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The COVID-19 pandemic caused tremendous upheaval in schooling. In addition to devasting effects on students, these disruptions had consequences for researchers conducting studies on education programs and policies. Given the likelihood of future large-scale disruptions, it is important for researchers to plan resilient studies and think critically about adaptations when such turbulence arises. In this article, we utilize qualitative analysis of interviews with research study leaders to illuminate practical and methodological challenges, as well as promising practices that arose during the pandemic period. We find that researchers made pivots to address practical challenges and protect the feasibility of their studies. We also find that researchers took precautions, where possible, to understand and bolster internal validity. However, these pivots frequently surfaced additional threats to construct and external validity. We conclude with recommendations for future studies conducted in times of prolonged unplanned school closures or other large-scale disruptions.

Microorganisms are ubiquitous in nature and are central to human, animal, environmental, and planetary health. They play a particularly important role in the food chain and the production of high-quality, safe, and health-promoting foods, especially fermented foods. This important role is not always apparent to members of the public. Here, we describe Kefir4All, a citizen science project designed to provide the general public with an opportunity to expand their awareness, knowledge, and practical skills relating to microbiology, introduced through the medium of producing fermented food, i.e., milk kefir or water kefir. During the course of Kefir4All, 123 citizen scientists, from second-level school and non-school settings, participated in a study to track changes in the microbial composition of kefirs, by performing and recording details of milk kefir or water kefir fermentations they performed in their homes or schools over the21-week project. At the start of the study, the citizen scientists were provided with milk or water kefir grains to initiate the fermentations. Both types of kefir grain are semi-solid, gelatinous-like substances, composed of exopolysaccharides and proteins, containing a symbiotic community of bacteria and yeast. The experimental component of the project was complemented by a number of education and outreach events, including career talks and a site visit to our research center (Kefir Day). At the end of the study, a report was provided to each citizen scientist, in which individualized results of their fermenting activities were detailed. A number of approaches were taken to obtain feedback and other insights from the citizen scientists. Evaluations took place before and after theKefir4All project to gauge the citizen scientist's self-reported awareness, knowledge, and interest in microbiology and fermented foods. Further insights into the level of citizen science participation were gained through assessing the number of samples returned for analysis and the level of participation of the citizen scientists throughout the project. Notably, the survey results revealed a self-reported, increased interest in, and general knowledge of, science among the Kefir4All citizen scientists after undertaking the project and a willingness to take part in further citizen science projects. Ultimately, Kefir4Allrepresents an example of the successful integration of citizen science into existing education and research systems.

The experience of transferring to a 4-year college, especially in STEM programs, can be particularly challenging for students. While much of the onus for preparing students for transfer has been placed on community colleges, the 4-year institutions to which students transfer have critical roles to play. With this in mind, we established the Pre-transfer Interventions, Mentoring, and Experience in Research (PRIMER) program to support students transferring into the biology department at our university. The design of this program is based around the key elements of Schlossberg's Transition Theory, focusing on the support and strategies elements of the theory. Through a weekly academic skill course, peer mentoring, and informal academic and social supports, our goals were for students to increase their involvement in the campus community and to increase their use of academic support resources. We used qualitative and quantitative assessments to compare sense of community and use of campus resources between students who participated in our program and others. We found that students in our program strongly increased their sense of community during the semester compared to other students and used campus resources at a higher rate. Our insights from the PRIMER program can help others in developing programs to support transfer students in biology departments.

Currently, due to the radical transformations taking place in all spheres of education, the issue of improving the quality of education and the problems of training and educating specialists who meet all the needs of modern society is acute. The purpose of our research is to establish a theoretical substantiation of the use of new information technologies in the independent work of students and to conduct an experimental test of its effectiveness. We studied and analyzed the research experience of organizing independent work for students using the new information technologies through a pedagogical experiment, observations, a survey, testing, and statistical processing of the data we obtained during the study. The pedagogical experiment was carried out in three stages: a defining experiment, an organizational experiment, and a formative experiment. In total, 306 first-year students of K.I. Skryabin Kyrgyz National Agrarian University, Jusup Balasagyn Kyrgyz National University, and S. Naamatov Naryn State University participated in the study. During the implementation of each of the research stages, we identified the main components, i.e., the organizational, methodological, and controlling conditions, and the methods of developing and implementing web technologies, as well as technologies for developing educational and electronic tools for students' independent work in the conditions of using new information technologies.

The school reliance on exclusionary discipline drives behavioral inequities and sustains the marginalization of youth in schools. The narratives of punishment often extend beyond the walls of the school system and may be reinforced by news media discourse. Never-the-less, the relationship between news media discourse and the school disciplinary structure is an understudied area of research. Using critical discourse techniques--with a theoretical framework of critical race and news framing theories--we analyze news coverage of exclusionary discipline across (N = 64) newspaper articles. Our findings underscore news discourse with a hyper-focus on youth deficits, stigmatizing portrayals of violence and blame, and teacher resistance to discipline alternatives and reform. Discursive absence included a lack of youth and family voices and perspectives, and a disconnection from the systemic mechanisms that shape the disciplinary structure. We conclude with implications for educators, policymakers, and scholars--as we advocate for a re-invigorated focus to-ward the equitable support and inclusion of youth.

