Research on children's experiences with designing has emphasized cognitive processes, self-efficacy, and outcomes related to designing. However, efforts have been limited towards identifying approaches children use while designing and making decisions related to design. This study, which incorporated a qualitative analysis of children's design…

The use of causal diagrams to externalize the mental representation of a problem is recognized to be an important step in solving complex problems. In geography education several global challenges taught about in class are highly complex due to the interconnectedness of many causes and consequences. A systems thinking approach might be helpful to…

The study aimed at exploring whether a "Science-Technology-Social Change" course improved pre-service social studies teachers' (PST) scientific habits of mind and attitudes towards socio-scientific issues. Within a pre- and post-course experimental design, the study was conducted with 135 second-year PST (68 males and 67 females) from…

South African education is in crisis, which also presents an opportunity for innovation and experimentation. This paper describes and analyses one such pedagogical experiment with a combined class of Architecture and Applied Theatre students from the University of KwaZulu-Natal in Durban, South Africa. Students were taken through a critical…

This mixed-method study examined whether Brazilian students in the US use an indigenous problem-solving practice, "jeitinho," as a coping strategy for acculturative stress. Forty-two participants answered an online survey, which was a culmination of demographic information, the Acculturative Stress Scale for International Students,…

Metacognitive functions are important for both teachers and students to facilitate teaching and learning. The prefrontal cortex (PFC) plays a proven role in metacognition. As a pilot study, we evaluated the PFC activity of teachers and students using near-infrared spectroscopy devices to explore the neural mechanism of PFC underlying metacognitive…

This study investigated preservice middle school mathematics teachers' (PSTs) understanding of proportional and nonproportional relationships and their abilities to differentiate these relationships from each other. The PSTs' abilities to interpret and represent proportional and nonproportional situations and solution strategies were also…

This study examined the effects of a card-coded robotics curriculum and associated activities on kindergarteners' sequencing and problem-solving skills, which are forms of computational thinking. Kindergarteners participated in card-coded programming using a robot called TurtleBot. A card-coded robot curricular intervention was also designed to…

Classroom methods that facilitate student learning from iteration have received little attention from scholars. Iterative learning requires students to repeat a problem-solving task in new contexts each time applying lessons from previous applications. Iterative learning formats improve students' learning outcomes and help instructors ensure that…

Although science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) initiatives have received increased attention in recent years (Bybee 2011), the focus is often on science and mathematics (Thornburg 2009). Yet, engineering has been referred to as "the glue that holds the other STEM subjects together" (Thornburg 2009). With the release of…

This study examines crossover effects of adolescent substance misuse preventive interventions on academic success in college. It evaluates pathways of influence on college grades, via effects on school engagement, problem-solving skills, and substance misuse in high school. Data were collected as part of an Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT)…

Purpose: In this clinical focus article, the authors argue for robust vocabulary instruction with emergent bilingual learners both in inclusive classroom settings and in clinical settings for emergent bilinguals with language and literacy disorders. Robust vocabulary instruction focuses on high-utility academic words that carry abstract meanings…

Since middle school is a critical time for literacy learning in general and comprehension in particular, educators are left to ponder how best to teach these students. In addition, what role might student perception of reading strategies through visual depictions have in order to help teachers decide how best to guide their students with…

An essential qualification requirement of the teachers' profession is to handle the conflict situations effectively focusing on cultivation healthy kinds of relationship with other participants of the educational process, keeping discipline, communicative and good teaching atmosphere. In this contribution, we compare styles used in solving the…

Describing the motion in a vertical roller coaster loop requires a good understanding of Newton's laws, vectors and energy transformation. This paper describes how first-year students try to make sense of force and acceleration in this example of non-uniform circular motion, which was part of a written exam. In addition to an analysis of the exam…