In San Diego, students juxtapose art and science to learn about the deadliest cancer
Imagine understanding how doctors diagnose melanoma by looking at a painting of ugly ducklings. That’s just one example of the 22 paintings a class of 11th-graders in San Diego have created in their art class in order to educate themselves and others about melanoma, a type of skin cancer. Students at San Diego’s High Tech […]
Letting cities lead the way to more college graduates
Want more college graduates in the U.S.? One place to start is close to home. Foundations and community groups are partnering with twenty American cities as part of a new effort aimed at increasing the number of residents with postsecondary credentials. Everything from technical and planning assistance to data tools and access to a network […]
As schools become more technologically advanced, who is in charge?
It’s hard to argue against having better and more technology in schools. An increasingly high-tech world where students communicate largely on digital devices means educators can easily be left behind. A harsh lesson emerged in Los Angeles last month, making it clear that it’s not just enough to have iPads in school these days. As […]
Research suggests poor quality of teacher training programs in U.S. compared to other countries
The United States has some of the best university-based math teacher training programs in the world. But we also have some of the worst – and those poor performing programs produce 60 percent of the country’s teachers in schools with the highest percentage of students living in poverty, according to research released earlier this month […]
Mixed reviews to Common Core the highlight of Education Nation Town Hall
Students and teachers at the annual Education Nation town hall on Sunday expressed mixed reactions to the Common Core, mirroring divisions in the wider national conversation about new standards in math and English adopted by 45 states and the District of Columbia. “I see students rolling their eyes,” said Melissa Harris-Perry, MSNBC host and moderator of the Student […]
Will technology improve teacher-student relationships, or hurt them?
School districts from the sprawling Los Angeles Unified to the tiny Nome Public Schools in Alaska have embraced technology in the classroom based on the promise that it can improve learning by increasing student engagement. A game which allows students to use a virtual scalpel to prod and poke muscles and blood vessels in the […]
Houston reforms, often overshadowed, now in the limelight with Broad Prize
Houston has long been a darling of education reformers with its extensive and deeply rooted charter school network and experimentation with controversial ideas like merit pay for teachers. Still, the city’s efforts to shake up its education system tend to get less notice than places like New Orleans or Washington, D.C., where reforms have led […]
Employers and students still prefer brick-and-mortar—not online—education
Virtual learning is on the rise as more students enroll in online courses at both online and physical universities. The enthusiasm for online learning, including the increasing interest in MOOCs—free massive open online courses—has led some to question the future brick-and-mortar institutions. But employers still like to see traditional, in-person educational experiences on the resumes […]
Eric Nadelstern Q&A: NYC mayoral candidates don’t understand what public schools need
As Michael Bloomberg’s term in office comes to an end in New York City, mayoral candidates are quick to denounce many of his education policies. A recent poll found that a majority of residents disapprove of the outgoing mayor’s handling of public schools, and the current crop of candidates are unhappy with school closures and […]
States are slow to adopt controversial new science standards
All but five states have signed on to the Common Core State Standards in math and English, but states have been more tentative about picking up new science standards released in April. Known as the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), the new guidelines, which call for a greater emphasis on problem solving than previous standards […]
