Search Results (48)

Believed by many to be the “silver bullet” that will bring an end to educational inequality, AI technologies continue to proliferate within schools and classrooms, promising to bolster academic achievement, spark student engagement, and ensure campus safety while lessening the burden of overworked and systemically underpaid teachers. Despite this hype, a growing body of critical research is revealing that many of the AI technologies used in schools are rife with algorithmic biases that exacerbate, rather than remediate, educational inequity for historically marginalized students. We extend the work of scholars who have called attention to the rise of tech-mediated racism and the New Jim Code to consider how the proliferation of AI technologies into K-12 schools has worked to hide, speed up, and automate educational inequities for Black students, giving rise to a techno-educational carceral apparatus. To do so, we analyze youth interviews, youth-generated video blogs, and weekly journal reflections of 46 Black students that participated in a critical technology summer course. Full article

This article presents a gamified digital twin in Minecraft designed to support practical exercises in digital logic in the Computer Engineering I course at the University of Salamanca. Implemented as a Spigot/Paper server plugin based on the Platform for Automatic coNstruction of orGanizations of intElligent Agents (PANGEA) multi-agent architecture, the system orchestrates four virtual organizations and employs a world cloning strategy (via Multiverse and WorldGuard) to ensure individual and isolated workspaces, while also enabling collaborative work. The central contribution is a multi-agent system with an integrated ‘black box’ verification engine that mitigates redstone asynchrony and latency through controlled signal injection and software clock synchronization, enabling real-time deterministic validation of both basic logic gates and more complex sequential circuits. Additionally, the ecosystem includes a specialized suite of logic scenarios and a web-based dashboard for real-time teacher monitoring. In a pilot study ($N=30$), the system achieved an average task completion rate of 89.1%, and an adapted Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) analysis indicated that technical stability is positively associated with student performance. Full article

This article examines how 15 Black undergraduates at a public, flagship university in the U.S. perceived the costs and benefits of pursuing a K-12 teaching career. Participants expressed an interest in teaching but were pursuing non-education majors. Our research is based on a secondary analysis of their focus group interview data, drawn from a larger mixed-methods study, and is guided by the Factors Influencing Teaching Choice (FIT-Choice) scale, cost–benefit theory, and the concept of structural racism. Challenging racial inequality and supporting Black youth and communities was important in participants’ career decisions, and they valued K-12 teaching as a means to contribute to these goals. However, their racialized experiences shaped their perceptions that the costs of K-12 teaching outweighed its benefits and led them to reject this profession. We offer suggestions for research on Black youths’ perceptions of teaching as a career choice and strategies for recruiting them into the profession. Full article

A growing international consensus holds that science education must advance beyond content coverage to cultivate robust understanding of the Nature of Science (NoS)—how scientific knowledge is generated, justified, revised, and socially negotiated. Yet naïve conceptions persist among students and teachers, and effective, scalable classroom strategies remain contested. This narrative review synthesizes research and practice on games and playful activities that make epistemic features of science visible and discussable. We organize the repertoire into six families—(i) observation–inference and discrepant-event tasks; (ii) pattern discovery and rule-finding puzzles; (iii) black-box and model-based inquiry; (iv) activities that dramatize tentativeness and anomaly management; (v) deliberately underdetermined mysteries that cultivate warrant-based explanations; and (vi) moderately contextualized games. Across these designs, we analyze how specific mechanics afford core NoS dimensions (e.g., observation vs. inference, creativity, plurality of methods, theory-ladenness and subjectivity, tentativeness) and what scaffolds transform playful engagement into explicit, reflective learning. We conclude with pragmatic guidance for teacher education and curriculum design, highlighting the importance of language supports, structured debriefs, and calibrated contextualization, and outline priorities for future research on equity, assessment, and digital extensions. Full article

