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Tag: Research

  • Eight Scientists, a Billion Dollars, and the Moonshot Agency Trying to Make Britain Great Again

    Eight Scientists, a Billion Dollars, and the Moonshot Agency Trying to Make Britain Great Again

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    “It’s great that ARIA exists, and I think it’s great that there is a plants program in it,” says Langdale. “There’s no doubt about that because for far too long, people like Gates have been driving the moonshot projects, and of course they have a very specific focus on what it is they want to achieve.”

    Philanthropic foundations like Gates’ also have a higher tolerance for projects that may not hit paydirt. “We’ve been going quite a long time, and we certainly don’t have anything near a product to put in the field,” Langdale says. Government-backed science funding has historically had much less of an appetite for these kinds of projects, because it’s hard to justify spending taxpayer money on projects that might take 30 years to come to fruition.

    Even compared to the C4 Rice Project, Burnett’s synthetic plants program is a very significant chunk of money, Langdale says. Burnett is aiming to spend £62.4 million ($82 million) over five years. The program will fund scientists to try to make synthetic chromosomes, the genetic building blocks of plants, and synthetic chloroplasts, which have their own separate genomes. But the program doesn’t specify what new features these partly synthetic plants should have. It’s a little like designing a new machine without knowing what tools that machine is going to build, says Langdale.

    Johnathan Napier, a science director at agricultural institute Rothamsted Research shares these concerns. Building synthetic chromosomes and chloroplasts are clearly defined goals, but he’s not sure whether they’re going to deliver a tangible benefit. Napier tries to engineer crops to produce omega-3 fish oils, while the C4 Rice Project is attempting to make rice much more productive. But Burnett’s program is much wider than either of these. In theory at least, it could one day allow plant scientists to plug in any kind of functionality into a plant.

    “If this all worked, you’d be able to design your complex pathway in the computer, build an entire chromosome […] and just plug that into the plant in a single step,” says Saul Purton, another workshop attendee and a professor at University College London who works on synthetic chloroplasts in algae. Purton says that he may apply for an ARIA grant, but that the five-year timeline set out to deliver synthetic chloroplasts in several crop species is extremely tight. “We’ve been bashing away in terms of developing new synthetic biology tools for engineering the chloroplast of a simple model system for 15 or 20 years now, and we’re still learning, we’re still making mistakes.”

    Angie Burnett is funding research into synthetic chromosomes and chloroplasts, and the ethics of synthetic plants.

    PHOTOGRAPHY: CHARLIE CLIFT

    When I meet Burnett again in early August, she has just had her program approved after a grueling three-hour meeting with Gur, members of ARIA’s executive team, and a panel of external experts. “It was a little nerve-wracking because it’s such a big moment that I’ve been working towards for this whole time,” she says. As well as funding projects working to build synthetic chromosomes and chloroplasts, Burnett is also asking for research into the ethics of synthetic plants—anticipating a world where farmers, lawmakers, and the public may have to grapple with the idea of crops fully crafted by human hands. But it’s unlikely she’ll still be with the agency to see those scientific seeds bear fruit. Program directors are typically hired for three-year terms, and the agency is already hiring its next batch of directors, some of whom will launch entirely new project areas.

    Over such short timescales, it can be difficult to gauge the success of such long-term plays: Are mistakes just bumps in the road, or signs that you’ve taken the wrong route altogether? Collison is wary about defining success at all. Give it 15 years, he says, and it should be pretty obvious if ARIA is a good thing or not. The agency has a little breathing room. It cannot be dissolved for at least 10 years, by which point the UK will have had at least one more general election. The new Labour government has indicated its support for ARIA, not least by making Vallance the minister responsible for ARIA. “It is essential to harness the power of science to deliver economic growth, opportunity, and scientific advancements for people across the UK,” said a government spokesperson.

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    Matt Reynolds

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  • Scientists Figured Out How to Recycle Plastic by Vaporizing It

    Scientists Figured Out How to Recycle Plastic by Vaporizing It

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    Our planet is choking on plastics. Some of the worst offenders, which can take decades to degrade in landfills, are polypropylene—which is used for things such as food packaging and bumpers—and polyethylene, found in plastic bags, bottles, toys, and even mulch.

    Polypropylene and polyethylene can be recycled, but the process can be difficult and often produces large quantities of the greenhouse gas methane. They are both polyolefins, which are the products of polymerizing ethylene and propylene, raw materials that are mainly derived from fossil fuels. The bonds of polyolefins are also notoriously hard to break.

    Now, researchers at UC Berkeley have come up with a method of recycling these polymers that uses catalysts that easily break their bonds, converting them into propylene and isobutylene, which are gases at room temperature. Those gases can then be recycled into new plastics.

    “Because polypropylene and polyethylene are among the most difficult and expensive plastics to separate from each other in a mixed waste stream, it is crucial that [a recycling] process apply to both polyolefins,” the research team said in a study recently published in Science.

    Breaking It Down

    The recycling process the team used is known as isomerizing ethenolysis, which relies on a catalyst to break down olefin polymer chains into their small molecules. Polyethylene and polypropylene bonds are highly resistant to chemical reactions, because both of these polyolefins have long chains of single carbon-carbon bonds. Most polymers have at least one carbon-carbon double bond, which is much easier to break.

    While isomerizing ethenolysis had been tried by the same researchers before, the previous catalysts were expensive metals that did not remain pure long enough to convert all of the plastic into gas. Using sodium on alumina followed by tungsten oxide on silica proved much more economical and effective, even though the high temperatures required for the reaction added a bit to the cost.

    In both plastics, exposure to sodium on alumina broke each polymer chain into shorter polymer chains and created breakable carbon-carbon double bonds at the ends. The chains continued to break over and over. Both then underwent a second process known as olefin metathesis. They were exposed to a stream of ethylene gas flowing into a reaction chamber while being introduced to tungsten oxide on silica, which resulted in the breakage of the carbon-carbon bonds.

    The reaction breaks all the carbon-carbon bonds in polyethylene and polypropylene, with the carbon atoms released during the breaking of these bonds ending up attached to molecules of ethylene. “The ethylene is critical to this reaction, as it is a coreactant,” researcher R.J. Conk, one of the authors of the study, told Ars Technica. “The broken links then react with ethylene, which removes the links from the chain. Without ethylene, the reaction cannot occur.”

    The entire chain is catalyzed until polyethylene is fully converted to propylene, and polypropylene is converted to a mixture of propylene and isobutylene.

    This method has high selectivity—meaning it produces a large amount of the desired product: propylene derived from polyethylene, and both propylene and isobutylene derived from polypropylene. Both of these chemicals are in high demand; propylene is an important raw material for the chemical industry, while isobutylene is a frequently used monomer in many different polymers, including synthetic rubber and a gasoline additive.

    Mixing It Up

    Because plastics are often mixed at recycling centers, the researchers wanted to see what would happen if polypropylene and polyethylene underwent isomerizing ethenolysis together. The reaction was successful, converting the mixture into propylene and isobutylene, with slightly more propylene than isobutylene.

    Mixtures also typically include contaminants in the form of additional plastics. So the team also wanted to see whether the reaction would still work if there were contaminants. They experimented with plastic objects that would otherwise be thrown away, including a centrifuge and a bread bag, both of which contained traces of other polymers besides polypropylene and polyethylene. The reaction yielded only slightly less propylene and isobutylene than it did with unadulterated versions of the polyolefins.

    Another test involved introducing different plastics, such as PET and PVC, to polypropylene and polyethylene to see if that would make a difference. These did lower the yield significantly. If this approach is going to be successful, then all but the slightest traces of contaminants will have to be removed from polypropylene and polyethylene products before they are recycled.

    While this recycling method sounds like it could prevent tons upon tons of waste, it will need to be scaled up enormously for this to happen. When the research team increased the scale of the experiment, it produced the same yield, which looks promising for the future. Still, we’ll need to build considerable infrastructure before this could make a dent in our plastic waste.