This review reports on the influencing parameters on the joining parts quality of tools and techniques applied for conducting process analysis and optimizing the friction stir welding process (FSW). The important FSW parameters affecting the joint quality are the rotational speed, tilt angle, traverse speed, axial force, and tool profile geometry. Data were collected corresponding to different processing materials and their process outcomes were analyzed using different experimental techniques. The optimization techniques were analyzed, highlighting their potential advantages and limitations. Process measurement techniques enable feedback collection during the process using sensors (force, torque, power, and temperature data) integrated with FSW machines. The use of signal processing coupled with artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms produced better weld quality was discussed.

Community and campus partners can benefit from place-based community engagement to enact a commitment to racial equity and community-driven decision-making. Racial equity is paramount in place-based community engagement. However, very little attention has been given to how whiteness in the ideological foundations of higher education shapes the work lives of professionals, faculty, and the collaborations they form to address community issues. Thus, the purpose of this case study is to foreground some paradoxes of whiteness-at-work (Yoon, 2012) in an informal place-based community engagement collaboration between the Center for Public Life at Oklahoma State University-Tulsa and members of the historic Greenwood community in Tulsa, Oklahoma. We take a reflexive stance (Ozias & Pasque, 2019), examining our own experience to explore how Yoon's (2012) concept of whiteness-at-work serves as a tool for advancing the racial equity agenda of place-based community engagement. We conclude that whiteness-at-work provides a useful lens through which to begin explicitly surfacing ways in which place-based community engagement can reify and perpetuate white hegemony. This approach also provides a starting point for racial "justice-in-the-doing," the internal, interpersonal, and institutional work to disrupt hegemonic whiteness" (Yoon, 2022), in place-based community engagement that may move us further toward garnering the racial equity to which we aspire.

This study explored the impact of an active project-based, aquaculture constructivist-learning program, as perceived by high school students. The purpose of this case study was to discover if participation in the program influenced students' interest, engagement, and future educational and career aspirations in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) when integrating aquaculture in and outside the classroom. Likewise, the study also wanted to explore students' knowledge about aquaculture and skill development after their participation in the program. The study employed a qualitative methods approach to explore students' attitudes and experiences. Qualitative data were collected from post-student focus groups at three different public, rural high schools in Kentucky. Other qualitative data included teacher journal reflections (e.g., personal documents) and public newspaper articles (e.g., public documents). Four emergent themes were found: (1) Students show excitement and enthusiasm in the hands-on, aquaculture program; (2) students show attention to detail in the hands-on, aquaculture tasks, it sticks, and are more responsible; (3) students are collaboratively engaged with their peers; and (4) greater interest and confidence in STEM through practical application. Results demonstrated that the program engaged learners in real-world problem-solving and decision-making situations while working collaboratively in small works. It also appears that students gained an important life skill, responsibility, as well as self-confidence in STEM, after participating in the program.

We present a case study that demonstrates how instructors can intentionally design a positive motivational climate in online and hybrid courses. We also examine the extent to which students' perceptions of the motivational climate predict their effort and achievement across three different modalities (face-to-face [FTF], online, and hybrid) of the same course. We surveyed students in an undergraduate computer science course once a semester for three consecutive years (FTF in Year 1, online in Year 2, and hybrid in Year 3). Measures included motivation-related scales and final course grades. Our findings, based on survey responses from 981 students, demonstrate that it is possible to create a motivational climate in online and hybrid courses that is as good or better than the motivational climates in a FTF course. Across the FTF, online, and hybrid courses, students' perceptions of the motivational climate predicted their effort and achievement in similar ways, with perceptions of usefulness, interest, and success serving as the strongest predictors.

While computer animations have the potential to assist learners in understanding difficult concepts and eliminating misconceptions, studies supporting this claim are scarce. This study investigated how the 7E instructional model integrated with computer animations affected students' conceptual understanding and misconceptions about food making and plant growth. Experimental groups were taught the 7E learning cycle model [7E LCM], and 7E LCM with computer animation [CA] while the control group was taught the conventional instruction method. A two-tiered conceptual understanding multiple-choice test and semi-structured interviews were used to collect the data. ANOVA analysis revealed no significant differences between groups or genders in pre-food making and growth in plant conceptual understanding [pre-FMGPCU] and pre-misconceptions test scores [pre-MC]. There were, however, significant differences in post-FMGPCU and post-MC mean scores, with the 7E LCM with CA showing better results in improving conceptual understanding and minimizing misconceptions. MANOVA revealed no statistically significant difference between male and female students' post-FMGPCU and post-MC results. It was concluded that the 7E LCM with CA enhances students' conceptual understanding and minimizes misconceptions more effectively than other instructional approaches. It is recommended that similar designs be used in biology teaching.

