Exceptional education, also known as special education, is often grounded within exclusive and deficit mindsets and practices. Research has shown perpetual challenges with disproportionate identification of culturally and linguistically diverse students, especially Black and Indigenous students. Research has also shown perpetual use of inappropriate placement in more restrictive learning environments for marginalized students, often starting in Pre-K. Exceptional education practitioners often engage in practices that place disability before ability in instruction, behavior management, identification and use of related services, and educational setting placement decisions. These practices, among others, have resulted in a crippled system that situates students with exceptionalities in perceptions of deviance, ineptitude, and perpetuate systemic oppression. The Handbook of Research on Challenging Deficit Thinking for Exceptional Education Improvement unites current theory and practices to communicate the next steps to end the current harmful practices and experiences of exceptional students through critical analysis of current practices, mindsets, and policies. With the information this book provides, practitioners have the power to implement direct and explicit actions across levels to end the harm and liberate our most vulnerable populations. Covering topics such as accelerated learning, educator preparation programs, and intersectional perspectives, this book is a dynamic resource for teachers in exceptional education, general teachers, social workers, psychologists, educational leaders, organizational leaders, the criminal justice system, law enforcement agencies, government agencies, policymakers, curriculum designers, testing companies, current educational practitioners, administrators, post-grad students, professors, researchers, and academicians.

This book provides a fresh perspective on recent debates around integrating STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) education in early childhood. The book offers inspiration and practical advice for educators and researchers. It suggests concrete ways to engage young children in STEAM learning activities and promote their development. With contributions from international experts, the book discusses how to develop age-appropriate STEAM learning activities for young children. Divided into four parts, the book covers a wide range of topics, including the perceptions and practices of STEAM education among early childhood teachers in different countries, the use of new pedagogies and technologies to promote equitable and accessible STEAM education, the role of teacher education and policy in reducing inequality in STEAM education, and how early STEAM education can promote social change and achieve sustainable development goals. The book highlights the importance of STEAM education in providing young children with the necessary skills to create a more sustainable and equitable world. Overall, this book provides an important contribution to help critique and improve how early childhood educators view and practice STEAM education across cultures. It proposes ideas for achieving sustainable development goals through high-quality early STEAM education. The book appeals to early childhood educators and researchers, as it draws on cross-cultural viewpoints to critically examine how teachers understand and implement STEAM education across different cultures along with exploring how cultural values and goals shape early STEAM education.

A level of decision making is concerned with deciding the organization’s objectives, resources, and policies. A significant problem at this decision-making level is predicting the organization’s future and its environment as well as matching the organization’s characteristics to that environment. This process generally involves technology and knowledge from the market and clients. In the current era, the implementation of marketing information systems supported with AI techniques is crucial to being a unique opportunity to leverage marketing strategies with cutting-edge technologies. Global Perspectives on the Strategic Role of Marketing Information Systems communicates the recent advances in marketing information systems. Covering topics such as digital entrepreneurship, international business, and micro and small enterprises, this premier reference source is a cutting-edge resource for marketers, entrepreneurs, business leaders and managers, IT managers, students and educators of higher education, librarians, researchers, and academicians.

Every child has a right to make sense of math, and to use math to make sense of their worlds. Despite their gifts, students with disabilities are often viewed from a deficit standpoint in mathematics classrooms. These students are often conceptualized as needing to be fixed or remediated. Rethinking Disability and Mathematics argues that mathematics should be a transformative space for these students, a place where they can discover their power and potential and be appreciated for their many strengths. Author Rachel Lambert introduces Universal Design for Learning for Math (UDL Math), a way to design math classrooms that empowers disabled and neurodiverse students to engage in mathematics in ways that lead to meaningful and joyful math learning. The book showcases how UDL Math can open up mathematics classrooms so that they provide access to meaningful understanding and an identity as a math learner to a wider range of students. Weaved throughout the book are the voices of neurodiverse learners telling their own stories of math learning. Through stories of real teachers recognizing the barriers in their own math classrooms and redesigning to increase access, the book: Reframes students with disabilities from a deficit to an asset perspective, paving the way for trusting their mathematical thinking Offers equitable math instruction for all learners, including those with disabilities, neurodiverse students, and/or multilingual learners Applies UDL to the math classroom, providing practical tips and techniques to support students′ cognitive, affective, and strategic development Immerses readers in math classrooms where all students are engaged in meaningful mathematics, from special education day classes to inclusive general education classrooms, from grades K-8. Integrates research on mathematical learning including critical math content such as developing number sense and place value, fluency with math facts and operations, and understanding fractions and algebraic thinking. Explores critical issues such as writing IEP goals in math This book is designed for all math educators, both those trained as general education teachers and those trained as special education teachers. The UDL Math approach is adapted to work for all learners because everyone varies in how they perceive the world and in how they approach mathematical problem solving. When we rethink mathematics to include multiple ways of being a math learner, we make math accessible and engaging for a wider group of learners.

School closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic, racial violence, injustice, and resource inequities highlight the need for multi-disciplinary strategies and practices that support evidence-based practices across a range of educational levels for leaders, professors, teachers, educational professionals, trauma survivors, and youth and government programs for both in-class and remote learning environments. Practical Strategies to Reduce Childhood Trauma and Mitigate Exposure to the School-to-Prison Pipeline provides practical strategies and tools focused on reducing childhood trauma while mitigating exposure to the school-to-prison pipeline. Covering a range of crucial topics such as social justice, trauma, mindfulness, and coaching, this reference work is ideal for researchers, scholars, practitioners, academicians, educators, leaders, administrators, school staff, youth programs, government organizations, students, and trauma survivors.

