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- Apr 28, 2022
- 4 min
Research: GOP No Longer Trusts Higher Education Because Knowledge Undermines Their Core Beliefs
The Pew Research Organization just completed a survey of Democrats and Republicans about their trust in major US institutions. The one result that stood out was that Republicans and those who lean toward the GOP no longer trust America's colleges and universities. Only about one-third [34%] have a positive view of higher education. On the other hand, 76% of Democrats view America's universities favorably. Pew approached this question a bit differently in two studies during Do
- Feb 5, 2022
- 3 min
Book Banning, Education Restrictions, & the Right Wing's New War on Ideas
Conservatives are now engaged in a war against ideas that don't conform with their preferred narrative of culture, history, and science. Conservative Governors and state legislatures around the country are trying to obscure the horrors of the Holocaust, prevent science-based discussions of human sexuality, and gloss over the nation's history of systemic racism. Some examples: Upon taking office several weeks ago, Virginia's new Republican Governor, Glenn Youngkin issued an ex
- Dec 8, 2021
- 2 min
Research: Pre-K Programs Like Those Proposed in Biden's BBB Plan Greatly Enhance Life Achievement
New research published this week in the American Economic Review found that participation in early childhood education programs like those included in President Joe Biden's Build Back Better Act greatly enhances educational development. American Economics Review: "Using the county roll-out of Head Start between 1965 and 1980 and age-eligibility cutoffs for school entry, we find that Head Start generated large increases in adult human capital and economic self-sufficiency, inc
- Aug 30, 2021
- 2 min
Can We Finally Put a Stake Through the Heart of PowerPoint Lectures in College Classrooms
The first time I sat through a PowerPoint lecture during a continuing legal education seminar I was certain that science had finally discovered a cure to insomnia. OK, a bit of an exaggeration, but the point is that they don't facilitate the process of active learning, the vigorous exchange of ideas between a professor and their class that makes students think more deeply about a topic. Bent Meier Sorensen, a Professor of Philosophy and Business at Copenhagen Business School
- Jul 20, 2021
- 2 min
Research: Early Childhood Education is Critical Infrastructure for America's Future
There are few public expenditures that would generate a greater return on investment than President Joe Biden's Early Childhood Education proposal. Biden campaigned on providing pre-K education to every 3- and 4-year-old in the United States and it's a core component of his "American Families Plan." Research tells us that the plan would improve educational outcomes, create a more just society, and enable parents of young children to participate fully in the workforce. Moreove
- Jun 2, 2021
- 3 min
"Critical Race Theory" and GOP Efforts to Sanitize America's Racial History
Today, it seems that when Republican legislators aren't engaged in voter suppression efforts, they are trying to stop students from hearing about "Critical Race Theory [CRT]," which is pretty ironic because their efforts to make voting more difficult seem aimed, at least in part, at voters of color. There are dozens of frequently cited definitions of CRT, but the central tenet is that since our founding racism has been a fundamental part of America's laws and society, not sim