Rural school principals in Tennessee face serious challenges in leading their schools, including isolation, high turnover, and a lack of instructional leadership skills. Facilitated by a state university, the Tennessee Rural Principals Network (TRPN) was developed to provide professional learning opportunities for rural school principals. The purpose of this study was to explore the perceptions of principals in rural schools who participated in the TRPN during the years 2019-2021 (n = 133). The study used a basic qualitative research design with semi-structured interviews of 12 participants. Through our data analysis, key learning strengths and challenges were identified and organized under the codes of learning needs, coaching, mentoring, and networking. From these categories, we developed three themes: (a) sharing and collaborating through networks; (b) building capacity through mentoring and coaching; and (c) addressing the learning needs of principals in a rural context. Findings revealed that principals were pleased with the network and felt it helped them better navigate their roles as rural principals by providing the tools to develop best practices and a network to share ideas and resources.

Prior research on college choice indicates parents are the preferred source of information about college, yet little research exists from the viewpoint of parents, and even less research from the viewpoint of rural and minoritized parents. Using Q methodology, this study explored rural parent viewpoints of what makes college possible. The study was framed in social capital, community cultural wealth, and Perna's conceptual model of college choice. Factor analysis showed five distinct viewpoints and three consensus viewpoints among the parents. The five distinct factor viewpoints focused on academic achievement, college costs, the influence of family and friends, hard work, and staying close to home. Most notably, three consensus statements across all five factors indicated parents did not view teacher or school counselor expectations as important for making college possible. Findings can inform college access program planning and school outreach to parents and offer direction for future research on parent and community capital in college access.

This study of a K-12 administrator preparation program adds to the research literature on trauma-informed education by addressing a gap in the literature on K-12 administrator candidates' knowledge of the meaning of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and what their roles are in supporting teachers who have students with ACEs. K-12 school administrator candidates (N = 102) completed a survey designed by these researchers on this topic. The concept of ACEs is addressed as part of trauma-informed education from the K-12 administrator candidates' point of view using a concurrent mixed methods case study approach at one administrator preparation program. Implications and recommendations for school administrator preparation programs are discussed.

This paper examines how male preservice teachers pursuing an elementary or middle level education certification perceive barriers and supports in their chosen major and future profession. To answer this question, the authors used a convenience sample of male undergraduate students at a mid-sized, private, liberal arts college. Sixteen male students completed an online 24-question Likert scale survey and nine of these students participated in a semi-structured focus group. Our results support current literature findings showing male preservice teachers experience barriers to the field related to gender identity. Additionally, findings highlight the significant role teacher preparation programs, cooperating teachers, and peer support systems play in the resiliency and success of male preservice teachers. Implications from this research include the need for teacher preparation programs to address these barriers and provide systems of support of this underserved population.

Biology education plays a vital role in nurturing the understanding of learners about the intricacy of life. Various efforts have emerged to strengthen learning biological concepts but there were still studies that showed that learners have low mastery in some aspects. To determine how well students understood various biological topics, including human physiology, Concept inventory tests (CIT) were used. The concept inventory test may be able to spot students' misconceptions and ultimately lead to improved comprehension. The crafted CIT developed with the aid of a table of specifications based on Bloom's taxonomy of cognitive domain was assessed according to its validity and reliability. In validation, content validity and item analysis were considered while reliability test was employed through Cronbach's alpha. Distractor analysis was also performed to determine possible source of misconception per item. The CIT was administered to 120 senior high school STEM students (50.8% from the private schools, 37.5% in regular public schools and 11.7% from public schools with special programs in science). The results displayed high content validity with a mean of 4.83 for content validity and an average Aiken's validity coefficient of 0.98. It also highlighted that the test is moderately difficult with the test difficulty of 0.58, as well as, discriminatory with a discriminating level of 0.46. After item classification, 63 items were retained (39 accepted, 24 for revisions) and Chronbach's alpha ([alpha]=0.74) indicated good internal consistency. The concept inventory test propounds to be a good classroom test science with minor items to be revised.