    “We hope that the work described … will lead to practical methods for … [producing] new polymers,” the researchers said in the same study. “By doing so, the demand for production of these essential commodity chemicals starting from fossil carbon sources and the associated greenhouse gas emissions could be greatly reduced.”

    This story originally appeared on Ars Technica.

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    Elizabeth Rayne, Ars Technica

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  • Schools Teach Less Civics When Civics Becomes Controversial, Sandra Day O’Connor Institute Reports

    Schools Teach Less Civics When Civics Becomes Controversial, Sandra Day O’Connor Institute Reports

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    PHOENIX, September 24, 2024 (Newswire.com)
    –
    A new policy brief from the Sandra Day O’Connor Institute finds that when civic education becomes too controversial, schools respond by teaching less civics.

    The brief, When and Why Did America Stop Teaching Civics?, looked at the history of American civic education and found that public schools began teaching less civics in the 1960s, when the subject became controversial. School leaders and teachers sought to avoid altercation by backing away from robust civics instruction. Unfortunately, a similar situation may be occurring today in some schools, given the current polarized political climate.

    “The Department of Education reports approximately 140 million adult Americans, Generation X and younger, may not have received civics education,” Institute Board Co-Chair Phil Francis said. “For these individuals, civics education became part of social studies, government, and history curricula – however, the stats show that many adults cannot name the three branches of government, much less the role of each of these branches.”

    The brief also determined that civic education in schools has declined as federal or state governments have prioritized other subjects. For example, in the several years after passage of the federal No Child Left Behind Act in 2002–that is, the law that tied school funding to test scores in math and reading–public schools slashed instructional time for subjects that were not math and reading. In some cases, instructional time for social studies, which includes civics, was cut by more than half. 

    Other findings in the brief include: 

    • Educators in K-12 schools feel unprepared to teach civics. 
    • Younger Americans are less knowledgeable about civics than previous generations. 

    While there is cause for concern, the brief finds reason for hope. With the support of educational leaders, state legislatures have started passing legislation to enhance civic education. Colleges nationwide are creating programs and entire schools devoted to the study of and future of civics. Nonprofit organizations like the O’Connor Institute are dedicated to supporting civic education and engagement at every level. 

    “The Institute has taken on this challenge through Civics 101, a program of our Civics for Life initiative,” Institute Board Co-Chair Gay Wray said. “We are proud to continue the work and legacy of Justice O’Connor through efforts like this policy brief and the continued programs of the Institute.”

    Civics 101 provides easy-to-understand, free micro-lessons that individuals can use at their own pace. Since the program’s launch in the fall of 2023, the Institute has continued expanding the available lessons via two series: The Fundamentals of American Democracy and Elections and How They Work.  

    “This policy brief and the ongoing interest in the Civics 101 program continue to provide us hope,” Institute President & CEO Sarah Suggs said. “We are inspired by educators, leaders, and non-profit partners across the country recognizing the importance of a civically engaged population. We look forward to the continued positive momentum of this movement.” 

    Those interested in this research and other work of the Institute can learn more at OConnorInstitute.org. 

    About The Sandra Day O’Connor Institute for American Democracy

    Founded in 2009 by retired Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, the O’Connor Institute, a nonprofit, nonpartisan 501(c)(3), continues her distinguished legacy and lifetime work to advance American democracy through multigenerational civil discourse, civic engagement, and civics education. Visit OConnorInstitute.org to learn more.

    Source: Sandra Day O’Connor Institute for American Democracy

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  • New Data About Cancer And Cannabis

    New Data About Cancer And Cannabis

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    While there is a need for more research, the data has good news.

    The American Medical Association and the American College of Physicians along with the federal agencies Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have all spoke up about the need for additional research to unlock medical benefits of cannabis. The acknowledge it can help, but need more information, including more understand about dosage. Now, a study reveals more data about cancer and cannabis which only reenforces their call to action.

    RELATED: Science Says Medical Marijuana Improves Quality Of Life

    While cannabis is not a treatment for cancer, studies support marijuana-derived cannabinoids. TCH and CBD can help relieve symptoms and ease the side effects of cancer, including chemotherapy. More research can be done on treatment, but how do patients feel about using medical marijuana? The University of California San Diego and VA Health Care researchers partners for the one-year study. Team conducted a comprehensive survey of nearly 1,000 adult cancer patients at various stages of cancer treatment. What they discovered wasn’t a common sense surprise.

    The lead researchers Corinne McDaniels-Davidson’s published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. They explored the decision-making process, perceived benefits, and risks of cannabis use to address symptoms in adults with cancer.

    “There’s a vacuum in the world of cancer care. Many oncologists don’t talk to their patients about cannabis or refer them to a pain management specialist instead,” said McDaniels-Davidson, who is the associate director at the SDSU School of Public Health.

    “Our data shows about a third of the patients surveyed used cannabis after their diagnosis, but only a few of those patients said they had told their oncologist,” said McDaniels-Davidson.

    Cannabis has been used as medicine for thousands of years. The archeological site in the Oki Islands near Japan contained cannabis achenes from about 8000 BC, but it developed a bad name in the early 20th century. But the understanding it works is still strong. Survivors who perceived cannabis had any benefits were five times more likely to use it. Those who perceived there were any risks were nearly 60% less likely to have used it post-diagnosis.

    RELATED: Biden Administration Puts A Knife Into The Cannabis Industry

    According to the study, cancer survivors diagnosed with stage 3 or 4 were also more likely to use cannabis.  Among those who used cannabis, 19% said they believed the misconception that it could treat or cure cancer.  Cannabis can not cure cancer, a fact which needs to be made clear, but it increasing can help treat the disease. This study gives medical professional another tool to talk with patients.

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    Amy Hansen

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  • OpenAI Threatens Bans as Users Probe Its ‘Strawberry’ AI Models

    OpenAI Threatens Bans as Users Probe Its ‘Strawberry’ AI Models

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    OpenAI truly does not want you to know what its latest AI model is “thinking.” Since the company launched its “Strawberry” AI model family last week, touting so-called reasoning abilities with o1-preview and o1-mini, OpenAI has been sending out warning emails and threats of bans to any user who tries to probe how the model works.

    Unlike previous AI models from OpenAI, such as GPT-4o, the company trained o1 specifically to work through a step-by-step problem-solving process before generating an answer. When users ask an “o1” model a question in ChatGPT, users have the option of seeing this chain-of-thought process written out in the ChatGPT interface. However, by design, OpenAI hides the raw chain of thought from users, instead presenting a filtered interpretation created by a second AI model.

    Nothing is more enticing to enthusiasts than information obscured, so the race has been on among hackers and red-teamers to try to uncover o1’s raw chain of thought using jailbreaking or prompt injection techniques that attempt to trick the model into spilling its secrets. There have been early reports of some successes, but nothing has yet been strongly confirmed.

    Along the way, OpenAI is watching through the ChatGPT interface, and the company is reportedly coming down hard on any attempts to probe o1’s reasoning, even among the merely curious.

    One X user reported (confirmed by others, including Scale AI prompt engineer Riley Goodside) that they received a warning email if they used the term “reasoning trace” in conversation with o1. Others say the warning is triggered simply by asking ChatGPT about the model’s “reasoning” at all.

    The warning email from OpenAI states that specific user requests have been flagged for violating policies against circumventing safeguards or safety measures. “Please halt this activity and ensure you are using ChatGPT in accordance with our Terms of Use and our Usage Policies,” it reads. “Additional violations of this policy may result in loss of access to GPT-4o with Reasoning,” referring to an internal name for the o1 model.

    Marco Figueroa, who manages Mozilla’s GenAI bug bounty programs, was one of the first to post about the OpenAI warning email on X last Friday, complaining that it hinders his ability to do positive red-teaming safety research on the model. “I was too lost focusing on #AIRedTeaming to realized that I received this email from @OpenAI yesterday after all my jailbreaks,” he wrote. “I’m now on the get banned list!!!”

    Hidden Chains of Thought

    In a post titled “Learning to Reason With LLMs” on OpenAI’s blog, the company says that hidden chains of thought in AI models offer a unique monitoring opportunity, allowing them to “read the mind” of the model and understand its so-called thought process. Those processes are most useful to the company if they are left raw and uncensored, but that might not align with the company’s best commercial interests for several reasons.

