There are two theories about what an IQ test actually measures. One is that your IQ score shows your intellectual capacity, which is something that is set in stone. The other theory is that an IQ test is an achievement test which can change over time and is determinate of your studies and information gathering abilities.
A new study shows introducing television and videos to babies younger than two-years-old can harm their development, according to a pediatricians group. Parents are encouraged to instead talk to their children and let them engage in independent play in the new guidelines, as decided by the American Academy of Pediatrics. The change in guidelines was motivated by the steep increase in DVDs that are now made for kids under 2-years-old and because 90 percent of parents in the study said they allow their infants to take in media in some form.
Over the last few days we’ve honored World Food Day and the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty. Last month, alongside International Literacy Day, the UN released statistics that showed how difficult it is to fight poverty and sickness in nations around the world where illiteracy is rampant.
Some notable numbers that show the magnitude of illiteracy on a worldwide scale are:
Last year, 116 of KIPP (Knowledge is Power Program) Empower School kindergarteners were part of an experiment that set out to see if “blended learning,” a teaching method that divides class time between a teacher and computers, could be effective for young learners, according to the article “Kindergarteners at the Keyboard.”
A new app is available on Apple devices today that aims to teach kids in the 11-14 year-old bracket about cyber safety. The app, BeSeen, was developed by Carnegie Mellon University’s Information Networking Institute (INI) and the national nonprofit Web Wise Kids who worked side-by-side to bring their missions together and create a social media simulation video game, according the article, “App Promotes Savvy Web Use Among Kids.”
Research shows social and emotional learning improves attitudes students have about themselves and others, increases positive classroom behavior, and raises standardized test scores, while lowering conduct problems, aggressive behavior, and emotional distress, according to the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL).
The “flipped classroom” — that’s what educators are calling a new model for learning that has students taking online lessons at home  and coming to class for higher level applications. The Khan Academy has been highly profiled in education news and continues to grow and create more appealing hooks for the modern learner.
It’s Bullying Prevention Month and Bitstrips for Schools and Cartoon Network are partnering to get students involved this October. The Stop Bullying: Speak Up Comic Challenge is asking students and educators to get involved in the movement to prevent bullying by creating comic strips that show common bullying challenges and how best to solve them.
I’ve been writing the Carol J. Carter blog for a few years now, following daily news in the K-12 and college arena, the workforce, politics, technology, and innovation as it pertains to education and all of our futures. My company, LifeBound, recently launched a new website with many enhancements, including book assessments for students, resources for teachers, educators, parents, and coaches, and a blog that speaks to all our audiences as well.
It isn’t news that peer pressure can lead to teen drinking. However, a new study shows teens with “popular” friends and with friends who already drink might be more likely to start drinking at a young age.