Current Issues in Education (E-Journal, Arizona State University)
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Empowering Female Students through Esports Programs: Insights from a Vocational High School
Full text linkThis paper explores gender dynamics within a vocational Esports high school, focusing on the experiences of female students. Utilizing Cultural-Historical Activity Theory (CHAT) and Digital Feminism as theoretical frameworks, the research examines how educational practices, digital cultures, and socio-cultural contexts influence participation and identity formation among female students. Data collected through interviews, observations, and document analysis highlight significant disparities in participation and the impact of institutional structures on gender norms. Findings reveal that while competitive Esports environments often perpetuate traditional gender roles, collaborative settings in coding and design facilitate more inclusive interactions and empower female students. The study proposes strategic educational modifications to foster gender equity and suggests that vocational Esports programs can effectively challenge and transform gender norms in educational settings
Adopting Science of Reading Standards: One Department’s Story
Full text linkAs more states continue to call for reforms of reading education and mandate the adoption of standards aligned with the science of reading, educator preparation programs are reviewing and redesigning their curricula. In this paper, faculty from our Department of Elementary and Special Education share some potential challenges, successes, and insights programs might encounter when accommodating these new requirements. We outline the process and outcomes of reviewing our curriculum as a resource for other programs undergoing similar revisions. The paper concludes with six tips to support a smooth transition
Adapting Educational Practices and Technologies in the Post-COVID-19 Era: A Scoping Review
Full text linkThe transformative impact of online tools in post-COVID-19 education is explored through a scoping review encompassing eight fundamental studies. This scoping review uniquely contributes to the existing literature by addressing specific gaps, such as the detailed comparison between pre- and post-pandemic educational practices and the underexplored aspects of digital tool integration across different disciplines. The analysis encompasses studies exploring the effectiveness of digital tools in libraries, archives, and museums and the feasibility of mobile app development for teaching practices. It also investigates the impact of subtitles on language learning, the implementation of flipped classrooms in geography education, and the effectiveness of scaffolding in online learning environments. Additionally, the review assesses Islamic education teachers' methods to enhance student motivation and engagement and compares the outcomes of online versus face-to-face anatomy teaching in medical schools. The findings reveal significant insights into the evolving landscape of education, highlighting both the opportunities and challenges of digitalization and online instruction. Overall, the research underscores the importance of adapting pedagogical strategies to meet the diverse needs of learners in the current and post-pandemic educational landscape
Motivations for Entering the Teaching Profession: Illuminating the Voices of Female Pre-Service Teachers on the U.S.-Mexico Border
Full text linkTeacher retention is a global problem, and why individuals choose the teaching profession can help sustain teacher motivation. This study surveyed 29 predominately Mexican American female students enrolled in the College of Education at a border university in South Texas. The participants were selected using convenience sampling from two courses taught by the researcher in the spring of 2024. A 15-question survey, including Likert scale and open-ended questions, was used to gather data. Findings revealed that pre-service teachers selected teaching as a profession for altruistic and intrinsic reasons. Participants' educational experiences, both positive and negative, impacted their decision to become educators. The concept of altruism emerged to describe the interdependency of altruistic and intrinsic motivations. The study underscores the importance of examining the educational experiences of minority women living along the U.S.-Mexico border to understand their aspirations and motivations to enter the teaching profession
Strategies for Efficacy and Belongingness towards Foundational STEM Skills for At-Promise Graduate Students: The QMER Learning Community
Full text linkIncreasing representation of first-generation, low-income, and students of color has been considered critical in developing an inclusive and competitive future workforce. However, research has noted significant difficulties with continued engagement and persistence for those engaged in STEM-based activities, with literature showing at-promise students face difficulties in two areas: (1) lack of basic exposure to processes and norms undergirding advanced material, and (2) low self-conception surrounding issues of efficacy and belongingness. This paper reports on the findings of implementing a STEM-focused learning community in a flagship Southeastern university to improve graduate student research efficacy and social belongingness. The learning community program was aimed at (1) broadly supporting foundational STEM skills through supplementary and specialized curriculum; and (2) providing social and professional supports geared towards at-promise students. Survey and interview results demonstrate that graduate students participating in the learning community reported high senses of self-efficacy and belongingness. In addition, low-income, first-generation, and Black graduate students reported higher levels of self-efficacy and belongingness on average. This paper concludes that the learning community approach can be highly beneficial in developing research efficacy across the board, but at-promise students specifically benefit from professional skills development to undergird and contextualize their research confidence
Value Creation in Social Learning Spaces: Scale Development
