How to Strengthen Science Learning through Debate and Argument
Debate and argument can help students anchor scientific concepts and can be woven into hands-on learning approaches, according to K-12 Dive. Students in Massachusetts’ New Bedford School District demonstrated this by assessing even the plausibility of UFOs or Bigfoot while studying at the district’s aquatic and marine center. “All ideas in science have to be…
Schools Underfunded to Meet Rising Student Mental Health Needs
A recent survey conducted by the National Center for Education Statistics has highlighted a significant gap in the ability of U.S. schools to address the mental health needs of students, with only 48% of schools feeling adequately equipped to offer necessary support, according to Education Slice. Despite a rise in the number of students seeking…
Insights of Education Gurus
“Recently I attended one of the nation’s premiere education gatherings featuring ed tech visionaries, celebrated funders, and ‘rock star’ reformers.” writes Rick Hess, executive editor of Education Next. “No panel had more star power than the keynote featuring two towering eduthinkers: 22nd-century Skills guru (and former vacuum salesman) Paul Banksley and “actionizing thinkiness” impresario Tait…
California Teachers Struggle Despite Having Nation’s Highest Salaries
California educators earn the highest salaries in the country, but they are still struggling amid inflation and high housing costs, Axios reported, according to an article in EdSource. Some states have seen record increases in teacher salaries. But on average and with adjustments for inflation, they make about 5% less than they did a decade…
Middle School Students Teaching Each Other — A New Model for Education?
In Gilroy Prep’s (Gilroy,CA) eighth-grade math class, the room feels less like a classroom and more like the floor of a stock exchange, with the constant buzz of conversation as students sketch slopes and equations on tablets that project their stylus strokes onto nearby screens according to the East Bay Times. A trio of clipboard-wielding…
Widespread Cannabis Use Is Hurting Detroit Students; Disrupting Classrooms
In the five years since Michigan voters approved recreational pot, cannabis culture has engulfed everyday life, especially in Detroit, according to Chalkbeat Detroit. The increased access to weed is contributing to a growing public health problem: More children are unintentionally ingesting marijuana edibles, getting sick, and going to the hospital. From 2020 to 2022, the…
Cybersecurity Is #1 Concern for K-12 Edtech Leaders
The majority of K-12 edtech leaders say they believe AI can benefit education, and roughly one-third have a generative AI initiative–but cybersecurity remains at the top of their priority lists, according to the 2024 State of Edtech District Leadership report from CoSN, as reported in eSchool News. This year’s top findings include the following: The majority of…
Set up to Fail: The Real Reasons for Teachers Stressing Out
“Historically, teachers’ rates of ‘job strain,’ stress from high demand/low control work, are higher than the average rate of all workers, writes Alexandra Robbins in Education Next. Alexandra Robbins is the New York Times bestselling author of The Teachers: A Year Inside America’s Most Vulnerable, Important Profession. “A joint American Federation of Teachers and Badass…
Surging Teacher Prep Programs Insufficient to Meet Demand for Teachers
Recent federal data indicates a surge in enrollment for teacher preparation programs across the U.S. — a potential shift toward addressing the long-standing teacher shortage crisis, according to Education Slice. From 2018 to 2022, these programs saw a 12% increase in enrollment, adding approximately 46,231 candidates. This growth, particularly significant during the pandemic, was observed…
20% of High Schoolers Think Educators Care Little about Them
Schools are earning mixed reviews from high school students on two key indicators of how well they encourage a sense of belonging, according to Education Week. That’s according to a recent survey by the EdWeek Research Center, which polled a nationally representative sample of 1,056 students in grades 9-12 in February and March. The survey…
