Recent Publications

Building Strong Roots: School–Community Partnerships for Integrating School Gardens in Environmental and Sustainability Education

School gardens have shown potential in improving students’ academic performance, dietary preferences, well-being, and physical activity. Gardening promotes students’ leadership and lifelong learning skills, especially when integrated in the community. To encourage the large-scale adoption of school gardens, there is a need to discuss factors that favor their integration and sustainability. In this article, the authors explore the process of developing school–community partnership in the context of school gardens in environmental and sustainability education (ESE). The research highlights the effective role of partnership programs in ESE in supporting community involvement of elementary and high school students. The study adopts a qualitative design, specifically a “two-case” case study method. Data sources include semi-structured interviews with eleven school garden administrators (teachers, principal, vice principal, garden coordinators, and garden volunteers) of an elementary school and a high school in two low-income neighborhoods in Ontario, Canada. Findings highlight initial partnership stages for school gardens’ establishment and community integration, including sharing a common vision and plan, obtaining administrators’ support, promoting community access, and involving students. Moreover, advanced partnership stages for school gardens’ sustainability include sustaining open communication with stakeholders, evaluating and celebrating progress, and gaining impetus. This study serves to motivate the large-scale adoption of school gardens by highlighting expectations and presenting the partnership model as a possible solution for the lack of funding and support staff that may arise when establishing a school garden.

Not everyone has the privilege to have good food: Promoting positive youth development and social justice values in school gardens

This paper explores the role of school and community gardens, as examples of urban agriculture projects, in fostering connections between high school students and the community. This exploratory study focuses on positive youth development and social justice youth development frameworks especially food insecurity or inability to access affordable and nutritious food. On that account, this paper examines the following research questions: (a) What effect, if any, do school gardens have on high school students’ positive youth development and community building skills? (b) How does participating in a school garden foster youth social justice awareness? The study employed a mixed-methods approach, specifically a case study method. The setting for this case study was an urban high school that maintained a garden on its grounds in Ontario, Canada. Participants included 24 high school students, 1 teacher, 1 principal, and 2 garden coordinators. The primary sources of data include (1) semi-structured interviews with students, teacher, school principal, and garden coordinators; (2) student survey responses; and (3) school garden observations. Findings show impact of the school garden on students’ positive youth development (competence, confidence, connection, character, caring, and compassion), community building skills, and social justice awareness (self-awareness, social awareness, and global awareness). As well, garden activities were linked to students’ cultural backgrounds. This research advances knowledge about school gardens as a setting that nurtures students’ environmental stewardship and establishes community connections in a way that is inclusive for students from all backgrounds.

Technology-enhanced differentiated instruction in science education: Teacher candidates’ development and curation of educative curriculum materials. Contemporary Issues in Technology and Teacher Education

This research explored how teacher candidates (TCs) developed and curated learning resources that are both digitally enriched and focused on differentiated instruction (DI). The authors present the analysis of a course assignment in which TCs developed multimedia curriculum resource websites suitable for use by secondary teachers of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). The research addressed the following research question: What examples of technology-enhanced DI do TCs incorporate in their curriculum resource websites? The analysis of 18 websites shows how TCs incorporated digital learning resources to promote DI principles and practices in their lesson plans. Implications for STEM education research and practice are discussed.

Curriculum and pedagogy in STEM teacher education: Developing case studies of socio-scientific issues focusing on differentiated instruction

Differentiated instruction (DI) is a teaching approach that aims to achieve learning for students of diverse backgrounds, abilities, and interests. This study explores STEM teacher candidates’ (TCs’) development of DI-focused curriculum using case studies of socio-scientific issues (SSI). The paper addresses the following research question: How well suited are case studies of socio-scientific issues to incorporate differentiated instruction? The paper adopts a qualitative method approach utilizing document analysis, in which the authors present the analysis of seven case studies of SSI developed by 18 TCs. Overall, the results convey that TCs showed very good integration of DI principles and practices in the case studies. TCs differentiated the process of teaching most followed by the product of learning; yet showing a need for more training in content differentiation to attend to students’ needs, backgrounds, and academic levels. Furthermore, the research highlights the compatibility between DI and case studies of SSI, rendering them as promising tools to differentiate instruction. This research equips science teachers and curriculum designers with practical resources and strategies to implement DI, to ensure equitable education for all students. Implications for STEM teacher education research and practice are also highlighted.

Promoting STEM teacher candidates’ views and understanding of differentiated instruction

To promote inclusive practices in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) classrooms, this research explores teacher candidates’ (TCs’) views and understandings of differentiated instruction (DI). The article addresses the following research questions: (1) What are intermediate-senior STEM TCs’ initial views and understandings of DI? (2) What is the impact of a curriculum and pedagogy course enriched with DI practices, on TCs’ views and understandings of DI? The study adopts a mixed-methods approach, in which data sources include pre–post surveys and semistructured interviews. Participants are 19 TCs enrolled in the teacher education program at a Canadian university. Findings suggest that the course resulted in a notable improvement in TCs’ DI views and a deeper understanding of DI strategies. The article highlights the importance of contextualizing practical applications of equity, diversity, and inclusion principles in teacher education courses.

STEM teacher candidates’ preparation for online teaching: Promoting technological and pedagogical knowledge

Emergency remote teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic has shed light on pedagogical challenges that require the immediate attention of teacher education programs. This paper focuses on teacher candidates’ preparation to teach online in a STEM curriculum and pedagogy course in a teacher education program at a Canadian university. The authors present a two-phase study of two cohorts of teacher candidates enrolled in this course and explore 1) their perceptions of the dynamics and effectiveness of online teaching as a teaching modality, and 2) the impact of the course on their technological and pedagogical skills necessary for online teaching. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected through pre- and post-surveys administered online at the beginning and end of the course. Findings suggest that teacher candidates’ engagement with course content resulted in a notable improvement in their views toward online teaching as a teaching modality, pedagogical approaches, and personal abilities utilizing innovative online teaching strategies. This research emphasizes the necessity for comprehensive training programs that enhance teacher candidates’ technological competencies while simultaneously refining their pedagogical methodologies for online settings. Implications for teacher education research and practice are discussed.

The future is interdisciplinary: Development of a medical sciences master’s program that fosters academic, professional, and personal development

This paper outlines the design, development, and implementation of a new Master of Science in Interdisciplinary Medical Sciences (MSc IMS) program at Western University in Canada. The course-based program focuses on interdisciplinary education and experiential learning with a goal to foster students' academic, professional, and personal skill development. The authors discuss the rationale for developing the MSc IMS program, describe the curriculum design process, outline the innovative features in the program, and share the findings from the inaugural cohort on their motivation to enroll in the program. The alignment between the data from the inaugural cohort and the rationale for the program is also highlighted. The paper adopts a narrative approach to detail the process used throughout the design of the program and presents findings from a pre- questionnaire—focusing on the overall needs of students and rationale for their enrollment—administered to the inaugural cohort of the program. This scholarly work informs educators, curriculum designers, and administrators about the importance of interdisciplinary programs in higher education. It is also of significant relevance to departments planning to develop new programs or update existing ones to reflect 21st century teaching and learning approaches.

Preparation and inspiration: STEM education for future generations

In this book we outline and stress the importance of STEM education as it is critical to and supportive of many education reforms being undertaken today, from adoption of international standards to better teacher preparation, to enhanced coordination across the entire K–12 education system. Moreover, STEM education is linked to economic prosperity and thus requiring students to have a strong education foundation for competing in the economy of the twenty-first century and beyond; an imperative to train and prepare a diverse STEM-literate workforce with the capability to understand and comprehend global STEM challenges (Merchant & Khanbilvardi, 2011). A major goal of the STEM agenda is to improve the proficiency of all students in STEM, regardless of whether they choose to pursue STEM careers or post-secondary studies, while fostering 21st century skills identified as being crucial for success. In Canada and other jurisdictions, such as Ireland (Department of Education and Skills, 2017), STEM education policy development (DeCoito, 2016) highlight the important of policy priorities for schools (detailed in Chap. 6). We believe that STEM education policy development should be a priority for future educational reforms in order to provide a conceptual framework for schools that can be used for curriculum planning and pedagogical supports for STEM integration.

