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The authors designed a science and engineering curricular program that includes design features that promote student interest and motivation and examined teachers' and students' views on meaningfulness, motivation and interest.

The research approach consisted of mixed methods, including content analyses and descriptive statistics.

The curricular program successfully included all four of the US National Academies of Sciences' design features for promoting interest and motivation through scientific investigation and engineering design. During interviews, teachers and students expressed evidence of design features associated with interest and motivation. After experiencing the program, more than 60% of all students scored high on all four science and engineering meaningfulness and interest survey items.

A curricular program that extends science learning through the engineered design of solutions is an innovative approach to foster both conceptual knowledge development and interest and motivation in science and engineering.

Research has shown that science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) self-beliefs and enjoyment are critical factors for predicting female students’ persistence in STEM degrees and careers. Studies have shown the positive effects of informal STEM learning experiences on female students’ self-beliefs. However, with the rise of all-female STEM learning experiences, such as summer camps, considering the potential advantages and disadvantages of co-ed options is important. Further, prior STEM education research has focused on sex differences in students’ self-efficacy and STEM career interests. Our study aims to examine within sex differences in secondary, female students (n = 104) who attend either a co-ed STEM camp or a same-sex STEM camp.

To examine potential differences, we conducted independent sample t-tests.

Results of the study include statistically significant differences in mathematics and science self-efficacy as well as STEM career interest after participating in their respective camps.

Further, prior research in STEM education has focused on between sex differences in students’ self-efficacy and STEM career interest.

In distinguishing the education of adults from the education of children, a gray area lies on where to classify gifted and honors students. The purpose of this study was to determine if the attitudes of students at an honors STEM summer camp paralleled the educational needs of adults, namely self-directed learning.

Researchers analyzed survey responses through an exploratory factor analysis and five t tests.

The interpretation of the effect sizes showed that after engaging in a self-directed learning experience, students expressed more positive self-efficacy and intrinsic motivation, experienced reduced extrinsic motivation and anxiety, and were less task-completion oriented.

The results suggest that gifted and honors students may have a propensity to learn that is more similar to that of adults rather than their same-age peers.

At the virus' US epicenter, New York City, teachers experienced the impact of the pandemic firsthand in real time. Consistent with intensification (Apple, 1986), as school struggles to adapt to a rapidly changing social and educational landscape, socioemotional stressors and occupational responsibilities increase. Through the metaphoric (Craig, 2018) image of a candle, and using the tools of narrative inquiry (Connelly & Clandinin, 1990) – broadening, burrowing, storying, and restorying – we surface four teachers' lived experiences in a year filled with incredible grief and loss, socio-political-cultural trauma, racial strife, and personal-professional challenges to show their resolve and resiliency to persevere through and beyond burning out.

Current challenges in the educational sector along with age-related changes during early adolescence contribute to an increased sense of school alienation (SAL) among students. Some of the central concerns of SAL are failure to participate in classroom and socially deviant behaviors. This study examined the change in and cross-lagged relationships among alienation from learning, teachers, and classmates, and different self-reported learning and social behaviors across 508 secondary school students spanning a one-year interval from Grade 7 to Grade 8. The results revealed a slight increase in SAL and a decline in classroom participation. Earlier SAL predicted students’ later in-class participation and delinquent behavior, but not vice versa. The three alienation domains were shown to have different relationships with targeted learning and social behaviors: Alienation from learning and from teachers negatively predicted student classroom participation. Alienation from teachers and from classmates contributed to subsequent delinquent behavior. The study results emphasized the importance of SAL for students’ participation in classroom activities as well as in disruptive behaviors. Theoretical and practical implications of the findings for educational research and practice are discussed.

The principles of a fair, equitable, and quality education are embodied in both federal legislation in the United States and the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, Goal 4 (SDG 4). However, inclusive education has remained fairly static since passage of SDG 4 in 2015. In this chapter, we posit that the primary levers influencing the inclusion of students with disabilities in general education content and classrooms is a result of the policies governing special education, in addition to the stigmatization of disability. Furthermore, how intersectional identities serve to segregate students with disabilities from their peers is explored.

The purpose of this paper is to explore potential benefits of gamification (application of game-playing elements) for financial well-being and motivation to save.

A preliminary survey of college students explored how gamification principles incorporated into money-savings/personal finance smartphone apps could improve financial well-being. The main study utilized Mechanical Turk participants, exposing them to financial game app descriptions that emphasized social features (e.g. leaderboards and ability to share achievements) or economic features (e.g. ability to earn real money or a higher interest rate). Objective and subjective financial measures including expertise with financial apps, perceived benefits of financial apps and behavioral intentions were examined.

Financial worry, financial literacy, subjective knowledge and expertise with money-savings/financial applications predicted financial well-being. Additionally, consumers varied in their preferences for certain financial game app features based on past financial app experience. Those who already used a financial app tend to exhibit higher subjective (though not objective) knowledge, and want both “social” and “economic” features of financial applications, whereas those with no experience are more motivated by economic features.

These results could be used to guide game designers regarding which features may be more attractive to consumers depending on their prior expertise with financial smartphone applications. Financial services marketing would benefit from further research into whether smartphone financial applications that emphasize social features have benefits for consumers’ motivation and financial well-being.

Examining college students about to enter the real world and the general population, this project contributes to research to improve understanding of financial well-being by examining how already having a financial gamification application impacts perceptions of knowledge and expertise, as well as intentions to save given a more socially focused vs economically focused savings app. Additional research needs to further explore gamification as an experimental intervention to ultimately improve both subjective financial well-being and objective financial behaviors, especially for consumers with lower expertise and high risk of financial vulnerability.

This paper measures German customers' label-depending preference and willingness to pay for organic and local food.

The sample covers 325 survey respondents from 12 out of the 16 German federal states. Data was collected through convenience sampling in December 2019. A choice-based conjoint analysis was operated.

Customers value local food from their federal state most, thereby accepting a price premium of no less than 200%. The label moderates the influence of organic production conditions on price acceptance significantly.

Based on self-reported data from a convenience sample, the demographic distribution of the sample differs from that of the German population. Moreover, the willingness to pay was found to be product-specific, limiting general applicability.

Marketers should focus on local and local organic food in the assortment. Marketing strategies should include information campaigns. Producers may sell their products regionally or cooperate with local retailers. Introducing a separate official “local organic” label is suggested.

The study provides detailed evidence on the preference of German costumers and suggests a significantly higher willingness to pay for organic and local food than previous literatures.