Dating back to the mid-19th century, traditional classroom design encourages teacher-centered pedagogy. However, significant changes in pedagogy, technology, and children's daily activity levels require new models of classroom design for the 21st century. Flexible seating recently has emerged as a way to address the pedagogical, cognitive, and…

Previously developed K12 Engineering Activity Modules were modified to include a literacy component and facilitated 2 days a week as part of an afterschool Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) program. The afterschool program started in October and ended in April, with a winter and aspring break. In this pilot, 2 K12 teachers…

Researchers have linked teachers' use of mathematical tasks and questions to students' achievement in mathematics, and also have documented that the types of tasks and questions posed might change throughout the year in grades that include high-stakes tests of student achievement. This qualitative research study explored 3 elementary school…

Within a Response to Intervention (RtI) framework, Tier 1 instruction requires the selection of research-based core curricula. However, many educators and administrators are not aware of high-quality core writing curricula. The authors assembled a rubric to assist schools in evaluating core writing curricula for Grades 3-5. Rubric components…

In this study, we explored 3 Grade 4 English Language Learners' (ELLs) perceptions of teacher autonomy-supporting practices in literacy instruction in science. The support of autonomy in literacy classes is central to students' internal motivation for reading. Given that many ELLs are at risk for reading failure, understanding autonomous learning…

Biofunctional cognitive theory describes learning as a dynamic cycle of reflection between the brain, which coordinates contributions from multiple biological sources, and the mind, which selects and organizes them into wholethemes. The children in the lead author's third-grade class participated in a study of how the theory supported learning in…