STEM education: Curriculum and pedagogy

New realities of the twenty-first century demand individuals with different competencies than those considered appropriate for success in the past. Enhancing scientific literacy and preparing students with global workforce skills to ensure successful careers in STEM fields will require new approaches to teaching STEM topics in K-12 classrooms, given that STEM education is an important aspect in K-12 teaching and learning. Therefore, curriculum should aim to engage best practices for incorporating integrative STEM education across science, technology, and mathematics subjects at the K-12 levels. Identifying effective strategies to ensure continuity and supports necessary for successful transition from elementary to specialized high school STEM courses and subsequent post-secondary pathways is warranted. Educators need to consider how to develop applied and transferable STEM skills such as creativity, innovativeness, opportunity identification, cultural awareness, collaboration, and problem solving. Challenging students to solve real world problems using approaches such as project-based learning, case studies, inquiry, engineering design, integrating digital technologies to extend learning, computational thinking, science and language instruction, and culturally relevant pedagogies have potential to enhance learning and academic achievement of all students in STEM education. Curriculum reform must be accompanied by sustained and effective professional development for teachers focusing on integrative STEM education in order to prepare students for success in STEM.

Defining and situating STEM disciplines

STEM education is critical to and supportive of many education reforms being undertaken today, from adoption of international standards to better teacher preparation, to enhanced coordination across the entire K–12 education system. There is general consensus that one of the places to address the underrepresentation of STEM in our education system, combined with a ‘negative image’, resides in engaging curious young minds in the early grades, specifically at the elementary level. Moreover, there is dire need to address equitable practices specifically relating to gender and diversity in STEM education. Despite the arguments launched by advocates and critics alike, what is abundantly clear is that we need to rethink the way we educate students in STEM and non-STEM fields. Under consideration is an all-inclusive approach, including reforming education systems to include capacity building in STEM and basic digital and fundamental skills. Understanding the nature of science, the nature of technology, the nature of engineering, and the nature of mathematics is warranted, given that disciplinary domains are informed by epistemological, conceptual, and philosophical underpinnings that apprise the enactment of teaching and learning. Several researchers have proposed theoretical and conceptual frameworks for integrated STEM learning. Supporting teachers of integrated STEM ensures effective teaching and assessment, and inclusive and rich learning environments, thereby improving the learning outcomes of students. Identifying effective strategies to ensure continuity and supports needed for smooth transitions from elementary science to specialized high school science courses and subsequently post-secondary pathways is the key goal of meeting the workforce demands for STEM careers.

Individual differences in text processing and recall in children with and without ADHD

The current study examined whether children with and without ADHD differed in text processing when contradictory information was present. Forty-seven children between 10 and 14 years old performed a self-paced reading task. Half the passages contained contradictory information. Additionally, language and cognitive skills were assessed to examine the relationships between text processing and individual differences in these abilities (working memory, oral sentence recognition, verbal and non-verbal intelligence, word reading fluency and decoding ability). Results indicate that the non-ADHD group modulated their reading behaviour based on the presence of inconsistent information, whereas the ADHD group did so in response to the consistent information. However, this task effect in the ADHD group was primarily observed with children who scored low on background measures (e.g., verbal intelligence, working memory). Additionally, the children with ADHD recalled fewer units of information than their non-ADHD peers. Correlations demonstrated that the pattern of relationships between the text comprehension measures (i.e., true-false test and text recall) and the background measures differed between the two groups, such that measures were more closely associated with each other in the ADHD group. Results are discussed in terms of educational implications to support children with ADHD who experience reading comprehension difficulties.

Teachers’ Perceptions of Implementing Ontario’s Right to Read Report’s Recommendations

In 2022, the Ontario Human Rights Commission released the Right to Read Report that outlined 157 recommendations for literacy instruction in Ontario, Canada. For educators, these recommendations included using structured literacy in their classrooms. The present study investigated teachers’ perceptions of how difficult implementing these recommendations would be and what they saw as facilitators and barriers. Teachers reported that starting structured literacy practices would be easier than both stopping current practices (e.g., cueing, running records) and providing more intensive instruction or intervention to struggling students. They also noted that initial teacher training programs need to do more to prepare teacher candidates. They identified teacher training, classroom resources, funding, and teacher beliefs as the factors that can serve equally as facilitators and barriers to successful implementation. Recommendations are offered by teachers to ease a shift towards structured literacy practices.

Rooted: A Publication on Indigenous Law

Genderwashing is the process whereby organizational rhetoric differs from the lived experiences of workers, creating the myth of gender equity in the workplace. Genderwashing in Leadership considers how the process of genderwashing highlights hidden biases in organizational policies and procedures, and patriarchal cultural practices. International scholars from diverse areas such as leadership, organizational studies, sociology, and education explore how genderwashing occurs from various perspectives, including leadership, power and privilege, identity, and career recruitment and selection. Uncovering epistemological assumptions that underpin and sustain genderwashing practices, the ways in which genderwashing intersects with embodiment and intersectionality and how genderwashing policies and practices restrict women’s advancement into leadership, the editors host a space for dialogue and debate. The Transformative Women Leaders Series is published in collaboration between the International Leadership Association (ILA) and Emerald Publishing. Celebrating women leaders and the leadership styles they employ to achieve success, the books in this series highlight successful context-specific leadership approaches and the moral qualities of endurance.

K-12 global/international education: dancing with “diversity, democracy, and social justice”

For more than a century, distinct forms of global/international education have emerged across diverse national and local contexts. Despite their heterogeneity, it is possible to discern some similar features in regards to the larger visions of global/international education as well as to their real-world manifestations finding expression under the larger sweep of Eurocentric modernity. This article takes a conceptual and analytic approach in suturing the vocabularies, aims, practices and challenges of these multiple trajectories of global/international education with specific focus on the tensions arising out of the normative aspirations of teaching for “diversity, democracy and social justice” in the K-12 domain.

STEM Education Through Global Perspectives: An Overview

Improving a country’s high-quality talent requires a strong educational foundation for children and youth. Globally, science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education is viewed as essential for preparing students to compete in the economy of the twenty-first century and has become the driving-force behind many educational movements (Akcan et al., 2023; Blackley & Howell, 2015; Freeman et al., 2019). Be aware, STEM is not a separate education reform movement from other science education reform efforts; rather, it is an emphasis that stresses a multidisciplinary approach for better preparing all students in STEM subject areas and increasing the number of post-secondary graduates who are prepared for STEM occupations (Conference Board of Canada, 2013; National Research Council (U.S.A), 2013). STEM education reforms vary globally as not all reform efforts use similar strategies or have similar goals (Freeman et al., 2019; Mudaly & Chirikure, 2023; Wilson, 2013). Some occur through top-down approaches and are in response to policy and often impose changes on classroom teachers, leading to failed reform efforts (Coburn, 2003).

My responsible stewardship of the place: The mother tree taught me how

Mitsy incorporated her own a/r/tographical living inquiry (Springgay, Irwin, & Kind, 2005) into her daily walk from September 1, 2018, to August 31, 2019. She used the A/r/tography research method, because “practice-based research is situated in the in-between, where theory-as-practice-as-process-as-complication intentionally unsettles perception and knowing through living inquiry” (Irwin, & Springgay, 2008, p.xxi). In this chapter, she shared her yearlong learning in relation to four topics. Firstly, how we, humans, can live and share space with nature and wild animals under the First people’s perspective (ELF, 2019). Secondly, how we can meet and live with children in a common world (Taylor, 2013) perspective. Thirdly, how her neighbours have been reimagining, reorienting, returning, and respecting the place with their open minds (Harraway, 2016; McCoy. Tuck & McKenzie 2016). Fourthly, she reflected on her responsible stewardship of the place. She reflected on how her ways of making and engaging with her artistic, natural creation in the space retained or affected the quality and abundance of our land, air, water and biodiversity.

Walking with water

One day, on her walk, the sound and the movement of rushing water on a trail and waves in the ocean made her wonder whether, if her walking was the sum of her body and mind movements, the movements of water could also, metaphorically, be seen as its walking action. As Ingold (2016) argues, “movement should be in phase with, or attuned to, the movements of other phenomena of the inhabited world” (p.105). She stopped walking and attuned to the lines of the surrounding movements. How she “observe is not to objectify; it is to attend to persons and things, to learn from them, and to follow in precept and practice. [Her] participant observation, in short, is a practice of correspondence: a way of living attentively with those among whom we work” (Ingold, 2015, p.157) In this visual essay, Mitsy drew the readers’ attention to how photographic images of movements might provoke readers to pose questions about how mindful walking might be considered as “thinking in [lines of] movements” (Ingold, 2013, p.98). In addition, this idea of walking with water and visual images will provoke and evoke new “potentials for living with/in the world” (Irwin et al., 2018, p.50).

