News
International Education News Round-up
(March 23-29, 2009)
Pupils to study Twitter and blogs in primary schools shake-up
(The Guardian 03/25/2009 Polly Curtis)
New education plans will require children to master Twitter and
Wikipedia and give teachers far more freedom to decide what youngsters
should be concentrating on in classes.
State universities on pace to fling 'e-corridor' open
(Arkansas Democrat Gazette 03/23/2009 Tracie Dungan)
An ultra-broadband network designed for academic researchers is now
expected to tie on all Arkansas' four-year public universities and its
medical school before the end of the year.
Robot helps kids with learning difficulties
(Inquirer.net 03/24/2009 AFP)
Robotics and computer work help treat symptoms of autism, cerebral palsy and other developmental disorders.
Irving ISD uses online textbooks, so unused copies state must buy sit in a warehouse
(The Dallas Morning News 03/26/2009 Katherine Leal)
Thousands of textbooks and other materials worth an estimated $4.6
million sit unused in an Irving school district warehouse due to the
increased use of computer-based instructional materials.
Shooter video games 'sharpen vision'
(Agence France-Presse 03/29/2009)
Fast-paced video games may actually improve your vision, a ground-breaking study has found.
South Koreans spent $30B on education in ‘08
(Inquirer.net 03/29/2009 AFP)
South Koreans spent nearly 30 billion dollars on education in 2008,
more than in any previous year, despite the deepening economic
downturn, figures suggest.
Schools revamp schedules to save money
(USA Today 02/23/2009 Emily Bazar)
Schools are moving to four-day weeks, shortening the school year,
staggering start times and making other schedule adjustments to save
money.
Economy influences college choices
(USA Today 03/25/2009 Mary Beth Marklein)
Nearly seven in 10 high school students say the struggling economy has
affected where they applied to college this year, a college survey
reports.
Proximity to Fast Food a Factor in Student Obesity
(New York Times 03/25/2009 Roni Caryn Rabin)
Ninth graders whose schools are within a block of a fast-food outlet
are more likely to be obese than students whose schools are a quarter
of a mile or more away, according to a new study.
Teacher training: what's the best way?
(The Christian Science Monitor 03/27/2009 Amanda Paulson)
Some policymakers say the focus of teacher training needs to be on
improving traditional education schools, while others are advocates of
so-called alternative models, which can speed up entry into the
profession.
Why children do best with strict parents
(The Daily Mail 03/27/2009 Laura Clark)
Children are more likely to grow into well-adjusted adults if their parents are firm disciplinarians, academics claim.
Surge of college students pursuing 'clean energy' careers
(Los Angeles Times 03/29/2009 Jim Tankersley)
Climate change is a concern among undergraduates, driving a surge of interest in science and engineering in universities.
(Published 30 March 2009, Smart Communications, Inc.)