This study analyzed articles from the last four years regarding how science education research is framed and discussed as qualitative research. The research question that guided this study was: "To what extent do qualitative secondary science teaching research publications reflect high-quality practices found in mainstream methodological texts?" The researchers utilized a systematic literature review methodology by (1) creating search terms based on the research question; (2) choosing relevant databases in which to search; (3) conducting the search and gathering articles; and (4) selecting articles based on inclusion criteria. The researchers chose "secondary education" and "science teaching" as search terms relevant to this study. Articles included in the review were peer-reviewed for credibility, available free online as full-text for accessibility, and available in English, which is the authors' first language. The researchers conducted three levels of screening on the full collection of articles--title, abstract, then methods, to efficiently narrow the large sample of qualitative science education research articles to a manageable and characteristic selection. The findings include that few articles addressed science teaching and learning with deep qualitative engagement. Some articles claimed to use specific qualitative methodologies without adequately expressing aspects of those methodologies, which lend support to the credibility, transferability, dependability, or confirmability of the articles such as the researchers' subjectivity or member-checking. Those studies that did are indeed diamonds in the ruff.

Foundation programmes provide an alternate access route for prospective students whose prior academic results exclude direct entry to undergraduate studies. Bridging courses within foundation programmes address gaps in prior knowledge while developing content knowledge and requisite skills to equip students for the rigour of undergraduate degree study. This study looks for relationships between motivation and learning strategies at course commencement and the final course results of 796 purposively chosen participants across four iterative cycles (cohorts) enrolled in an algebra course within a foundation programme at a private higher education institution in South Africa. Data were collected with the "motivated strategies for learning" questionnaire, and cohort responses were analysed using correlational statistics. Statistically significant differences mainly were detected in the motivation subscales, and the academic performance was largely related to gender and prior mathematics syllabus. Where cohorts are similar, generic interventions designed to equip one cohort may equip others. Specific intervention strategies that target the needs of students based on the needs identified in this study may equip future students to improve their algebraic knowledge. Contribution: The research contributes by augmenting the exiguous literature of studies of students in algebra courses in foundation programmes who aim to progress to undergraduate degree studies. Investigating relationships between motivation and learning strategies at course commencement and final course results within multiple cohorts promotes the development of flexible, relevant intervention strategies that can be implemented timeously. A study of multiple cohorts further allows for improved validity and reliability in conclusions relating to scalability.

Microaggressions are commonplace overt and covert forms of discrimination that convey disparaging messages to individuals who hold marginalized identities, including people with disabilities (PWD). Although PWD are a prevalent nondominant identity group in the United States, little is known about the occurrence of ableist microaggressions in this culturally diverse community, including how ableist microaggressions are experienced based on disability characteristics and other nondominant identities. A sample consisting of 201 PWD completed an electronic survey that examined the occurrence of ableist microaggressions based on visibility of disability, type of disability, and nondominant sociocultural identities. We found that PWD have a moderate level of lifetime occurrences with ableist microaggressions, the visibility of disability impacts the occurrence of ableist microaggressions and the types of ableist microaggressions experienced, and sociocultural identities may predict minimization types of ableist microaggressions.

Second language (L2) writing researchers have enthusiastically adopted task complexity frameworks in their examination of the effects of complex task features on L2 written performance. However, such research often overlooks the effect(s) of such features on general L2 development as well as L2 writing development. Drawing from Manch?n and William's (2016) perspective of writing as a mechanism for language development, this paper (a) presents a critical review of L2 writing research informed by task-based language teaching and conceptions of task complexity and (b) argues for expanded L2 writing research on task complexity and its effect on L2 production as well as the ways in which complex task features facilitate attention to language, and thus general L2 development, and L2 writing development. Future research is suggested in light of a discussion of research trends to date.

This study addresses the overlooked aspect of evaluating pre-service teachers' preparedness for technology-based instruction. Focusing on EFL pre-service teachers at a remote university, it explores their readiness to integrate Information and Communication Technology (ICT) into teaching while navigating associated challenges. Employing a mixed-method design, data were collected through a Likert scale questionnaire and semi-structured interviews. Participants included pre-service EFL teachers enrolled in an English education program at a university in East Nusa Tenggara. The findings highlight the region's pre-service teachers' readiness to incorporate technology, despite encountering barriers such as inadequate knowledge, perception, confidence, financial constraints, limited student access, and inadequate facilities. Consequently, universities must consistently provide assistance, instruction, and essential resources, ensuring prospective educators acquire the necessary skills to integrate technology into future pedagogical inquiries seamlessly.

This study explored relationships between hope, self-efficacy, and professional identity among a group of undergraduate engineering students at a western institution of higher education in the United States (US) over the span of an academic semester. We conducted a mixed-methods study with undergraduate engineering students to measure aspects of hope, and self-efficacy. Furthermore, we investigated how they perceived their own professional identity in terms of what it means to be an engineer and engage in the profession. Participants reported high levels of hope at mid- and end-of-semester. Those pursuing degrees requiring professional licensure reported higher levels of willpower compared to students pursuing non-licensure degrees. Students experienced increased self-efficacy towards engineering skills and processes over time. Participants' perceptions of engineering professional identity remained consistent over the semester. Their sense of engineering work and goal orientation fell primarily into one of three archetypes: Pragmatic, Creative, and Altruistic.