    “For example, in the future we may wish to monitor the chain of thought for signs of manipulating the user,” the company writes. “However, for this to work the model must have freedom to express its thoughts in unaltered form, so we cannot train any policy compliance or user preferences onto the chain of thought. We also do not want to make an unaligned chain of thought directly visible to users.”

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    Benj Edwards, Ars Technica

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  • EDspaces Releases New Research on K-12 Procurement Trends

    EDspaces Releases New Research on K-12 Procurement Trends

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    A new report issued by EDspaces – The Future of K-12 Procurement: 4 Key Trends – captures the experiences and insights of award-winning procurement professionals who are leading the way in building the field of strategic procurement.


    NEW YORK, September 9, 2024 (Newswire.com)
    –
    New research from EDspaces has identified four key trends in K-12 procurement as school leaders lean into the field of strategic procurement.

    “EDspaces is excited to release our new report that documents the increasingly complex and challenging role of K-12 school procurement professionals,” says Joe Tucker, EDspaces Show Director. 

    “An overarching theme from our survey is that procurement professionals are embracing change and finding ways to work more effectively in an environment that continues to present significant challenges,” Tucker reports. 

    Download the Report here: The Future of K-12 Procurement: 4 Key Trends

    The EDspaces report identified four key trends:

    • Tech Tools for Procurement are “Not Quite there Yet”

    Public procurement systems for the K-12 market are undergoing a shakeup with recent mergers and acquisitions and dozens of players automating different components of procurement. 89% of our interviewees expressed the desire to use more data to inform procurement decisions, but stated that they did not have the appropriate tools or the time to track and use data.

    • It’s Not Just About the Price

    While several states still mandate that price must trump all other factors in purchasing decisions, our interviewees provided us with many factors that could be more heavily weighted than the price of a good or service. Buying local, quality/best value, and checking references or past experiences with a vendor all heavily influenced purchasing decisions and sometimes were weighted more heavily than cost.

    • Networking is Critical for Success

    78% of our interviewees stated that membership in the state ASBO (Association of School Business Officials) provides a vital way to stay up to date on state regulations, engage in professional development, and network with colleagues at conferences and meetings. Interviewees mentioned several other important organizations including ASBO International.

    • Tactical Recruitment to the Profession is Critical

    Many procurement professionals are near retirement or have recently retired and this trend will continue. Leaders in the procurement profession reported on the need to develop a stronger pipeline to the field. Attracting new entrants will be essential in the next five years, but many people do not understand the nature, or growing complexity, of the work. 

    About EDspaces: EDspaces is the leading event in educational facility planning and design, bringing together architects, designers, facility planners, administrators, and distributors to transform learning environments. Focused on innovation, it addresses the evolving needs of today’s educational landscape, inspiring leaders to create functional, inspiring, and transformative spaces for tomorrow’s learners. Join EDspaces to reshape the future of education and enhance student success through visionary design and planning.

    About Research4ed: Research4Ed conducts research in K-12, higher education, libraries, and Edtech. Clients include Harvard University, National Education Association, Pearson, McGraw-Hill, Tufts University, and Curriculum Associates. Learn more at: Research4ed.com

    SOURCE: ED-spaces.com

    Source: EDspaces

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  • Colorado’s November ballot will have seven citizen initiatives, from abortion rights to ranked-choice voting – The Cannabist

    Colorado’s November ballot will have seven citizen initiatives, from abortion rights to ranked-choice voting – The Cannabist

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    Colorado voters are set to weigh in on ballot questions related to abortion rights, veterinary services, mountain lion trophy hunting and an overhaul of the state’s election system in November.

    The deadline to finalize the state’s ballot is coming Friday, but all of the citizen initiatives — meaning ballot questions pursued by members of the public, rather than the legislature — were finalized late last week. State election officials certified that the final ones had received enough petition signatures after clearing earlier regulatory hurdles.

    Nine ballot measures from the public have been approved. But two of those — the property tax-related initiatives 50 and 108 — are both set to be withdrawn by sponsors as part of negotiations with the governor’s office and the state legislature, which on Thursday passed another property tax relief bill at the end of a special session.

    Read the rest of this story on TheKnow.DenverPost.com.

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    The Cannabist Network

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  • About That ‘Cannabis Causes Head and Neck Cancer’ Study – Cannabis Business Executive – Cannabis and Marijuana industry news

    About That ‘Cannabis Causes Head and Neck Cancer’ Study – Cannabis Business Executive – Cannabis and Marijuana industry news

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    About That ‘Cannabis Causes Head and Neck Cancer’ Study – Cannabis Business Executive – Cannabis and Marijuana industry news





























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    Tom Hymes

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  • Global Restaurant Industry Authority Aaron Allen Offers Expert Commentary Backed by PhD-Level Data Insights

    Global Restaurant Industry Authority Aaron Allen Offers Expert Commentary Backed by PhD-Level Data Insights

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    CHICAGO, August 20, 2024 (Newswire.com)
    –
    Aaron Allen, a leading expert in the global restaurant industry and CEO of Aaron Allen & Associates, is now offering his expertise as a go-to media source for timely commentary on the most pressing trends affecting the $4.5 trillion global foodservice industry. With a library of data and statistics curated over two decades, supported by a team of PhD-level data scientists and statisticians, Allen provides unparalleled insights that blend quantitative analysis with qualitative, anecdotal expertise.

    Recognized as a TopVoice by LinkedIn’s executive editors, Allen has been featured in top-tier media outlets such as Bloomberg, CNBC, CNN, Fox, Forbes, Fortune, and The Wall Street Journal, among others. His ability to simplify complex subject matter and offer nuanced perspectives makes him an invaluable resource for journalists working under tight deadlines in the fast-paced world of news cycles.

    Key Trends and Insights Available for Commentary:

    Restaurant Bankruptcies: Allen can discuss the recent uptick in restaurant bankruptcies, providing a deep analysis of the economic and operational factors driving this trend and why it’s expected to continue accelerating.

    Consumer Dining Behavior & Population Migration: With significant shifts in consumer behavior influenced by population migration, Allen offers insights into how these changes are impacting the restaurant industry globally.

    Technological Divide: Allen can speak to the growing technological divide between well-resourced restaurants and those struggling to keep pace, particularly in the areas of artificial intelligence, robotics, and drive-through performance.

    Leadership Shakeups: Recent leadership changes at major restaurant chains have highlighted underlying industry pressures. Allen can provide context and analysis on the causes and implications of these shakeups.

    Activist Investors: The rise of activist investors is a continuing concern for publicly traded restaurant companies. Allen is available to comment on the strategies these investors are employing and the potential outcomes.

    Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A): Drawing from extensive experience in commercial and operational due diligence, Allen can offer insights into current M&A activity and what to expect in the near future.

    Labor Costs & Regional Differences: As labor costs rise globally, Allen can discuss how restaurant chains are adapting to these challenges in various states and countries, noting the differences in strategies across regions.

    Inflation & Menu Strategy: Allen offers expert commentary on how inflation is affecting menu pricing and how restaurants are retooling their menus to balance cost pressures with customer expectations.

    Store Layouts & Location Strategies: With changing consumer behaviors, Allen can speak to how restaurants are rethinking their store layouts and location strategies to stay competitive in today’s market.

    Financing & Franchising Dynamics: As new dynamics in financing and franchising emerge, Allen is well-positioned to comment on the implications for the global foodservice industry.

    Whether journalists need a quick comment or a comprehensive analysis, Aaron Allen is available across time zones globally, providing responsive and insightful commentary tailored to meet the fast-paced demands of the media industry.

    About Aaron Allen & Associates

    Aaron Allen & Associates is a leading global restaurant industry consulting firm that has advised executive leadership of emerging and established brands across six continents and 100 countries. The firm’s expertise spans growth and expansion strategies, performance optimization, M&A advisory, and cutting-edge industry intelligence. With over 2,000 consulting engagements, the firm is a trusted advisor to restaurant chains, foodservice companies, hotel chains, suppliers, and investors.

