When parents think about their child’s education, they probably focus on basic skills and exam results, the amount a child is trying and their wellbeing. But there is another significant factor influencing their success at school. This is metacognition. What is it? Why is it important? And how can you help your child develop this […] … learn more→
Blog Archives
The key academic skill you’ve probably never heard of – and 4 ways to encourage it
How to empower teachers and help students prepare for a sustainable future
Education about climate change and sustainability is a vital part of responding to a rapidly changing world, including the negative effects of climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution. Teachers, including in Brazil and England, help young people live with futures shaped by local and global environmental challenges. However, despite expressing overwhelming concern about issues related […] … learn more→
How number systems shape our thinking, and what this means for learning, language and culture
Most of us have little trouble working out how many millilitres are in 2.4 litres of water (it’s 2,400). But the same can’t be said when we’re asked how many minutes are in 2.4 hours (it’s 144). That’s because the Indo-Arabic numerals we often use to represent numbers are base-10, while the system we often […] … learn more→
Is your child’s school using generative AI? Here are 8 questions to ask
There have been at least three watershed moments in how humans access information. One came with the invention of the printing press in 1440, which revolutionised the spread of knowledge. Another came in 1998, when the launch of Google changed how we search for and retrieve information. The third happened in late 2022, with the introduction of generative artificial intelligence (AI). […] … learn more→
We asked teachers about their experiences with AI in the classroom — here’s what they said
Since ChatGPT and other large language models burst into public consciousness, school boards are drafting policies, universities are hosting symposiums and tech companies are relentlessly promoting their latest AI-powered learning tools. In the race to modernize education, artificial intelligence (AI) has become the new darling of policy innovation. While AI promises efficiency and personalization, it also introduces […] … learn more→
Oklahoma tried out a test to ‘woke-proof’ the classroom. It was short-lived, but could still leave a mark
Oklahoma has become a testing ground for reshaping public school curriculum to reflect conservative viewpoints, Make America Great Again priorities and a push for Christian nationalism in the classroom. Oklahoma’s former state education Superintendent Ryan Walters oversaw several controversial education policies in recent years, including mandating in 2024 that all Oklahoma public teachers incorporate the Bible into their lesson plans. Walters resigned from his […] … learn more→
Design and technology’s practical and creative skills should see it revived in the school curriculum
Studying design and technology (D&T) at school gives children the opportunity to get up from behind a desk and learn practical skills. It’s the only subject in the national curriculum in which children can develop and create tangible solutions to real problems. They can get an insight into whether they might enjoy careers in design, […] … learn more→
How AI is challenging the credibility of some online courses
Distance learning far precedes the digital age. Before online courses, people relied on print materials (and later radio and other technologies) to support formal education when the teacher and learner were physically separated. Today, there are varied ways of supporting distance learning with digital communication. With “asynchronous” online courses, teaching does not occur live. Students access […] … learn more→
Rate my AI teacher? Students’ perceptions of chatbots will influence how they learn with AI
A “transformation” is upon us. After a multi-year procession of educational technology products that once promised to shake things up, now it’s AI’s turn. Global organizations like the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, as well as government bodies, present AI to the public as “transformative.” Prominent AI companies with large language model (LLM) chatbots have “education-focused” products, like ChatGPT Education, Claude […] … learn more→
Even before they can read, young children are visualizing letters and other objects with the same strategies adults use
What do puzzles, gymnastics, writing and using maps all have in common? They all rely on people’s ability to visualize objects as they spin, flip or turn in space, without physically moving them. This is a spatial skill that developmental psychologists call mental rotation. Whether a person is navigating a new city or doing a cartwheel, […] … learn more→
