Background: Transforming the culture of STEM higher education to be more inclusive and help more students reach STEM careers is challenging. Herein, we describe a new model for STEM higher education transformation, the Sustainable, Transformative Engagement across a Multi-Institution/Multidisciplinary STEM, (STEM)[superscript 2],…

In early March 2020, distance education replaced face-to-face instruction for the 7,270 children and 435 teachers in Galapagos, Ecuador. In addition, the Ecuadorian government implemented strict stay-at-home mandates to fight the COVID-19 pandemic. Rather than solely focusing on the effects of these measures and the devastating consequences of…

The present work analyzes the academic performance of students from at-risk groups from the perspective of Social Network Analysis (SNA), studying the academic and interaction information of 45 students belonging to at-risk groups who attended a pilot socio-academic course during one academic term. This information was used to create a sociogram,…

This paper addresses the potential of online environments as spaces for young people to develop intercultural competences by studying how otherness is created online and how this holds potential for learning. While online communication is an increasing part of young peoples' lives, not much is known about how young people use their online social…

The purpose of this research is to examine the research that has been done on MOOCs by applying data mining and analytic approaches and to depict the current state of MOOC research. The text mining revealed four broad themes: (I) MOOCs as a mainstreaming learning model in HE, (II) motivation and engagement issues in MOOCs, (III) assessment issues…

This article provides a comparative case study of two connected learning experiences in teacher education that vary in scope, participants, time, and design to consider the questions: (1) What characterizes humanizing engagement across varied experiences of connected learning in teacher education? and (2) What repertoires of practice become shared…

Through the case of Jacqui, this article describes a community-based project called Seniors Thrive, which was intended to help immigrant seniors learn English, build social connections, and strengthen their leadership in order to support their health and well-being. The programming merged language learning and leadership opportunities through…

Previous studies have shown that participation in social networking sites (SNSs) enhances users' knowledge, social capital, and quality of life. However, people with intellectual developmental disabilities (PIDD) do not use SNSs to the same extent as the general population does. This study aimed to explore the experiences of those PIDD in South…

Background Postsecondary institutions are expected to provide students with skills such as communication that are considered essential for success in school, work, and society. However, faculty are rarely trained to design courses that emphasize complex, cultural skills like communication, highlighting the need for professional development that…

Filling the STEM pipeline from secondary schools to postsecondary institutions is essential for the nations' competitiveness in the 21st century. It is therefore crucial to motivate more high school students to consider entering one of the STEM fields and to prepare themselves by taking advanced coursework in STEM that will prime them for choosing…

Whether birds of a feather flock together or opposites attract is a classical research question in social and personality psychology. In most existing studies, correlation-based techniques are commonly used to study the similarity/dissimilarity among social entities. Social network data comprises two primary components: actors and the possible…

Technology advances occur almost daily, and how information is shared constantly evolves. Educators must understand how their students prefer communicating related to coursework. By mapping social networks present in courses, it may allow educators to determine how students prefer to communicate and also determine if there are constant identities…

This research study utilized a critical race studies approach to explore the lived experiences of African American women undergraduate students at a predominantly White institution. The purpose of this study is to investigate challenges experienced by African American women at these institutions, and the support they require in order to develop a…

Based on a need to understand African American women's mentorship experiences in senior leadership positions such as president, vice president, provost, and dean in community college settings, this qualitative descriptive study was conducted to inductively explore African American women's experiences in higher education. The research question was:…

Background: This paper discusses teachers' perspectives on learning networks and their motives for participating in these networks. Although it is widely held that teachers' learning may be developed through learning networks, not all teachers participate in such networks. Purpose: The theme of reciprocity, central to studies in the area of…