The world is so dramatically different from what it was 20 years ago, it’s shocking. It used to be a big deal to have a cell phone back then, but nowadays not only does everyone have a cell phone (except me, when not travelling), but these phones have literally all the information of humanity available. […] … learn more→
Blog Archives
Laptops in class, Yes or No? (Hint: No)
Tightening up your sentences – cut the bloat
We all know what bloat is. If something is bloated it is swollen, puffed up, flabby, distended, enlarged. Right now, we probably associate bloat with eating too much over the festive season. But bloat also happens in academic writing. A lot of academic writing is on the bloated side. You can pick up almost any […] … learn more→
The biological reason why it’s so hard for teenagers to wake up early for school
In societies the world over, teenagers are blamed for staying up late, then struggling to wake up in the morning. While it’s true that plenty of teenagers (like many adults) do have bad bedtime habits, researchers have long since proven that this global problem has a biological cause. In 2004, researchers at the University of […] … learn more→
Young doctors struggle to learn robotic surgery – so they are practicing in the shadows
Artificial intelligence and robotics spell massive changes to the world of work. These technologies can automate new tasks, and we are making more of them, faster, better and cheaper than ever before. Surgery was early to the robotics party: Over a third of U.S. hospitals have at least one surgical robot. Such robots have been […] … learn more→
Why children should be taught to build a positive online presence
Rather than just teaching children about internet safety and reducing their digital footprint, we should also encourage them to curate a positive digital footprint which will be an asset for them in their future. Today’s children are prolific users of the internet. Concern has been raised about the future impact of the digital footprints they […] … learn more→
Study habits for success: tips for students
Right now, thousands of Australian school children and university students are taking a well-earned break from the classroom. Long breaks like this help us clear our minds, but they can also provide an opportunity to prepare for the learning year ahead. If you’re a student, this might mean thinking about your study habits. Here are […] … learn more→
Listen up! How to get your message across in just 60 seconds
Do you have something important to say, but find it hard to get people’s attention? Or have you tried to listen to someone who claims to have something interesting to impart, but they can’t explain it and the idea gets lost? (Or worse, you get bored and lose interest, even if they’re trying to describe […] … learn more→
Why your child’s preschool teacher should have a college degree
How much education does a preschool teacher need? When the District of Columbia announced in March that it would require an associate’s degree for all lead teachers at child care centers who work with children up to age 5, the reaction was widely negative. Journalist Matthew Yglesias tweeted that the requirement seemed “ill-advised,” while Sen. Ben Sasse, a […] … learn more→
Bullying isn’t just verbal or physical – it can also be social, and this can have the worst effects
Bullying is a problem for schools worldwide. It is a fairly common behaviour, although it can be difficult to identify the number of young people who have been bullied because of the different ways bullying is measured. One 2014 review of 80 studies suggests that roughly 35% of children experience bullying at some point. In a class […] … learn more→
‘Career ready’ out of high school? Why the nation needs to let go of that myth
Unlike old-fashioned vocational education, high school-level career and technical education doesn’t really prepare people for jobs directly after high school. While the stated end goal of K-12 education in America is for students to be “college and career ready,” the reality is the existence of career-ready high school graduates is a myth. The expectation that […] … learn more→