Background/Objectives: Sexual health research involving young adolescents remains scarce despite rising rates of early sexual debut, pregnancies, and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in this population. We explored community stakeholders’ perspectives on engaging young adolescents in sexual health research in Western New York to inform strategies for engaging young adolescents in sexual health research. Methods: This qualitative descriptive study was conducted from April 2022 to June 2023. Seventeen community stakeholders, including health education teachers, youth counselors, and adolescent health providers, participated in semi-structured in-depth interviews. Data were analyzed using conventional content analysis, managed by MAXQDA 2020. The rigor and trustworthiness of the data were ensured through triangulation with observations, peer debriefing, team analysis, and respondent validation. Results: Participants were predominantly female (94.1%), 52.9% Black/African American, 41.2% White, and 5.9% Caucasian–Indian American, and aged 23–59 years. Four themes emerged: perspectives on conducting sexual health research with young adolescents, recruitment strategies, sexual health questions appropriate for young adolescents, and building readiness for participation in sexual health research. Participants reported the need for sexual health research with young adolescents and recommended building a trusting relationship and involving schools, parents, and trusted community organizations in the research process. Suggested research questions included those related to awareness of sex, STIs, available resources, experiences with sexual education, and desired support. The findings also revealed the need to initiate sexual health conversations early when children start asking questions, as a foundation for meaningful participation in sexual health research. Conclusions: The findings suggest that sexual health research with young adolescents is feasible and necessary, with implications for the design of developmentally appropriate sexual health research and interventions grounded in trust and community collaboration. Future research should explore the perspectives of caregivers and young adolescents to inform studies and programs that are attuned to young adolescents’ developmental needs. Full article

With the need to ensure equitable and inclusive computer science (CS) education for K-12 students, much effort has been devoted to promoting secondary CS teachers’ practices and pedagogies. However, there is a lack of focus on elementary teachers’ experiences, especially those of teachers of color. This study stands at the intersections of Black/African American teachers teaching at an elementary school with a majority of historically underrepresented and economically disadvantaged students (Black/African Americans and Hispanic/Latinx). Using a basic qualitative approach with constant comparative analysis, this study revealed important insights regarding the professional growth manifested by six teachers of color over the course of computer science professional development and classroom implementation. Data analysis revealed five main themes reflecting the teachers’ growth: (1) Teachers reported positive outcomes including improved understanding, confidence, and intentions regarding CS integration as a result of attending PD; (2) Teachers demonstrated enhanced abilities to use a variety of tools and resources in CS teaching after PD; (3) Teachers discussed various pedagogies, including culturally and personally responsive pedagogical practices, and racial awareness to promote inclusive instruction in the classroom and used strategies to promote personal relevance more than the collective cultural values or beliefs in CS teaching specifically; (4) Teachers reported having ongoing reflections on how they can implement successful CS-integrated instruction with their enhanced knowledge and beliefs; (5) Positive student outcomes were both reported by the teachers and observed by the researchers as a result of teachers’ experimentation, which gave the teachers more confidence to enact CS teaching. Areas for improvement were also identified. This paper discussed the important implementations of fostering professional growth in teachers of color for broadening minoritized students’ participation in computing. Full article

Background/Objectives: Traditional nutrition education can increase children’s exposure to healthy foods, but preschool teachers face barriers such as limited time and competing priorities (e.g., kindergarten readiness). Integrating nutrition into other learning domains (e.g., science) has been identified as a potential solution. However, teachers need more professional development. We developed the More PEAS Please! program to support preschool teachers’ integration of food-based learning (FBL) and science, seeking to improve children’s science learning, language development, and dietary quality. Methods: In this pilot study, we used a mixed-methods process evaluation to assess the program in five Head Start centers (n = 23 classrooms) across three rural North Carolina counties. We collected teacher data via surveys and interviews. Results: A total of 24 teachers participated in the full intervention by attending a one-day workshop, completing at least one of four core learning modules, and implementing 16 food-based science learning activities in their classrooms. Teachers were Black/African American (81.1%) and 43.56 (11.89) years old. Teachers reported varying engagement levels and high satisfaction with the program, sharing increased confidence in FBL and science integration. However, barriers such as time, technology, and the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) limited full participation. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that the program is feasible and well received in Head Start settings and has promising impacts on classroom teaching practices. The findings will guide revisions to the PEAS program. Future research evaluating the revised program using a comparison group will be explored. Full article

We present a thoughtfully curated collection of laboratory demonstrations, simulations, and straightforward experiments that explore the fundamental processes underlying greenhouse effect (GHE), climate, atmospheric physics, and Earth’s energy balance. The objective is to connect theory and practice in climate science education and address common student misconceptions. The activities are structured to guide students in constructing simple models of Earth’s radiative equilibrium. Experimental activities cover essential concepts such as the electromagnetic spectrum, radiation–matter interaction, thermal radiation, and energy balance. Physical experiments include visualizing the spectrum with a homemade spectroscope and an infrared (IR) thermal camera, studying absorption and selective transparency when light interacts with different materials, measuring the power emitted by a heated filament, and using simple models, such as black and white discs or a leaking bucket, to understand radiative equilibrium and steady states. This sequence was piloted in a physics education laboratory class with 85 university students enrolled in mathematics and physics courses for future teachers. To assess comprehension improvement, pre- and post-tests involving the production of drawings and explanations related to the GHE were administered to all students. These activities also aim to promote critical thinking and counter climate misinformation and denial. The results showed a significant improvement in understanding fundamental GHE concepts. Additionally, a small subset of students was interviewed to explore the psychological and social dimensions related to the climate crisis. Full article