Full text linkWide agreement exists about the value and power of learning in social contexts, and social influences on learning have been studied from multiple perspectives. However, before this study, no known measure of the value of learning that happens in social spaces had been developed. This study introduces a scale to measure value created through participation in social learning spaces as theorized by Wenger-Trayner and Wenger-Trayner (2020). Data were collected from 18 distinct ECHO® education and health learning communities in New Mexico, Oklahoma, India, and Nigeria. These ECHO® communities align with the conceptualization of social learning spaces. Findings resulted in a parsimonious survey that represents the distinct cycles of value creation. The results of the CFA support the validation of this scale and suggest that the instrument accurately represents the value cycles in Wenger-Trayner and Wenger-Trayner’s (2020) framework. This protocol has utility across educational institutions, organizations, and agencies
Academic Achievement and Postgraduate Career Commitment among Pre-Service Teachers: The Mediating Role of Science Identity
Full text linkThis cross-sectional study investigated the relationship between academic achievement (measured by GPA) and a science-related psychological variable, science identity, in higher education. Specifically, the study examined the mediating role of science identity in the relationship between academic achievement and commitment to a postgraduate career. Data drawn from 309 pre-service teachers were analyzed using structural equation modelling. The results revealed positive relationships between academic achievement, science identity, and postgraduate career commitment. Academic achievement and science identity significantly predicted pre-service teachers’ postgraduate career commitments. Furthermore, science identity served as a mediator in the relationship between academic achievement and career commitment. These findings point to the benefits of effective interventions that support the development of science identity in teacher education and development to encourage pre-service and in-service teachers’ commitment for postgraduate career. These strategies can foster pre-service and in-service teachers to engage in science-based practices, enhance their scientific competences, gain recognition from their colleagues or educators, and implement science-based practices in their own teaching
Aligning Education with Student Needs: Lessons from Gifted and Talented Education
Full text linkAmerican education has inherited beliefs and practices unaligned with 21st-century needs, which prevents us from providing an appropriate education to many students. To reimagine education, we must understand tensions between shifting societal values, developmental goals, and educational structures. After discussing some of the values that pull education toward different goals, the authors present several lessons learned from Gifted and Talented Education pertinent to changing broader educational structures. Pivoting away from the age-in-grade model to one that flexibly addresses diverse individual learning pathways can help to increase equity and excellence, as well as develop individual talent for self-fulfillment and societal betterment
A Comparative Study of Health, School Performance and Wellbeing in Perúvian School Children and Adolescents Who Meditate
Full text linkOur prior research with indigenous school children and adolescents in Perú, often in remote high-altitude Andean locations, mostly centres on an exploration of health and school performance and their relation to the practice of Transcendental Meditation, an easy-to-learn technique for mental and physiological rest and stress reduction. We have established that higher levels of health and school performance are associated with regularity of meditation practice, but most attempts to identify a causal link between the two have been deferred until more reliable data were available.
The present cross-sectional study of 248 students seeks to build on these earlier findings in three ways: first, we have expanded the variable range from health and school performance to now include personal wellbeing as a measure of student development; second, we compare present educational outcomes at three new schools in Cusco, Huancayo, and Acomayo with normative data from five other schools located throughout Perú and with international settings; and third, using multiple linear regression, we endeavour to establish preliminary evidence for a possible causal link between the regularity with which students practice Transcendental Meditation (y) and physical health, cognitive health, emotional health, school performance, and personal wellbeing (x).
The preliminary results mostly support, and in some cases strengthen, our earlier findings about the relationship of Transcendental Meditation to health and school performance, and now includes personal wellbeing. We conclude that controlled, longitudinal research of meditation, health and wellbeing may be warranted in primary and secondary school settings in Perú
Returning to Reach Higher: Exploring the Perceptions and Lived Experiences of Adult Learners Pursuing Bachelor's Degrees
Full text linkAs adult learners increasingly seek bachelor’s degrees for career advancement and personal fulfillment, understanding their unique challenges and experiences becomes crucial for higher education institutions. This study focuses on the academic journeys of nine adult learners aged 29 to 53 who attended community colleges in Florida before seeking a bachelor's degree at one of Florida's public universities. Using Schlossberg's (1989) Transition Theory and Weiner's (1972) Attribution Theory as frameworks, this study examines participants' perceptions of the situational and dispositional experiences that impact their pursuit of a bachelor’s degree. The results revealed narrative themes categorized as learning curves, demotivating experiences, and influential factors, including balancing multiple responsibilities, overcoming financial aid policy constraints, and the need for strong support systems to sustain their academic persistence. This study highlights the resilience and determination of adult learners in achieving their educational goals despite challenges. The findings offer practical insights and recommendations for higher education practitioners to better support adult learners in undergraduate programs, emphasizing the importance of tailored student services and flexible academic policies that support their retention