    Source: Aaron Allen & Associates

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  • Gen Z and Millennials Redefine Vacation Goals, Skip Relaxing | Entrepreneur

    Gen Z and Millennials Redefine Vacation Goals, Skip Relaxing | Entrepreneur

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    Younger Americans think relaxing on vacation is overrated, according to new research.

    A survey of 2,000 Americans who travel (evenly split by generation) looked at how people of different ages vacation and found both Gen X (51%) and Baby Boomers (57%) prioritize relaxation when traveling, while Gen Z (54%) and millennials (45%) are more interested in making memories.

    In fact, 29% of those who don’t prioritize relaxation when they’re away find it to be a waste of time — especially millennials (30%).

    Related: This Former Flight Attendant and Her Roommate Started a Side Hustle With Just $2,000 Each. Then It Earned Them Nearly $600,000 — and Counting.

    Conducted by Talker Research for Apple Vacations, the survey found that these preferences may change in the future, as 59% shared their vacation priorities have shifted as they got older.

    A quarter of millennials reported that sightseeing is a thing of the past, and Gen Z is no longer prioritizing learning new things while traveling (28%).

    Respondents from different generations recalled the average age they were when their vacation preferences changed. Gen Z preferences shift at age 18, while millennials see it at 27, Gen X at 38 and Baby Boomers at 54.

    Something that won’t change is Americans’ love for traveling, with one in four (28%) sharing that traveling is a high priority for them these days.

    Although millennials are most focused on traveling right now (38%), Gen Z (35%) is most likely to surpass the average number of trips taken annually.

    Looking at the differences in how they enjoy this time away, results showed that Baby Boomers (74%) prefer domestic travel, while Gen Z (14%) is the most likely to enjoy international travel.

    Family-friendly (33%) and tropical (27%) destinations are favored across the generations, but Gen Z (25%) and millennials (24%) also share a strong love for theme parks.

    In addition to their top picks, Gen X (21%) and Baby Boomers (24%) are also drawn to small towns.

    Related: Airbnb and Vrbo Often Have Wildly Different Prices for the Same Listing. This Entrepreneur Built a Platform to Find You the Best Deal.

    “Relaxation looks and feels different for everyone,” says Dana Studebaker, vice president of marketing at Apple Vacations. “I feel most relaxed when reading a great book on the beach, knowing that all I need is at my fingertips at an all-inclusive resort, but others feel renewed after a beautiful backpacking trip through the mountains, soaking up history in a big city. This is the beauty of travel: Your vacations can evolve with your preferences.”

    Before their trip, Gen Z is especially keen on creating a vacation plan (60%) and Baby Boomers are the likeliest to go with the flow (40%).

    Gen X (53%) and Baby Boomers (65%) who prefer going with the flow agree that this helps them avoid feeling rushed or tied to a plan.

    Planners find comfort in mapping their day (56%) and say it helps them make the most of their time (54%).

    Gen Z embraces the safety they feel when planning things out (46%), while Baby Boomers who prefer to plan ahead also enjoy the feeling of checking off things they want to do (50%).

    When travel planning, millennials are most likely to use a travel agent (18%), while Gen Z leans heavily on social media for planning (55%) and inspiration (66%).

    Older generations prefer to keep things more classic, with Gen X trusting word of mouth (44%) and Baby Boomers referencing travel magazines or websites for advice (34%).

    Related: Her Private Chef Side Hustle Might Earn Tens of Thousands and ‘Seem Glamorous’ — But It’s Not for the Faint of Heart. Here’s an Inside Look.

    Before vacationing, millennials are the likeliest to read restaurant menus (34%); instead, Gen X looks at pictures others have posted (36%).

    Gen Z respondents are most likely to look at how much things cost and the currency exchange (49%), as well as the transportation options (43%).

    Looking ahead, half of respondents plan to travel more as they get older.

    Gen Z will take advantage of this the most (73%), planning to travel with their friends (43%), while Baby Boomers will travel to connect with other family members (20%).

    Family is top of mind for those who traveled with their parents when growing up, with 77% planning to continue the tradition of traveling with their kids to bond (66%) and make new memories (65%).

    “Getting out of the house and spending quality time with family while traveling is the best way to build memories,” says Michael Lowery, senior vice president and global head of consumer business units at Apple Vacations. “When traveling with a larger group with many ages to keep in mind, I always go for an all-inclusive resort because any worries about entertaining different ages are taken care of. Some guests may enjoy a day at the spa, and others can safely be thrilled with resort excursions and activities.”

    See a complete breakdown of the survey results below.

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    David James

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  • Information Pollution: The Tragedy of the Commons and Well-Poisoning on the Internet

    Information Pollution: The Tragedy of the Commons and Well-Poisoning on the Internet

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    Discover how the internet propagates “information pollution” and how it threatens our collective understanding of facts and truth. Here’s how to navigate the chaos and find clean water to drink.

    In a healthy and functional society, shared common resources are essential for the well-being and sustainability of the community.

    These resources can include natural goods such as land, water, and the environment, as well as man-made goods such as public schools, parks, and libraries.

    Generally, the ability to manage, sustain, and distribute these resources determines the success of a society, community, or nation as a whole.

    The Tragedy of the Commons

    The tragedy of the commons is a concept introduced by ecologist Garrett Hardin in 1968, describing a scenario where individuals, acting in their own self-interest, overuse and deplete a shared resource, ultimately harming the entire community.

    Classic examples include overgrazing on common land, overfishing in shared waters, and pollution of air and water. The key issue is that while the benefits of exploitation are enjoyed by individuals, the costs are distributed among the entire community.

    Information as a Shared Resource

    One common resource that is often neglected is news and information.

    Over the last century, newspapers, radio, TV, and the internet have become the lifeblood of many nations, shaping public opinion and collective consciousness.

    Truth and reliable information function as shared resources critical for various societal functions, including governance, public health, and social interaction.

    Just as a community depends on clean water, society relies on accurate information to make decisions, build trust, and maintain peace and harmony.

    When these information resources are polluted, the consequences can be severe, leading to mistrust, division, and poor decision-making.

    Information Pollution

    Information is a shared resource that is susceptible to degradation through neglect or deliberate actions, leading to a type of “information pollution.”

    This phenomenon mirrors the “tragedy of the commons,” where the self-interested actions of individuals can spoil a common resource for everyone.

    Information pollution occurs when false, misleading, or harmful information is introduced into the public discourse. This can happen through:

    • Misinformation: Incorrect or misleading information spread unintentionally.
    • Disinformation: False information spread deliberately to deceive.
    • Malinformation: Information that is true but presented in a misleading context to cause harm.

    All three types of information pollution hurt people’s ability to discern truth from fiction.

    Well-Poisoning on the Internet

    The internet can be a wonderful place to learn new things, but it’s also littered with information pollution, especially on social media sites filled with bots, spammers, and grifters.

    When a water well is poisoned, everyone in the town ends up drinking dirty and contaminated water. The same is true for information pollution on the internet – and social media is dirty water.

    There are a lot of factors that drive information pollution on the internet, but key ones include:

    • Clickbait and engagement farming – For most people, the only measure of success on the internet is how much attention you get. An outrageous lie or falsehood will get a million impressions before anyone tries to confirm what’s been said. People rarely correct themselves if a lie is getting them a lot of impressions.
    • Grifting and easy money – Many people see the internet as an opportunity for a quick buck, so a lot of content you see is purely money-driven, including advertisements, sponsored content, or superficial merchandise (mugs, t-shirts, diet supplements, brain enhancement pills, etc.) If you see anyone selling these types of products on the internet, you can be certain that truth is not their main motivation.
    • Bots and algorithm-hacking – Artificial engagement on the internet is a huge problem. A lot of viral content you see these days is pushed by bot farms and clever algorithm manipulation. Organic growth by independent thinkers and creators used to be a genuine thing about a decade ago, but most big e-celebrities and influencers you see today are completely astroturfed.
    • Politics and propaganda – A lot of misinformation and disinformation is politically driven propaganda. Governments and corporations are known to create their own bots and internet campaigns to shape public opinion in one direction or another.
    • Echo chambers and groupthink – While it’s natural to associate with people who think like us and share the same beliefs, the internet tends to heighten this tendency. People only spend time on online spaces that confirm their existing beliefs and very rarely seek out different perspectives.

