If the state of Texas had its way, the state would be in the process of taking over the Houston Independent School District. But a judge temporarily blocked the takeover on Jan. 8, with the issue now set to be decided at a trial in June. The ruling temporarily spares Houston’s public school system from joining a list of […] … learn more→
Blog Archives
The made-up crisis behind the state takeover of Houston’s public schools
Why South Africa’s declining maths performance is a worry
South Africa’s Department of Basic Education recently released the country’s National Senior Certificate results for the class of 2019. These are commonly known as the “matric results” and they determine school-leavers’ admission and placement into tertiary level study. About 81.3% of those who wrote the matriculation exams passed. There has been much well-deserved celebration of this […] … learn more→
Neuroscience shows that the lyrics come in better with games than with blood
A girl opens her book for the first time. Look at some mysterious signs. His teacher is drawing them very large on the board and says: “It’s the letter A!” The exciting adventure (or hard work) of learning to read has just begun. It all depends on an astonished brain and its curious mind. Astonishment and curiosity push the […] … learn more→
Educational innovation: a website to progress in the chemistry lab
Can we train in experimental work in chemistry by sitting in front of a computer screen rather than in front of a laboratory bench? At first glance, the idea may surprise. “I hear and I forget, I see and I remember, I do and I understand,” said Confucius. If we refer to this famous maxim, manipulating a […] … learn more→
For linguists, it was the decade of the pronoun
On Jan. 3, the American Dialect Society held its 30th annual “Word of the Year” vote, which this year also included a vote for “Word of the Decade.” It was the year – and the decade – of the pronoun. In a nod to shifting attitudes about gender identities that are nonbinary – meaning they don’t neatly […] … learn more→
Why media education in schools needs to be about much more than ‘fake news’
The 2019 general election is already being remembered as the one where misinformation went mainstream. It was, of course, already on the political agenda after the 2016 referendum and US election, with growing numbers of academics and parliament sounding the alarm over foreign actors using so-called “fake news” to disrupt the democratic processes. But what was seen over the election […] … learn more→
Teaching retreats: an older system than we think
Teachers are among the professions peak in the current protest against pension reform. Will the movement gain momentum ? The demonstrations of the coming days will tell. The fact remains that teacher mobilization falls within a specific historical framework. Their pension scheme does not date from the Liberation, like the general scheme, but from the two Empires. Can such an old system […] … learn more→
Who put the cult in faculty?
One new year’s resolution that most academics would doubtless endorse is to overcome their impostor syndrome. That this condition was discovered by an academic should not be a surprise: monkey see, monkey do, after all. Academics are famously vulnerable to feeling like they aren’t up to the job. So much so that Times Higher Education not so long ago ran a […] … learn more→
New cultures, new experiences: 4 ways to keep kids learning while travelling
The school year is over and holidays are upon us. But that doesn’t mean your children’s learning experiences can’t continue. If you’re planning an overseas trip with your family, you’re in for many benefits. Research shows travel has a positive impact on mental and physical health, and family relationships. Travel is also an educational opportunity. It’s a rich […] … learn more→
Mathematician speaks out against diversity
The ideological takeover of our campuses has been devastating to our education. Departments like mathematics and science focusing on academics have been de-emphasized, while politically themed departments like Education and African Studies. This is simply a consequence of the political environment. Any person attempting to curtail the growth of, say, African Studies is labeled RACIST; […] … learn more→