Exploring global competencies through a math and CP lens

Mathematics “is an important tool or ‘language’ in constructing, explaining, and interpreting the globalized world” (Schell-Straub, 2013, p. 10). Global competencies and development goals are in policy documents, but there is very little research on the integration in k-12 mathematics. Research question: How can mathematics, coupled with coding and digital tools, help students investigate global issues such as environmental sustainability, economic disparities, and equity? The theoretical framework adopted is Kafai and Burke’s (2014) Computational Participation (CP) which involves shifting from i) code to actual applications, ii) tools to communities, iii) starting from scratch to remixing, and iv) screens to tangibles. We conducted a cross-case qualitative analysis. There were two research sites, an in-school and an outof-school site. For the in-school international research site, we observed the participants in their natural setting (naturalistic paradigm). For the out-of-school domestic site, the research team developed the curriculum, for an outreach STEAM camp, through an iterative process (design-test-revise-repeat, Design-Based Research). At the in-school site, students repurposed recyclable tangible materials in an upcycling and shoe design project. They created 3D digital/physical models using geometric and trigonometric concepts. At the out-of-school site, students created a blueprint for a sustainable home with renewable energy in a screen designing software, Tinkercad, exploring concepts such as rotation in the x, y, and z-axis, scaling, and 3D mathematical modelling. Students also coded and programmed tangible circuits (created a prototype of the servo motor to generate wind energy). They thought about angles, parallel and perpendicular lines, and conditional statements.

STEAM and Critical Making in Teacher Education

In the context of literature on STEAM and critical making (Ratto, Inform Soc 27(4):252–260, 2011), we present three case studies which explored the integration of the disciplines represented in the STEAM acronym (science, technology, engineering, arts, mathematics) as a way to help more preservice teacher candidates learn about important mathematical concepts. We asked: (1) How do preservice teacher candidates engage with concepts related to mathematics when a STEAM-based, maker education approach is used in the learning process? And (2) What do preservice teacher candidates learn about teaching mathematics when a STEAM-based, critical maker education approach is used in learning about teaching? The frameworks of constructionism and low-floor/high-ceiling learning theories, humans-with-media in STEAM, and critical making are presented to help conceptualize maker education, STEAM, and critical making in teacher education.

School and Community Practices of Computational Thinking in Mathematics Education through Diverse Perspectives

In the 21st century, computational thinking (CT) has emerged as a fundamental skill. Building on this momentum and recognizing the importance of exploring the use of computational thinking (CT) concepts and tools in teaching and learning, this study conducted a qualitative content analysis to investigate online resources for school and community outreach practices related to integrating CT and coding into mathematics education. The data set was selected from sample websites hosting a community of practice and interpreted through Kafai et al.’s (2020) framings of CT and a combination of three theories of learning and teaching (i.e., constructionism, social constructivism, and critical literacy). The study found that in mathematics, more attention is given to the cognitive approach of CT, which focuses on acquiring CT skills and concepts, rather than the situated approach that emphasizes participation during learning. Additionally, there is not enough emphasis on the critical framing of CT, which examines how learning reflects values and power structures. The study’s significance is grounded in enhancing the perspectives of researchers, educators, and policymakers by providing insights into the wide affordances of CT which meet and exceed the expectations of curriculum content and skills. In light of the recent attention paid to adding coding to the new mathematics curriculum, in Ontario, Canada, this study contributes to the literature, practice, and curriculum development on the integration of CT into school mathematics and serves as a basis for future research in the field.

Reimagining the Mathematics Curriculum Through a Cross-Curricular and Maker Education Lens

Despite the positive impact of maker education on student learning, challenges towards its implementation in formal school settings still exist. There is limited research on maker education in teacher education programs and a lack of knowledge on how to integrate it into the mathematics classroom. To address these issues, the following research questions were examined: What is the nature of the productive design features of maker education for teacher candidates? What are the benefits and challenges of these opportunities for teacher candidates learning to teach mathematics? The methods used were a case study interlinked with design-based research. A total of 114 teacher candidates participated in the study. The research findings have implications for educators who design/implement maker education curricula into STEM courses. For educators and researchers, the maker education opportunities from this study contribute to further re-imagining learning competencies, pedagogy, and resources in teaching mathematics and other STEM disciplines.

Computational Thinking Workshop: A New Way to Learn and Teach Mathematics

In this digital era, technology has entered every aspect of our life, including educational system. Computational thinking (CT) and programming are a relatively recent part of certain school curricula. The idea of CT was originated in 1950s, and the first usage of the term CT was by Papert in 1980; the notion/concept was refreshed by Wing in 2006. CT is the focus of attention for many researchers, such as Gadanidis , Namukasa, Kotsopoulos, Curzon, diSessa, Farris, Sengupta and so on ; they argued that using CT tools, ideas and activities in mathematics pedagogies and curricula contributes to learning in creative and imaginative ways. In this paper, the ways that students interact with their peers during CT and mathematical thinking activities are investigated in the context of an instrumental case study of 10 elementary students. Observational, interview, and reflection data collected during two workshops were analyzed to determine the ways in which the activities impacted students’ interacting and understanding. Students engaged in three CT activities: symmetry app, Scratch program, and Sphero robot. As a result, CT activities allow students to learn mathematical concepts better, when they are working with CT ideas and activities. This study was limited in its sampling as it only focused on primary grades 3 - 6 in a private school. For future studies, the researchers suggest conducting a study that will include public schools and involve tools for teaching mathematics concepts.

STEAM Camp: Teaching Middle School Students Mathematics, Science and Coding through Digital Designs

In this study, we explore how to teach mathematics, science and coding through digital tools, design projects, and global competencies. We explore the question: How do upper elementary school children develop an understanding of mathematics and science coupled with coding through digital design? The theoretical framework adopted for this study is Kafai and Burke’s (2014) definition of Computational Participation: a shift from code to actual applications; a shift from tools to communities; a shift from starting from scratch to remixing; and a shift from screens to tangibles. We conducted a qualitative case study interlinked with Design-Based Research. Both STEAM camps were an outreach program for students in grades 4-8 in Ontario, Canada. The two camps were designed and facilitated by a research team from the Faculty of Education. The research team developed the curriculum through an iterative process (design-test-revise-repeat). There were 43 students registered in the STEAM camps, and 34 of them participated in the study. We collected observation, interviews, audio/video recordings, and survey data as well as pictures of the students’ work. Our main findings were that students were provided with opportunities to: 1) develop a deeper understanding of curricular concepts; 2) engage more with the digital tools when they were remixing, improving, and reimaging the design; and 3) apply their knowledge to global competencies. The findings of this research have implications for improvements in researching, designing, and implementing design projects as part of a pedagogical approach to teaching mathematics and science, coupled with coding, in an interdisciplinary context.

A pedagogical model for STEAM education

Certain researchers have expressed concerns about inequitable discipline representations in an integrated STEM/STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics) unit that may limit what students gain in terms of depth of knowledge and understanding. To address this concern, the authors investigate the stages of integrated teaching units to explore the ways in which STEAM programs can provide students with a deeper learning experience in mathematics. This paper addresses the following question: what learning stages promote a deeper understanding and more meaningful learning experience of mathematics in the context of STEAM education? The authors carried out a qualitative case study and collected the following data: interviews, lesson observations and analyses of curriculum documents. The authors took a sample of four different STEAM programs in Ontario, Canada: two at nonprofit organizations and two at in-school research sites. The findings contribute to a curriculum and instructional model which ensures that mathematics curriculum expectations are more explicit and targeted, in both the learning expectations and assessment criteria, and essential to the STEAM learning tasks. The findings have implications for planning and teaching STEAM programs. The authors derived four stages of the STEAM Maker unit or lesson from the analysis of data collected from the four sites, which the authors present in this paper. These four stages offer a model for a more robust integrated curriculum focusing on a deeper understanding of mathematics curriculum content.

Mathematics and interdisciplinary STEM education: recent developments and future directions

This special issue introduces recent research on mathematics in interdisciplinary STEM education. STEM education is widely promoted by governments around the world as a way of boosting students’ interest and achievement in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics and preparing STEM-qualified workers for twenty-first century careers. However, the role of mathematics in STEM education often appears to be marginal, and we do not understand well enough how mathematics contributes to STEM-based problem-solving or how STEM education experiences enhance students’ learning of mathematics. In this survey paper, we present a narrative review of empirical and conceptual research literature, published between 2017 and 2022. These literature sources are organised by a framework comprising five thematic clusters: (1) interdisciplinary curriculum models and approaches; (2) student outcomes and experiences; (3) teacher preparation and professional development; (4) classroom implementation and task design; and (5) policy, structures, and leadership. We use the framework to provide an overview of the papers in this issue and to propose directions for future research. These include: investigating methods and rationales for connecting the constituent STEM disciplines so as to preserve the disciplinary integrity of mathematics; clarifying what is meant by student “success” in interdisciplinary STEM programs, projects, and other educational approaches; moving beyond classroom practices that position mathematics as just a tool for solving problems in other disciplines; understanding what makes a STEM task mathematically rich; and asking how STEM education research can productively shape STEM education policy.

