School mathematics teaching is stuck in the past. An adult revisiting the school that they attended as a child would see only superficial changes from what they experienced themselves. Yes, in some schools they might see a room full of electronic tablets, or the teacher using a touch-sensitive, interactive whiteboard. But if we zoom in […] … learn more→
Monthly Archives: February 2024
Understanding how the brain works can transform how school students learn maths
What does it really mean to be ‘feminazi’?
In response to the feminist upheaval among citizens and the progressive institutionalization of equality policies, anti-feminist reactions are occurring , generally coming from conservative groups. The anti-feminist reaction is a recurring phenomenon , since it returns every time women begin to make some progress towards equality. Considered inherently reactionary, this response would be motivated by a feeling of revenge and […] … learn more→
How educator Gloria Jean Merriex used dance, drills and devotion to turn around a failing elementary school in a year
When Duval Elementary – a school that served mostly Black and poor students in East Gainesville, Florida – failed the state’s high-stakes standardized test in 2002, district leaders pressured the school’s educators to more closely follow the curriculum. But Gloria Jean Merriex, who taught third and fourth grade reading and fifth grade math, wasn’t interested. She argued […] … learn more→
Is ‘NPC’ an insult? Guide to understanding between generations
For love there is no age. There is no age to study, travel, leave, return, get married or have children. Even to make our dreams come true, any age is good. But there are things for which age can be a barrier. For example: what happens when a millennial, or a member of the yoz generations, talks to or […] … learn more→
Africa needs China for its digital development – but at what price?
Digital technologies have many potential benefits for people in African countries. They can support the delivery of healthcare services, promote access to education and lifelong learning, and enhance financial inclusion. But there are obstacles to realising these benefits. The backbone infrastructure needed to connect communities is missing in places. Technology and finance are lacking too. […] … learn more→
Writing is a technology that restructures thought — and in an AI age, universities need to teach it more
In an age of AI-assisted writing, is it important for university students to learn how to write? We believe it is now more than ever. In the writing classroom, students get the time and help they need to understand writing as not only a skill, but what the language scholar Walter J. Ong called a “technology […] … learn more→
South Africa’s apartheid legacy is still hobbling research – a study of geography shows how
Knowledge matters. It informs how we think about the world around us. It informs our decisions and government policies, supporting economic growth and development. Knowledge is also power. Certain types of knowledge are given more value than others. This is driven by histories of privilege. In South Africa, apartheid looms large in debates about how knowledge is produced. […] … learn more→
What happens when we outsource boring but important work to AI? Research shows we forget how to do it ourselves
In 2009, an Air France jet crashed into the ocean, leaving no survivors. The plane’s autopilot system shut down and the pilots, having become reliant on their computerised assistant, were unable to correct the situation manually. In 2015, a bus driver in Europe typed the wrong destination into his GPS device and cheerfully took a group […] … learn more→
Research key words – significance
We all want to do research that matters. Right? Surely no one out there wants to spend a load of time and energy doing research that is of no value, that nobody will take any notice of and that won’t make an iota of difference to anyone anywhere? Why do that? Of course, there is a […] … learn more→
What if reality does not exist and is a creation of the mind?
Have we invented reality? Is it just the fruit of the human brain? There is a current, based on quantum physics, that insists on removing reality from reality. The proposal is this: If a tree dies, to give an example, it will be dead no matter who observes it, and we can have empirical proof that it […] … learn more→