Kids in Ukraine are taking media literacy lessons to better identify propaganda
The war in eastern Ukraine between government forces and Russian-backed separatists has triggered an unfortunate surge in propaganda and disinformation. To combat this, schools across Ukraine have integrated media literacy techniques within their lessons to help students better assess the Read More...
Academic publishing is absurdly expensive—but soon it could be free
The University of California (UC), the largest public academic system in the US, is ending its $11 million subscription to Elsevier, the world’s biggest and most influential publisher of academic researcher. Perhaps this seems like an insane move by such a renowned university, but it’s a move Read More...
Homeless kids helped design a new school built specifically to help them excel
After listening to homeless children speak about the ideal elements they would want in a school, a non-profit in Oklahoma City has built a school specifically for those kids. The idea of the school is to help homeless kids get back up to speed so they can enter the public school system while dually Read More...
The online company shaking up the future of higher education
Coursera, one of the biggest educational online platforms, is on the verge of offering full-degree courses to its users at a cost much lower than that of physical universities. The company’s CEO foresees the virtual learning environment to become the most effective way for working people to Read More...
Changing Lives, one dance at a time
From The Intelligent Optimist Magazine Fall/Winter 2016 By Jurriaan Kamp Changing lives, one dance at a time. That is the mission of the California-based initiative World Dance for Humanity. Since 2010 dancer and anthropologist Janet Reineck has brought together women who explore the best of world Read More...
More monkeying around
Possibility From The Optimist Magazine Summer 2014 Bullrush used to be a popular chasing game at schools in New Zealand. It starts with a “chaser,” one child who tries to tackle other children as they run to the other side of a field. But at some point, it got banned at schools. The reason: Read More...
University professor gives lesson in humanity
Ordinary heroes abound. They live with us every day, nurturing or restoring our faith in humanity—as the case may be—and teaching us something about ourselves in the process. One recent example is Sydney Engelberg, a Hebrew University professor in Jerusalem who did something both remarkably Read More...
Stanford to teach about bringing spirituality and ethical commitments to work
Meditation is becoming very popular in the business world. It is typically of zen-inspiration, or borrows from the Hindu tradition of yoga. But Scotty McLennan, the Unitarian Universalist minister who spent 14 years as the dean for religious life at Stanford University points out that “no Read More...
Smart devices don’t make smart kids. PLUS: 4 ways around this digital dilemma
The proliferation of smart devices, like phones and tablets, have made it easier for children to log-on. Last month Fisher-Price got an earful from consumer advocacy groups over their Apptivity Seat, essentially a baby seat with an iPad holder that dangles the device in front of a newborn’s eyes. Read More...
With a little help from our friends...
Wondering if you can make a difference? Read on. Turk Pipkin | September 2010 issue With bad news all around, it’s hard to be optimistic about the world our kids will know. The problems are too big, we tell ourselves. What can I do? I’ve been asked that question again and again since my wife Read More...