Despite the best efforts of clinicians and researchers for decades, we still do not fully know why some people develop mental disorders and others do not. However, changes in the brain are very likely our best clues to future mental health outcomes. The adolescent brain is particularly important in this pursuit as changes during this […] … learn more→
Author Archives: Kevin
‘Brain fingerprinting’ of adolescents might be able to predict mental health problems down the line
5 of the biggest threats today’s K-12 students and educators face don’t involve guns
While many American students and their parents worry that the next mass shooting could happen at their school, schools are also facing a number of other threats that do not involve guns. Many of these threats are related to the mental health of educators and students. From 2018 to 2021, both before and during the pandemic, I spent […] … learn more→
The three worst Cyberattacks of 2022 so far
State-sponsored hackers had a field day in the first half of this year, committing a variety of crimes that ranged from the theft of cryptocurrencies to the hacking of major telecommunications businesses. During the first half of this troublesome year, there has been a steady increase in the number of massive cyberattacks, data breaches, digital […] … learn more→
If Australian schools want to improve student discipline, they need to address these 5 issues
NSW is in the middle of overhauling its approach to suspensions and expulsions. Under a proposed plan due to start in term 4, students can only be sent home a maximum of three times a year. This is designed to reduce the high number of sanctions against vulnerable children in public schools. But it has been met with opposition from teachers, […] … learn more→
School playgrounds are getting squeezed: here are 8 ways to keep students active in small spaces
As enrolments climb and urban spaces become more crowded, some Australian schools have been left with less play space per student than a prison cell. Standard prison cell guidelines recommend at least 7.5 square metres per prisoner. One Sydney school reportedly has just 1.14 square metres of play space per student. As experts in health and physical education, we are deeply […] … learn more→
Jane Goodall joins Barbie’s ‘inspiring women’ series: the strange evolution of an iconic doll
In news many probably never expected to see, no-frills, outdoorsy, animal behaviour expert and conservation activist Jane Goodall has become a Barbie doll (accompanied by her famous chimpanzee, David Greybeard). As the latest member of toymaker Mattel’s “Barbie Inspiring Women Series” honouring historical and contemporary heroines, she joins aviator Amelia Earhart, NASA mathematician and physicist Katherine Johnson and […] … learn more→
Students returning to campus want the ‘university experience’ missed during COVID-19
Universities are implementing COVID-19 safety plans to maintain safe and healthy environments — through protocols like enhanced cleaning or a focus on ventilation and air quality — for the imminent return of students to in-person learning on campuses. While these plans include extensive efforts to help students safely return to pre-pandemic learning, focused attention should also be given to “university experience” […] … learn more→
How PhD busy work is like vegan junk food
Hello dear reader! It’s been a busy winter and I am suffering a bit of post-election exhaustion. Last month, For the first time in 12 years, I did not get around to doing a Thesis Whisperer post. While I felt bad about breaking such a long streak of self-imposed discipline, I consoled myself that the previous […] … learn more→
As another elite boys’ school goes co-ed, are single-sex schools becoming an endangered species?
One of Australia’s most prestigious boys’ schools has just announced it will go co-ed. Last week, Sydney’s Cranbrook School – whose alumni include Kerry and James Packer and Atlassian founder Mike Cannon-Brookes – announced it will be fully co-educational by 2029. Cranbrook joins a growing list of private schools around the country that are either considering going […] … learn more→
Breakthrough Junior Challenge overview and past winners
A structured competition can be a useful tool to motivate young children. This is exactly what the Breakthrough Junior Challenge achieves, which is an initiative of Yuri Milner. The idea behind this content is to enhance the learning abilities of students and promote their interest in science. Yuri Milner, a renowned investor and philanthropist, believes […] … learn more→
