The scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL) in higher education has a deep- seated concern with developing critical thinking, now a common learning outcome and desired graduate attribute. The prolific inquiry into what critical thinking might be has, however, resulted in a complex literature, with multiple definitions used both explicitly, and…

COVID-19 and the expansion of distance learning pose new challenges to the educational system. Soft skills are imperative in this context, for children's effective and adaptive learning. The following study aims to discover teachers' representations by identifying their common conceptual framework of soft skills in primary school. Semi-structured…

This article discusses the changing context of education brought about by technology and the COVID pandemic and its implications for teachers and teacher education. Specifically, the article argues that technological changes have made instruction much less important for teachers because online learning resources and knowledge experts have…

In this article, we aimed to contribute to a fuller understanding of the complex social ecologies that shape students' academic development by focusing on richer and more precise conceptualizations of mesosystem effects. First, building on bioecological models, we argued for the importance of "collective influences," defined as…

Originally published in 1991, "First Episodes: Pupil Careers in the Early Years of School" is based on a four-year longitudinal study of pupils from two different catchment areas from the first days of their entry to primary school. Using qualitative methodologies of depth interviewing and 'naturalistic' observation, it attempts to…

The problem addressed in this study was that teachers do not continuously develop self-efficacy as they progress through their preparation programs. One long-standing challenge in teacher preparation is providing adequate opportunities for self-efficacy development. There is a causal correlation between teacher self-efficacy, teacher preparation…

This article presents an assessment tool for doctoral students preparing their comprehensive portfolio. This tool was created from my firsthand experience in the Joint PhD program in Educational Studies--a collaboration between three universities in Ontario, Canada: Lakehead University, Brock University, and the University of Windsor. Following…

Artificial intelligence (AI) literacy is at the top of the agenda for education today in developing learners' AI knowledge, skills, attitudes and values in the 21st century. However, there are few validated research instruments for educators to examine how secondary students develop and perceive their learning outcomes. After reviewing the…

Young children's development is a crucial period determining their adult outcomes. Through adversities caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, preschool teachers play an essential role in nurturing children's development. This study has the objective to explore preschool teachers' perceptions of their students' development throughout the COVID-19…

The broad relationship between students' self-efficacy and interest has been highlighted for decades. This, along with the inherently developmental nature of learning, calls for a more thorough examination of the way fluctuations in students' self-efficacy influence their interest in learning within a single course over an academic year and…

There is a critical need to broaden access to engineering education in order to build a strong and diverse engineering workforce. However, four-year engineering programs are typically designed for students who are calculus-ready, so many students who wish to study engineering may need additional preparation and time to succeed. The NSF-funded…

Students encounter difficulties in solving areas of triangles and quadrilaterals due to a lack of conceptual understanding of the topic. The researchers have developed the following activities and the hypothetical learning trajectory (HLT) through the design research approach focusing on developing activities for students to learn the concepts…

The purpose of this case study was to examine how a high school's Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (JROTC) program affects student development of their personal responsibility and a sense of accomplishment by fusing the perspectives of the school administrators, JROTC instructors, and school guidance counselors for a more holistic view. The…

This study presents an inquiry into the relevance of Bildung for students in (pre-) vocational education. While Bildung has seen a remarkable revival in international educational theory, its relevance for educational practice(s) remains under-investigated, particularly in vocational education. This paper presents the insights offered by a…

The study of student development has long been considered a cornerstone of the higher education and student affairs (HESA) profession. However, perspectives on what constitutes student development have evolved as scholars continuously embrace more critical frameworks to implicate systems of power and oppression--what scholars have termed the third…