The present pilot study explores pre-service teachers' experiences related to active shooter preparedness and perceptions of preparedness of active shooter training and drills. A survey was conducted among pre-service teachers (N = 97) regarding (a) previous experiences with active shooter response drills, (b) perceptions of preparedness for active shooter response training, and (c) preparedness to address the psychological needs of future K-12 students after an active shooter response drill. The participants who were full time interns in schools felt underprepared to navigate shooter drills in a school setting and desired additional training at the pre-service level than they currently received. Furthermore, these pre-service teachers desired preparation that transcends safety protocol to encompass the physical and mental health needs of children.

This study determined the level of home learning support given by the parents and the level of reading performance of primary pupils in Alat-Alatin Elementary School, a multi-grade school in Lopez West District, Lopez, Quezon. This utilized the quantitative method anchored by a descriptive-correlational design. Moreover, the researchers used a survey questionnaire consisting of 15 questions pertaining to parental involvement, home learning resources, and home literacy practices to determine the level of home learning support given by the parents and conducted a reading session to determine the reading performance of the primary pupils. The study found that home learning support is sometimes given to primary pupils, and the level of reading performance of the primary pupils in Alat-Alatin Elementary School during the implementation of modular distance learning is at a frustration level. Using Spearman's rho non-parametric statistical tool, the Alpha level is 0.05. Since 0.395 is greater than the alpha level (0.05), the null hypothesis is accepted. Therefore, based on the result, there is no significant relationship between home learning support extended by the parents and the reading performance (in both oral reading and comprehension scores) of the pupils. Furthermore, the researchers designed Project BASA (Be A Servant Alat-Alatinian), a reading intervention program in distance learning settings that aims to improve the reading performance.

This study explores the employee retention strategies implemented by administrators in educational institutions, focusing on Immaculate Conception College of Balayan, Inc. The qualitative case study involved 10 participants, including administrators and employees selected based on stable tenure and appropriate qualifications. Through face-to-face interviews, key determinants influencing retention, such as teacher satisfaction, job contentment, professional growth, and loyalty, were identified. Recognition and incentives emerged as the primary retention strategy, significantly influencing employee satisfaction and fostering a sense of belonging. The study concludes that these strategies are effective, contributing to the retention of skilled professionals. Recommendations emphasize the importance of recognizing and providing incentives as core strategies for administrators in educational settings, recognizing their role in creating a positive work environment and promoting sustained employee commitment. The findings at ICCBI underscore the observed effectiveness of these strategies.

Background: The use of the Curriculum Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS) and delivery of Physical Education (PE) concerning time allocation, resources and number of learners per class is crucial for optimal delivery to the intermediate-phase (IP) learner. Aim: This study aimed to determine the gap between the understanding and the interpretation of the content and requirements of the CAPS document, and the delivery of PE in the IP, in selected public schools in the Alberton region of Gauteng province, South Africa. Setting: Alberton, a suburb of Johannesburg, was identified. This geographical area was divided into four segments. Two primary schools from each segment were purposefully selected according to the quintile levels. Methods: A mixed method of data gathering was used. Questionnaires were administered and focus-group discussions (FGDs) were held. Participants were selected using a purposive sampling method. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics. Qualitative data were analysed using direct quotes and themes. Results: The findings are in line with the results of the South African Universities Physical Education Association (SAUPEA) National Research Project in that teachers require further training on the interpretation of the CAPS document. Aspects of the CAPS document cannot be executed because of time allocation, class size, and a lack of resources and equipment. Conclusion: To adhere to the expectations of the CAPS document, the use of available facilities, equipment, number of learners per class, and time allocation in PE need improvement. Contribution: Enriching the PE curriculum through collaborating with stakeholders in local communities and governmental support.

This qualitative descriptive study explored teachers' perceptions of a peer observation structure, collegial visits (CVs), and CVs' connection to teacher self-efficacy (TSE). The research question was: How do teachers perceive CVs, particularly with respect to their influence on TSE? Semi-structured interviews and a focus group were utilized to collect data from 13 K-12 educators from urban and suburban public school districts in the United States. The theoretical foundation included Bandura's social cognitive theory and the triadic reciprocal causation model. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the data, and four themes emerged: (1) cultural drivers and effects of CVs; (2) impact of formal and informal learning experiences on teachers; (3) teachers' positive shift in (a) opinions and (b) emotions regarding CVs; and (4) teachers' increased TSE throughout CV implementation. Conclusions highlighted that CVs were an effective vehicle for professional learning. The results provide qualitative evidence demonstrating that CVs foster educators' TSE beliefs.

This design case details the design process of a multiple-choice assessment of socio-scientific systems thinking. This assessment is situated within a larger project that aims to understand the ways students use multiple scientific models to understand complex socio-scientific issues. In addition to the research component, this project entails developing curriculum and assessment resources that support science teaching and learning. We begin this paper by framing the needs that motivated the design of this assessment and introducing the design team. We then present a narrative outlining the design process, focusing on key challenges that arose and the ways these challenges influenced our final design. We conclude this paper with a discussion of the compromises that had to be made in the process of designing this instrument.

