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Schoolwork with Purpose: A Mixed Methods Study on Youths' Perspective on What Makes Learning Meaningful

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Title: Schoolwork with Purpose: A Mixed Methods Study on Youths' Perspective on What Makes Learning Meaningful
Language: English
Authors: Allison Rae Ward-Seidel (ORCID 0000-0001-8586-6409), Sara E. Rimm-Kaufman, Lia Sandilos (ORCID 0000-0002-7474-6636)
Source: Journal of Adolescent Research. 2026 41(3):598-638.
Availability: SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: https://sagepub.com
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 41
Publication Date: 2026
Sponsoring Agency: Institute of Education Sciences (ED)
Contract Number: R305B200005
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: Junior High Schools
Middle Schools
Secondary Education
Descriptors: Middle School Students, Student Attitudes, Student Characteristics, Comparative Analysis, Institutional Characteristics, Race, Low Income Students, Relevance (Education), Experiential Learning, Skill Development, Interpersonal Competence
DOI: 10.1177/07435584241280266
ISSN: 0743-5584
1552-6895
Abstract: Making school meaningful is a widely accepted goal in education, yet "what" is considered meaningful, meaningful to "whom," and "why," leaves room for interrogation. This sequential explanatory mixed methods study aims to understand: (1) The extent to which students experience meaningful education at EL Education schools compared to comparison schools, and (2) How adolescents describe meaningful schoolwork. Survey responses were gathered from 258 students at nine middle schools (five EL Education, four comparison). Participants self-identified as 49% male, 47% female, 2% gender non-binary, 41% Black, 40% Latina/o, 33% White, 16% Multiracial, 1% Asian, and 31% low-income. Controlling for demographic characteristics, EL Education students reported statistically significantly more meaningful school experiences than comparison school students. Subsample analyses showed substantially greater meaningfulness at EL Education than comparison schools for Black (n = 107; p < 0.01) and Latina/o students (n = 40; p < 0.001). Interviews from 32 students and grounded theory analysis revealed that meaningful schoolwork focuses on: (a) Learning about and addressing "real-world problems" (e.g., racism, environmentalism, sociopolitical development), (b) Engaging content that was personally relevant, hands-on, and socially interactive, and (c) Future-oriented academic or social skills. Findings point to promising practices at EL Education schools and implications are discussed.
Abstractor: As Provided
IES Funded: Yes
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: EJ1502303
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
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PubType: Academic Journal
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  Data: Schoolwork with Purpose: A Mixed Methods Study on Youths&#39; Perspective on What Makes Learning Meaningful
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  Data: &lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;AR&quot; term=&quot;%22Allison+Rae+Ward-Seidel%22&quot;&gt;Allison Rae Ward-Seidel&lt;/searchLink&gt; (ORCID &lt;externalLink term=&quot;https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8586-6409&quot;&gt;0000-0001-8586-6409&lt;/externalLink&gt;)&lt;br /&gt;&lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;AR&quot; term=&quot;%22Sara+E%2E+Rimm-Kaufman%22&quot;&gt;Sara E. Rimm-Kaufman&lt;/searchLink&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;AR&quot; term=&quot;%22Lia+Sandilos%22&quot;&gt;Lia Sandilos&lt;/searchLink&gt; (ORCID &lt;externalLink term=&quot;https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7474-6636&quot;&gt;0000-0002-7474-6636&lt;/externalLink&gt;)
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  Data: SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: https://sagepub.com
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  Data: 41
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  Data: 10.1177/07435584241280266
– Name: ISSN
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  Data: 0743-5584&lt;br /&gt;1552-6895
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Making school meaningful is a widely accepted goal in education, yet &quot;what&quot; is considered meaningful, meaningful to &quot;whom,&quot; and &quot;why,&quot; leaves room for interrogation. This sequential explanatory mixed methods study aims to understand: (1) The extent to which students experience meaningful education at EL Education schools compared to comparison schools, and (2) How adolescents describe meaningful schoolwork. Survey responses were gathered from 258 students at nine middle schools (five EL Education, four comparison). Participants self-identified as 49% male, 47% female, 2% gender non-binary, 41% Black, 40% Latina/o, 33% White, 16% Multiracial, 1% Asian, and 31% low-income. Controlling for demographic characteristics, EL Education students reported statistically significantly more meaningful school experiences than comparison school students. Subsample analyses showed substantially greater meaningfulness at EL Education than comparison schools for Black (n = 107; p &lt; 0.01) and Latina/o students (n = 40; p &lt; 0.001). Interviews from 32 students and grounded theory analysis revealed that meaningful schoolwork focuses on: (a) Learning about and addressing &quot;real-world problems&quot; (e.g., racism, environmentalism, sociopolitical development), (b) Engaging content that was personally relevant, hands-on, and socially interactive, and (c) Future-oriented academic or social skills. Findings point to promising practices at EL Education schools and implications are discussed.
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  Data: 2026
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  Data: EJ1502303
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=eric&AN=EJ1502303
RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1177/07435584241280266
    Languages:
      – Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 41
        StartPage: 598
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Middle School Students
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Student Attitudes
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Student Characteristics
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Comparative Analysis
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      – SubjectFull: Institutional Characteristics
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      – SubjectFull: Race
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Low Income Students
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Relevance (Education)
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Experiential Learning
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Skill Development
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Interpersonal Competence
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Schoolwork with Purpose: A Mixed Methods Study on Youths' Perspective on What Makes Learning Meaningful
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          Name:
            NameFull: Allison Rae Ward-Seidel
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            NameFull: Sara E. Rimm-Kaufman
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            NameFull: Lia Sandilos
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              Y: 2026
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            – TitleFull: Journal of Adolescent Research
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