    All of these factors make the internet a less reliable place for seeking truth and information. These phenomenon have only increased over the past decade, making the internet increasingly harmful and stupid (to be frank).

    Filtering Dirty Water

    Now more than ever we need to find ways to filter the information we are being exposed to online. Effective strategies you can employ include:

    • Pay attention to your digital environment – Ideas and information can often seep into our brain without us even realizing it, especially when we are consistently exposed to the same information over and over again. What are the top five websites you visit? Where do you go for news and current events? What’s your social media feed look like? All of these make up a part of your digital environment which is having an influence on you whether you realize it or not, so pay close attention to the types of online spaces you’re spending time in.
    • High value vs. low value information – Not all information is created equal. A random social media post that goes viral doesn’t have the same level of rigor as a peer-reviewed study. The information pyramid is a helpful guideline for assessing what information sources tend to be more trustworthy, accurate, and high value. Please note that this doesn’t mean a social media post is always wrong, or a scientific study is always right, just that one source tends to have more substance than another and you should generally give it more weight.
    • Be your own fact-checker – Too many people take funny memes, shocking screenshots, and catchy headlines at face value without ever digging deeper. This causes a lot of misinformation and disinformation to go viral, and it can also lead to some comical and embarrassing errors (“You actually believed that?!”). While there are many professional “fact checkers” on various sites, even those can be misleading and ideologically motivated. Unfortunately, in our low trust information world, there’s only one fact-checker you can really count on and that’s yourself. Learn how to double-check sources, dig up original links, and read full articles so you understand the context before accepting something as true.
    • Learn basic statistical literacy – Numbers can be very persuasive on a purely psychological level; if someone can make a claim with a statistic to back it, we tend to automatically think it must be true. However, statistics and graphs can be easily manipulated and deceptive. Understanding basic statistical literacy (such as knowing “correlation doesn’t mean causation,” or checking the “y” and “x” axis before looking at a graph) can give you a clearer idea of what a number is really telling you, and what is just being speculated, guessed, or misunderstood.
    • Beware of personality-driven consumption – Many people get their news and information from famous personalities such as news commentators, celebrities, influencers, or podcasters. While it’s natural to listen to people we like and trust, this can backfire when we end up mindlessly accepting information rather than confirming it on its own merit. For many, there’s an entertainment factor too: it’s fun to root for your “leader/clan” and make fun of the other “leaders/clans,” some people even form parasocial relationships with their favorite personalities, seeing them as a type of best friend. However, what often happens in these hyper personality-driven spaces is that they devolve into petty drama and gossip. That may be “fun” to participate in for some people, but it’s not education.

    If you keep these guidelines in mind, you’ll be able to navigate the dirty waters of the internet more effectively and hopefully find some springs of fresh and clean water to drink from.

    Conclusion

    Truth and reliable information are vital commons that underpin a healthy and functional society. Just as communities must manage natural resources responsibly to avoid the tragedy of the commons, societies must actively protect and nurture the integrity of their information ecosystems. Each of us plays a role in managing the information commons and minimizing information pollution.


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    Steven Handel

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  • New Research Says Strong Student-Teacher Relationships Encourage Bullying Victims To Seek Help

    New Research Says Strong Student-Teacher Relationships Encourage Bullying Victims To Seek Help

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    Every teacher understands that the intricate interactions within a classroom can often mask the silent battles some students face with bullying. Despite our efforts, we deeply hope that bullying victims feel safe enough to seek our support when they need it most. Our role is not just to educate but to provide a safe environment where every student can voice their troubles without fear of judgment or repercussion. Understanding these challenges, a recent study explores why not all victims choose to share their experiences with their teachers. Their findings highlight the differences in roles of direct and indirect bullying and the quality of student-teacher relationships.

    Quality of student-teacher relationships and bullying type influence student disclosure

    This study showed that the nature of the bullying and the quality of the student-teacher relationship significantly influence whether students disclose their experiences of being bullied. Direct bullying is overt and occurs in the physical presence of the victim. This can include physical aggression, verbal abuse, intimidation, or public humiliation. Indirect bullying is more subtle and often occurs without the direct knowledge of the victim. These incidents are harder for teachers to catch and can include social exclusion, spreading rumors, manipulating social relationships, and cyberbullying. Here are more specifics on the researchers’ key findings.

    Key findings from Bjereld et al. (2024):

    • Indirect bullying is reported more than direct bullying. Students are more likely to report indirect bullying, which includes covert actions like spreading rumors or social exclusion.
    • Greater disclosure in supportive relationships. Students with strong, positive relationships with their teachers are more inclined to discuss their bullying experiences with them.
    • Indirect bullying is often unreported. Despite indirect bullying being reported more than direct bullying, teachers less frequently notice indirect bullying without student reports due to its subtle nature.
    • Impact of bullying on relationship quality. The ongoing experience of bullying and how teachers handle reports of bullying can either strengthen or weaken student-teacher relationships.
    • Challenges in handling indirect bullying. Teachers often find it more challenging to recognize and address indirect bullying compared to direct, physical bullying.

    Can we trust this research?

    Not all research is created equal! Here’s what our We Are Teachers “Malarkey Meter” says when it comes to this publication, based on four key factors.

    • Peer-reviewed? Several rounds of peer review have critically evaluated the methodology and findings of this study.
    • Sample size: There were a total of 1,091 students included in the quantitative survey phase, and 20 students participated in qualitative interviews. Twenty is a large number for interviews, and over 1,000 is plenty of statistical power!
    • Trustworthy sources: This study was conducted by reputable researchers (Ylva Bjereld, Robert Thornberg, and Jun Sung Hong) in the field of educational psychology. This is also published in the respected academic journal Teaching and Teacher Education.
    • Methodology: The sequential explanatory mixed-methods design combines quantitative data with detailed qualitative interviews to deepen understanding of the statistical findings. Personally, I put a lot of weight in mixed-methods findings because the numbers can only describe a situation to a certain extent. The words and quality of students’ individual lives highlight reasons why the numbers are describing situations. Mixed methods isn’t everyone’s favorite methodology, but it is excellent for working with schools!

    What does this mean for teachers?

    This research underscores the role teachers play in both preventing and intervening in bullying incidents. By fostering open, supportive relationships, teachers can encourage students to come forward about bullying, which is necessary for effective intervention. Plus, teachers need to understand the differences between direct and indirect bullying to help develop more targeted strategies to address bullying in all its forms. Dr. Bjereld shared with the We Are Teachers team that “Bullying victims are more likely to report bullying when they trust their teachers, especially indirect bullying, which is harder for teachers to detect on their own.”

    Ultimately, this study highlights the essential link between student-teacher relationships and effective bullying intervention. Teachers who cultivate a supportive and empathetic classroom environment not only empower bullying victims to speak up but also enhance the overall school experience by addressing bullying proactively. Recognizing the signs of both direct and indirect bullying, and responding with genuine support, can impact a student’s willingness to disclose and a teacher’s ability to help effectively. This approach not only mitigates the effects of bullying but also strengthens the educational community as a whole. Building strong relationships with students is more than just about the learning outcomes!

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    Sarah Morris

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  • The pandemic’s lasting impact on young learners

    The pandemic’s lasting impact on young learners

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    Key points:

    Young students require more learning support to remain on pace with historical academic growth trends, according to new research from Curriculum Associates, which unveils national data on the pandemic’s impact on academic growth and recovery for elementary school students.

    Student Growth in the Post-COVID Era offers an assessment of student performance, tracking growth year over year and comparing it to historical trends. The report leverages three years of longitudinal data and is the first of its kind to look at impacts on younger learners who were not yet in formal schooling at the start of the pandemic. The research provides a temperature check on students’ academic growth, parsing aggregate data to determine where–and for whom–recovery may be occurring.

