Search Results (373)

Background: Classroom social climate is a significant phenomenon within educational contexts; however, it has predominantly been studied among high school students, with limited evidence available at the university level and, consequently, in the psychometric properties of measurement instruments. This study aimed to analyze the psychometric properties of the University Classroom Social Climate Scale (ECSA-U) among Chilean students from the La Araucanía region. Method: 422 students participated, responding to the adapted version of the ECSA-U and the Motivation subscale of the Motivation and Learning Strategies Questionnaire. Exploratory structural equation modeling (ESEM), reliability analyses, and correlation analyses were conducted to provide valid evidence for the Chilean University Classroom Social Climate Scale (ECSA-UCL). Results: The scale demonstrated a three-factor structure with good fit indicators, excellent reliability indices, and significant positive associations between the ECSA-UCL and the Motivation Subscale. Conclusions: The ECSA-UCL has proven valid and reliable for measuring the perception of Classroom Social Climate among Chilean university students, making it suitable for use as a measurement tool in studies or interventions that include this variable. Full article

Background/Objectives: School-based nutrition education interventions can support the development of children’s food literacy and healthy eating habits. The Foodbot Factory serious game was developed to support school nutrition education based on Canada’s Food Guide and Ontario curriculum. The objective of this research was to refine the Foodbot Factory intervention to include curriculum-based lesson plans that had a high-level of acceptability by stakeholders to support implementation by teachers in classrooms. Methods: A co-design approach was used to engage teacher and dietitian stakeholders in developing five lesson plans for the intervention, who contributed to creating the intervention content in three stages. The stages included reviewing and providing feedback on the initial draft of the lesson plans, participating in facilitated discussion rounds to come to a consensus on the changes required, and completing a final review of the intervention’s acceptability. Qualitative data included notes on the lesson plans and recordings from meetings that were analyzed thematically. Results: During the first co-design stage, major revisions were suggested for two-fifths of the lessons by stakeholders. Further stakeholder suggestions were discussed and integrated into the intervention from facilitated discussions, improving the lesson plan content and intervention feasibility. All stakeholders agreed that the final version of the intervention was acceptable and would support classroom nutrition education. Five lesson plans were created and compiled into a unit plan, containing additional teaching resources, to support nutrition education with Foodbot Factory. Conclusions: The co-design process greatly improved the Foodbot Factory intervention and its feasibility for classroom implementation. Including diverse stakeholder perspectives led to unique and different insights to improve the intervention. Full article

Background/Objectives: Test efficacy of the social emotional learning (SEL)-based Mighty Girls program, a program culturally tailored for English-speaking Hispanic/Latino girls in seventh grade comprised of classroom sessions and a virtual reality computer game. We hypothesized that the curriculum would decrease risky sexual behaviors in a program that can be used as part of a comprehensive sex education curriculum or as a stand-alone program. Methods: A randomized group trial was conducted in which 22 low-income, predominately Hispanic schools within the Miami-Dade County Public School System were randomly assigned to intervention (consented n = 335) and control (consented n = 217) conditions. All study activities occurred after school. Primary outcome measures were resistance self-efficacy, acceptance of dating violence, sexual intentions, and sexual behavior. Assessments occurred at baseline, immediately post-intervention, 3-, 12-, and 24-months post-intervention. Changes in outcomes from baseline to 24 months were modeled using multi-level models to account for nesting of students within schools with full information maximum likelihood to account for missing data and baseline school attendance and enrollment in free and reduced lunch as covariates. Analyses are also controlled for multiple testing. Results: The program had a significant effect on reducing acceptance of dating violence at 24 months post-intervention (estimate = −0.083, p ≤ 0.05), but no effect on resistance self-efficacy, sexual intentions, or sexual behavior (p ≥ 0.58). Conclusion: Study findings demonstrate that a social emotional learning (SEL) curriculum can impact sexual behaviors such as susceptibility to dating violence. Low baseline levels for sexual intentions and behaviors as well as a high baseline of efficacy may have impacted findings for the other outcomes. Full article

