, yet these interventions will be implemented by teachers, and their beliefs and perceptions…

This dissertation in practice created a new form of educator development called the Virtual Educator Network (VEN) and examined its impact on educators' attitudes towards inclusion, feelings of support, and incorporation of new strategies to solve problems of practice they find important. The VEN is a form of professional development that pulls…

This Dissertation in Practice (DIP) was a group dissertation as required by the Doctorate in Educational Leadership program and created a new form of educator development called the Virtual Educator Network (VEN). This DIP examined the VENs' impact on educators' attitudes towards inclusion, feelings of support, and incorporation of new strategies…

Though the United States maintains a great presence in our global economy, our country is still lagging behind many others in terms of achievement in mathematics. Developing the ability to think creatively and communicate effectively is paramount to ensuring our students are prepared for the competitiveness of the 21st century world. Rich…

The instructional decisions made by classroom teachers impact the learning acquired by students. The Common Core Mathematics Standards and the history of mathematics education in the United States create a background for how geometry standards are taught in one Midwest middle school. A study of the pacing guides, lesson plans, and naturalistic…

The purpose of this article is to describe the learnings of primary school teachers in rural Guatemala as a result of an action research experience. This experience took place in the context of the "Basic Education Quality and Transitions" activity, or BEQT, funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and…

America's strength lies in its inherent diversity--an enduring truth that makes the Eurocentric nature of our educational curricula troubling. Despite this foundational reality, curricular materials remain predominantly Eurocentric, often excluding authentic representation and inclusion of Black/African American experiences in children's and young…

By integrating computational thinking (CT) based mathematical reasoning with early childhood education through programming a dinosaur game in Scratch, this study aims to enhance the pedagogical skills of pre-service teachers by using learning objects (LOs). Also, explores frameworks for LOs construction to align with pedagogical goals, emphasizing…

Background: Invention and mastery learning approaches differ in their foundational educational paradigms, proposed mechanisms of learning, and potential impacts on learning outcomes. They also differ in their resource requirements. We explored the relative effects of 'invent and problem-solve, followed by instruction' (PS-I) learning compared to…

Coordination class theory has proven to be a useful theoretical framework for describing processes of conceptual change in certain physical and mathematical concepts. Its development throughout different studies has allowed us to understand numerous mechanisms of conceptual learning by individual subjects. There have been attempts to implement…

In this theoretical paper, we argue that Tech enthusiasts and skeptics are animated by the same sociotechnical personalization imaginary to improve education and teaching through personalization, but see very different paths to this goal. Tech boosters point to well-known problems of the existing education system -- and rhetorically ask: 'why…

The free inquiry approach based on blended learning is a learning approach that is carried out by combining face-to-face and online lectures which gives students the freedom to find problems and solve problems independently, design procedures or steps collaboratively by sharing and discussing with friends. Hence, this learning approach is…