Technology maker practices in mathematics learning in STEM contexts: a case in Brazil and two cases in Canada

The act of making provides students with an opportunity to create and design by using materials and technologies. Scholars who examine learning through making maintain that maker approaches to solving problems, creating designs, and thinking about real-world ideas promote the development of abstract thinking skills, such as modeling, and computational thinking (CT) skills. Our goal is to research the use of specific methods of maker education—such as experimenting with tools and hands-on designs—in learning mathematics. We ask: what are the benefits and potential outcomes for designing and teaching learning activities which integrate technology maker practices and pedagogies in mathematics and other school concepts in STEM contexts? We analyzed qualitative data on the benefits and potential outcomes of maker practices and pedagogies from three cases in Canada and Brazil. The researchers designed and facilitated the tasks to study the experiences of participants. Participants were observed, interviewed (or asked interview questions via a questionnaire), and completed reflection prompts. Their activities were recorded. The results show that learning from maker practices and pedagogies augments the learning of individual STEM disciplines, with specific settings and activity designs offering varied foci on mathematics and technology, on science, engineering and mathematics, or on science, technology and mathematics. Students, preservice teachers and teachers benefit in cognitive, interdisciplinary and social (situated) ways. Further research is needed to explore how deeper and other benefits, including critical benefits, may be achieved for learning and teaching mathematics and to explore which practices and pedagogies are associated with more potential outcomes.

Exploring AR and VR Tools in Mathematics Education through Culturally Responsive Pedagogies

Augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) have been noted to enhance student learning by supporting spatial reasoning and visualization, long-term memory, engagement, increased motivation, and decreased anxiety. We will explore the following research questions: In what ways do AR and VR digital tools potentially increase student motivation and engagement when learning mathematics and coding in the classroom? What are teachers’ thoughts on the effectiveness or ineffectiveness of AR and VR technologies and culturally responsive practices in the context of mathematics education? We conducted a qualitative case study interlinked with Design-Based Research (DBR). Data were collected using surveys, interviews, observations, and documentation. There were 54 students and 7 adult participants. Students in grades three to eight, in a STEAM camp, applied mathematical thinking and modelling in a web-based design app, Cospaces Edu, to better understand abstract and complex mathematical concepts. This study provides a blueprint for how teachers can be mentored in creating and implementing AR and VR activities intertwined with storytelling and culture in the classroom. It highlights promising results when teaching mathematics concepts through AR and VR activities: students' motivation was boosted by the storytelling and game-like environment in Cospaces Edu which translated into more meaningful learning experiences.

Becoming competent global educators: Pre-service teachers’ global engagement and critical examination of human capital discourse in glocalized contexts

By investigating 28 pre-service teachers’ learning in a comparative and international education course at a Chinese university, this case study examined how to foster teacher students’ global competence, through their global engagement and critical dialogue with human capital discourse that focuses on measurement, competitiveness, and accountability for human capital building and quality. This study revealed that participants’ motives, efforts, and capability in acquiring global competence were affected by global human capital discourse. Results suggest teacher education programs use critical sociocultural pedagogy to empower teacher candidates to be involved in global engagement, learning, and interaction, challenge human capital discourse at global and local levels, critically reflect on sustainable, humanistic, and moral educational goals and take actions, and become competent global educators.

Educational Improvement Science: The Art of the Improving Organization

To advocate educational improvement science (EIS) as an emerging transdisciplinary field, I reflect on the three major pathways of educational advancement in human history, discern the misuses and pitfalls of reform, and theorize how education can be improved to better serve its mission. Employing a multiperspectival approach, I critically re-examine educational reforms and improvements worldwide and conceptualize the emerging transdisciplinary field through an extensive literature review, etymological analysis, international comparisons, and socio-historical, -cultural and -philosophical reflections. In this paper, I advance the concept of neo-improvementalism for EIS by elucidating its philosophical assumptions, disciplinary fundamentals, and theoretical frameworks through historical and comparative lenses. I identify and construct disciplinary knowledge of EIS comprising two categories, namely, subject matter knowledge and profound knowledge, adopted from improvement science. I then highlight three methodological approaches of EIS and the building of professional improvement communities empowering individual and institutional improvement capabilities. I propose that EIS is the art of the improving organization for classes, schools, and/or more broadly defined educational agencies. This study recognizes the significance of EIS and research thereon, especially discipline-building and exploration based on local characteristics in a global vision, and the cultivation of new frontiers of educational research and practices.

Improving Education for a More Equitable World: Social Justice Perspectives

This paper delves into the reports, core discussions and outcomes of the 67th Annual Conference of the Comparative and International Education Society (CIES) held in a hybrid format in Washington, D.C. in 2023, focused on the theme “Improving Education for a More Equitable World.” In response to the CIES 2023 theme, Written Responses from global scholars, along with four special papers inspired by the Kneller Lecture and Keynote Speeches, have been published across four distinguished journals. This paper feature two Written Responses and one Keynote Speech, sparking discourse on enhancing education for a more equitable world. The first article is a keynote speech highlighting the crucial role of well-prepared teachers, stressing their absence perpetuates inadequate learning cycles. The next article underscores the shared responsibility of governments, businesses, and NGOs in steering educational reform toward a more inclusive and equitable future. The final paper underscores the importance of tackling inequity at its core by embracing the transformative power of interconnected love, oneness, empathy for a truly equitable world.

Improving education for a more equitable world: Futurist perspectives

To many, education remains a dream of equal opportunities for all learners, regardless of their backgrounds and contexts. Confucius advocated 2500 years ago for education without discrimination (有教无类), a dream of education for all. This evolving vision was renewed right after WWII by the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, stipulating that everyone has the right to education. Although pioneers, like minority woman leader Patsy Mink, have long envisioned equal education with persevering efforts for the United States, the realities in the country and worldwide do not reflect this dream.

#Exploratory Analysis Of Sentiment Toward ABA on Twitter

Naturalistic observation of verbal behavior on social media is a method of gathering data on the acceptability of topics of social interest. In other words, online social opinion may be a modern-day measure of social validity. We sought to gain an objective understanding of online discourse related to the field of applied behavior analysis (ABA). We analyzed Twitter posts related to ABA (e.g., #ABA, #BehaviorAnalysis, #appliedbehavioranalysis). Our initial sample consisted of 119,911 tweets from 2012 to 2022. We selected a random subset (n = 11,000) for further analysis using a stratified sampling procedure to ensure that tweets across years were adequately represented. Two observers were trained to code tweets for relevance and sentiment toward the field. A total of 5,408 relevant tweets were identified and analyzed, with an arithmetic mean of 492 tweets per year. Tweets were categorized as having neutral (51.41%), positive (43.81%), or negative (4.79%) sentiment. Negative sentiment tweets received approximately three times higher engagement scores compared to positive and neutral tweets. Positive sentiment tweets commonly used hashtags related to special education, therapy, behavior analysis, autism, and specific individuals. Negative sentiment tweets focused on the harmful effects of ABA, disability, variations of ABA, and promoting alternatives to ABA. Our results suggest that there is a small but vocal minority that has the potential to shape the narrative on ABA. We suggest a path forward for behavior analysts in the study of the online discourse on ABA.

Differentiated instruction in digital video games: STEM teacher candidates using technology to meet learners’ needs.

Differentiated instruction (DI) is a teaching approach that aims to achieve learning for diverse students. This study reports on promoting STEM teacher candidates’ (TCs’) implementation of technology-enhanced DI in teacher education courses. The research questions are: (1) How do TCs develop digital video games (DVGs) to be inclusive of DI?, and (2) If, and to what extent are DVGs effective tools to implement DI in secondary science classes? The analysis of eight DVGs, developed by the TCs, shows that most TCs were able to proficiently integrate DI practices in their DVGs. Furthermore, DVGs are effective tools to differentiate instruction by facilitating pacing variation for different students, differentiating difficulty levels, scaffolding, integrating multimodalities to present the content in different formats, utilizing engaging features, representing different learners of various backgrounds, promoting conceptual understanding, and enabling different assessment forms especially formative and diagnostic assessments. This research is significant as it highlights how digital resources such as DVGs can be used to address individual learners’ needs, interests, profiles, and academic achievement levels. Additionally, this research informs instructional designers, game developers, and curriculum specialists on ways to incorporate equity, diversity, and inclusion pedagogies such as DI in digital educational resources.

