The effects of mobiles phones and other technology at school is a hotly debated topic in many countries. Some advocate for a complete ban to limit distractions, while others suggest using technology as a teaching tool. Kids in public South Australian primary schools started the school year without being allowed to bring their mobile phones to class, unless they […] … learn more→
Blog Archives
Banning mobile phones in schools can improve students’ academic performance. This is how we know
Odds are against ‘first in family’ uni students but equity policies are blind to them
It’s that time of year again when hundreds of thousands of Australian students start university for the first time. Commencing students account for about 40% of the more than 1.6 million Australians enrolled in university (as at 2019, the most recent available data). It’s an important step for many in pursuing their educational and occupational dreams. Those who are […] … learn more→
When Black kids – shut out from the whitewashed world of children’s literature – took matters into their own hands
Hanging on the wall in my office is the framed cover of the inaugural issue of The Brownies’ Book, a monthly periodical for Black youths created by W.E.B. Du Bois and other members of the NAACP in 1920. The magazine – the first of its kind – includes poems and stories that speak of Black achievement and […] … learn more→
With young children, how to guide the use of screens?
The exposure of children under the age of 6 to digital tools, and in particular to screens, worries as much as it questions. Families and professionals and professionals in health and education find themselves confronted with the same problems. Difficulties that were exacerbated in the midst of the Covid-19 crisis: what advice should be given to those […] … learn more→
For these students, using data in sports is about more than winning games
When professional sports teams use big data and analytics, their objective is to improve player performance and win more games. That approach is paying off in a major way. For instance, after the Golden State Warriors became one of the first NBA teams to invest in analytics, the team subsequently won league championships in 2015, 2017 […] … learn more→
Is your child anxious about starting school for the first time? Here’s how you can help
Starting school is an important event for children and a positive experience can set the tone for the rest of their school experience. Some children are excited to attend school for the first time, yet others feel anxious. Back to school anxiety is a widely accepted phenomenon, but there is no data on exactly how many children feel […] … learn more→
Restraining and secluding students with disabilities is an urgent human rights issue
Across Canada, children with disabilities are disadvantaged when it comes to the support they receive in schools. While Canada espouses a commitment to inclusive education, the right to it remains elusive for some students. Our research team at the University of Manitoba revealed another grave problem that needs redress: The shocking use of physical restraint and seclusion spaces, which […] … learn more→
Academics must not rage against ‘death by blank screen’
What have been the main talking points among academics as we’ve adapted to online teaching this year? The logistics of managing Zoom or Teams? Developing curriculum content? Making learning sessions engaging? At my own institution, much of the conversation has been about something quite different: what one colleague called “death by blank screen”. Why, colleagues […] … learn more→
Wales cancels 2021 A-level and GCSE exams: other UK nations should follow suit
The education minister for Wales, Kirsty Williams, has announced that Welsh school pupils will not take GCSE and A-level exams in 2021. Instead, externally set and marked classroom assessments, which can be taken within a broad window of time, will be used to grade students. Scotland has already made a similar decision for for its National 5 assessments taken […] … learn more→
Fact and fiction blurred by pandemic jargon
To borrow a well-known aphorism, one of the first casualties of a pandemic is the truth. More precisely, the bending of language by university managers to suit their desired goals in the face of Covid-19 is where the line between truth and falsehood has been blurred. Language matters in a pandemic because it can have […] … learn more→
