Education
Great minds lead to great solutions. Our education section features solutions and innovations directed at strengthening educational systems around the world.
California universities launch experiment to go carbon-neutral 'at scale'
What does it look like when a university decides to walk the walk as well as talk the talk on climate change? The University of California system – which encompasses 10 university campuses and two national scientific research laboratories – is about to find out. Two years ago, Janet Napolitano, Read More...
Kids who 'mind read' tend to learn more effectively
Everyone mind reads to some degree, using intuition and context clues to empathize with and interpret the thoughts, words and actions of others. Young children do this too. And according to a new study, those that do it best tend to be better selective learners. In an experiment conducted by Read More...
A unique approach to math helps boost achievement for children in school
How much is 5 + 3? At the First People’s Center for Education, they know that a significant group of young Native American children would try to count their fingers to find the answer, even if they should be old enough already to add the numbers up in their head. Educators would say that they Read More...
What happens when mindfulness enters schools
Many educators are introducing meditation into the classroom as a means of improving kids’ attention and emotional regulation. A five-minute walk from the rickety, raised track that carries the 5 train through the Bronx, the English teacher Argos Gonzalez balanced a rounded metal bowl on an Read More...
Mind-controlled movie: a quantum leap for cinema?
Watching a movie has traditionally been a largely passive experience. But what if the person watching could influence what happens on-screen via their brainwaves? An experimental short-film called 'Scanners' aims to create a platform that bridges the gap between digital arts and neuroscience. Using Read More...
Homeschooling has been getting more and more popular
More parents than ever before are choosing to homeschool their children.Recent data from the U.S. Department of Education shows explosive growth in homeschooling among American families. In the U.S., the movement has grown by 62 percent in the last decade. Homeschooled students now represent about Read More...
Online learning through MOOC's big hit in India
College students and recent graduates in India are increasingly participating in online courses to enhance their knowledge. Indian enrollments currently already account for about 8 percent of worldwide activity in Coursera and 12 percent in edX, the two leading platforms for massive open online Read More...
Emotional awareness training for teens in prison helps reduce future crimes
A group of researchers at Cardiff University's School of Psychology wondered if they could help teenagers in prison—who committed offenses multiple times—by setting them out on a more positive path in life. They believed that some of these youth may have difficulties perceiving emotions as a Read More...
Guinea pigs in the classroom help autistic children cope with stress
The classroom can be a stressful place for children with autism spectrum disorders. Researchers found that a little furry animal can relief some of that stress. Recent studies show that when these kids are playing with guinea pigs at school, they are more eager to attend, display more interactive Read More...
Teaching meditation to kids in Chicago swiftly reduced crime and dropout rates
A simple, cost-effective after-school program for Chicago high-schoolers focusing on slowing down their decision-making process significantly lowered crime and dropout rates for participants and boosted school attendance, according to a study published by the U.S. National Bureau of Economic Read More...