Effective game-based learning is possible and incredibly important, as it provides effective, engaging, student-centered learning. While it has been successful for history learning,  effective game-based learning for STEM subjects is scarce. This study explored Minecraft Education Edition's chemistry features and their ability to create an effective and engaging learning experience, as Minecraft's game mechanics along with Education Edition's chemistry features may provide a solution to the lack of effective game-based learning. The study was conducted with a lesson in Minecraft Education Edition, and participants took a quiz and reflection survey after the lesson to gauge Minecraft Education Edition's viability as a learning tool. While the data in the study was too limited to garner a conclusion on how Minecraft Education Edition affects the engagement and effectiveness of a lesson, it provides insight that not all students/players engage with Minecraft the same way, and discusses many factors that should be considered when creating a Minecraft-based education model.

The present study analyzes different strategies employed during remote learning for high school students with Severe Cognitive Disabilities (SCDs), in order to determine which are most effective for engagement. Utilizing methods from previous research (Kurth 2015, Kurth 2016), individual student observations were completed throughout online learning class sessions. Data revealed that giving the student the chance to demonstrate their knowledge, providing choices, working with peers, and having a self-chosen goal to work toward were some of the most important factors for increased engagement. Furthermore, distracted teachers and paraeducators hindered the engagement. Consequently. the present study displays suggestions for increased engagement during online learning for this population. Given the limitations of the present study, additional research should also be completed to expand on these results.

Economic modernization in Russia is heavily reliant on increased market competition and diversity within the Russian economy. However, modernization has been largely unsuccessful due to a misalignment between the goals of the Russian modernization agenda, including those in the PCA and P4M, and the state’s behavior both domestically and internationally. This study finds that domestic institutions within Russia continue to execute on a legislative agenda contradictory to their modernization agenda due to both state security priorities and the power imbalances within the government.

The present study investigates the impacts of bilingualism on academic performance among high school students by using cognitive assessment scores as proxies for GPAs. As seminal works, finding a constant bilingual advantage (BA), are being increasingly disproved in favor a selective BA, task demand in working memory (WM) was introduced to examine this. A mixed method was used. Participants completed a self-assessment survey, rating their academic performance and beliefs regarding the bilingual advantage hypothesis. Then, the flanker and modified flanker tasks tested participants’ WM. Using measurements of  the means, medians and p-test, it was discovered that bilingual students only outperformed monolinguals on the low demand regular flanker task while equally on all other tasks, not in accordance with the Executive Control Theory (ECT) commonly supported in recent works. Additionally, the survey revealed that both monolingual and bilingual students recognize the positive impacts of language on cognition, but not the application of cognition to increased school performance. By bringing awareness to this relationship, this could encourage more students to study a foreign language in high school, bridging the cognitive-linguistic gap.

This experimental study examines the effects of retouch-free disclaimers in advertising on adolescents’ mood, self-esteem, and how authentic the ad is perceived to be. These effects were compared to those of adolescents who viewed ads with a traditional retouched disclaimer, and those of adolescents who viewed ads with no disclaimer at all. I found no significant correlations between type of disclaimer and change in mood or self-esteem. However, adolescent females did view ads with a retouch-free disclaimer as significantly more authentic than ads with a retouched disclaimer. Additionally, I found that adolescent females found all advertisements, regardless of experimental condition, to be significantly more authentic than their male peers did. This study can provide guidance to fashion and beauty marketers on the potential benefits of using retouch-free disclaimers to appeal to an adolescent audience.