[Editor’s Note: This is the 12th in a series of blogs that examine how education developed throughout history until the present.] The Middle Ages, also called the “Dark Ages,” took place between the fall of ancient Rome in 476 CE and the beginning of the 14th century. It was a time filled with war, pestilence, … Continue reading “A History of Education: The Renaissance”
Tag: critical thinking
A History of Education: An Introduction
[Editor’s Note: This is the first in a year-long series of blogs that examines how education developed throughout history until the present.] In its broadest sense, education is the imparting of information from one generation to the generation that follows it. It can be accomplished by modeling actions, sharing oral knowledge, or through reading and … Continue reading “A History of Education: An Introduction”
Technology Trends in the Classroom
Common Sense Education released their report “The common sense census: Inside the 21st-century classroom” in 2019. Their results were based on a survey of 1,200 US K-12 teachers to explore “what it takes to support teachers and prepare students as schools navigate the growing presence of technology.” The completed report breaks down how teachers, primarily … Continue reading “Technology Trends in the Classroom”
The Many Traits of Critical Thinking
We’ve talked a number of times about the need for students to use critical thinking to effectively evaluate and process new knowledge [see here and here]. It helps, though, to understand the specific steps that make up the critical thinking process. Here are nine steps, adapted from an infographic designed by Mentoring Minds. Examine Use … Continue reading “The Many Traits of Critical Thinking”
Instruction in the Time of the Pandemic: Parental Involvement
2020 has been hard on everyone, and when it comes to education, it’s especially evident with parents, teachers, and administrators. With the coronavirus pandemic and the ensuing lockdown that closed schools for an indefinite period, parents have found themselves in the position of having to help instruct their children — of many different ages and … Continue reading “Instruction in the Time of the Pandemic: Parental Involvement”
The Importance of Text in an Online World
We live in an age of screens, from smartphones and tablets to video instruction and other forms of eLearning. Our attention span has gotten shorter as we move from one tweet to the next, and short, in-your-face videos as opposed to pages and pages of written text. But does that mean text as a medium … Continue reading “The Importance of Text in an Online World”
The History of Writing and Reading – Part 21: Printing, Publishing, and Language Norms in the Digital Age
[Editor’s note: This is the twenty-second of an ongoing series that examines the rise of writing – and therefore reading – around the world. We will be looking at the major developments and forces that shaped the written languages we use today. Links to all the previous posts are listed at the end of this … Continue reading “The History of Writing and Reading – Part 21: Printing, Publishing, and Language Norms in the Digital Age”
Critical Thinking and the Future of Reading
Over the years on this blog, we have addressed the critical need for critical thinking at all ages and levels of education, as well as the fact that while humans are hard-wired for speech, we are not hard-wired for reading and writing, which must be taught and learned. This past Saturday, the U.S. edition of … Continue reading “Critical Thinking and the Future of Reading”
Research Studies – Effective Studying and Reading Strategies
2017 was a year filled with interesting and informative educational research. Two areas of particular interest are in the creation of both effective studying and effective reading strategies to assist students in the learning process. When asked about an upcoming test, students often overestimate how prepared they really are, and they frequently study less for … Continue reading “Research Studies – Effective Studying and Reading Strategies”
Setting up a Classroom to Establish Critical Thinking
As we have discussed previously (click here for the blog post), critical thinking is an essential component of both reasoning through problems and situations and learning. However, as instructor Peter Liljedahl found, teachers often make the assumption that the students either cannot or will not think on their own. Under such conditions it becomes unreasonable … Continue reading “Setting up a Classroom to Establish Critical Thinking”