In response to COVID-19, educators rapidly pivoted to new and innovative ways of delivering lecture material. The ability to host synchronous lectures on platforms like Zoom gave students continued access to classroom material in the face of an ongoing pandemic. The purpose of this study was to investigate the differences in exam scores between students attending a physiology class (PHSL3051) synchronously via Zoom or asynchronously by viewing recorded lectures posted after class. Students in PHSL3051 were evaluated with four unit exams and one cumulative final exam. Although pooled analysis of all students showed that synchronous lecture viewing positively predicted exam scores, this positive association was even larger when the data were analyzed by gender and ethnicity. For female-identified students and students of color (SOC), attending lectures synchronously was associated with average scores on every unit exam that were higher by 2.7-7.4 percentage points. Moreover, the greater a student's synchronous participation in the course throughout the semester, the better that student's performance on the cumulative final exam was likely to be. These data highlight the need to better understand how different groups of undergraduate students select and respond to different assessment methods used in the same course, which may have long-term effects on their overall performance at 4-year institutions.

The undergraduate college years are a critical time when students are beginning to think seriously about their career interests, and it is critical that students have a positive outlook for their mathematical learning if they are going to pursue math-related STEM majors. The current research with 748 undergraduate math students found that the more they endorsed a fixed mindset, the more they were likely to experience math anxiety, a relationship partially explained by their adoption of mastery-avoidance and performance-avoidance goals. Furthermore, the degree of this mediation effect did not differ for men and women. While women were not more likely to hold a fixed mindset for their math intelligence, they did report higher scores for math anxiety in comparison to men. In addition, if students felt that when they were growing up, their parents were uncomfortable helping them with math homework, it also led to students' math anxiety, and this was partially explained by influencing students' fixed mindset beliefs about their math intelligence.

Epistemic injustice is a condition where knowers and knowledge claims are unduly dismissed. Philosophers suggest that epistemic injustice manifests in three forms: testimonial, hermeneutical, and contributory. Although distinct, all forms of epistemic injustice stem from relations of power, privilege, and positionality -- where some have the opportunity and authority to legitimize the knowledge contributions of others. The purpose of this study was to explore the presence of epistemic injustice in U.S. doctoral education through a systematic review of literature. We methodically searched hundreds of peer-reviewed journals for studies focused on teaching, advising, peer interaction, doctoral socialization, and other experiences concerning doctoral education across the humanities, social science, and science disciplines. We retained, reviewed, and analyzed 107 manuscripts. Our analysis revealed epistemic injustice in doctoral education as well as rules that foster the conditions for epistemic injustice. Implications for doctoral education and future research are offered.

We employ a policy assemblage, mobilities, and mutations framework to analyze the geographies that constitute and reflect educational policy circulation at the regional or supranational level in trans-regional regimes and/or quasi-federal polities such as the European Union (EU) and the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). Recognizing that policies are mobile in a fragmentary fashion as they are re/dis/assembled in specific ways, places, and purposes, we move beyond methodological nationalism and pay attention to the make-up of policies as they are in motion and the places they affect. In other words, using the trans-regional and/or quasifederal level, we juxtapose the tensions between policy as fixed, territorial, or place-specific against the dynamic, regional, and relational policy elements. Methodologically, we use a comparative federalist lens to trace and examine the distillation, translation, and mobilization of education policy across and between quasi-federal polities. In this sense, epistemologically, we further explicate the manner in which such policy instruments move across the various interconnected units and sites composing these federal-type entities, while (re)territorializing and deterritorializing what we construe as complex educational assemblages. We show that contra to the extant literature, in Europe/EU and the Caribbean/CARICOM, movement, and mobility involves the connectivity between policymaking sites, and policies arrive at their destination in the same form as they appeared elsewhere, allowing for forms of discursive isomorphism.

The higher education community continues to pursue solutions to the alarming number of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) undergraduates leaving their degree programs. This qualitative study investigated the experiences of 12 STEM scholarship recipients in a near-peer-mentored social support group at a large Midwestern university. The goal of this study was to investigate the scholars' challenges and supports prior to and while participating in a weekly peer group through the lens of the Phenomenological Variant of Ecological Systems Theory model. This case study triangulated the experiences of the peer group participants using pre-group individual interviews, peer leader reflections, and a focus group. The pre-group interviews revealed that the participants experienced challenges associated with the rigor of their courses, self-imposed pressure, and unsupportive relationships. Supports for their persistence prior to the peer group included their internal drive to achieve their goals and supportive relationships, particularly with family. The focus group revealed that the peer group provided a non-academic space to connect with peers, facilitated sense of belonging, and normalized their struggle as STEM majors, broadening their perception of science identity. Paradoxically, although participants highlighted personal disclosure as key to promoting social support, they indicated their greatest challenge in the peer group was discomfort with sharing.