    Key findings:

    • Young students require more support to keep pace with historical growth trends.
    • Older students (i.e., those in grade 4 in 2021) demonstrate signs of recovery in both reading and mathematics that in some cases align with their pre-pandemic growth trajectories.
    • Students who were well below grade level in both reading and mathematics at the beginning of the 2021–2022 school year are not keeping pace with pre-pandemic growth trends.
    • Some students who were at or near grade level are exceeding historical growth trends.
    • Students from schools in lower-income or minoritized communities demonstrate continued disparities in academic growth relative to pre-pandemic trends.

    “We know the pandemic placed an enormous strain on our educators and school districts,” said Dr. Kristen Huff, vice president of research and assessment at Curriculum Associates. “The varied data and analytic approaches make it more challenging to assess the post-COVID recovery landscape. This research offers new insights into varying patterns of recovery, identifying where recovery is happening and where more support is needed.”

    Uneven recovery trends indicate that in some instances, post-pandemic interventions were likely effective.

    “While most young people who fall behind stay behind, there are diverse schools across the nation where students who started behind grade level are consistently catching up,” said Dr. Tequilla Brownie, CEO of TNTP. “The first common factor is the intentional creation of environments where students feel a sense of belonging. The other two priorities that matter most are consistent access to grade-level instruction and the presence of a unified, coherent instructional program that gives both students and educators a clear path to success.”

    These data underscore the need for educators, district leaders, and other stakeholders to carefully assess which interventions are most effective and how we can work together to change the course of learning outcomes for students who need support now.

    “Even before the pandemic, many students in our district were not performing at their highest level of potential,” said Dr. Mark Sullivan, superintendent of Birmingham City Schools. “We were not pleased with the number of third graders reading on grade level, so we had to become intentional in everything we do. This included training our teachers on the Science of Reading, setting high expectations for educators and students, and actively involving families in their children’s learning.” This year, the district saw a 75- percent increase in the number of students reading at or above grade level.

    The urgency of finding and implementing the right interventions is clear, especially when looking at this year’s Grade 2 students, who were not yet in school during the pandemic. If applied nationally, these data suggest more than 1.3 million Grade 2 students (out of the nation’s 3.5 million) are behind in reading compared to 1.1 million in 2019. More than half a million more Grade 2 students (up from 1.2 million to 1.7 million) are behind in mathematics.

    Gaps in learning may be compounding for this group of students over time as they work to catch up on foundational skills while learning new content.

    For Grade 2 students and all whose learning is not keeping pace with historical trends, this report will shape the conversation on how educators can help every student succeed.

    This press release originally appeared online.

    Laura Ascione
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    Laura Ascione

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  • Digital Promise and Edthena Partner to Strengthen Science of Reading-Based Instruction Using AI-Powered Coaching

    Digital Promise and Edthena Partner to Strengthen Science of Reading-Based Instruction Using AI-Powered Coaching

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    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Digital Promise and Edthena are partnering to help train and support teachers on Science of Reading-based instruction by incorporating Digital Promise’s Learner Variability Project resources into the Edthena offerings. Now, as teachers complete coaching cycles, they will be able to select a Science of Reading pathway within the AI Coach by Edthena platform and access Digital Promise’s research-based content, strategies, and best practices.

    “Teachers need research-based strategies at their fingertips so they can implement Science of Reading programs with fidelity,” said Barbara Pape, senior director of Digital Promise’s Learner Variability Project. “Our Learner Variability Project resources are steeped in research and made easily accessible through Edthena’s AI Coach.”

    The hundreds of teacher-facing strategy recommendations are backed by published academic studies documenting the predictiveness of student outcomes. The Learner Variability Project builds on emerging research into learner variability to support a whole-child framework for student achievement.

    AI Coach is an adaptive, first-of-its-kind solution that uses conversational artificial intelligence to support teachers as they work through coaching cycles. Within the Science of Reading pathway, teachers will have a full complement of content-specific supports—covering topics such as phonological awareness, sentence structure, and verbal reasoning—to help analyze their teaching and build their students into skilled readers.

    Using the secure platform, teachers independently reflect on their practice and set near-term goals as part of a self-paced module that mirrors the instructional coaching process. Teachers have an interactive conversation with Edie, the AI-driven coach, who asks probing, open-ended questions and offers personalized tips and resources for improvement.

    “The AI Coach process helps all teachers build upon their Science of Reading training by focusing on implementation of best practices,” said Adam Geller, founder and CEO of Edthena. “Our partnership with Digital Promise ensures teachers’ learning experiences within AI Coach are grounded in research on how to help students become fluent readers and reach their full potential as learners.”

    The evidence-based AI Coach process is designed to complement the efforts of school leaders and instructional coaches, and helps to alleviate time and scheduling restraints associated with in-person coaching sessions that can often be a barrier to ongoing professional learning. Teachers can meet with the virtual coach on a schedule that’s convenient to the changing demands of the school day, and have the option to pause and resume their coaching cycle at any point. This enables teachers to get the help they need, when they need it.

    In addition to the newly-added Science of Reading pathway, which is available in both an early-elementary and late-elementary version, teachers can also complete coaching cycles focused on common teaching techniques such as checking for student understanding, balancing student-teacher talk time, facilitating group discussions, and more.

    To learn more about the Digital Promise and Edthena partnership and the Science of Reading pathway in AI Coach, visit https://www.edthena.com/scienceofreading.

    About Edthena

    Edthena is the leading provider of innovative technologies to support educator professional learning and streamline feedback to teachers. The companyoffers the AI Coach platform, an artificial intelligence-driven solution to guide teachers through coaching cycles; the Edthena Video Coaching platform, the classroom observation and collaboration platform for using videos as part of professional development; and Edthena Organization Libraries, a platform for schools and districts to curate and share best-practice teaching videos. Edthena is the recipient of numerous awards from organizations such as SIIA, District Administration, and Tech & Learning. For more information, visit www.edthena.com. For more news about Edthena, visit www.edthena.com/blog/.

    About Digital Promise
    Digital Promise is a global nonprofit working to expand opportunity for every learner. We work with educators, researchers, technology leaders, and communities to design, investigate, and scale innovations that support learners, especially those who’ve been historically and systematically excluded. Our vision is that every person engages in powerful learning experiences that lead to a life of well-being, fulfillment, and economic mobility. For more information, visit the Digital Promise website and follow Digital Promise for updates.

    eSchool News Staff
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    ESchool News Staff

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  • Austin Pets Alive! | Petsmart Charities National Adoption Week

    Austin Pets Alive! | Petsmart Charities National Adoption Week

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    Happy National Adoption Week! To celebrate, we’re bringing adoptable pets to your local Petsmart this week. Here are just a few of the kitties that will be waiting to meet you:

    7/18 Meet Isamel at PetSmart – Mueller from 5-6:30pm

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  • The Words That Give Away Generative AI Text

    The Words That Give Away Generative AI Text

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    Thus far, even AI companies have had trouble coming up with tools that can reliably detect when a piece of writing was generated using a large language model. Now, a group of researchers has established a novel method for estimating LLM usage across a large set of scientific writing by measuring which “excess words” started showing up much more frequently during the LLM era (i.e., 2023 and 2024). The results “suggest that at least 10 percent of 2024 abstracts were processed with LLMs,” according to the researchers.

    In a preprint paper posted earlier this month, four researchers from Germany’s University of Tübingen and Northwestern University said they were inspired by studies that measured the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic by looking at excess deaths compared to the recent past. By taking a similar look at “excess word usage” after LLM writing tools became widely available in late 2022, the researchers found that “the appearance of LLMs led to an abrupt increase in the frequency of certain style words” that was “unprecedented in both quality and quantity.”

    Delving In

    To measure these vocabulary changes, the researchers analyzed 14 million paper abstracts published on PubMed between 2010 and 2024, tracking the relative frequency of each word as it appeared across each year. They then compared the expected frequency of those words (based on the pre-2023 trend line) to the actual frequency of those words in abstracts from 2023 and 2024, when LLMs were in widespread use.

