The Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2014 is a nationwide initiative designed to assess the quality of research in UK higher education institutions (HEIs). For the first time, REF 2014 introduced the wider impact of research, alongside the quality of research and the vitality of the research environment, into the assessment of research…

[This paper is part of the Focused Collection on Astronomy Education Research.] As part of a larger project studying undergraduate students' understanding of cosmology, we explored students' ideas about the curvature of the Universe. We investigated preinstruction ideas held by introductory astronomy (ASTRO 101) students at three participating…

The use of visual representations (VRs) in mathematics is a strongly recommended practice in special education. Although recommended, little is known about special educators' knowledge of and instructional emphasis about VRs. Therefore, in this study, the authors examined special educators' own knowledge of and their instructional emphasis with…

This paper investigates the conceptions of research held by English as a foreign language teachers in Argentina. Quantitative data from 622 participants from an online questionnaire were followed by qualitative data from online interviews with 40 of those participants. Results show that the teachers conceptualised research through conventional…

The current mixed-method study investigated the extent of involvement in cyberloafing within classroom settings among preservice information technology teachers. Thirteen state universities were picked randomly from hierarchical clusters, which were determined according to the national university rankings. Then, a recent five-factor cyberloafing…

Onwuegbuzie and colleagues proposed the Instrument Development and Construct Validation (IDCV) process as a mixed methods framework for creating and validating measures. Examples applying IDCV are lacking. We provide an illustrative case integrating the Rasch model and cognitive interviews applied to the development of the Transformative…

This mixed-methods study investigates language learners' intention to attend a class and learn a foreign language in face-to-face and online settings using Ajzen's theory of planned behavior (TPB). The data were collected using interviews, questionnaires, and treatments with participants in two groups: a face-to-face language learning (FLL) group…

This article reports on the results of a study which explored teachers transitioning from one year level to another in primary schools in New Zealand, and in particular the impact of this transition on teachers' professional identity. While this transition could be considered to be a commonplace occurrence in schools, the lack of literature…

Faculty engage in "pedagogical solitude," in which they plan, teach, and assess their work alone. To optimize teaching environments and learning outcomes, students can serve as "student pedagogical teams" (SPT) and provide feedback on instructor performance, course structure, and content. Using self-determination theory, this…

The benefit the outdoor environment has for young children's development is widely documented. However, there is less literature outlining practitioners' experiences of assessing learning in the outdoors and factors which impact the level and quality of assessments undertaken. This study, based on a pragmatic mixed methods approach, undertaken in…

Beliefs about the certainty of teaching knowledge may influence how preservice teachers engage with and learn from knowledge sources in teacher education, and their subsequent practice. In light of inconsistencies in prior findings that mainly employ epistemic questionnaires, we extended research focusing on a contextual analysis. Sixty-six…

When teachers conduct a universal screening in mathematics, they identify students who are struggling with mathematical content and adjust their instruction. In this mixed-methods study in Kolkata, India, teachers piloted a screening tool at the beginning of the academic year in 5th grade to determine students' (n = 171) understanding of…

Mental health services for rural youth are extremely limited, especially given the national shortage of child and adolescent psychiatrists (CAPs). Patient-centered primary care medical homes (PCMHs) are often their only available portal of care, yet high-quality PCMH integrated models of behavioral health that include a CAP are rare. This…

Help-seeking is an adaptive process whereby a person seeks external support for a problem. Help-seeking early in response to mental health concerns is thus important in preventing mental illness in later life. Recent developments in service provision such as online help services, have been identified as promoting help-seeking behaviours, but there…

The Research and Teaching Fellowship (RTF) of the University of Maryland Libraries in College Park is a three-semester teacher training program for students seeking a master's of library and information science (MLIS) degree. This article provides details of the program's content, organization, administration, and assessment. It also includes…