Blog Archives

Kids set free to roam on their own feel more confident navigating in adulthood

Kids set free to roam on their own feel more confident navigating in adulthood

The distance from home that kids are allowed to roam and play has shrunk significantly over the last 50 years. That’s largely due to parents’ concerns over safety, especially in cities. More recently, the COVID-19 pandemic has further restricted children’s independent activity. As a Ph.D. student in psychology, I studied factors that affect people’s spatial navigation skills – or how they […] … learn more→

Taking the circus to school: How kids benefit from learning trapeze, juggling and unicycle in gym class

Taking the circus to school: How kids benefit from learning trapeze, juggling and unicycle in gym class

Twelve public schools in Winnipeg are currently operating circus programs in physical education. Circus arts have been gaining popularity in schools around the world. Added to physical education programs, circus arts instruction not only seems to motivate children to exercise, but also has the potential to develop other abilities beyond the physical. My research team measured resiliency […] … learn more→

Schooling in lockdown isn’t home schooling – but we can learn from the real thing

Schooling in lockdown isn’t home schooling – but we can learn from the real thing

Adding to the clamour of argument over whether schools should be open to all during lockdown is confusion in terminology. Using the term “home schooling” to describe schooling during lockdown is disrespectful to both teachers and home schoolers.   Have heard from teacher friends that they are sick of media and parents referring to ‘home […] … learn more→

Do you want to participate in a climate summit or learn to be a researcher? Educational board games teach you

Do you want to participate in a climate summit or learn to be a researcher? Educational board games teach you

The singer-songwriter Tontxu, in his 1997 song Risk , said: “ A game of Risk, a Trivial, a Parcheesi. Lots of questions about you. Mix your chips with mine. Under the table, you cheat your caresses. “ Almost 25 years later, not only do I continue to meet with my people whenever I can to “play a little game”, but I have also begun […] … learn more→

Feeling like an imposter? ask “what’s going on here?”

Feeling like an imposter? ask “what’s going on here?”

The term imposter syndrome is everywhere. People “have it”, “suffer from it” or “ have a bad case of it.” Imposter syndrome is a term that worries me. I’ve been concerned at how it’s used for quite some time. I’m hardly the only one. The original inventors of the term, Pauline Clance and Suzanne Innes, rejected […] … learn more→

Advantages and disadvantages of online learning

Advantages and disadvantages of online learning

Learning is an activity that has to go on throughout our lives if we wish to improve our lives. People who keep learning despite facing obstacles, swear by the positive changes that learning promotes. In the current era of the internet, learning has become accessible to so many people in ways like never before. Even […] … learn more→

Thinking of choosing a health or PE subject in years 11 and 12? Here’s what you need to know

Thinking of choosing a health or PE subject in years 11 and 12? Here’s what you need to know

From kindergarten to year 10, all Australian students follow the national health and physical education (HPE) curriculum. This expands in years 11 and 12 with a range of health and physical education selection options. Depending on which state you live in, you may be able to do year 11 and 12 health and physical education subjects […] … learn more→

Pandemic has teens feeling worried, unmotivated and disconnected from school

Pandemic has teens feeling worried, unmotivated and disconnected from school

When the COVID-19 pandemic started, many U.S. teens were more worried about the disruption to their education than the possibility of getting sick. A May 2020 survey of high school students found that they reported academics and work habits to be among their biggest challenges, ahead of mental and physical health. Nearly three-quarters (72%) indicated they were “very […] … learn more→

Effects of childhood adversity linger during college years

Effects of childhood adversity linger during college years

College students who experienced a high level of adversity in childhood have lower levels of social support, such as having someone to confide in, ask for advice or go to for emotional support. When students lack these supportive relationships, they are at an increased risk of experiencing depression and anxiety. These are a few of […] … learn more→

Keeping a journal: a way to better learn a foreign language?

Keeping a journal: a way to better learn a foreign language?

Many of us have difficulty learning a foreign language. Assimilating vocabulary and grammar rules requires specific skills; it is also necessary to be able to converse fluently with a native speaker. So how do you actually learn another language? What is the best method? And how can teachers help their students memorize the more complex aspects of it? Adults need […] … learn more→