The goals of education are the transmission of a society’s culture and the personal development of the learner; technology is a publicly traded industry that is accountable to its boards of directors and investors for its achievements and problems. Their speeds are radically different. Education is slow in its transformation processes and is governed by […] … learn more→

Don’t let my students get angry, it’s nothing personal. But I’ve been teaching computer science for almost 20 years, and I see increasingly less computer skills. Questions like “Where did I save the file I just downloaded?” have become increasingly common in the classroom. And I’m not just saying that. Since the beginning of the […] … learn more→

The rate of children permanently excluded from school in England rose against last year and is higher than before the pandemic. A recent BBC documentary by actor Idris Elba pointed out that being excluded from school can be a tipping point that pushes a child towards serious violence. This observation is backed up by convincing evidence. Data in […] … learn more→

Can you tell fact from fiction online? In a digital world, few questions are more important or more challenging. For years, some commentators have called for K-12 teachers to take on fake news, media literacy, or online misinformation by doubling down on critical thinking. This push for schools to do a better job preparing young people to differentiate between […] … learn more→

The open concept floor plan has dominated home design for over a decade, transforming how we think about living spaces. From reality TV shows to design magazines, the dramatic reveal of walls being demolished to create airy, flowing interiors has become a staple of modern renovation. But as with any design trend, what works beautifully […] … learn more→

What if dictionary sales in Germany were linked to the number of swimming class registrations in Japan? What if solar power production in Taiwan influenced Netflix’s stock price? We learn early on that there’s a distinction between correlation and causation: a link still doesn’t explain a cause. Our brains still look for meaning and logical […] … learn more→

Virtual reality is a rapidly developing technology. As the technology expands, becoming more portable and affordable, the potential uses have expanded as well. One virtual reality creator calls virtual reality the “ultimate empathy machine.” Promising research shows that virtual reality can improve empathy toward groups such as people experiencing schizophrenia, children who are refugees and people who are unhoused. […] … learn more→

Ice cores in freezers, dinosaurs on display, fish in jars, birds in boxes, human remains and ancient artifacts from long gone civilizations that few people ever see – museum collections are filled with all this and more. These collections are treasure troves that recount the planet’s natural and human history, and they help scientists in […] … learn more→

Shortly after taking office, US President Donald Trump issued executive orders banning federal funding on so-called “woke” research. This is part of his broader ban on all diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policies, grants and programs in the US government. These orders are massive in scope, impacting studies as varied as stroke recovery, computing and ancient languages. The impact […] … learn more→

Some people have an innate predisposition to balance and symmetry, who keep their belongings neat and tidy. However, order, rather than an innate habit, is acquired through practice or learned from family, partners, or friends. Rejection of disorder Aristotle explained that virtue is found in the golden mean , and this also applies to order. A cluttered house projects […] … learn more→