National Education News

Ninety-seven percent of scientists agree: #climate change is real, man-made and dangerous. Read more: OFA.BO/gJsdFp

— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) May 16, 2013

That tweet, according to the Sydney Morning Herald, led 31,541,507 people to decide to follow Australian climate change researcher John Cook on Twitter.

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This word has appeared in 544 New York Times articles in the past year.    

Who are the world's sleepiest students?

It's the Americans, according to an analysis by Boston College researchers of data that was part of the 2011 international exams known as the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) and Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS).

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by the News Herald

Perhaps overlooked in the frantic activity at the end of the 2013 legislative session was the bold progress Florida made regarding distance learning. Distance learning, or online education, is an evolving trend nationwide. And Florida accelerated that trend when Gov. Rick Scott signed an education bill in April that would expand online education at the state’s public colleges and universities. This is a big step forward. The new law affirms education doesn’t have to be tied to a campus or brick-and-mortar classrooms. The law also stresses employers’ needs. Online education will help employers train their employees.

http://www.newsherald.com/opinions/editorials/revolution-in-learning-1.141343

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David F. Carr, Information Week

What do you get when you cross learning software with predictive analysis more often seen in movie rental sites? You might get something like the latest release of learning management system (LMS) Desire2Learn. The upgrade, released last week, brings predictive analytics to both students and instructors, says Desire2Learn. For students, it offers Amazon.com-style “if you liked that course, you’ll probably like this course” recommendations to help them choose classes they are most likely to succeed in. For instructors, it offers feedback on which students are in trouble.

http://www.informationweek.com/education/online-learning/desire2learn-predicts-students-best-clas/240154683

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By William J. Owen, Online Learning Tips

Oh, no! I have to take a college math course!

“I’m not good at math.” …. “I don’t like math.” …. “I’ve never been good at it.” ….. “No one in my family has ever done well in math.”…. “I’m too old to take math.” ….. “Math takes too much time.” “I never used math and don’t expect I ever will use it.” These are some typical reactions from many working adults when they get the news that they need to take a mathematics or statistics course as part of their degree programs. It’s really devastating news for many working adult students and they come up with a lot of reasons to fail. Typically, the reasons are very personal and negative. While the students might arrive in a mathematics course with negative attitudes and perceptions, it is possible to overcome them and succeed in the course. I’ve found that there are several ways to find success in taking a college math course. I’ll address three of those and provide some tips for math success for busy, working adults.

http://onlinelearningtips.com/2013/05/13/math-success-tips-for-working-adults/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=math-success-tips-for-working-adults

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May 17, 2013

Microsoft has donated $1 million to help D.C. teachers redesign their classrooms using a “blended learning” approach that combines online learning with face-to-face instruction.

Blended learning has drawn both excitement and skepticism as it has exploded in popularity in recent years. Boosters believe that technology could transform schools and give students a more personalized learning experience, while critics fear that when executed poorly, blended approaches reduce learning to clicks on a computer.

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This story has been updated

The Chicago Teachers’ Union filed two complaints in federal court Wednesday trying to stop the city from closing 53 elementary schools, arguing that the closures disproportionately affect African American students and would also cause great harm to special education students.

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The following infographic comes from AccuWeather.com and explains the kind of damage expected when tornado wind speeds are at varying levels.

This was released a day after tornadoes swept through North Texas, killing at least six people and injuring dozens of others.

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The Fairfax County school system is seeking applicants for a position on the influential facilities planning advisory council.

Established in 2010, FPAC, as the 13-member group is known, works with the administration to help develop long-range plans for the school system’s facilities needs. The council also advises the School Board on issues pertaining to transporation, construction, renovations and boundary studies.

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A viral video and three quick teaching ideas, along with links to Times resources on commencement addresses from 1901 to 2013.    

Google is taking on music-streaming services like Pandora and Spotify with its own service called Google Play All Access.

This week’s Poetry Pairing matches “Prayer for a Bamboo-Flowering Famine” by Karen An-Hwei Lee with the book review “Fighting for Scraps” by Pankaj Mishra.    

Tricia Rose is known as a hip-hop scholar and professor of Africana studies. She's now taking on a new project at Brown University, and hoping it sparks new questions about race and ethnicity. Host Michel Martin speaks with Rose about her vision.

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A man killed himself with a sawed-off shotgun in front of about a dozen children, according to preliminary police reports.    

Rutgers University welcomes the arrival of new athletic director Julie Hermann as the beginning of a new era, weeks after turmoil engulfed its athletics department. The school's basketball coach was fired last month after videos showed that he verbally and physically abused players during practice.

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