Empowering STEM teacher candidates to implement differentiated instruction in teacher education courses.

Differentiated instruction (DI) is an inclusive method of instruction by which teachers provide multiple possibilities for learning based on students’ backgrounds, readiness, interests, and profiles. Acknowledging student diversity in Canadian classrooms, this study explores STEM teacher candidates’ (TCs’) preparation to implement DI in a STEM curriculum and pedagogy course in a teacher education program. The course is enriched with DI resources and training focused on equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI). The course efficacy in enhancing TCs’ implementation of DI is explored through the following research questions: (1) What is the impact of the course on TCs’ implementation of DI, (2) How do TCs develop curricula to be inclusive of DI strategies, and (3) What successes and challenges do TCs encounter when developing DI-focused curricula? The study adopts a mixed-method approach, in which data sources include pre-post questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. Participants are 19 TCs enrolled in the second year of the teacher education program at a Canadian university. Findings suggest that the course empowered TCs to integrate DI principles and strategies in their coursework. This success reiterates the importance of opportunities aimed at enhancing teachers’ preparation to incorporate DI in their practices. The findings call for adopting similar approaches in pre-service and in-service teachers’ training to ensure that DI principles and strategies are deeply rooted in teachers’ practices. The study informs teacher educators about integrating EDI in teacher education programs’ curriculum and overall planning.

Setting students up for success: Developing interdisciplinary skills in a medical sciences graduate program.

Acknowledging the importance of skill development in graduate programs, Western University in Canada developed an innovative master’s program in interdisciplinary medical sciences. The program aims to promote students’ academic, professional, and personal skills by engaging them in experiential and interdisciplinary learning that adopts an explicit and reflective approach in focusing on seven core skills: problem-solving, communication, leadership, critical reflection, working in diverse teams, project management, and decision making. This paper draws on the experiences and reflections of the inaugural cohort of students enrolled in the program to address the following research questions: 1) How does the MSc IMS program impact students’ skill development? and 2) How did students practise the seven core interdisciplinary skills outlined in the program? The study utilizes a mixed methods approach by collecting quantitative and qualitative data using pre- and post-online surveys administered to the students. The findings highlight the program's positive impact in terms of students’ reflection on their level of competence in the seven core skills, especially in complex problem-solving, oral and written communication skills, and critical reflection. Results also show that students specifically appreciated the contribution of experiential learning components of the program in advancing their skills. The paper emphasizes the importance of addressing students’ skill development in higher education in an explicit and intentional approach and engaging students in reflective practise on their skill development. Implications for the design and review of graduate programs are also discussed.

The long-term impact of training on equity, diversity, and inclusion practices: Teacher candidates’ knowledge retention and future aspirations.

K-12 schools around the world are striving to practice equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) principles to provide effective learning opportunities for all students. At the classroom level, differentiated instruction (DI) is a teaching approach that addresses student diversities. This research focuses on important aspects of teacher training on equitable and inclusive strategies, being its long-term impact and teacher candidates’ (TCs’) retention of acquired knowledge and skills. This paper addresses the following research questions: 1) How do TCs implement DI in their school practicum after the training in the teacher education courses ends? 2) What challenges do TCs encounter upon implementing DI? 3) What are TCs’ long-term goals and aspirations of DI? and 4) What are effective strategies in EDI training in teacher education courses? The paper adopts a qualitative approach in which the data sources include a survey and semi-structured interviews conducted eight weeks after the end of a DI-focused course in the Teacher Education program. TCs’ responses highlighted how they implemented DI in their practicum, indicating retention of the acquired knowledge and skills. TCs also detailed how they plan on implementing EDI strategies in their future classrooms. This paper proposes a general framework for successful training of educators on EDI principles and practices such as DI. The framework’s essential elements are: 1) explicit and intentional training approach, 2) engaging trainees in reflective practice, 3) contextualization, specificity, and relevance of the training tasks, 4) providing ongoing feedback, and 5) collaboration and resource sharing among participants.

Fostering an Entrepreneurial Mindset Through Project-Based Learning and Digital Technologies in STEM Teacher Education

This chapter explores the potential of STEM project-based learning (PBL) and digital video game (DVG) creation to support and integrate STEM and entrepreneurial competencies in teacher education. Specifically, the authors present and describe three STEM projects and three DVGs, with a focus on entrepreneurial and STEM skill development and growth mindsets in a curriculum and pedagogy methods course in STEM education. The authors maintain that in order for teacher candidates (TCs) to develop entrepreneurial and STEM literacies, they need to integrate entrepreneurial and STEM content and pedagogical knowledge to be able to effectively instruct, assess and design STEM curricula that can foster entrepreneurial skills and support future generations of learners. TCs engaged in several tasks utilizing principles of inquiry, design-based and experiential learning, and reflective practice that fostered entrepreneurial awareness and enhanced entrepreneurial competencies. Entrepreneurial growth is evident in the projects, as TCs provided extensions, thus creating value-added content beyond the scope of the initial assignment. These value-added extensions were also catalytic in developing an entrepreneurial growth mindset. The authors contend that teacher education programs, professional development initiatives, and key stakeholders have a pivotal role to play in developing and supporting students’ STEM and entrepreneurship competencies.

Outbreak Science: Implications for Teaching and Learning in STEM Classrooms

History is replete with countless lessons about pandemics in terms of their societal, scientific, and medical dimensions. COVID-19 is only the latest of these that has plagued the globe. As a result of COVID-19, emergency response teaching was implemented globally. Educational institutions temporarily closed and pivoted their learning to virtual environments, affecting almost 70% of the world’s student population. The transition to virtual environments challenged both teachers and students. Given the global pandemic, it is imperative that we reflect on what and how we teach. In this chapter, the authors discuss a number of pedagogical strategies, including digital games, mathematical modeling, case studies, problem-based and project-based learning, and science communication. These strategies can effectively integrate socioscientific issues into an outbreak science curriculum; one focused on the concerns of epidemics and global pandemics with the ultimate goal of enhancing students’ scientific literacy. Recommendations target teacher preparation and professional development initiatives and include opportunities for educators to engage with digital tools to enhance teacher competencies and subsequent self-efficacies through a technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK) framework. The authors in this chapter advocate for the professional development of educators in teacher education programs, so they become proficient in the use of the pedagogical strategies in science and elementary science/STEM classrooms.

STEMifying teacher education – A Canadian context

Teacher education should be instrumental in imparting best pedagogical strategies and providing opportunities for teachers to develop integrated STEM knowledge and skills. The lack of preparation is reflected in a lack of comfort by teachers in teaching the required STEM content. The author reports on her development of Canada’s first STEM teacher preparation program and discusses the STEM Specialty Focus and accompanying courses which highlight the nature and integration of the disciplines of STEM. Teacher candidates are provided with opportunities to deepen their understanding of STEM concepts and enhance STEM skills while developing STEM projects, digital video games, digital scientific timelines, interactive case studies focusing on contemporary socioscientific issues, and curriculum resource websites. Several affordances and challenges are outlined, including self-efficacy, explicit and meaningful integration of STEM disciplines, and a lack of a robust technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK). The latter has implication for digital literacies in teacher education, as spotlighted during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Effects of school-level and area-level socio-economic factors on elementary school student COVID-19 infections: a population-based observational study

Aims: We examine the relationship between socio-economic factors of schools and those of the areas within which schools are located on COVID-19 elementary school student infections. We examine: (1) whether the proportion of students from marginalised socio-economic backgrounds in an individual school had an effect on the cumulative incidence of elementary school student infections in that school; (2) whether the proportion of households from marginalised backgrounds in a defined area had an effect on the cumulative incidence of elementary school student infections across schools in that area. Results: We used a multilevel modelling approach to estimate the effects of socio-economic factors at the school and area levels on the cumulative incidence of elementary school student laboratory confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infections in Ontario for the 2020-21 school year. At the school level (level 1), the proportion of the student body from low-income households was positively associated with cumulative incidence (β=0.083, p<0.001). At the area level (level 2), all dimensions of marginalisation were significantly related to cumulative incidence. Ethnic concentration (β=0.454, p<0.001), residential instability (β=0.356, p<0.001) and material deprivation (β=0.212, p<0.001) were positively related, while dependency (β=-0.204, p<0.001) was negatively related. Area-related marginalisation variables explained 57.6% of area variability in cumulative incidence. School-related variables explained 1.2% of school variability in cumulative incidence. Conclusions: The socio-economic characteristics of the geographic area of schools were more important in accounting for the cumulative incidence of elementary school student infections than individual school characteristics. Schools in marginalised areas should be prioritised for infection prevention measures and education continuity and recovery plans.