Recent research indicates the significant potential of artificial intelligence (AI) in enhancing teachers’ instructional practices in areas such as lesson planning, personalized teacher intervention and feedback, and performance assessment. To fully realize the potential of AI in teaching, it is crucial to understand how teachers innovatively apply and critically evaluate AI applications in their teaching practices. However, there is a research gap in investigating how teachers use various features of an AI-enabled system and their perceptions of AI integration in teaching to promote teachers’ effective AI integration practices. Employing an exploratory case study design, we investigated how six science teachers utilized an AI-enabled inquiry intelligent tutoring system (Inq-ITS) within their teaching and examined their perceptions of AI integration. Classroom observations and teacher interview data were collected. When using Inq-ITS functionalities, two teachers with a pedagogical orientation of teacher-guided scientific inquiry mainly engaged with its virtual tutor and teacher report summary features. Conversely, four teachers, practicing the pedagogical orientation of AI-guided scientific inquiry, relied on the AI system to guide student learning, interacting intensively with its features, particularly real-time teacher alerts and teacher inquiry practice support. Regardless of the differences in using Inq-ITS features, all teachers recognized the potential benefits of pedagogical change and encountered various challenges. This analysis also revealed that teachers exhibited distinct perceptions regarding the role of Inq-ITS integration in their teaching. Teachers who adopted a teacher-guided pedagogical orientation perceived the Inq-ITS as a supporting tool that enhanced traditional teaching methods. In contrast, those with an AI-guided pedagogical orientation viewed the Inq-ITS as akin to a teaching assistant and a pedagogical collaborator. The findings underscored the importance of enhancing teachers’ realization of the pedagogical affordance of AI in teaching through their use of AI functionalities. It is essential to consider teachers’ diverse perceptions of AI integration when promoting their integration of AI into teaching practices. Full article

Regardless of differences in abilities, background, or citizenship, students have a right to effective education alongside their peers who do not have disabilities. For many students with disabilities (especially students with more significant support needs), education is something that happens outside of the general education classroom, which limits their access to the academic and social benefits of inclusive education. Fortunately, advocates, educators, and researchers are working to ensure that more students can access inclusive classrooms. Much is known about these practices within the United States, but less research focuses on inclusion in other nations and regions. This scoping literature review synthesizes intervention research conducted outside of the United States and summarizes data from 15 studies representing seven countries and including 42 total student participants. Key findings highlight important outcomes (e.g., academic engagement and communication) and effective methods (e.g., embedded instruction and peer supports) being used around the world to support students with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Full article

This study explores the effectiveness of digital storytelling in enhancing communicative competence—encompassing both linguistic and narrative skills—and fostering inclusivity in a multicultural primary classroom in Genoa, Italy. The quasi-experimental intervention spanned four months and involved eight lessons designed to engage students from diverse cultural backgrounds, particularly those with migratory backgrounds. Pre- and post-intervention assessments were conducted to evaluate linguistic proficiency, narrative competence, and educational inclusion. The results from the Italian language proficiency test demonstrated that second-generation students typically performed at the B1 level, while students with more recent migratory backgrounds scored lower. However, narrative competence showed notable improvements among A2+ level students, who outperformed their peers in certain dimensions despite linguistic challenges. Observational rubrics used throughout the intervention revealed increased classroom inclusivity, active participation, and cultural exchange. Despite limitations related to the sample size and intervention duration, the findings suggest that digital storytelling can significantly enhance communicative competence and promote a more inclusive classroom environment. Future research should investigate the long-term effects of digital storytelling on multilingual classrooms and its broader applicability. Full article

Game-based learning assessments rely on educational data mining approaches such as stealth assessments and quasi mixed methods that help gather data on student learning proficiency. Rarely do we see approaches where student proficiency in learning is woven into the game’s design. Educational burst games (EBGs) represent a new approach to improving learning proficiency by designing fast-paced, short, repetitive, and skill-based games. They have the potential to be effective learning interventions both during instruction in the classroom and during after-school activities such as assignments and homework. Over five years, we have developed two EBGs aimed at improving linear algebra concepts among undergraduate students. In this study, we provide the results of an in-depth evaluation of the two EBGs developed with 45 participants that represent our target population. We discuss the role of EBGs and their design constructs, such as pace and repetition, the effect of the format (2D vs. 3D), the complexity of the levels, and the influence of prior knowledge on the learning outcomes. Full article