Most students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) have challenging classroom behaviors and poor postschool outcomes. Self-determination promotes positive classroom behavior and successful postschool outcomes. By incorporating choice-making, an element of self-determination, teachers across grade levels can address behavioral issues and promote positive postschool outcomes for students with EBD. This article provides guidance on how to incorporate choice-making for students with EBD.

A detailed, unbiased perspective of the inter-relations among medical fields could help students make informed decisions on their future career plans. Using a data-driven approach, the inter-relations among different medical fields were decomposed and clustered based on the similarity of their working environments. Publicly available, aggregate databases were merged into a single rich dataset containing demographic, working environment and remuneration information for physicians across Canada. These data were collected from the Canadian Institute for Health Information, the Canadian Medical Association, and the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences, primarily from 2018 to 2019. The merged dataset includes 25 unique medical specialties, each with 36 indicator variables. Latent Profile Analysis (LPA) was used to group specialties into distinct clusters based on relatedness. The 25 medical specialties were decomposed into seven clusters (latent variables) that were chosen based on the Bayesian Information Criterion. The Kruskal-Wallis test identified eight indicator variables that significantly differed between the seven profiles. These variables included income, work settings and payment styles. Variables that did not significantly vary between profiles included demographics, professional satisfaction, and work-life balance satisfaction. The 25 analyzed medical specialties were grouped in an unsupervised manner into seven profiles via LPA. These profiles correspond to expected and meaningful groups of specialties that share a common theme and set of indicator variables (e.g. procedurally-focused, clinic-based practice). These profiles can help aspiring physicians narrow down and guide specialty choice.

This study presents a strengths-based framework for designing virtual reality experiences tailored to the needs and abilities of autistic individuals. Recognizing the potential of virtual reality to provide engaging and immersive learning environments, the framework aligns the strengths and preferences of autistic users with the affordances of virtual reality platforms. Drawing on the existing literature and empirical findings, the framework highlights key areas of alignment, including visual perception, anxiety management, attention to differences, concrete thinking, and response to positive feedback. The framework emphasizes the importance of involving autistic individuals in the co-design and co-creation of virtual reality technologies to ensure a more tailored and preferred user experience. By adopting a strengths-based approach and actively involving autistic individuals, the design and implementation of virtual reality interventions can better address their unique needs and foster positive outcomes. The study concludes by advocating for continued research and collaboration to advance the field of virtual reality technology for autistic individuals and to work toward shared goals with the autistic community.

In many domains, learners extract recurring units from continuous sequences. For example, in unknown languages, fluent speech is perceived as a continuous signal. Learners need to extract the underlying words from this continuous signal and then memorize them. One prominent candidate mechanism is statistical learning, whereby learners track how predictive syllables (or other items) are of one another. Syllables within the same word predict each other better than syllables straddling word boundaries. But does statistical learning lead to memories of the underlying words--or just to pairwise associations among syllables? Electrophysiological results provide the strongest evidence for the memory view. Electrophysiological responses can be time-locked to statistical word boundaries (e.g., N400s) and show rhythmic activity with a periodicity of word durations. Here, I reproduce such results with a simple Hebbian network. When exposed to statistically structured syllable sequences (and when the underlying words are not excessively long), the network activation is rhythmic with the periodicity of a word duration and activation maxima on word-final syllables. This is because word-final syllables receive more excitation from earlier syllables with which they are associated than less predictable syllables that occur earlier in words. The network is also sensitive to information whose electrophysiological correlates were used to support the encoding of ordinal positions within words. Hebbian learning can thus explain rhythmic neural activity in statistical learning tasks without any memory representations of words. Learners might thus need to rely on cues beyond statistical associations to learn the words of their native language.

This study investigated Hmong American adolescents' perceptions of their mother as helping them understand race as Asian American youths in an urban context. Twenty-four Hmong American adolescents ages 14 to 18 (M = 15.8; 67% female; 54% U.S. born, 46% born in Southeast Asia) participated in semi-structured interviews, following approval of the Institutional Review Board. Directed content analysis revealed three themes of racial, ethnic, and neutral socialization practices. Frequently, responses reflected the categories of racism awareness, racial group identification, and diversity awareness, as well as no discussion of race (racial socialization theme). Although the study asked specifically about racial socialization, some responses indicated that mothers engaged in cultural practices that included cultural markers and ethnic group identification (ethnic socialization theme). A few responses also represented neutral socialization that emphasized good behavior. Emergent categories included intra-racial discrimination and bicultural socialization. More frequently than girls, boys reported having discrimination experiences without discussing race with mothers. Girls reported more intra-racial discrimination messages, as well as bicultural and neutral messages than boys. These findings can help Hmong American adolescents and their families continue to build successful strategies for dealing with racism and discrimination, and support understanding how Asian Americans address racialized experiences in the U.S.