The Overreliance on Portable Classrooms in Ontario Schools: New Evidence for the Study of Austerity and Disinvestment in Canadian Public Education

This study investigates the extent of portable classroom use in the province of Ontario between the years 2010 and 2020. The findings reveal that portable classrooms are used as long-term solutions to address enrolment pressures in schools, which is symptomatic of the austerity-driven policies in the funding of Ontario’s public education. In addition to providing new evidence of the effects of funding cuts in education, this study repositions infrastructure planning as a critical concern for education policy research.

Exploring the Significance of ‘Place’ for Culturally Sensitive Research

We adopt a culturally sensitive approach to investigate the participation of immigrant parents in schools. We analyse how a group of immigrant mothers negotiated new spaces for participating in their children’s education while continually reshaping their sense of place.

First Nations & Indigenous identities in education

This chapter discusses the history and experiences of Indigenous Peoples in Canada. It looks at the ways in which Indigenous nations taught their youth, and how Indigenous Peoples and their pedagogy was suppressed by the imposition of Eurocentric educational systems and practices. Despite these historical and continued acts of structural violence which have been forced on Indigenous people in the settler-colonial Canadian state, Indigenous People continue to develop and build their own education and intellectual systems, and exercise leadership and governance to enhance the well-being of their youth and of their communities.

Indigeneity

Indigenous People live in many countries throughout the world and have their own specific and distinct names which they use to refer to themselves. Often, the names by which Indigenous Peoples' call themselves reflect their Land, identity, cultures, and worldviews. This chapter introduces the concept of Indigeneity and its relatedness to being Indigenous. While the term Indigeneity carries and reflects multiple meanings to different people across the globe, this chapter focuses on three connected and interlinked frameworks, including Indigenous Peoples' relationship to their Lands, their education systems, and Indigenous philosophy of Reciprocity. Together, these help to frame a broader understanding of Indigeneity.

Behavior Analysts’ Relationship to Relating Relations: A Survey on Perceptions, Acceptability, Knowledge, and Capacity for Derived Stimulus Relations Research and Practice

The study and application of procedures that result in stimulus relations via relational frame theory (RFT) and stimulus equivalence (applied as equivalence-based instruction; EBI), have made tremendous strides in contemporary behavior analysis. However, applications at scale lag basic and translational research. We turn our attention to investigate potential causes. We replicated and extended Enoch and Nicholson (2020) by conducting a survey of behavior analysts (n = 129) to determine their perceptions, experiences, and barriers in carrying out research and practice based on RFT and EBI. Participants indicated an interest in RFT and EBI, and mostly perceive both within the scope of behavior analysis. A majority of behavior analysts reported formal education in EBI (78.3%), in contrast to a minority in RFT (15.5%). Adoption of procedures derived from RFT and EBI may be in proportion to formal education. Compounded with a lack of accuracy on basic knowledge questions, there is a potential gap in capacity in the field in addressing behavior related to complex verbal behavior.

The role of self-efficacy beliefs and inclusive education beliefs on teacher burnout

Our study investigated whether teachers’ beliefs about teaching & learning and their beliefs about their own self-efficacy predicted burnout. Data from 62 Ontario teachers found that while self-efficacy was associated with lower burnout, greater teacher-controlled beliefs, emphasizing grades and beliefs that learning ability is fixed were associated with higher burnout. Additionally, teachers who had higher self-efficacy and endorsed student-centered approaches reported less burnout. This study identified teacher belief profiles that are associated with level of burnout.

Indigenous refusals in educational leadership practices in Canadian universities.

Since the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada released 94 calls to action in 2015, Canadian universities have responded in numerous ways. A particularly significant response has been the creation of Indigenous Initiatives Offices and the appointment of senior leaders to help lead transformative institutional change efforts. Many of these new administrative appointments report directly to presidents and provosts, and have been taken up by Indigenous women. In this article, I present five key findings from research that explored the experiences of 12 Indigenous women administrators working in Canadian universities. The study highlighted how these Indigenous women enact Indigenous refusals as part of a transformative decolonial leadership praxis in universities

A History of Islamic Schooling in North America: Mapping Growth and Evolution

I am a Ph.D. candidate, and my research focus is on the work and well-being of Islamic school principals in Ontario. In this paper, I review Memon’s (2019) book, "A History of Islamic Schooling in North America: Mapping Growth and Evolution", which I recommend for religious school researchers, practitioners, and community members. Readers can acquire a historical understanding of adapting a religious worldview to the theoretical sphere that contributes to academic knowledge within K-12 education.

Young People and Thinking Technologies for the Anthropocene

Faculty Authors include PhD student Adrianne Bacelar de Castro, Instructor Sarah Hennessy, PhD and Faculty member Veronica Pacini-Ketchabaw. This collection, which is a companion volume to Young People and Stories for the Anthropocene (Kelly et al., 2022), aims to find, to explore, and to co-produce ways of ‘staying with the trouble’ (Haraway 2016) that are disruptive of orthodoxies in childhood and youth studies, and productive of new ways of thinking, and of being and becoming, in the circumstances that we (young and old) find ourselves in. Circumstances that have, problematically, been identified as the Anthropocene, and which have been characterised as being situated at the convergence of the climate crisis, the 6th mass extinction, and the ongoing crises of global capitalism as ‘earth system’ (Braidotti 2019, Moore 2015).

Educational Fabulations: Teaching and Learning for a World Yet to Come

Includes a collaborative publication by four Faculty PhD students. Co-authors: Sarah Hennessy, PhD; Malvika Agarwal; Adrianne Bacelar de Castro; Carla Ruthes. This highly original collection presents speculative fiction as fiction-based research to re-imagine education in the future. Given the particular convergence of economic and governmental pressures in educational institutions today, schools represent imaginative sites especially well-suited to interrogation through an SF lens. The relevance for education of the exploration and interrogation of themes related to technology, human nature, and social organization is evident; yet the speculative fiction approach is unique in its harnessing of creative capacities to envision alternatives. The contributions in this collection are generated from educational experience and research, drawing on scholarship in curriculum studies and teacher education and on the authors' experiences and imaginations as teachers, teacher educators, educational scholars, and human beings.

Ruth Nielsen Book Review: How school principals use their time

I am a PhD candidate in CPELS and my research focus is on educational leadership. In this book review, I assess the applicability of Lee, Pollock, and Tulowitzki’s (2021) edited book, "How school principals use their time: implications for school improvement, administration, and leadership", for education leadership researchers, policy makers, and practitioners. In addition to showing its usefulness, I also problematize the book’s format for perpetuating the false dichotomy between “Western” and “Other” contexts.

K’iche’, Mam, and Nahua Migrant Youth Navigating Colonial Codes of Power

This study examines how three recently arrived Indigenous male migrantyouth from Guatemala and Mexico in an urban high school in the Pacific Northwest understood and employed Spanish and English to navigate racial-ized and languaged interactions. Utilizing a Critical Latinx Indigeneities frame-work, findings from this study show that Spanish is a racialized and languaged system of power that traveled with youth.

Dr. Paul Tarc studies Chinese international secondary school students as flexible citizens

Researchers have been drawing on Aihwa Ong’s notion of flexible citizenship to illuminate the trajectories and strategies of transnational class-making of international students (and families) seeking a Western education. This paper engages these dominant understandings but troubles the transactional qualities of such ‘study abroad’ from the perspectives of secondary school international students from mainland China. With the ideal of ‘cosmopolitan learning,’ it seeks to elevate the potential educative possibilities of study abroad beyond transactional logics.

Dr. Isha Decoito publishes two chapters in co-edited book

Dr. Isha Decoito has published two chapters in her co-edited book "Research Approaches in Urban Agricultural and Community Contexts": "Urban agricultural experiences: Focusing on 21st century learning skills and integrating science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education" and "Fertile ground for scientific research questions: The school garden as a context for student-directed inquiry"

Dr. Paul Tarc on the governing strategies of the OECD and the IBO

In the coalescing global movement to internationalize school curricula, two influential actors are the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and the International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO). In 2018, the OECD included ‘global competence’ within its Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) regime, expanding beyond its focus on more traditional academic literacies; the IBO as a non-state entity has been steering international curricula through testing and professional development since its creation in the late 1960s. This paper critically compares the governing strategies of these two transnational actors.

Dr. Barillas Chón co-authors chapter in "Handbook of Latinos and Education: Theory, Research and Practice" 2nd Ed.

