The choices that societies make concerning the treatment of children can bring about the greatest of debates and prompt significant political action. Our research teaches us that the question of a how a child should be treated — what value societies place on children — is not only a modern question, but an ancient one. As […] … learn more→
Children in the ancient Middle East were valued and vulnerable — not unlike children today
School resource officers aren’t arrested often – but when they are, it’s usually for sexual misconduct
The presence of law enforcement in schools – better known as school resource officers – has become increasingly common. These officers, who have full law enforcement powers, are supposed to keep students safe. Earlier this year, however, a former Michigan school resource officer – Matthew Priebe – was convicted and sentenced to one year in jail for doing […] … learn more→
Student insecurity: an experience linked to age and family support
According to the National Observatory of Student Life ( OVE ), more than eight out of 10 students report having been in a precarious situation at least during the year. This value is stable over the last surveys on living conditions , conducted in 2010, 2013 and 2016. This very high value is to be qualified in that it covers […] … learn more→
Knowledge is a process of discovery: how constructivism changed education
Constructivism is an educational philosophy that deems experience as the best way to acquire knowledge. We truly understand something – according to a constructivist – when we filter it through our senses and interactions. We can only understand the idea of “blue” if we have vision (and if we aren’t colour blind). Constructivism is an education […] … learn more→
Legal win doesn’t mean Ontario student associations are in the clear
The Ontario government’s so-called Student Choice Initiative was recently declared unlawful following a court challenge launched by the Canadian Federation of Students and the York Federation of Students. The Ontario Divisional Court’s decision voids the government’s requirement that post-secondary institutions must distinguish between fees that are considered compulsory and those deemed non-essential. The directive also allowed more students to opt out of paying fees to […] … learn more→
My bullying boss ground me into depression – and I won’t be the last
It took me quite a while to realise that I was being bullied. Bullying in academia doesn’t look like bullying at school: I wasn’t pushed up against a wall or excluded from playtime games. But I have been shouted at in meetings. I have been sent breathtakingly critical emails, filled with ill-informed assumptions and irrational, […] … learn more→
Student Government: We shouldn’t have to provide a Dr.’s note
I always had conflicting thoughts about how I deal with my students. On the one hand, they’re adults…I don’t like forcing adults to do things like handing in homework. On the other, I know the best way to learn a skill is to practice the skill, and homework forces them to do the requisite practice…but […] … learn more→
Large-scale education tests often come with side effects
When results come out for big education tests like the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), which primarily measures 15-year-old students’ knowledge and skills in reading, mathematics and science, the focus is often on which countries scored the highest. The education systems of countries that do well on this test are often portrayed as models for the […] … learn more→
Keep on stepping up to the plate
Like writing a dissertation, baseball is about failure. My favourite player growing up, Ken Griffey Jr., seemed never to fail. When he stepped to the plate, you knewsomething special was about to happen. His stroke, a combination of elegance and power, sent 630 balls soaring over homerun fences: sixth most in MLB history. Gazelle-like, he turned […] … learn more→
Does social media shape our behavioral responses to emergencies?
Social media may compel consumers to experience a disconnect from reality. In recent years, people have started using social media for more than entertainment. A growing number of individuals now use it as an amateur, impromptu reporting tool. However, this raises the question: How does an innovation tech firms have introduced as entertainment shape how […] … learn more→