Studies of both professional science practice and children's science learning show that care is not merely ancillary to disciplinary work but a core and generative constituent of science practice. In science education research, however, students' care is often overlooked. In this paper, we describe the expression of care across two STEM classrooms…

This article discusses the notion of a 'morally equipped' childhood and adolescence, and how such a notion can help us get a fresh perspective on the relation between young people's participation and empowerment, and the formation of personal and the collective moral repertoires of modern society. Utilising a mixed-methods approach inspired by the…

Letters to the editor are an important part of democratic societies. In academic journals, letters serve as a form of postpublication review and thus permit continued discussion and debate of scientific ideas. However, letters and their importance are rarely taught to university students. Therefore, the aim of the present paper is to propose a…

We tested a novel extension to mailed invitations to a web-push survey, using a postcard invitation to deliver a scratch-off giftcode incentive similar to an instant-win lottery ticket. Scratch-off postcards were included as one of five conditions in randomized survey experiment varying two mailing types (letter and postcard) and three incentive…

Aim: This Quality Improvement Project sought to improve communication between patients with intellectual disabilities and their psychiatrists by sharing medical information using an easy read letter format following psychiatric review. Background: Writing directly to patients is in keeping with good medical practice. Previous studies have shown…

Purpose: This paper delves into the profound influence of societal beauty standards and the prevalence of body shaming in contemporary culture. It explores how these societal norms contribute to self-esteem issues and psychological distress among individuals, particularly young people. Design/methodology/approach: Through the poignant medium of…

In a pilot program during the 2016-17 admissions cycle, the University of California, Berkeley invited many applicants for freshman admission to submit letters of recommendation. This proved controversial within the university, with concerns that this change would further disadvantage applicants from disadvantaged groups. To inform this debate, we…

In this paper the author looks at the letters of two renowned women mathematicians and scientists of the Victorian period, Mary Somerville and Ada Lovelace, while also considering the imperceptibility of Sophie Germain, an important French mathematician and philosopher in their epistolary exchanges and philosophical writings. Drawing on the…

This essay applies Critical Race Theory and Critical Whiteness Studies towards affirming the collective existence, experience, and humanity of educational leaders of Color, who tend to experience systemic dismissing and invisibilizing within educational institutions. Like racial commentators such as James Baldwin and Ta-Nehisi Coates, this essay…

In this article, we introduce co-excavative letter writing as a method for developing racial literacy, deepening relationships, and challenging standard forms of knowledge production. Jordan and Karen, students in Yolanda's cotaught graduate seminar, developed an epistolary exchange as part of their "(un)final project." Collaborative…

The National Literacy Trust's 2018 report on letter writing highlighted the enduring appeal of writing letters to connect people. Many children and young people also said that they write letters to make the person they are writing to happy. This has never been truer now. This report of responses to a survey from early 2021 shows that children and…

From James Baldwin's (1962) "A Letter to My Nephew," which laid bare the brutalities of being black in 1960s America, to Chanelle Miller's published victim impact statement addressed to her assailant, which provided vocabulary and was kindle for #MeToo, examples abound demonstrating the ways in which the open letter continuously surfaces…

Heeding Gloria Anzaldúa's (2012) call to cultivate, "new theories with new theorizing methods," this article articulates the contours of a Critical Race Feminista Epistolary Praxis (CRFEP). CRFEP, a writing-based methodological intervention nestled within anti-racist and social justice traditions, fosters opportunities for Women of Color…

What is the role of teachers in constructing loving dialogic space that is liminal in nature? How can curricular boundary objects catalyze new dialogic spaces connecting people in different social locations? Illuminating these questions, Ms. Thompson opened new doors for elementary students in an urban Reformed Christian school community, inviting…

The COVID-19 pandemic has prompted a renewed interest in intergenerational letter and email writing. Evidence shows that expressive writing, including letter writing, has a number of benefits including improved literacy and perceived well-being, and it can also facilitate a deep connection with another person. This scoping review provides an…