Will artificial intelligence make most people better off over the next decade, or will it redefine what free will means or what a human being is? A new report by the Pew Research Center has weighed in on the topic by conferring with some 979 experts, who have, in summary, predicted that networked AI "will amplify human effectiveness but also threaten human autonomy, agency and capabilities."
- By Dian Schaffhauser
- 12/20/18
A new National Academy of Sciences draft report looks at middle and high school science labs and explores how best to engage students in doing science and engineering.
- By Dian Schaffhauser
- 12/13/18
FERPA, the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, grants schools a "directory information exception," allowing them to share students' personal information with third parties when it wouldn't "generally be considered harmful or an invasion of privacy if disclosed." This ability comes with no limits. In fact, the third party can then "redisclose" that information to anybody.
- By Dian Schaffhauser
- 12/13/18
When the National Academies issued its first expanded "How People Learn" report, the contents struck a nerve, providing a readable explanation of the various research findings on the science of learning along with guidance on how to turn those insights into instructional practice in the classroom. A new version of that report offers an updated view on the topic and pushes beyond K-12.
- By Dian Schaffhauser
- 12/12/18
A recent project found that low-cost advising techniques can help disadvantaged students increase the number and selectivity of colleges they apply to. "Find the Fit," as the initiative is called, is intended to address the continuing problem of "undermatch," in which students don't go to college at all or choose a college that's less selective than their academic credits warrant.
- By Dian Schaffhauser
- 12/10/18
A Freedom of Information Act project to measure the number of FOIA lawsuits filed against federal agencies has added the Department of Education to the top-10 list for the first time.
- By Dian Schaffhauser
- 12/06/18
Eight in 10 teachers believe that big tech companies — Microsoft, Google and Apple — need to help build computer science skills among their students. And three-quarters reported that they don't believe the government is doing enough to outfit schools to develop those skills.
- By Dian Schaffhauser
- 12/03/18
A new report finds early learning facilities are not designed with the needs of young children in mind and provides a framework for improving these institutions.
At a recent meeting convened by the Jefferson Education Exchange, associations determined that more work is needed to make educators aware of the federal Institute of Education Sciences research.
A new report from the Education Trust looks at the role of two "powerful levers" — choice and relevancy — in motivating and engaging students.
- By Dian Schaffhauser
- 11/27/18