This chapter aims to disrupt the invisibilization of Indigenous Latinxs in education by providing an overview of the diversity that Indigenous peoples represent within the larger Latinx demographic. Specifically, the chapter addresses issues of race and racialization, education and schooling experiences, and language that impact these communities.

Dr. Paul Tarc on "Education post ‘Covid-19’: Re-visioning the face-to-face classroom"

The Covid-19 pandemic sent vast numbers of educators into online environments provoking a whole set of challenges. The pros and cons of online learning have been increasingly debated in these new and changing conditions of the crisis. This article frames the swift move to the online environment as an opportunity to view from a new ‘vantage.’ It suggests that such a new vantage represents an opportunity to pause and re-vision the aims and approaches of face-to-face teaching. The author, in turn, presents an aspect of his own re- visioning or valuing in the context of his graduate education face-to-face classes.

Dr. Isha Decoito is lead editor of new book "Teaching and Learning in Urban Agricultural Community Contexts"

This book will cover such topics as how urban youth learn science while engaged in urban agriculture programs, how such programs support youth in becoming interested about healthy eating and science more generally, and how to design urban agriculture programs in support of STEM education. The chapters in this book are written by educational researchers and each chapter has been reviewed by researchers and practitioners. (excerpt from the publisher's webpage).

Dr. Wayne Martino examines the educative significance of YouTube as a space for transgender and non-binary youth

In this paper we examine the educative significance of YouTube as a space for transgender and non-binary youth to express themselves in ways that are unhindered by the more systematic forces at play in schools. We focus on one specific online project called "The Gender Tag Project", created by and for youth, which we argue serves as a space for fostering self-determination for trans youth. The pedagogical implications for teachers in schools are highlighted.

PhD student Shadan Attia reviews "The Sociopolitics of English Language Testing"

This publication is a book review of an edited book by Seyyed-Abdolhamid Mirhosseini and Peter De Costa which is published in the Linguist List. The book reviewed is titled "The Sociopolitics of English Language Testing". The book was published in 2020 by Bloomsbury Publishing (formerly The Continuum International Publishing Group).

Dr. Wayne Martino on policies and practices designed to support transgender and gender diverse students in schools

This article reports on research into policies and practices designed to support transgender and gender diverse students in schools. It focuses on a case study of one particular school in Ontario and includes the perspectives of teachers and their principal on how trans inclusion is understood and enacted in their school community. The study highlights the problem of focusing on individual rights rather addressing the systemic forces that contribute to educational inequalities for transgender students.

Dr. Barillas Chón on contexts shaping young Maya migrants’ lived realities

My research focuses on the racialization of Maya migrant youth and Indigenous youth from Southern Mexico in the U.S. I am interested in how the linguistic, race, labor, and migration experiences shape these youth’s indigeneities.

PhD student Shaden Attia reviews "The Transformative Power of Language, subtitle, From Postcolonial to Knowledge Societies in Africa"

This publication is a book review of an edited book by Russell H. Kaschula and H. Ekkehard Wolff which is published in the Linguist List. The book reviewed is titled "The Transformative Power of Language, subtitle, From Postcolonial to Knowledge Societies in Africa". The book was published in 2020 by Cambridge University Press.

Ed.D. student Megan Edgelow on return to work (RTW) programs for people with trauma-related mental health conditions

I am a 3rd year EdD student focusing on leadership in public safety organizations. This environmental scan of return to work (RTW) programs for people with trauma-related mental health conditions, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), maps the availability of targeted services for populations including veterans and public safety personnel. The scan found evidence of the partnership between Occupational Therapy and Psychology in RTW interventions for PTSD.

PhD student Mohammad Azzam on embedding IPE language into accreditation standards

I am a PhD student in Curriculum Studies and my research focus is interprofessional education (IPE). To enhance IPE in Canada, the Accreditation of Interprofessional Health Education (AIPHE) project (2007-2011) initiated efforts among accreditors of six health professions to embed IPE language into their accreditation standards. To understand AIPHE’s impact, this study examined the accountability of IPE language currently embedded in 13 Canadian professions’ documents and whether such language spanned AIPHE’s five accreditation standards domains.

PhD student Val Semovski on the negative consequences of inconsistent use of assessments across pediatric mental health service sectors

In Ontario, inconsistent use of assessments across pediatric mental health service sectors has contributed to the paucity of information surrounding factors that heighten a child’s need for urgent mental health services. In this cross-sectional study, we investigated such factors from 61,448 children and youth.

PhD student Mohammad Azzam on the use of retrieval practice on student performance

I am a PhD student in Curriculum Studies and my research focus is health professions education. This quasi-experimental study investigated the effects of retrieval practice (RP) on student performance on the final exam in an undergraduate Gross Anatomy course. RP occurs when students practice retrieving their consolidated semantic memories by testing themselves. Results indicated that RP effectively enhances learning and long-term retention of semantic memory. Thus, teachers are encouraged to implement RP in their classrooms.

Dr. Shannon Stewart's team develops and assesses the reliability and validity of the externalizing subscale on the interRAI Child and Youth Mental Health (ChYMH)

Using data from 3,464 children and youth across Ontario, a scale to assess children with aggression and behavioural problems (e.g., externalizing subscale) for the interRAI Child and Youth Mental Health instrument was developed. The final externalizing subscale exhibited strong precision and accuracy in assessing these children and youth.

Dr. Gus Riveros co-authored a chapter in "Understanding educational leadership: Critical perspectives and approaches"

We wrote a chapter for this edited book. The book provides a critical introduction to key topics, questions, and debates in educational administration and leadership. In the chapter, we discuss the relations between theory, methods, and methodology. We examine the consequences of assuming that theory operates independently of methods. We argue that this assumption relies on a misunderstanding about the role and importance of the generative principles of research in the articulation of a study.

Dr. Shannon Stewart's team addresses the care planning needs of traumatized children and youth experiencing interpersonal polyvictimization

Children and youth experiencing polyvictimization (e.g., exposure to multiple interpersonal traumas), compared to those who did not, are more likely to report attachment difficulties, lack of informal support, interpersonal conflict, substance use and harm to self or others. Additionally, sex differences had a significant impact on attachment and interpersonal conflict.

PhD student Shannon McKechnie reviews Archer & Schuetze's book "Preparing Students for Life and Work"

Book review of "Preparing Students for Life and Work: Policies and Reforms Affecting Higher Education's Principal Mission". I engage with scholarly work from Canada and internationally about the purpose of higher education and how students engage with higher education.

Dr. Shannon Stewart's team studies risk factors predicting school disruption in children and youth living in Ontario

School disruption places students at risk for early school departure and maladaptive mental health outcomes. The current study investigated risk factors associated with school disruption in a sample of 1,241 school-aged students. This study demonstrated that substance use, family functioning, Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and experiencing bullying significantly predicted school disruption.

Dr. Deanna Friesen compares verbal fluency between monolinguals and bilinguals

In our previous work, we found that bilinguals can list more items in a verbal fluency task (e.g., name as many animals as you can in 60 seconds) than expected given their level of second language vocabulary knowledge. In our current study, we investigated the reason why this occurs by examining which abilities students rely on when they retrieve words from memory. We found that monolinguals relied only on vocabulary knowledge, whereas bilinguals utilized both their vocabulary knowledge and reasoning ability. Such findings indicate that bilinguals are drawing on cognitive resources in addition to language ability to retrieve words from memory.

PhD student Zhouhan Jin investigates the effects of word learning through listening to teacher talk

I am a PhD student in Applied Linguistics and my research focus is on teaching and learning vocabulary in second language acquisition. This study investigated the effects of word learning through listening to teacher talk. Because words consist of both single words and multi-word items, both types of items were tested. In order to make learners pay attention to keywords, teachers often use their first language (L1) to translate word meanings or repeat the words several times during the class. Thus, the effect of L1 translation and word repetition on word learning were also examined.

PhD student Shaden Attia reviews Khiara M. Bridges' book "Critical Race Theory: A Primer"

This publication is a book review of Khiara M. Bridges' book Critical Race Theory: A Primer. The review provides a summary of the book which discusses Critical Race Theory, its history and core concepts of the theory and offers an evaluation of the book as well

Dr. Jun Li on self-mastery and the Confucian concept of zhong-yong

Dr. Jun Li concludes that self-mastery in the Chinese context provides an additional form of autonomy which is rooted in the pragmatic Confucian concept of zhong-yong. With multilayered and multidirectional power relationships, this model of governance has enabled Chinese universities to radically transform themselves in a short period of time and will allow them to eventually become global leaders, although they may have to sacrifice autonomous freedom in some ways.

