Monday, May 20

Tag: students

Another Blow To Black And Latino Students – Ending Testing For New York City’s Gifted Program
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EDUCATION, Journalism

Another Blow To Black And Latino Students – Ending Testing For New York City’s Gifted Program

After years of relying on a single controversial test at age 4 for admission to their gifted programs, New York City schools are about to embark upon a new way to identify gifted students. The city’s Department of Education announced in February that it would stop testing students for its gifted program, which places top students in schools with curriculum designed for high academic achievement. Instead, preschool teachers will refer students for consideration. The city’s new schools chancellor, Meisha Porter, who was named to that post March 15, has said that overhauling the gifted and talented system is one of her top priorities. That means the new system likely won’t be long-term, though there’s still reason to be concerned. Research has shown that teacher referrals tend to lead to fe...
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The Racial Trust Gap – Black Students Have Far Less Trust In Their Colleges Than Other Students Do
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EDUCATION

The Racial Trust Gap – Black Students Have Far Less Trust In Their Colleges Than Other Students Do

Black undergraduates consistently said they trusted the people who run the colleges they attend – and society overall – substantially less than their white peers did. We have termed this difference the racial trust gap, and it was not a trivial difference. The trust gaps we observed were of a size rarely seen in education research. We also observed sizable trust gaps for Asian and Latino students, relative to white students. However, the magnitude of the differences were up to three times larger for Black students. Our study results tell us a lot not only about how college students trust, but also which individuals on campus they trust the least (“Not at all” or “Very little”). Campus leadership – that is, presidents, provosts, deans – are the least trusted personnel on college campuses ...
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Whether Students Cheat – Motivation Is A Key Factor
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EDUCATION

Whether Students Cheat – Motivation Is A Key Factor

Ever since the COVID-19 pandemic caused many U.S. colleges to shift to remote learning in the spring of 2020, student cheating has been a concern for instructors and students alike. To detect student cheating, considerable resources have been devoted to using technology to monitor students online. This online surveillance has increased students’ anxiety and distress. For instance, some students have indicated the monitoring technology required them to stay at their desks or risk being labeled as cheaters. Although relying on electronic eyes may partially curb cheating, there’s another factor in the reasons students cheat that often gets overlooked – student motivation. As a team of researchers in educational psychology and higher education, we became interested in how students’ motivati...
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Why Are Computer Science Jobs Out Of Reach For So Many Of America’s Students? They Are Growing Fast And They Pay Well
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TECHNOLOGY, VIDEO REELS

Why Are Computer Science Jobs Out Of Reach For So Many Of America’s Students? They Are Growing Fast And They Pay Well

When it comes to the digital divide, often the focus is on how lack of internet service and basic technology will hurt students’ academic performance. This is particularly true during the pandemic, when most schools are operating online. But as a STEM educator at one of the nation’s elite historically Black colleges, I see another negative effect of the digital divide: racial disparities in the field of computer science. Computer science is one of the fastest-growing and highest-paying fields. So if students from certain groups are being shut out of the field, it means that public education is failing in its role as the great equalizer. I see some ways for that to change. But first, a few statistics. The color of computer science When you look at computer science, just 8.9% of the more ...
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Teachers Build Good Rapport With Their Students Online 5 Ways How
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TECHNOLOGY

Teachers Build Good Rapport With Their Students Online 5 Ways How

Of all the things needed for academic success, one of the most essential is for students to have a good rapport with their instructors. This is particularly true in the digital classroom, where research has shown that students who have a good rapport with their teachers are more likely to stick with a class and get good grades. As a community college instructor who has studied teachers’ perspectives on what it takes to establish a good rapport with students, I have observed five actions that I believe all educators should take to build better relationships in their online classes. 1. Work in real time When students and teachers work together in real time through videoconferencing, it is easier to maintain engagement. Teachers can watch for sleepy or distracted students, and see whether st...
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How The Biden Administration May Help Stem The Loss Of International Students
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EDUCATION

How The Biden Administration May Help Stem The Loss Of International Students

Over the past four years, the Trump administration made it increasingly difficult for students from other countries to study in the United States. In 2017, the number of new international students enrolled at American colleges and universities – that is, those just coming to the U.S. for the first time – declined for the first year on record. Restrictive immigration policies, frayed relations with foreign nations and travel bans all contributed to further drops in new enrollment over each of the following years of Trump’s presidency. President Joe Biden’s election signals a new day for international education. This is evident based on a slew of Biden’s executive orders, many of which revoked immigration and travel restrictions imposed by the Trump administration. Additionally, Biden sent...
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Using Data In Sports For These Students, Is About More Than Winning Games
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TECHNOLOGY

Using Data In Sports For These Students, Is About More Than Winning Games

When professional sports teams use big data and analytics, their objective is to improve player performance and win more games. That approach is paying off in a major way. For instance, after the Golden State Warriors became one of the first NBA teams to invest in analytics, the team subsequently won league championships in 2015, 2017 and 2018. Analytics is the science of looking for patterns in data to make more informed decisions. The Warriors also get regular assists from partners in Silicon Valley – the famed tech hub near where the team is based. For that reason, it’s a small wonder why, in 2016, the Warriors were recognized at a sports analytics conference as the “Best Analytics Organization.” National Football League teams rely heavily on data as well. For instance, the Philadelp...
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Many Still Persist, But Racial Stereotypes Drive Students Of Color Away From STEM
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EDUCATION

Many Still Persist, But Racial Stereotypes Drive Students Of Color Away From STEM

Dominique, a Black electrical engineering doctoral student, found herself in an awkward situation in the lounge of a hotel where she had been attending a conference on science. A white man at her table assumed a nearby Black woman was on the hotel cleaning staff, so he asked her to clean their table. The woman did as she was asked, but in the process she informed him that not only was she a scientist attending the same conference as he, but she was also the keynote speaker. Rather than apologize for his erroneous assumption, the man cracked a joke. “But she cleans so good,” the man told everyone at the table. “Can we say: ‘Dual career opportunity?’” – as if an accomplished scientist would need an “opportunity” to clean tables. All of the white folks at the table stared at Dominique (no...
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P-TECH – Pathways In Technology Early College High School, Connects Students College And Careers
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TECHNOLOGY

P-TECH – Pathways In Technology Early College High School, Connects Students College And Careers

In his 2013 State of the Union address, President Barack Obama highlighted an innovative educational program called P-TECH – an acronym for Pathways in Technology Early College High School. The first P-TECH school opened in Brooklyn, New York, in 2011. It was profiled in a 2014 cover story in Time magazine as “The School That Will Get You a Job.” Obama stated that all students should have educational opportunities such as P-TECH. What makes the school unique is that students can earn an associate degree at no cost while still in high school. Students at the schools get the opportunity to compete for paid industry internships. They are also given mentors and a clear pathway from school to college to career with a commitment from business partners like IBM that they are first in line for a...
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Gifted And Talented Black, Latino Or Native American Students Are Often Overlooked In Schools
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SOCIAL JUSTICE

Gifted And Talented Black, Latino Or Native American Students Are Often Overlooked In Schools

About a decade ago, I was working with a large, urban school district on creating a gifted and talented program that would include all kids, regardless of their race or income. In this district, Black children and children from poor families were rarely identified for gifted education services. These services include enrichment, special classes and focused projects intended to help students excel in areas in which they show signs of exceptional potential and talents. I visited one school, near a prestigious university in an upscale neighborhood, where 48% of all students received services for gifted and talented students. There, about 50% were white, 22% Black and 12% Asian. Few were being raised in low-income families. At another school I visited a short 10-minute drive away, no student...
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