Collaboration and critical thinking are 21st century skills employers value. Campus programming offers a space where, through intentional design, post-secondary students may develop critical thinking and collaboration skills. This study investigates survey data collected after a campus program that engaged participants in an escape room experience. Descriptive statistics were utilized to investigate students’ perceptions of collaboration and critical thinking skills use and improvement during the experience. Comparison analysis was employed to explore if the structure of the escape room produced any difference in results. Findings indicate the majority of participants reported being able to practice and improve collaboration and critical thinking skills in the escape room experience. Patterns suggest that the escape room structure may impact participants’ perceptions of collaboration and critical thinking skills. Limitations and recommendations for areas of future research are discussed.

Unfortunately, most lower elementary grades teach little to no science content due to a primary focus on language arts and math instruction. Therefore, this article focuses on the importance of integrating science with language arts and shares steps on creating stations within an effective integrated science and language arts learning center. The example given was developed to aid in elementary students' understanding of aquatic animals, specifically using seashells to explore the world of mollusks. Stations within the center are described in detail and supporting documents from student outcomes are included. In addition, an explanation of where the center is used in the 5E Instructional Model learning sequence is discussed. This outline of a completed center provides classroom teachers or non-traditional educators insight into the cognitive process for making one and can be applied to any topic for integration of science and language arts.

Literature points to a dearth of information on the use of a digital writing process with elementary children. Specific to the use of digital tools for writing is the question of how they might impact children's writing identities. Writing identity is crucial as beliefs about one's identity as a writer impacts one's writing. Addressing these concerns, this study questioned how using an iPad book creation app with a process writing approach influenced second graders' writing identities in an afterschool setting. This semester-long qualitative case study includes data from six focal children and eight undergraduate tutors. Findings revealed three factors influenced children's writing identities: use of the phrase “what good writers do,” personal perceptions on digital tools, and the bookmaking project. Four instructional considerations are shared: the value of a culturally responsive learning environment, the importance of writing feedback, the need for typing opportunities, and the impact of a bookmaking project.

Embracing a culturally responsive teaching pedagogy in classrooms is one means for addressing literacy inequities with students of color. Afterschool literacy tutoring is another means of addressing these inequities, but little is known about implementing culturally responsive teaching in afterschool environments. This qualitative case study explored how cultural differences impacted an urban elementary afterschool literacy tutoring program. Grounded in participatory literacy theory, the authors conclude that it is normal for cultural differences to occur and cause disruptions during tutoring; however, culturally responsive teaching can mitigate these interruptions through developing caring relationships, creating a safe learning environment, implementing a participatory student-centered curriculum using online resources, and critiquing social inequalities. The discussion offers seven principles of culturally responsive teaching to use in literacy instructional environments.

Embracing a culturally responsive teaching pedagogy in classrooms is one means for addressing literacy inequities with students of color. Afterschool literacy tutoring is another means of addressing these inequities, but little is known about implementing culturally responsive teaching in afterschool environments. This qualitative case study explored how cultural differences impacted an urban elementary afterschool literacy tutoring program. Grounded in participatory literacy theory, the authors conclude that it is normal for cultural differences to occur and cause disruptions during tutoring; however, culturally responsive teaching can mitigate these interruptions through developing caring relationships, creating a safe learning environment, implementing a participatory student-centered curriculum using online resources, and critiquing social inequalities. The discussion offers seven principles of culturally responsive teaching to use in literacy instructional environments.