This study investigates the experiences of a professional learning community (PLC) composed of six secondary math teachers enrolled in a graduate math methods course. Through the discussion of educational texts and collaborative inquiry, the teachers identified classroom challenges they aimed to address through individual action research projects. The PLC provided a supportive environment for teachers to share their processes, receive peer feedback, and collectively reflect. This study underscores the value of action research and PLCs in driving educational improvement. By engaging in structured inquiry within a collaborative setting, teachers gained insights into pedagogical issues, developed targeted incremental interventions, and contributed to the broader discourse on math education pedagogy. The collaborative PLC model facilitated reflective practice, challenged assumptions, and empowered teachers as agents of change. Implications for teacher professional development, instructional practices, and future research directions are discussed. Full article

Little attention has been paid to describing the ways early childhood education (ECE) teachers implement interactive strategies and the use of Spanish and English, in real time, to support Spanish–English emergent bilingual children’s contributions to shared book reading interactions. Video recordings from 19 ECE classrooms during shared book reading were used to conduct sequential analysis to examine the different types of interactive strategies (e.g., questions, extensions) implemented by bilingual ECE teachers and emergent bilinguals’ responses to these strategies. This study found that teachers’ interactive strategies may reflect a degree of reciprocity, with teachers and children sensitively attuned to one another’s contributions in real time. Teachers’ questions in English and Spanish were related to emergent bilinguals’ responses across a wide range of language complexity. Similarly, teachers and emergent bilinguals tended to respond to one another in the language of the prior utterance, suggesting teachers and emergent bilinguals are attuned to the contributions of one another. By examining teacher–child dynamics, this study produced results that can address issues that may have direct, translatable implications for ECE practice and intervention efforts. Full article

Engaging the public is a common practice in science disciplines and is deeply rooted in the discipline of entomology. These efforts to engage specific target groups within the general public are well studied, especially extension efforts to engage farmers and agricultural stakeholders, but this is not the case for K-12 educational spaces. Here, we conducted a scoping review to (1) determine the characteristics of entomology outreach efforts engaging K-12 populations and (2) identify opportunities for improvement based on the synthesis of those characteristics. We systematically searched five databases to identify 42 publications relevant to the parameters of this project. Analysis of characteristics indicated that entomology outreach efforts in K-12 classrooms tend to be reflective, are more often published in educationally focused journals, and rarely evaluate the interventions employed. Opportunities for improvement were identified from these trends, and from them we suggest that the practice of K-12 outreach benefits from (i) publishing in entomology-focused journals, (ii) including non-academic authors, (iii) evaluating interventions, (iv) including student data, and (v) considering axes of diversity and inclusion. Full article

Background: Communication skills (CSs) and evidence-based practice (EBP) are key foundations for offering personalized and quality nursing care. CS that results in open communication is fundamental for applying EBP. Objectives: The objective of the study was to assess the relationship between the acquisition of EBP competencies and learning CS after taking an EBP course in the nursing degree. Methods: Pre-test-post-test quasi-experimental study without a control group. The study population comprised fourth-year undergraduate nursing students. Before and after an EBP course, students completed a questionnaire on CS competence (HP-CSS) and EBP competence (EBP-COQ). The EBP course lasts for 15 weeks, with 150 h of work for the student. Out of these 150 h, 60 are conducted in person, while the remaining 90 h are for independent or group work, utilizing the flipped classroom methodology. Bivariate, correlational, pairwise Student’s t-test, and linear regression multivariate analyses were performed. Results: The sample was composed of 153 students. After completing the EBP course, there was a statistically significant improvement in informative communication (p = 0.046) and assertiveness (p = 0.018). However, there were no observed changes in empathy, respect, and the total score of the CS competence. The results from the multivariate analysis showed that the dimensions of attitude towards EBP and EBP knowledge had a positive relation to three of the four dimensions of the CS and overall competence. Regarding the students’ variables and characteristics, admission through special programs for athletes and older students (p < 0.001) and being female (p = 0.004) were positively statistically associated with empathy. Conclusions: EBP training positively affects the development of CS in nursing students, as shown by significant improvements in the total scores of the CS and the dimensions of informative communication and assertiveness after the intervention. This study demonstrates the initial applicability and usefulness of an EBP training program for the development of CS in nursing students. Full article