Dr. Deanna Friesen on reading comprehension in English-French adult bilinguals

Often when people struggle with second language reading comprehension, their performance is attributed to second language ability. We wanted to know if effective reading strategy use could compensate for lower language ability in reading. For English-French bilingual adults, specific strategies (e.g., generating inferences and utilizing text structure) explained reading comprehension success that was not explained by language knowledge. Our results suggest that combined emphasis on both language instruction and reading strategy instruction should produce gains in reading comprehension.

Dr. Barbara Fenesi on the positive link between physical activity and and academic achievment

Using data from 31,124 elementary and secondary school students across Ontario, we found that elementary students engaging in 7 days/week of physical activity had highest academic achievement, and secondary students engaging in at least 3-4 days/week had highest academic achievement. Interesting, these benefits occurred through reductions in attention and hyperactivity.

MA student Katie Hart assesses the support needs of caregivers of children with Down Syndrome

The study addressed the gap in the research field specific to assessing the support needs of caregivers of children with Down Syndrome (DS). Individual interviews with caregivers of children with DS were conducted and Concept Mapping analysis was employed generating eight thematic concept maps. Recommendations were provided to community services.

Dr. Isha DeCoito on the benefits of developing digital scientific timelines

Findings of this study indicate beneficial effects of developing digital scientific timelines including flexibility in achieving a variety of learning goals (including multi-scale analyses, visualizing different spatial and temporal arrangements, developing historical contexts, etc.), flexibility in application and actualization, and enhanced motivation and engagement.

Dr. Barbara Fenesi on the pros and cons of virtual reality anatomy instruction

This study demonstrated that learning anatomy using virtual reality models compared to standard physical models was detrimental to learning for those with lower visuospatial ability. This work underscores the need for more evidence-based research evaluating virtual reality anatomy instruction prior to widespread uptake in an increasingly technology-oriented education culture.

Dr. Anton Puvirajah on how a summer youth program supports self-perceived communication competence

Informed by previous qualitative research that revealed the importance of learner’s communication competence as a key focus and driver to gaining confidence, understanding, and supporting their STEM identification, the research drew on a survey strategy to examine the extent to which the summer youth program supported participants’ self-perceived communication competence.

Dr. Isha DeCoito uses digital scientific timelines and a video game to address several key nature of science targets

The author addresses several key nature of science targets (e.g., shared methods, law/theory distinction, tentative, durable, and self-correcting, limitations of science, creativity, subjectivity, and social and cultural influences) through digital scientific timelines and a digital video game.

Dr. Lynn Dare on the experience of students who skipped a grade

In this phenomenological study, we describe the experiences of young people between 17 and 28 years of age, who skipped a grade in Canadian schools. Participants shared their attitudes towards grade-based acceleration and offered their insights on factors to consider when deciding on acceleration.

Dr. Isha DeCoito on digital video games as a learning environment

The authors discuss the use of digital video games (DVGs) as a learning environment; one that engages learners through technology, provides opportunity for creative output, and promotes the intrinsic motivation for learning necessary to advance the development of twenty-first century skills and interaction with STEM content.

Dr. Nicole Neil compares methocs for teaching children with autism spectrum disorders to label objects

This study compared two methods for teaching children with autism spectrum disorders to label objects during behavioural intervention; The use of "what is it?" compared to presentation of the object alone. Children learned to label objects using both methods and demonstrated the skill during play.

PhD student Lisa-Marie Gagliardi conducts a detailed overview of inquiry-based curriculum in early childhood education

Dr. Melody Viczko's invited chapter about how national organizations influence internationalization policies in Canadian higher education

In this book chapter, I was invited to write about national organizations that influence internationalization policies in Canadian higher education. Using research I conducted with digital methods, I examine the politics of universities' engagement with Mitacs, Universities Canada and an emerging innovation hub involved in the federal Innovation Superclusters Initiative. This book was recognized by the Canadian Bureau of International Education (CBIE) for bringing cutting-edge knowledge to the field of international education and the editors of the book (Tamtik, Trilokekar and Jones) received the Catalyst Award 2020 (https://cbie.ca/what-we-do/cbie-excellence-awards/2020-recipients/). https://cbie.ca/what-we-do/cbie-excellence-awards/2020-recipients/

Dr. Katina Pollock on how COVID-19 has changed school leaders' work

This edition of International Studies in Education Administration focuses on worldwide responses to the pandemic. In my article, I argue that school leaders' work has changed within the context of COVID-19 and that their work now has two prongs: (1) safe schooling and future schooling and (2) digital instructional leadership.

Dr. Pejman Habibie's edited the new book "Novice Writers and Scholarly Publication"

Drawing on the perspectives and experiences of authors, supervisors, reviewers, and editors, this book seeks to present a rich and nuanced picture of the practices and challenges faced by both Anglophone and English as an additional language (EAL) junior scholars in writing for publication.

PhD student Sarah Hennessy talks about Idea Station

Idea Station, the student portion of a research project to revitalize one urban Canadian school’s outdated playground helps to re-envision new approaches to education, environment and climate change, shifting the education ‘of children’ in favour of learning ‘with children’ – a shift that mirrors the language of common world pedagogies.

MA student Amira Hmidan examins how gender, sociosexuality and erotophilia influence sexual dreams

The study examined how gender, sociosexuality and erotophilia influenced sexual dreams. Men scored higher on sociosexuality and sex dream valence than women. Individuals who scored higher on sociosexuality and erotophilia reported experiencing more frequent sex dreams and evaluated them more positively. Additionally, erotophilia and sociosexuality significantly predicted sex dream valence.

PhD Student Shannon McKechnie presents her findings from her MA research with student affairs and services practitioners in higher education

In this article I present findings from my MA research with student affairs and services practitioners in higher education. I examine the issue of skills development and student employability through policy discourses and student affairs programs and services in the university.

PhD student Sarah Hennessy explores pedagogies of indeterminacy

What might pedagogies of indeterminacy do? As researchers and educators, we ask that question, inspired by common worlds pedagogies, exploring pedagogies of indeterminacy. Drawing on pedagogical inquiries using charcoal and cardboard in an early childhood centre we challenge dominant neoliberal constructs of productivity in early childhood education.

Dr. Gus Riveros advances the scope of research methods in educational administration and leadership

In this conceptual paper, we propose that a theorization of space can advance the scope of research methods in educational administration and leadership. We argue for the incorporation of the notion of ‘spatial justice’ to the research, analysis, and practice of educational administration and leadership in educational organizations and communities.

Dr. Karen Bax helps families living with epilepsy build resilience

This article describes the study protocol of a randomized control trial delivering a live online program intervention, Making Mindfulness Matter, (M3) to children living with epilepsy and their parents. M3 teaches mindful awareness, the neuropsychology of emotion and the benefits of positive psychology to help build resilience within the family.

Kelly-Ann MacAlpine studies how human and non-human relationships affect the development of children

With particular attention to early childhood education, my area of interest focuses on exploring how complicated human and non-human relationships affect how children develop an emerging understanding of the world around. This article explores the interplay of alternative perspectives in a critical look at Ontario, Canada’s newly released policy document Growing Success, The Kindergarten Addendum: Assessment, Evaluation, and Reporting in Ontario Schools (Ontario Ministry of Education, 2016).

Wei Wei explores the introduction of professional standards for principals in China

I am a PhD candidate in the Critical Policy, Equity, and Leadership Studies stream. Using policy borrowing as an analytical framework, this study explores the introduction of the Professional Standards for Principals (Ministry of Education of the PRC, 2013) in China. Internationally, this study elaborates on the global leadership discourses that are evident in both leadership standards across jurisdictions and documents from international organizations. Nationally, it illustrates the ways in which the Chinese leadership standards have responded to this global policy convergence based on its local contexts.

Claire Crooks examines the effectiveness of culturally-relevant programming for Indigenous youth

Although there is increasing interest in strength-based, culturally relevant programming for Indigenous youth, there are relatively few published evaluations. In this study my team followed an entire cohort of Indigenous students for a two year period and conducted surveys and interviews and collected official school data. Our results showed that youth who participated in two years of our culturally-relevant mentoring program reported improved positive mental health, increased cultural connectedness, and better credit accumulation compared to their peers. This study demonstrated the effectiveness of culturally-relevant programming social, emotional and academic outcomes.

Veronica Pacini-Ketchabaw investigates common world relations of children with places, materials and other species

My current research, within the Common World Childhoods Research Collective, traces the common world relations of children with places, materials, and other species. I currently direct two SSHRC-funded projects: SSHRC Insight - Transforming Waste Pedagogies in Early Childhood Education (2017-2021) and SSHRC PDG - Exploring Climate Change Pedagogies with Children (2017-2021).