This essay critically examines the so-called 'unnaturalness' of historical thinking. I identify and analyse three lines of argument frequently invoked by historians to defend the validity of historical inquiry in response to scepticism, which is often couched in postmodern terms. In doing so, I highlight that these lines of argument are predicated…

This article explores the use of turning points in history teaching. Historians describe instances of pivotal change as turning points. Identification of a turning point is a judgment of historical significance. The research demonstrates this by analysing an example from classical historiography. Inclusion of a turning point at the start of…

The concept of 'powerful knowledge' has become extremely influential in discussions about curriculum in England over the last ten years. However, the concept seems to have done little to revolutionise curriculum design, and in some cases it has led to curricular narrowing and a focus on an increasingly nationalistic narrative in history. Michael…

While social-emotional learning (SEL) is regularly identified as a top priority for student well-being and achievement, effective implementation will not happen on its own. That's what makes the SEL coach critical to success. Effective systems change happens with an SEL coach who has the skills to lead, communicate, analyze, train, collaborate,…

In this dissertation, I used practitioner research to examine the process of revising a civics course to better emphasize justice. This dissertation relies on the central idea that civics education can be transformed by redefining "good" citizenship and adopting an action-oriented approach to civic education and civic life. This study…

Designing an assessment that is fit for purpose in the initial teacher education (ITE) setting is complex. The assessment must meet the university and New Zealand Teaching Council regulations, mirror educational best practice, support ITE students to learn curricular and pedagogical content as well as be practicable to teach and assess. This…

Across the United States, Anti-LGBTQ curriculum laws are being passed in staggering numbers, impacting an estimated 25 million children. At a time where a majority of LBGTQ students report feeling unsafe at school, a significant education challenge is how to meet the needs of these students while addressing and dismantling the way the institution…

This article addresses how 'powerful' curriculum theory might be constructed from the perspective of the German "Didaktik" tradition--highly compatible with Schwab's the Practical. To start with, I scrutinize Joseph Schwab's model of curriculum planning and Wolfgang Klafki's model of lesson preparation and examine two theories of content…

This study is an inquiry into how school leaders influence the integration of sustainable practices within their schools. This multiple case study explores and describes how five Green Ribbon Schools integrated sustainability literacy in their curriculum, modeled best management practices within their school facilities, and created healthy and…

This article connects instrumental, emancipatory, and critical approaches to Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) with the different cultural responses or grand narratives of the Anthropocene: eco-modernist, eco-catastrophist, and eco-socialist. The tensions between these different approaches are explained by ESD's reliance on the ideals of…

Considering the role played by Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) and Cultural and Creative Industries (CCIs), we recognize that more knowledge is needed to provide a better understanding of their relationship, collaborations and work in relation to sustainable development. The aim of this article is to highlight "why" and…

Learning computer science (CS) is increasingly becoming a necessary component of K-12 education, but in most cases, teachers do not have either the essential knowledge to teach or a curriculum to follow. In this article, we analyze the outcomes from a yearlong, blended professional development (PD) program to teach teachers game design and coding…

This paper proposes a new approach for combining top-down and bottom-up approaches intended to lead to a curriculum for action in the public interest that builds on social entrepreneurship and digital skills for students at community colleges. This integrated approach requires a collaborative, participatory approach and aims to provide relevant…

When educational leaders supervise the implementation of standards-based curricula, they should understand the forces acting on classroom teachers during that implementation process. This study investigated the lived experience of 20 elementary teachers who developed, piloted, and implemented an elementary science curriculum (ESC). Using DiMaggio…

Humanoid robotics (HR) studies around the world are on the rise today. As a result of its enormous contributions to enhancing productivity and efficiency in education and other spheres of life brought the attention of it to the academic community to consider it as an adequate learning tool in higher education. However, the study revealed that…