In writing instruction, teachers often struggle with developing engaging and interactive activities given constraints such as large classes and packed teaching schedules. A purposeful and appealing pre-task can energize the writing process and set the context for the subsequent writing task. With this purpose in mind, the author designed the…

This article describes a unit of work framed by a rationale for activating English language learning through arts-based practices that are suitable for preservice teachers who are nonnative speakers of English (seeking certification for teaching English as a second language). Because teachers of English are expected to use language arts to promote…

Clinical workplaces offer postgraduate trainees a wealth of opportunities to learn from experience. To promote deliberate and meaningful learning self-regulated learning skills are foundational. We explored trainees' learning activities related to patient encounters to better understand what aspects of self-regulated learning contribute to…

Employing the conceptual model developed by Comeaux and Harrison ("Coll Stud Aff J" 30(1):75-87, 2011), this study explored the undergraduate experience of Division I athlete STEM graduates. Data collection involved 17 in-depth interviews with former athletes at two research-intensive, public institutions. Results revealed that…

Pre-service teachers' first experiences and ideas prior to application affect their teaching activities. For this reason, it is aimed to determine transferring the experiences and ideas of prospective science teachers before lesson activities and its development with lesson activities. The study was carried out with 29 third year prospective…

This article defines rapport in a teaching context as knowing your students, their different learning styles, and using that relationship with them to teach on a personal level. The author describes an activity using playdough. While giving learners opportunities to interact with others it naturally appeals to a variety of learning styles,…

Creativity is a topic of wide global interest, often discussed in fields such as education, psychology and business (Runco, "Divergent thinking and creative potential," Hampton Press, New York, 2013; Yoruk and Runco, "Journal for Neurocognitive Research" 56:1-16, 2014). However, the relationship of pedagogical practices in…

This article reports the results of a post hoc analysis of child data from a single-case multiple-probe study of pre-service teachers' use of communication strategies before, while, and after receiving distance coaching. Data were analyzed for the number of functional communication utterances used by groups of preschool children with and without…

This study, conducted in a 300-level college French class with 15 students, builds on previous research on symbolic competence (Kramsch, 2009, 2011). Using a film scene and a "Semiotic Gap Activity," we examine how students construct meaning. What do students prioritize? What do they bring from their past symbolic representations? Are…

A science, technology, engineering, and mathematics-influenced classroom requires learning activities that provide hands-on experiences with technological tools to encourage problem-solving skills (Brophy et al. in "J Eng Educ" 97(3):369-387, 2008; Mataric et al. in "AAAI spring symposium on robots and robot venues: resources for AI…

It is difficult but important for mathematics teachers to help students see themselves as capable mathematics learners, that is, to help each student develop a positive mathematics identity. A student's mathematics identity is a powerful influence on his or her engagement and participation in mathematics. Students act in ways that are consistent…

Different tools have been used to facilitate the teaching and learning process in different areas of knowledge. Practical activities represent a form of teaching in which students not only listen to theoretical concepts but are also able to link theory and practice, and their importance in the biological sciences is notable. Sometimes, however,…

Colorblindness is socially acceptable bias that lives in our personal and institutional beliefs. Its existence inhibits our ability to recognize and respond to the realities of the lives of students of color. The author outlines several activities that educators can use to surface beliefs about race during staff meetings and the like.

Spatial thinking is important for success in engineering. However, little is known about "how" students learn and apply spatial skills, particularly in kindergarten to Grade 12 engineering learning. The present study investigated the role of spatial thinking in engineering learning at a middle school summer camp. Participants were 26…

It is widely acknowledged that to be able to teach language and literacy with digital technologies, teachers need to engage in relevant professional learning. Existing formal models of professional learning are often criticised for being ineffective. In contrast, informal and self-initiated forms of learning have been recently recognised as…