    The results found a number of words that were extremely uncommon in these scientific abstracts before 2023 that suddenly surged in popularity after LLMs were introduced. The word “delves,” for instance, shows up in 25 times as many 2024 papers as the pre-LLM trend would expect; words like “showcasing” and “underscores” increased in usage by nine times as well. Other previously common words became notably more common in post-LLM abstracts: The frequency of “potential” increased by 4.1 percentage points, “findings” by 2.7 percentage points, and “crucial” by 2.6 percentage points, for instance.

    These kinds of changes in word use could happen independently of LLM usage, of course—the natural evolution of language means words sometimes go in and out of style. However, the researchers found that, in the pre-LLM era, such massive and sudden year-over-year increases were only seen for words related to major world health events: “ebola” in 2015; “zika” in 2017; and words like “coronavirus,” “lockdown,” and “pandemic” in the 2020 to 2022 period.

    In the post-LLM period, though, the researchers found hundreds of words with sudden, pronounced increases in scientific usage that had no common link to world events. In fact, while the excess words during the Covid pandemic were overwhelmingly nouns, the researchers found that the words with a post-LLM frequency bump were overwhelmingly “style words” like verbs, adjectives, and adverbs (a small sampling: “across, additionally, comprehensive, crucial, enhancing, exhibited, insights, notably, particularly, within”).

    This isn’t a completely new finding—the increased prevalence of “delve” in scientific papers has been widely noted in the recent past, for instance. But previous studies generally relied on comparisons with “ground truth” human writing samples or lists of predefined LLM markers obtained from outside the study. Here, the pre-2023 set of abstracts acts as its own effective control group to show how vocabulary choice has changed overall in the post-LLM era.

    An Intricate Interplay

    By highlighting hundreds of so-called “marker words” that became significantly more common in the post-LLM era, the telltale signs of LLM use can sometimes be easy to pick out. Take this example abstract line called out by the researchers, with the marker words highlighted: “A comprehensive grasp of the intricate interplay between […] and […] is pivotal for effective therapeutic strategies.”

    After doing some statistical measures of marker word appearance across individual papers, the researchers estimate that at least 10 percent of the post-2022 papers in the PubMed corpus were written with at least some LLM assistance. The number could be even higher, the researchers say, because their set could be missing LLM-assisted abstracts that don’t include any of the marker words they identified.

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    Kyle Orland, Ars Technica

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  • Study from EPS Learning on Improving Literacy Outcomes for Special Education Students Meets ESSA Level 3 Evidence Standards

    Study from EPS Learning on Improving Literacy Outcomes for Special Education Students Meets ESSA Level 3 Evidence Standards

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    BETHESDA, Md. — EPS Learning, the leading provider of PreK-12 literacy solutions, is excited to announce that its recent  SPIRE® study has earned Level 3 certification for alignment with Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) standards. SPIRE is a research-proven, comprehensive, structured literacy and multisensory reading intervention program that has supported reading success for all striving readers through an intensive and structured science-of-reading aligned curriculum for over 30 years.

    LXD Research conducted a third-party study to determine the relationship between the usage of SPIRE and student reading outcomes in 13 schools in Martin County School District, Florida. The study’s positive, statistically significant findings support a relationship between SPIRE progress and improved literacy skills for special education students. The findings were robust across Grades 3, 4, and 5 after controlling for key predictors such as previous FAST (Florida’s statewide, standardized assessment) scale scores, gender, LEP status, grade level and race/ethnicity.

    This study met the following criteria for ESSA Level 3 achievement:

    • Correlational design; students new to the program compared to students with more progress in the program
    • Proper design and implementation with at least two teachers and 30 students per group
    • Study uses a form of a program that could be replicated
    • Statistical controls through covariates 
    • At least one statistically significant, positive finding

    EPS Learning Chief Academic Officer Dr. Janine Walker-Caffrey spoke to the company’s recent rating, stating, “We are incredibly proud of the decades of impactful support SPIRE has provided for readers across the country and are elated about the recent ESSA rating! While this is a wonderful achievement, we are just beginning our bolstered efficacy research efforts. Upcoming research will re-demonstrate that this effective and evidence-based program for reading intervention is still positively impacting students in becoming fluent readers. We are excited to accomplish the next level of ESSA certification as studies continue to be released.”

    SPIRE was developed by Orton-Gillingham (OG) Fellow, Sheila Clark-Edmands, and is based on structured literacy principles and the OG approach. The program incorporates evidence-based best practices for reading and language development. It also includes skills that are key to fluent reading acquisition: phonemic awareness, phonics, handwriting, spelling, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. Each SPIRE lesson employs 10 steps that enhance student learning and memory by engaging multisensory pathways to the brain in rapid succession, ensuring orthographic mapping and automaticity. 

    About EPS Learning 

    EPS Learning has partnered with educators for more than 70 years to advance literacy as the springboard for lifelong learning and opportunity. The 20+ literacy solutions included in the EPS Literacy Framework are based on the science of reading and support grades PreK through 12, all tiers of instruction, and every pillar of reading. EPS Learning offers evidence-based intervention and customized professional learning to help move students toward growth, mastery, and success. Visit  www.epslearning.com to learn more.

    eSchool News Staff
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  • New Research Says Having a Black Teacher Reduces Special Education Referrals for Black Students

    New Research Says Having a Black Teacher Reduces Special Education Referrals for Black Students

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    As teachers, we all strive to create an environment that fosters fair opportunities for all students. In our schools today, diversity among students is common, yet the demographics of certain classrooms, especially special education (SPED) classrooms, are concerning. White teachers often dominate schools, making us wonder why special education classes are sometimes the most racially diverse. How does this discrepancy arise? Is it mere coincidence, or are there underlying biases and systemic structures influencing which students are referred to these programs? What if the racial makeup of our teaching staffs could influence student success more than we realized? Recent findings from a study in North Carolina provide some compelling insights into these questions.

    Having a Black teacher reduces special education referrals for Black students.

    This research conducted by Cassandra M.D. Hart and Constance A. Lindsay explores the impact of teacher-student racial congruence on the identification of Black students for discretionary educational services, specifically gifted and special education programs. Are there underlying biases influencing which students are referred to these programs? Here’s what their research has to say:

    Key findings from Hart and Lindsay (2024)

    • Reduction in special education referrals for Black students: The study demonstrates that Black students matched with Black teachers are significantly less likely to receive referrals to special education compared to their peers with teachers of other races. This effect is especially pronounced among economically disadvantaged Black boys.
    • Impact on disability categories with high discretion: The findings highlight a stronger relationship for disabilities that have a more discretionary component in their identification, such as specific learning disabilities. This suggests that the teacher’s race can play a critical role in the decision-making process for referrals, potentially reducing subjective bias in identification.
    • No impact on gifted program identification: Black teachers did not increase the likelihood of identifying Black students for gifted programs. This indicates that teacher-student race may be more significant in preventing unwarranted SPED referrals than in enhancing access to gifted education.
    • Variability based on student characteristics: The study examined how Black teachers’ effects varied among students with different characteristics, such as economic disadvantage and gender. Economically disadvantaged Black boys experienced the most significant reduction in special education referrals, underscoring the importance of considering student background in educational strategies.

    Can we trust this research?

    Not all research measures up equally! Here’s what our We Are Teachers “Malarkey Odometer” says when it comes to this publication based on four key factors.

    • Peer-reviewed? Yes! While these data come from 2007 through 2013, this manuscript likely went through many rounds of the peer-review process.
    • Sample size: Their sample size is huge! They have an n = 408,959 for their gifted and talented portion of the study and an n = 546,433 for the SPED portion. This study has huge statistical power!
    • Researchers’ credentials: Hart and Lindsay have amassed over 6,000 citations in the academic field, even though they are considered fairly new academics. This manuscript was published in the high-impact American Educational Research Journal, a dream for any researcher.
    • Methodology: This is a “semi”-causal study. Since random assignment based on race is unethical, researchers employed a “quasi-experimental” approach to study outcomes. This means they looked for naturally occurring situations that approximate a controlled experiment. They also used data from North Carolina public schools, where there is a significant, but varying, presence of Black teachers. With all methodology considered, these researchers utilized the strongest tools they could in this situation.