All students deserve inclusive and engaging learning experiences. Opportunities for student growth and environments that honor culture and language are essential in a modern society that promotes inclusivity. Thoughtful disciplinary literacy practices offer embedded opportunities across grade levels and content areas to support inclusive classroom cultures. Therefore, the value of culturally and linguistically responsive pedagogy, supported through literacy experiences, should not be underestimated and should become a priority within K-12 education. Disciplinary Literacy as a Support for Culturally and Linguistically Responsive Teaching and Learning develops a conceptual framework and pedagogical support for disciplinary literacy practices related to culturally and linguistically responsive teaching and learning. It presents a variety of research and practice protocols supporting student success through explored connections between disciplinary literacy and inclusive pedagogical practices. Covering topics such as cultural awareness, racialized text, and gender identity development, this premier reference source is an indispensable resource for pre-service teachers, educators of K-12 and higher education, educational administration, government officials, curriculum directors, literacy professionals, professional development coordinators, teacher preparation programs, libraries, researchers, and academicians.

The COVID-19 pandemic caused institutions to rethink traditional practices and consider new ways of learning and approaching students, faculty, and staff. Though not always embraced in the past, colleges and universities turned to online education in order to keep students enrolled as the health of students had to be prioritized. For institutions that may not have had health services on campus, such as community colleges, these needs called for more planning and options for referral of services. Education Reform in the Aftermath of the COVID-19 Pandemic educates individuals regarding the impact of COVID-19 on higher education institutions internally and externally and considers the lessons learned as well as what could be next. The book also presents solutions to the challenges that the COVID-19 pandemic wrought on universities and colleges and looks toward using those solutions for future applications. Covering a range of topics such as student engagement, enrollment, and virtual spaces, it is an ideal resource for administrators, educators, mental health professionals, faculty, universities, and students.

In recent years, the field of education has been fraught with a variety of different challenges. A multi-year pandemic, book banning, and legislative efforts seeking to ban Critical Race Theory and LGBTQ positive curriculum have had negative effects on K-12 education, leaving many educators feeling the progress made in several states and communities before and during the 2018 teacher walkouts and strikes was now gone. Teacher morale is sitting at a historic low point, with teachers leaving the profession in droves. Education as an institution is at a crucial tipping point, and changes focused on equity and reducing the neoliberal hold on reform need to be implemented in order to keep schools as democratic spaces. The way this vision can be realized is through activism and existing social movement organizations that use both traditional and netroots practices. The purpose of Activists, Advocates, and Agitators is to provide readers with a history and analysis of 21st century teacher activism in K-12 schools to better understand the effectiveness of organizing and activism. Additionally, the text will introduce readers to present-day activist groups whose work is positively changing education and schools and the ways in which some teachers are working within their communities to assist in their specific needs. Activists, Advocates, and Agitators is the perfect book to instruct preservice teachers about the conditions that they will face in their classrooms, arming them with valuable strategies to help them to achieve their academic goals. Perfect for courses such as: Social Foundations of Education; Foundations of Education; Education Policy; Educational Leadership; Teacher Leadership; Sociology of Education; Politics of Education; and Democratic Education

Pedagogy for talented students is a widely discussed area in the field of gifted education. Much debate exists over the instruction required to meet the unique learning needs of the gifted. The learning experiences focused on the strategies of yesterday are no longer sufficient to address the thinking demanded by the innovations of tomorrow. Interdisciplinary connections are a critical component of innovation and must be a cornerstone of learning for the gifted. Innovation requires interdisciplinary thinking that is adaptable and not anchored to a specific context. Practices That Promote Innovation for Talented Students curates cutting-edge, high-leverage practices that develop innovation and inquiry in talented learners and highlights the belief that the future of education requires a shift from teacher-centered strategies to student-centered high-leverage practices that are interdisciplinary and function across educational contexts. Covering key topics such as teaching advocacy, creative thinking, and student learning communities, this reference work is ideal for industry professionals, policymakers, administrators, researchers, scholars, academicians, practitioners, instructors, and students.

This book reflects on more than two decades of adoption practices of inclusive education policy in Southern Africa. It is aimed at taking stock of the successes, challenges and achievements during this journey of making education inclusive and equitable. It responds to the educational needs of learners at all levels, regardless of their diverse needs, such as disability, gender, socio-economic status, race, ethnicity and language background. This book furthers the understanding and conceptualization of the notion of inclusion in education, and explores the challenges experienced during the operationalization and implementation of the process. It extends debates spawned by international and national policy mandates that sought to transcend exclusionary educational practices in order to realize inclusive societies and, by implication, inclusive classrooms. It offers a comprehensive conceptual framework for inclusive education in the Southern African context while drawing parallels from the regional and international experience. This book can be used as a reference or critical reading for scholars and researchers in the field of inclusive education. It will empower practitioners, administrators, teachers and school leaders, curriculum developers and planners, as well as policy makers with knowledge about theory and practice regarding inclusive education in the Southern African schooling system.