By Betsy Hill and Roger Stark Debates about “Active Learning” versus “Passive Learning” often mix philosophy with pedagogy and confuse teaching methods with the underlying process of learning. In practice, both terms describe instructional approaches, and arguments for one over the other usually reflect teachers’ goals more than the mechanics of how the brain learns. … Read more

By Franklin Schargel “For the past six months, policymakers and the U.S. public have weighed economic against public health considerations in debating what limits to set on individuals and collective behaviors in attempting to control the Covid-19 pandemic.” – The New England Journal of Medicine Public education in the United States has long been treated … Read more

Industry Expert Interview with Janet Lorch, Assistant Professor, National Louis University Janet Lorch is an assistant professor at the Chicago campus of National Louis University. She has extensive experience in urban school settings, having worked in Chicago and Evanston Public Schools as an artist-in-residence, classroom teacher, reading specialist, and trainer. Currently, she coordinates the Elementary … Read more

By Chelsea Buchanan According to a 2021 State of the U.S. Teacher Survey, more than 75 percent of teachers reported frequent job-related stress. Educators have always faced stress in their roles, but the COVID-19 pandemic significantly increased pressures on teachers, contributing to emotional exhaustion, burnout, and higher turnover intentions. The survey also found that nearly … Read more

By Betsy Hill and Roger Stark Cognitive training, often called brain training, refers to targeted activities intentionally designed to strengthen one or more mental skills. Programs range from exercises that focus on a single ability to comprehensive systems that train multiple cognitive functions together. These programs can be delivered via computer, tablet, or through paper-and-pencil … Read more

  By LeiLani Cauthen This year has tested schools and educators in unprecedented ways. Like many of you, our team has worked continuously to adapt, anticipate needs, and reshape how we support districts, schools, and teachers as conditions change. Adapting has been difficult. We’ve had to pivot quickly and rethink how we deliver value to … Read more

By Dr. Kimberlee Ratliff, Program Director for M.Ed. School Counseling at American Public University Suicide remains one of the leading causes of death among young people. According to the American Association of Suicidology, it is the third leading cause of death for individuals aged 15–24. For those of us in counselor education, this statistic underscores … Read more

Educators invited to learn from “America’s Science Teacher” Steve Spangler and receive new classroom supplies CITGO Fueling Education Program emphasizes the importance of STEM in elementary and middle schools CITGO Petroleum Corporation is inviting K–8 teachers to participate in its fourth annual Fueling Education Program, a nationwide effort to encourage hands-on learning in science, technology, … Read more

Wright State University has significantly improved graduation rates for engineering students through a focused redesign of its introductory engineering mathematics curriculum. The Wright State Model for Engineering Mathematics Education was created to help students succeed in required engineering courses, increase on-time graduation, and improve performance across the broader curriculum—not only within the engineering major. Since … Read more

Guest Article by: Dasha Sokolova Children and adults learn differently—not only in what they learn at various ages, but in how they learn. Game-based learning and gamification mechanics such as points, leaderboards, progression, and badges are increasingly used in both K–12 and adult education. This article explains practical ways to adapt gamification for younger learners … Read more