Background: Graduate admissions in psychology continue to be a popular and competitive venture, with the demand for new graduate student opportunities exceeding the annual supply. Objective: Our present work was a partial replication and extension of Appleby and Appleby (2006). We added closed- and open-ended questions regarding social media to gauge how graduate admissions committees utilize social media to evaluate applicants. Method: We asked U.S. graduate admissions directors to answer six open-ended questions and then rate the frequency and fatality/harmfulness of 17 potential applicant errors. From the population of 467 graduate admissions directors, 56 provided complete responses (12.0% response rate). Results: We examine the closed-ended quantitative results presenting descriptive data and combining the frequency and fatality scales into a scatterplot; outcomes from the open-ended qualitative results provide rich and nuanced advice about graduate admissions errors. Conclusion: Poorly written application materials are to be avoided (obviously), but the evidence-informed advice offered here is much more nuanced and complex. Teaching Implications: Mentors and faculty advisors can use information from this study to provide data-informed advice to students interested in improving their chances for admission to graduate programs in psychology, offering specific tips on the most harmful/fatal mistakes to avoid.

While there is a substantial body of leaving care research, the theorization of care leaving has been more limited. Only a few studies have incorporated a life course perspective, mainly in Global North contexts where life course perspectives may differ significantly from those in the Global South, including Africa. Drawing on findings from a feasibility research study, this paper contributes to the emerging international literature on theorizing care leaving by applying a life course perspective to the experiences of youth leaving care in four African countries. The paper highlights how life course can be a useful conceptual framework for understanding the experiences of care leavers with an emphasis on four core concepts: biography, linked lives, waithood, and agency. Implications for policy and practice are outlined with a focus on interdependence, participatory practice, biography, and cultural transition planning alongside efforts to redress systemic, oppressive barriers facing care leavers in society.

When making inferences about the mental lives of others (e.g., others' preferences), it is critical to consider the extent to which the choices we observe are constrained. Prior research on the development of this tendency indicates a contradictory pattern: Children show remarkable sensitivity to constraints in traditional experimental paradigms, yet often fail to consider real-world constraints and privilege inherent causes instead. We propose that one explanation for this discrepancy may be that real-world constraints are often stable over time and lose their salience. The present research tested whether children (N = 133, 5- to 12-year-old mostly US children; 55% female, 45% male) become "less" sensitive to an actor's constraints after first observing two constrained actors (Stable condition) versus after first observing two actors in contexts with greater choice (Not Stable condition). We crossed the "stability" of the constraint with the "type" of constraint: either the constraint was deterministic such that there was only one option available (No Other Option constraint) or, in line with many real-world constraints, the constraint was probabilistic such that there "was" another option, but it was difficult to access (Hard to Access constraint). Results indicated that children in the Stable condition became less sensitive to the probabilistic Hard to Access constraint across trials. Notably, we also found that children's sensitivity to constraints was enhanced in the Not Stable condition regardless of whether the constraint was probabilistic or deterministic. We discuss implications for children's sensitivity to real-world constraints.

Educational podcasts have become an increasingly prevalent media used to disseminate profession-specific information through easily accessible means. Despite the potential of educational podcasts as convenient and effective medium, there is a dearth of literature dedicated to the topic. Thus, using the Uses and Gratification framework, the psychometric properties of the "Educational Podcasts Motivation Scale" were examined, as well as the motivational factors that influence intention to listen to educational podcasts and recommend podcasts to others were explored. A sample of individuals in the field of education (n = 606), such as in-service K-12 teachers and higher education professors, were recruited for this study. This sample were randomly divided, and an exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was conducted with the first set (n = 312) to identify underlying constructs, and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and structural equation modelling (SEM) were employed with the second set (n = 294). The scale demonstrated strong psychometric properties and five distinct motivational factors were identified: Information Gathering, Flexibility in Use, Social Interaction, Entertainment, and Professional Encouragement. Several motivational factors had significant associations with the constructs of "intention" and "word-of-mouth". This paper demonstrates both the unique motivational factors related to listening to educational podcasts and the motivational factors that overlap with other forms of media. Further examination of the underlying motivations to listen to educational podcasts is warranted.

Although charter schools are frequently afforded flexibility from many state laws that govern traditional public schools, a growing number of charter school teachers have now unionized and introduced collective bargaining to the charter sector. Using data from a detailed content analysis of teacher CBAs from California, we compare the restrictiveness of CBAs in 75 unionized charter bargaining units to the restrictiveness of CBAs in 31 nearest neighbor traditional public school district bargaining units. We find that independent charter CBAs are much more flexible than the CBAs of traditional public school districts, but charter school CBAs of bargaining units combined with traditional public school districts are comparably restrictive.