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Resident scientists

Seven Northwestern graduate students will be 'resident scientists' at Chicago-area middle and high schools, integrating their research into the science curricula. The program aims to train graduate students in communicating complex research to people of all ages and bring computational thinking into the K-12 classroom.

HHMI renews grant for Rice's global health program

The Howard Hughes Medical Institute has renewed a four-year grant for Rice University's global health program, Beyond Traditional Borders (BTB), with a $1.2 million investment. BTB challenges students to design practical solutions to real-world problems in developing nations, resulting in over 10% of Rice undergraduates taking the cour...

Getting a grip on school timetables

Researchers in Brazil develop a GRASP heuristic for efficient school timetabling, solving the NP-hard problem by balancing teacher preferences, student schedules, and resource constraints. The algorithm improves solution quality and reduces building time.

SourceInderscience Publishers·JournalInternational Journal of Operational Research·DateJan 6, 2010

Science study: Teacher participation in Columbia program improves student achievement in science

The study found that students taught by participating teachers passed Regents science exams at a rate 10.1 percentage points higher than non-participating teachers' students. The program provides hands-on laboratory experience and funds for science supplies, encouraging teachers to implement more interactive exercises in their classrooms.

Mom and dad as financial advisors

A new study published in Journal of Youth and Adolescence found that parents play a significantly greater role in shaping young adults' financial habits than work experience or high school financial education. The study's four-step model analyzes the process of financial socialization in first-year college students, highlighting the im...

SourceSpringer·JournalJournal of Youth and Adolescence·DateJul 27, 2009

Structure more effective in high school science classes, study reveals

A study by University of Virginia professor Robert Tai and Harvard University researcher Philip Sadler found that high school students with weak math backgrounds who engage in self-structured learning practices may perform poorly in college science. In contrast, those with stronger math skills who receive more guidance in their high sc...

SourceUniversity of Virginia·JournalInternational Journal of Science and Mathematics Education·DateMar 25, 2009

Study finds that students benefit from depth, rather than breadth, in high school science courses

A recent study by Robert Tai at the University of Virginia found that students who focus on mastering a single topic in-depth tend to outperform those who cover more topics superficially. The research suggests that teaching fewer topics with greater depth is a more effective way to prepare students for success in college science classes.

SourceUniversity of Virginia·JournalScience Education·DateMar 5, 2009

SMU chemist wins NSF early career award

SMU chemist Brent Sumerlin has received a $475,000 NSF Faculty Early Career Development Award for two related nanotechnology research projects. His work focuses on developing novel materials with composite properties, including automatic insulin release technology for diabetics and self-repairing coatings for airplane wings.

Teaching evolution: Legal victories aren't enough

A national survey of teachers found that one in eight high school biology teachers present creationism as a scientifically valid alternative to Darwinian evolution. The majority of teachers spend less than five hours on human evolution, suggesting pressure from the community may influence teaching practices. Raising certification stand...

SourcePLOS·JournalPLOS Biology·DateMay 19, 2008

Both boys and girls negatively affected by sexual harassment

Girls were harassed more frequently than boys, but both sexes suffered negative effects from a school climate that tolerates girl's harassment. The study found a link between the climate and feelings of safety, withdrawal from school, and lowered self-esteem in both girls and boys.

SourceWiley·JournalPsychology of Women Quarterly·DateMay 12, 2008

Microbial fuel cells turn on the juice

Researchers at Washington University in St. Louis are developing microbial fuel cell kits and educational materials to teach high school students about science and engineering. The technology can efficiently convert dilute organic waste streams into electricity, making it a promising alternative for waste-to-energy conversion.