Science Education & Policy

A Call To US Educators: Learn From Canada

As states and the federal government in the U.S. continue to clash on the best ways to improve American education, Canada's Province of Ontario manages successful education reform initiatives that are equal parts cooperation and experimentation, acco ...

Article - News Staff - Apr 21 2015 - 8:00am

College Rankings Under The Microscope

A Boston College expert in educational measurement is taking a look at the controversial college and university rankings lists that are promoted by schools hoping to lure full-fare students from out of state and parents and students who want validation fo ...

Article - News Staff - Apr 25 2015 - 10:30am

Is Mobile Technology In The Classroom Divisive?

Little is known about how new mobile technologies affect students' development of non-cognitive skills such as empathy, self-control, problem solving, and teamwork. Two Boston College researchers say it's time to find out. Lynch School of Educat ...

Article - News Staff - Apr 21 2015 - 9:00am

Anti-Vaccine Beliefs Raced Around The World While Science Was Putting On Its Shoes

There is an old saying that A lie can travel half way around the world while the truth is putting on its shoes. This was brought home to me during a radio interview I did on Tuesday night in the wake of the Federal Government’s decision to remove the cons ...

Article - The Conversation - Apr 19 2015 - 9:54am

What Is The Optimal Amount Of Homework For Students?

Coaxing teenagers to sit down and do their homework is never an easy task. But is it actually worth their while to slave away for hours on end every evening? Not according to a new study of Spanish secondary school students which has concluded that the op ...

Article - The Conversation - Apr 19 2015 - 10:26am

UK Has 4th Highest Child Mortality And Lowest Funded Health Care In The Western World

Too many British children die compared to other developed nations and researchers want to know if the reason is relative poverty or low health care funding. Through data analysis, a research team from Bournemouth University was able to compare the UK to ot ...

Article - News Staff - Apr 21 2015 - 8:59am

Culture Wars: Barriers To Science Are Often Just Political

Science topics in culture, be they vaccines, GMOs or global warming, may seem to be about science but they are more about politics, including identity politics, and sometimes about economics.  Nonetheless, only one of those topics is hot in academia- iron ...

Article - News Staff - Apr 23 2015 - 4:21pm

Environmental Justice: Failed Promises, Little Action

As we celebrate Earth Day this week, it is an opportune time to recognize that not all Americans have equally enjoyed the dividends of our nation’s environmental protections. Decades of research clearly demonstrate that poor and minority communities often ...

Article - The Conversation - Apr 22 2015 - 1:27pm

Can You Really Be GMO-Free? Europe's Moral Dilemma

It’s all very well choosing not to eat genetically modified (GM) food, or even banning it entirely, but what if you then rear your cows on GM soya? Can you really maintain a consistent moral objection? ...

Article - The Conversation - Apr 24 2015 - 1:07pm

Inclusive Classrooms Don't Necessarily Increase Friendships For Kids With Disabilities

Dropping off a child at kindergarten for the first time can be one of the most memorable yet terrifying experiences of parenthood. Among the many concerns parents face is the worry whether your child will make friends- a key factor, research shows, in red ...

Article - News Staff - Apr 27 2015 - 7:22pm