Early writing performance strongly predicts long-term literacy performance. It follows that early underachievement in writing is highly correlated with early underachievement in reading. One strategy teachers and students can use to approach writing in the kindergarten classroom is invented spelling. Invented spelling is children’s spontaneous or self-directed attempts to represent words in print by matching sounds to known letters or phonics patterns. A quasi-experimental study was used to evaluate the impact of invented spelling on foundational literacy skills and writing motivation in 63 kindergarten students at a rural school in the Mid-South. The research questions focused on the impact of invented spelling instruction on a variety of literacy outcomes, including foundational skills, spelling, and motivation. The results indicate the significant main effects of invented spelling instruction on students’ invented spelling (p < 0.001), conventional spelling (p < 0.001), complex vocabulary use (p < 0.001, writing motivation (p = 0.040), and writing achievement (p < 0.001). Other outcomes as well as implications and future directions are reported. The invented spelling intervention encouraged low-stake risk taking when writing and removed barriers to writing entry. Allowing time and space for invented spellings means students can focus on communicating their ideas in print without being hindered by the expectation to conform to conventional spellings. Full article

Background: Listening difficulties may frequently occur in school settings, but so far there were no tools to identify them for both hearing and hearing-impaired Italian students. This study performed cross-cultural adaptation and validation of the Listening Inventory for Education-Revised for Italian students (LIFE-R-ITA). Methods: The study procedure followed the stages suggested by the Guidelines for the Process of Cross-cultural Adaptation of Self-Report Measures. For the content validation, six cochlear implanted students (8–18 years old) pre-tested the initial version. Whenever any situation did not occur in Italy, the item was adapted to more typical listening situations in Italy. The final version of LIFE-R-ITA was administered to a sample of 223 hearing students from different school settings and educational degrees in order to collect normative data. Results: For the LIFE-R-ITA, hearing students showed an average score of 72.26% (SD = 11.93), reflecting some listening difficulties. The subscales (LIFE total, LIFE class, and LIFE social) indicated good internal consistency. All items were shown to be relevant. Most challenging situations happened when listening in large rooms, especially when other students made noise. LIFE social scores were significantly worse than those of LIFE class (p < 0.001). Conclusions: The present study provides cross-cultural adaptation and validation for the LIFE-R-ITA along with the normative data useful to interpret the results of students with hearing loss. The LIFE-R-ITA may support teachers and clinicians in assessing students’ self-perception of listening at school. Such understanding may help students overcome their listening difficulties, by planning and selecting the most effective strategies among classroom interventions. Full article

This study examined the impact of a targeted educational intervention on enhancing grit and critical thinking skills among 10-year-old primary school students in rural Chile. The intervention, involving 153 students from six public schools, used a language classroom model with structured reading activities. Grit and critical thinking were measured pre- and post-intervention. Results showed improvements in the intervention group. The intervention’s effectiveness was consistent across genders. The findings suggest that structured, student-centered educational strategies can enhance grit and critical thinking in primary students. Further research is needed to generalize the results to different settings and age groups. Full article

The capacity of schools to address behavioral health concerns presents an emerging challenge, exacerbated by major shortages in the workforce. Schools across the U.S. are struggling to hire licensed behavioral health professionals, with additional barriers encountered when seeking to hire practitioners with experience in educational settings. In 2023, a school district in the suburbs of Columbus, Ohio, partnered with The Ohio State University to launch a “grow your own” policy pilot. The priorities focused on addressing workforce shortages and leveraging the experiences of current teachers/staff to support growing needs related to student mental health and well-being. More specifically, the district utilized COVID-19 relief funds to recruit, train, and transition 25 teachers/staff into school mental health positions by underwriting the costs of each professional’s Master of Social Work (MSW) degree. Here, we (a) describe the district–university partnership and the processes guiding the implementation of the “grow your own” model, (b) distill preliminary findings about district needs regarding behavioral health, and (c) explore facilitators, barriers, and outcomes associated with learning among participants in the program. The findings from a district-wide staff survey indicated a high level of need for individual counseling, crisis intervention, and small group interventions. Additionally, qualitative interviews revealed that learning among the program’s participants was facilitated by effective classroom strategies and specific learning experiences integral to the program’s design. These facilitators supported key learning outcomes, including general social work knowledge, self-awareness, and therapeutic skills that are foundational for engaging with students, parents/families, teachers/staff, and the broader school community. This innovative policy pilot and training model demonstrate how universities and local educational agencies can partner to address workforce development challenges at the intersection of behavioral health and education. Full article