Imagine the following problem: we are trying to send trash into space to prevent it from accumulating on Earth, but we are not yet able to do so efficiently. How could we solve this? When I posed this question to my undergraduate engineering students during the Ecodesign course , one of the proposed solutions was […] … learn more→
Blog Archives
Not everything that is possible is desirable: what philosophy contributes to engineering
Why Students Should Use a Grade Calculator
Studying is hard enough, but for many subjects or courses keeping track of grades can be a challenge on its own. A course may include grades on quizzes, projects, homework assignments, midterm exams, presentations, final exams, etc. Each of these is typically weighted differently so just looking at your scores would not easily tell you […] … learn more→
Damian Creamer on The Architecture of Learning: Why the “Whole Child” Is a System Requirement, Not a Soft Ideal
In most education strategy conversations, “whole child” appears in the mission statement and the conference title. Then? It gives way to the real discussion about outcomes, platforms, and now artificial intelligence. Damian Creamer, founder and CEO of Primavera Online School and StrongMind, argues the phrase has been filed in the wrong drawer. “People treat the […] … learn more→
Towards “AI bilingualism”: learning to work with it and learning to work without it
Artificial intelligence (AI), and especially generative artificial intelligence, its most visible branch, is already widely used by students – from middle school to higher education in increasing proportions – and by teachers. Will AI help schools overcome their crises, or will it prevent young people from thinking for themselves and acquiring real skills, turning teachers […] … learn more→
Three common study myths busted by a learning expert – and better strategies to use instead
As high school and university students approach the exam period, study sessions often increase and intensify. But even when students are “trying hard” to study they can still fall into some common study traps that hinder, rather than help, their learning. I research how the human mind learns. Here are three misconceptions about studying, and […] … learn more→
Best Math Apps for kids in 2026: An honest, tested comparison
Quick answer: The best math apps for kids depend on your child’s age and what you need. For story-driven practice that keeps kids ages 5 to 10 coming back on their own, MathHero is the strongest pick. For the earliest counting and number recognition, Khan Academy Kids and Moose Math fit better. For skills beyond […] … learn more→
Cursive is making a comeback. But does it deserve one?
Learning to read and write cursive was once a rite of passage for practically every American schoolchild. Until the early 20th century, children in the U.S. were generally taught to write in cursive or script, rather than the print writing typically taught to young children today. Some people at the time thought a person’s character could be evaluated based on […] … learn more→
Class, let’s watch a short video – more than 75% of teachers say they use YouTube in the classroom
Approximately three-quarters of 393 preschool and K-12 teachers in the U.S. say they use YouTube for instructional purposes, with roughly half using it on a daily or weekly basis, according to our new nationally representative survey. Those findings come from our new research, published in June 2026 in Educational Researcher, an academic journal. Our sample included […] … learn more→
Schools are rethinking whether every student needs a laptop
When the COVID-19 pandemic forced in-person classroom instruction to go virtual, students suddenly needed to have their own laptops or tablets in order to interact with teachers and complete assignments. Most states used federal pandemic funding to address the digital divide. This refers to the gap between students and families who had their own tablets, computers and high-speed internet, and those who did not. […] … learn more→
‘Critical thinking’ is all the rage: what does it really mean and how is it taught?
Any debate or reflection on the impact of artificial intelligence on education and intelligence inevitably leads to a discussion of critical thinking . This technology is changing how students learn and how teachers assess learning, and in the face of this transformation, critical thinking is often presented as the appropriate pedagogical response. But as AI changes the […] … learn more→
