In this study, the tilt of the Earth's axis was measured during a lunar eclipse using a telescope based on the angle between the lunar orbit and ecliptic planes being considered as approximately zero. The presented method not only offers a practical and reliable way of measuring the axial tilt of the Earth during a lunar eclipse but also helps in…

When teaching a novel mathematical concept, should we present learners with abstract or concrete examples? In this experiment, we conduct a critical replication and extension of a well-known study that argued for the general advantage of abstract examples (Kaminski, Sloutsky, & Heckler, 2008a). We demonstrate that theoretically motivated yet…

The purpose of this qualitative study, based on the Survey Method, was to introduce a new technique to collect data on educational practices. For this purpose, a sample practice was designed to implement with a volunteer study group comprising 36 editors in a publishing company. The task details of the sample practice were determined via DACUM…

Background/Context: Beliefs about teaching for creativity is a newer area of empirical investigation in education. Purpose: The purpose of the quantitative study was to measure teachers' domain-specific beliefs about teaching for creativity, piloted for the first time in this study, and compare these beliefs with domain-general beliefs about…

This Quick Hit discusses an exploratory approach to integrating print newspaper into the college classroom as a method to connect journalism with theoretical knowledge. Daily copies of The New York Times were provided to students in an Introductory Sociology course throughout the duration of a semester. Working in groups, students regularly read…

A veteran educator tells stories of four children she taught who each struggled with trauma and were at risk of disconnecting from school and sliding into tragic life outcomes. She shares lessons she learned from reaching out to each child and general lessons about helping students with trauma--including to never go it alone.

While a mutually agreed-upon definition of STEM education remains elusive, there is no doubt that instructional models and ideas put forward with the STEM label have had a tremendous impact on thinking, debate, and practice in schools worldwide. At issue is the degree to which some or all the STEM disciplines must be taught in a concurrent or…

This case study of teacher research explores the utility of framing the writing development of adolescent writers in terms of their discursive identities and strategic behaviors. By merging our understandings of these frameworks, I argue that we can examine how adolescents' goals, values, and beliefs associated with writing inform the strategic…

While research supports development of a growth mindset in middle level classrooms, it has not uncovered a single solution to developing such mindsets. This article presents a model supporting teachers on their journey to empower students to develop a growth mindset. Grounded in research on teaching and learning and coupled with best practices of…

Professor Gordon argues for a significant reorientation in the focus and impact of assessment in education. For the types of assessment activities that he advocates to prosper and positively impact education, serious attention must be paid to two important topics: (1) the conceptual underpinnings of the assessment practices we develop and use to…

Mathematics education researchers frequently use task-based interviews to gain insight into mathematicians' practice. However, there are a number of factors that should prevent mathematics educators from extrapolating how individual mathematicians respond to researcher-generated tasks in laboratory conditions, to how mathematicians practice their…

Multilevel structural equation models (MSEM) are typically evaluated on the basis of goodness of fit indices. A problem with these indices is that they pertain to the entire model, reflecting simultaneously the degree of fit for all levels in the model. Consequently, in cases that lack model fit, it is unclear which level model is misspecified.…

A new index of item discrimination power (IDP), dimension-corrected Somers' D (D2) is proposed. Somers' D is one of the superior alternatives for item-total- (Rit) and item-rest correlation (Rir) in reflecting the real IDP with items with scales 0/1 and 0/1/2, that is, up to three categories. D also reaches the extreme value +1 and -1 correctly…

There is growing interest in how various technical tools can be used to leverage the instructional process for both teaching and learning. Digital badges are a visual representation of learning and skills. Digital badges have been used as a way to reduce gaps in knowledge (Bowen and Thomas "Change," 46(1), 21-25, 2014; Guskey…

Memoirs and autobiographies can be rich sources of real-world information for students in psychology classes. These resources have been used in adult-oriented abnormal psychology classes, but have yet to be explored for use in courses on abnormal child psychology. This manuscript reviews the use of memoirs and autobiographies in adult-oriented…