Background/Objectives: Early childhood represents a sensitive period for developing positive dietary preferences and important school readiness skills. However, few evidence-based programs leverage opportunities to support children’s development in both areas. Our study aimed to assess the preliminary effects of multi-level, teacher-led More PEAS Please! on Head Start children’s (3–5 years old) science knowledge, development of academic language, fruit-and-vegetable (FV) liking, and dietary quality. Methods: In this pilot study, we used a repeated-measure research design to assess child-level outcomes. Trained teachers implemented 16 food-based science-learning activities. We assessed child outcomes using validated measures of science knowledge, academic language, FV liking, and dietary quality (Veggie Meter^®). We used linear mixed models to examine changes from the baseline to post intervention. Fixed effects included age, sex, and race/ethnicity, while the center was treated as a random effect. Results: A total of 273 children were enrolled in the study. The children were mostly male (51.6%), Black/African American (82.1%) and, on average, 3.94 (SD = 0.70) years old. The children demonstrated significant improvements in science knowledge (T1 M = −0.01, SD = 0.82; T4 M = 0.33, SD = 0.90; 95% CI [0.17, 0.50]; p < 0.001) and vocabulary (T1 M = 14.4, SD = 4.5; T4 M = 16.7, SD = 5.3; 95% CI [1.4, 3.3]; p < 0.001). The children’s dietary quality improved from the baseline, but the changes were not significant. Conclusions: The findings suggest that the intervention may support improvements in science knowledge and academic vocabulary among preschool-aged children. We theorize a longer intervention with additional FV exposures may be needed to observe significant dietary changes. Future research should evaluate program effects with a comparison group. Full article

During the harvesting and preparation of tea, it is common for tea to become mixed with some impurities. Eliminating these impurities is essential to improve the quality of famous green tea. At present, this sorting procedure heavily depends on manual efforts, which include high labor intensity, low sorting efficiency, and high sorting costs. In addition, the hardware performance is poor in actual production, and the model is not suitable for deployment. To solve this technical problem in the industry, this article proposes a lightweight algorithm for detecting and sorting impurities in premium green tea in order to improve sorting efficiency and reduce labor intensity. A custom dataset containing four categories of impurities was created. This dataset was employed to evaluate various YOLOv8 models, ultimately leading to the selection of YOLOv8n as the base model. Initially, four loss functions were compared in the experiment, and Focaler_mpdiou was chosen as the final loss function. Subsequently, this loss function was applied to other YOLOv8 models, leading to the selection of YOLOv8m-Focaler_mpdiou as the teacher model. The model was then pruned to achieve a lightweight model at the expense of detection accuracy. Finally, knowledge distillation was applied to enhance its detection performance. Compared to the base model, it showed advancements in P, R, mAP, and FPS by margins of 0.0051, 0.0120, and 0.0094 and an increase of 72.2 FPS, respectively. Simultaneously, it achieved a reduction in computational complexity with GFLOPs decreasing by 2.3 and parameters shrinking by 860350 B. Afterwards, we further demonstrated the model’s generalization ability in black tea samples. This research contributes to the technological foundation for sophisticated impurity classification in tea. Full article

Book banning and laws against discussing so-called “divisive concepts” in the United States are limiting what is read to children in schools, even in places without specific legislation. Books by Black and LGBTQIA+ authors and/or about Black or LGBTQIA+ characters are specific targets of the book banning and censorship efforts. The research reported in this article used a case study approach to explore two teacher candidates’ responses to inclusive children’s picture books and their discussions of the books with students in their classrooms during their practicum. The results indicated that the teacher candidates strongly believed in the value of sharing inclusive children’s literature and effectively utilized open-ended questions to spark critical thinking. However, they found it challenging to follow their students’ leads and build on comments in ways that could have resulted in deeper thinking and understanding. More practice, feedback and reflective opportunities are needed during teacher preparation in actual classrooms to improve teacher candidates’ abilities to conduct interactive read-alouds about topics that feel risky. The findings also highlight the need for schools and mentor teachers to model discussions about inclusive children’s books. Full article

