Research + News | Topic: Academics

Helping Students Beat Text Anxiety

Fear of failure can prevent students from showing what they know on big tests—but a 10-minute writing exercise can help. Read the article here.

The Stigma Of Choosing Trade School Over College

When college is held up as the one true path to success, parents—especially highly educated ones—might worry when their children opt for vocational school instead. Read the article here.

Better Sleep Can Improve College Academic Performance On Finals

As the college semester nears the end, an innovative experiment has shown the benefits of averaging eight hours of sleep for five nights during final exams week. Read the article here.

English Prof: ‘My Students Can’t Write To Save Their Lives’

From the article…

“English professors have turned to a feelings-oriented approach to their craft. Instead of being the sage on the stage, they have become the guide on the side. They place greater emphasis on the thoughts and feelings or political ideas students put into their works than whether or not students are following – or even knowing – the grammatical rules of writing.”

Read the rest of the article here.

Is The Big Standardized Test A Big Standardized Flop?

Since No Child Left Behind first rumbled onto the scene, the use of a Big Standardized Test to drive accountability and measure success has been a fundamental piece of education reform. But recently, some education reform stalwarts are beginning to express doubts. Read the article here.

How Our Obsession With College Prep Hurts Kids

Most schools say they’re preparing children for college and a career. Ted Dintersmith argues that today’s K-12 education is preparation for neither. Read the article here.

3 Reasons That Career And Technical Education Doesn’t Preclude College

Confronting some misconceptions about future learners.

Read the full article here.

Is Gen Z The Most Success-Oriented Generation?

A key characteristic of Gen Z is that their expectations are largely shaped around themes of academic and career success—more so than any other generation we’ve observed. Read the research from Barna here.

A New Study Shows That Students Learn Way More Effectively From Print Textbooks Than Screens

While new forms of classroom technology like digital textbooks are more accessible and portable, it would be wrong to assume that students will automatically be better served by digital reading simply because they prefer it. Read the article here.

Students Want Faster Degrees. Colleges Are Responding

Colleges are offering accelerated degrees, giving students the opportunity to graduate sooner and with less debt, but is this a good idea? Read the article here.