There is a gender gap among females studying STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) majors and pursuing STEM careers. More males than females pursue these majors and careers. This study explored how high school counselors influence the choices of STEM majors for female students. The researcher explored the perspectives of seven…

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…

In 2019, the four authors were teaching mathematics at the same public middle school in a suburban district of the mid-atlantic. They had been seeking ways to make adjustments to assessment and grading practices to support students in their learning, and after reading Joe Feldman's "Grading for Equity" (2018), they were inspired to make…

Professional development and learning are vital components of the educational system due to their dynamic impact on teachers (Bayar, 2014; Darling-Hammond, 2010; Guskey, 2002). Despite the importance of teacher development and the impact of student learning outcomes, professional development and learning often rely on traditional…

This ethnographically-informed study observed a youth research team in collaboration with district leaders and university researchers to inform their school district's school improvement plans. When creating school change initiatives and educational policies in the United States, community members, including youth, rarely give input (Lac &…

Few qualitative studies have examined student perspectives on teachers' culturally responsive practices (CRP). This study includes focus group data from middle and high school students who shared perspectives on how teachers can improve their classroom practices and examined if reported concepts align with or go beyond existing models of CRP.…

The Center for Education Policy Analysis (CEPA) at the University of Colorado Denver recently published a report that attempts to assess the effect of a "portfolio district strategy" on student performance in the Denver Public Schools. This report addressed criticism of a previous CEPA report on Denver's reform strategy, including that…

One of the primary functions of local school districts is to provide a sound educational environment to students. To achieve this goal, school districts continue to maintain and improve existing facilities and construct new buildings. School districts must go through bond elections to receive voter approval before issuing bonds to support the…

This study explored how past students who attended the Learning Support Zone (LSZ) in Maltese secondary schools perceived their attendance at the LSZ and its impact on their home and work environments. In-depth interviews were conducted with eleven adults who attended the LSZ when they were in secondary school. Thematic analysis was used to elicit…

School strategic planning and strategic action plans (SAPs) are considered relevant tools for school improvement. This study was conducted with the aim of identifying quality indicators for school SAPs and test their utility in the Portuguese context. By using a qualitative content analysis throughout diverse data sources (plans of Portuguese…

Objective: To explore differences in mindfulness, happiness, and perceived anxiety in a sample of college students before and after taking a meditation course. Participants: Participants were college students at a primarily undergraduate institution enrolled in an experiential meditation class (n = 74) and a non-meditation class comparison group…

Research-practice partnerships (RPPs) have drawn a great deal of attention as promising structures for bringing educational research and practice closer together. However, promising as RPPs may be, challenges still exist and there have been calls for studies investigating how research can be used within RPPs, and how to include practitioners more…

The ongoing reform of the Nepali education system is guided by the commitment of Nepal's Ministry of Education, Science, and Technology to improve educational outcomes through alignment with international educational policy. The reform goals require Nepali teachers to change their classroom practices to become child-friendly, flexible, and…

This article examines the emerging unfair inequality in Kenyan secondary schools through comparative case studies of three secondary schools in western Kenya. Qualitative data were collected through fieldwork over a four-year period, with participant observation and semi- or non-structured interviews, to understand how interactions among schools,…

For educational developers (also called academic or faculty developers) to facilitate change toward effective teaching and learning practices at any level, they must build trust and communicate credible expertise, often while conveying 'second-hand' educational knowledge to academics who then act on that knowledge in their own work. In this…