The COVID-19 pandemic profoundly disturbed preschool education in Turkey, necessitating a rapid shift to distance learning for over 1.5 million children. The Ministry of National Education has established programs such as the Educational Content Network in Turkey. Also, the Turkish Radio and Television Association has made the TRT Preschool Application available online to support ongoing distance learning for preschool children. Preschool education in rural parts of Turkey was deeply impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. While previous research has examined the challenges of distance education broadly, there is a limited exploration of preschool teachers’ experiences during the pandemic lockdown, particularly in rural contexts in Turkey. To ensure sustainability in preschool education during the pandemic lockdown period, this study aimed to examine the experiences of preschool teachers who participated in distance education in rural areas. A qualitative case study was conducted with 10 teachers working in schools located in rural areas with diverse geographical difficulties scattered within the province near the Black Sea to obtain insights into the experiences of preschool teachers during the pandemic. The maximum variation sampling was utilized to select preschool teachers educating children between 45 and 72 months. To promote and facilitate individuals’ participation in the research, the semi-structured interviews were conducted via videoconferencing due to the lockdown. The content analysis was used to discover the meaning of the data. The study revealed that while teachers adapted their teaching methods to prioritize children’s well-being, disparities in digital access and socio-emotional issues within families created significant barriers to learning. The challenges encountered significantly impacted the children’s development in multiple areas. This study emphasized the need for improved infrastructure, providing extensive teacher training, and implementing robust support mechanisms to ensure the comprehensive growth of children in all domains during potential disasters. More research should be conducted to improve teachers’ skills in applying effective teaching strategies in virtual environments. Full article

This article examines how media outlets create a “border spectacle” (De Genova 2013) in schools, which contributes to the criminalization and deportability of undocumented immigrant students. Using content analysis, we studied n = 30 news articles that covered an incident in 2017 where two undocumented young men were accused of sexual assault and rape of a young woman in the school they all attended. This paper builds on the “school-to-deportation pipeline” by suggesting that, in addition to the zero-tolerance behavioral policies established by schools and teacher’s racist behaviors, the media coverage of alleged criminal acts also play a role in the expulsion and criminalization of undocumented students. The analysis of the news articles highlights four types of media frames employed to criminalize the young men involved in the case prior to these allegations being addressed by a court of law: (1) immigrant youth as sexual predators; (2) immigration as a correlation to a criminal act; (3) parents as the real victims of the case; and (4) sexual assault victims as collateral damage. Each of these media frames are built on xenophobic tropes that have historically facilitated the marginalization of Black and Latinx people, but in this case, it specifically targets undocumented young men. Collectively, the four media frames exemplify how media create a “border spectacle” in schools, manufacturing a moral hysteria to further marginalize and criminalize undocumented youth. We argue that, as a result of schools becoming border spectacles, undocumented young people’s fear of feeling targeted based on their “illegality” is intensified, and their sense of inclusion is hindered in an often thought to be safe and inclusive space for undocumented young people. Full article

Despite efforts to address racial disparities in STEM fields, little attention has been paid to the experiences and aspirations of queer and trans Black (QT Black) students in grades K-12. This study explored whether there were any significant differences in the choice of STEM majors between QT Black students and non-QT Black students. We found that Black QT students are less likely to choose STEM majors. Additionally, we found significant differences in science teachers’ perceptions of teaching, comparing between QT Black and non-QT Black students. Finally, we found that several factors predicted science-teacher perception of collective responsibility, perceptions of content professional learning community (PLC), self-efficacy, perception of content teacher expectations, and perceptions of principal support for teachers of QT Black and non-QT Black students. Implications for research and practice are discussed. Full article

A consistent pattern emerges where African American students’ scores lag behind their counterparts on both national and state literacy assessments. One possible explanation is rooted in the fact that approximately 80% of African American students speak African American English, which differs from the General American English, the language expected to be used within educational settings. African American English encompasses distinct phonological and grammatical (morphosyntactic) features compared to General American English. This paper aims to delineate the differences between these two languages, review research on African American English, and explore the prevalence of bidialectal or multidialectal abilities among African American students. Additionally, it will address research indicating that many teachers and teacher educators lack awareness of African American English, leading to a deficit-oriented perspective that views African American English as a linguistic deficiency rather than a linguistic difference. Full article