    What does this mean for teachers?

    The findings suggest that the race of the person who stands in front of the classroom can significantly impact the educational trajectory of Black students. But how can teachers apply these findings?

    • Advocate for diversity: Promote and support initiatives in your school to hire and retain Black educators, or advocate for a Grow Your Own program to start in your district. A diverse teaching staff provides crucial role models and enhances cultural competence within the school community.
    • Reflect on bias: All educators should engage in self-reflection to identify and address their own biases in student interactions and evaluations. Participate in professional development opportunities focused on cultural competency and anti-racist teaching practices to minimize biased decisions.
    • Engage in policy changes: Join efforts to advocate for policies that advance racial equity in teacher recruitment, hiring practices, and ongoing professional development. Encourage your school district to implement standards that prioritize diversity and inclusion.
    • Dr. Constance Lindsay told We Are Teachers: “All teachers can benefit from having diverse colleagues in service of improving student outcomes, particularly novice teachers.”

    As educators, our role extends beyond academics: We also shape an equitable and inclusive educational environment. Hart and Lindsay’s (2024) findings highlight that our teaching staffs’ composition profoundly influences student outcomes and opportunities. I know it’s easy to think, “Well, it’s not my responsibility to change the diversity of the teacher workforce,” but it is your responsibility to check your bias. By reflecting, advocating systemic changes, and embracing diversity, we make educational equity a reality, not an aspiration. Let’s be the educators who not only wonder about change but also enact it, recognizing and nurturing every child’s potential.

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    Sarah Morris

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  • How to balance summer break with summer learning loss

    How to balance summer break with summer learning loss

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    Key points:

    As classrooms close until next fall, talk of the dreaded summer slide increases, particularly as students are still struggling to gain ground lost during the pandemic.

    Students’ academic achievement and test scores remain flat or tend to drop during summer break, with greater losses in math than in reading, according to research by Meghan Kuhfeld, PhD, a research scientist for the Collaborative for Student Growth at NWEA and Andrew McEachin, PhD, director of the Collaborative for Student Growth at NWEA.

    Their analysis highlights the ongoing debate around just how deeply summer learning loss is felt, if different student groups experience more learning loss than others, and what districts and caregivers can to do keep students’ brains active and learning in fun ways during long school breaks.

    Only in the past couple decades have educators and researchers had the tools to measure performance in the spring and fall, leading to the ability to isolate summer in particular.

    “The research is a bit mixed, but the consensus is that students stay the same or lose ground in the summer. Different studies have shown different amounts of learning loss–some say it’s a sizable percentage and some say it’s more of a pause in learning versus a real drop,” she added.

    The other major aspect of learning loss concerns who is affected—do students from low socioeconomic backgrounds experience more severe summer learning loss? More recent research hasn’t shown losses to a severe degree, Kuhfeld said, but the research is still mixed.

    Concerns about summer learning loss can be addressed in two main areas, Kuhfeld said.

    Parents and caregivers: Make sure children receive learning opportunities during the summer, such as reading books or visiting museums. Incorporating math into summertime can be a bit more challenging, but can be accomplished if children help with activities such as measuring ingredients during cooking or calculating how far they walk or ride bikes. Weaving learning opportunities into grade-appropriate topics makes learning more fun and engaging.

    District level: Many districts offer summer programs, which range in intensity from mandatory summer school to more voluntary programs intended to boost learning for students who fell further behind during the academic year. But districts can’t provide all the summer learning opportunities on their own, and this is why school-community partnerships for camps, internships, and other programs are critical–especially in communities where students lack access to summer enrichment and learning opportunities.

    One often-overlooked piece of what schools provide kids is free meals, Kuhfeld added. Pairing summer learning programs with free meals is another way students can keep their brains in shape over the school break, such as free lunches combined with story time and activities at local libraries.  

    And while summer learning loss is a valid concern, summer does help students build essential skills–durable skills students need for success beyond school, such as creativity, collaboration, and empathy.

    “Summer is an opportunity for growth in areas that aren’t academic,” Kuhfeld said. “There’s value in talking about how kids can continue reading and math during the summer, but it’s also a time for building independence and other life skills. Summer shouldn’t look just like school.”

    Laura Ascione
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  • College students team up with NASA for innovative water quality research

    College students team up with NASA for innovative water quality research

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    NASA is working with students at Florida Gulf Coast University in Fort Meyers, Florida. They are using technology to work with future scientists to analyze water quality.”We are looking for people to make an impact on the whole ecosystem that uses NASA’s earth science information,” NASA DEVELOP program manager Kenton Ross said. Dr. Rachel Rotz, a professor in the FGCU Department of Marine and Earth Sciences, will have the water school host this research team. NASA DEVELOP selected five future scientists to participate. Nathan Hewitt is one of them. He is working on getting his master’s degree right now at FGCU. He heard about this research opportunity and wanted to apply.”My main goal for this was to learn more coding,” Ross said. “So the coding workshops have been fantastic. Even some of the stuff I didn’t really think about the project, but kind of working as a team, but utilizing our strengths and learning about the different kind of personality types and how they best built the team has been really interesting.”Over the next 10 weeks, Hewitt and the four other researchers will spend part of their day at the water school looking under a microscope.”They’re looking into cyanobacteria and understanding how organisms do their thing on a microscopic scale,” Ross said.They are analyzing water quality near Seminole tribes in Southwest Florida.”They’re really testing out if this information from NASA is relevant to the tribe,” Ross said. “So is the tribe is thinking about water quality in the area in their location, in and around them. They’re interested in how nutrients are flowing through those natural systems.”They are looking at different types of algae, seeing where it is located. Then they take a look from a wider scope, up in space!”Our purpose is to help them rise in their career, and that’s going to happen when they are energized about the knowledge they can gain and about the skills they can apply to problems like this,” Ross said.Hewitt said he will take what he has learned from this research program and apply it to his future, maybe even working for NASA one day.To learn more about NASA DEVELOP and how to apply for the next research study, visit this website.

    FORT MYERS, Fla. —

    NASA is working with students at Florida Gulf Coast University in Fort Meyers, Florida. They are using technology to work with future scientists to analyze water quality.

    “We are looking for people to make an impact on the whole ecosystem that uses NASA’s earth science information,” NASA DEVELOP program manager Kenton Ross said.

    Dr. Rachel Rotz, a professor in the FGCU Department of Marine and Earth Sciences, will
    have the water school host this research team. NASA DEVELOP selected five future scientists to participate. Nathan Hewitt is one of them. He is working on getting his master’s degree right now at FGCU. He heard about this research opportunity and wanted to apply.

    “My main goal for this was to learn more coding,” Ross said. “So the coding workshops have been fantastic. Even some of the stuff I didn’t really think about the project, but kind of working as a team, but utilizing our strengths and learning about the different kind of personality types and how they best built the team has been really interesting.”

    Over the next 10 weeks, Hewitt and the four other researchers will spend part of their day at the water school looking under a microscope.

    “They’re looking into cyanobacteria and understanding how organisms do their thing on a microscopic scale,” Ross said.

    They are analyzing water quality near Seminole tribes in Southwest Florida.

    “They’re really testing out if this information from NASA is relevant to the tribe,” Ross said. “So is the tribe is thinking about water quality in the area in their location, in and around them. They’re interested in how nutrients are flowing through those natural systems.”

    They are looking at different types of algae, seeing where it is located. Then they take a look from a wider scope, up in space!

    “Our purpose is to help them rise in their career, and that’s going to happen when they are energized about the knowledge they can gain and about the skills they can apply to problems like this,” Ross said.

    Hewitt said he will take what he has learned from this research program and apply it to his future, maybe even working for NASA one day.

    To learn more about NASA DEVELOP and how to apply for the next research study, visit this website.

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