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Here are some of the things we’ve been reading about this week:
Research indicates screen time impact depends on content and context.
Behavioral assessments are key to addressing classroom disruptions.
Native tribes collaborate with schools to boost attendance.
To read more, click on the following links.
Research & Practice
Learning and Motivation: Decisions to seek cognitive performance feedback: Potential determinants of feedback value and consequences for learning
This study explored how low confidence in performance drives feedback-seeking behavior, enhancing learning outcomes. The study asked 59 participants to complete a memory task where they decided whether to pay for feedback to improve test performance and earn monetary rewards. Results revealed that participants sought feedback more often when uncertain about their accuracy, and corrective (negative) feedback significantly boosted learning and test performance. Emotional responses and physiological arousal, such as skin conductance, did not strongly influence feedback-seeking decisions. The findings underscore the value of teaching individuals to embrace critical feedback, as it offers powerful learning opportunities despite emotional discomfort. These insights have practical implications for education, workplace training, and rehabilitation, emphasizing the role of feedback in fostering success and learning.
EdWeek: The 3 Reasons Why Students Lose the Most Instructional Time
A new study highlights how seemingly small classroom disruptions, like intercom announcements and late arrivals, can significantly reduce instructional time, exacerbating disparities in learning opportunities across states. The analysis, published in Education Next, found substantial differences in classroom time requirements, with students in states like Texas and Alabama attending up to 1,300 hours annually, while states like Hawaii and Oregon mandate fewer than 1,150 hours—a difference equivalent to 1.5 school years over a K-12 career. However, actual instructional time often falls short due to interruptions, chronic absenteeism, and teacher absences. For example, Providence, R.I., schools lose up to 25% of daily class time to these factors. While more time in school generally improves achievement, the study stresses that effective use of time is crucial. Recommendations include minimizing disruptions, addressing absenteeism, and avoiding policies like four-day school weeks to ensure students maximize their learning opportunities.
Science Daily: Beyond screen time: Complex factors shaping child development
Research led by Dr. Amber Beynon and Dr. Juliana Zabatiero challenges traditional concerns about screen time, emphasizing that context, content, and parental mental health play a larger role in infant development. The study, part of the ORIGINS project tracking 10,000 families, examined screen use by parents and infants at 12 months. It found no significant impact from parental screen use or infants watching TV. Parental mental health, particularly that of mothers, emerged as a stronger predictor of outcomes, influencing both screen use and child development. Dr. Beynon emphasized the importance of considering how screens are used, whether parents and infants engage together, and the type of content consumed. She advocates for reducing parental guilt over screen time and adopting a holistic approach to support families in managing technology and development.
Policy
K-12 Dive: Education Department promotes expanded use of behavior assessments
The U.S. Department of Education has released guidance encouraging schools to use individualized behavioral assessments (FBAs) and support plans (BIPs) to address challenging behaviors and reduce suspensions and expulsions. Traditionally used in special education for severe behaviors, FBAs analyze the causes of disruptions, while BIPs create tailored strategies to reduce these behaviors and track progress. The guidance emphasizes expanding FBAs beyond safety concerns to address issues like name-calling or task avoidance, aiming to improve classroom environments. Officials stress understanding how factors like trauma, discrimination, or poverty influence student behavior and highlight that FBAs cannot delay disability evaluations. Amid rising student mental health needs and limited school resources, the guidance promotes using federal funding and frameworks like positive behavioral interventions and multi-tiered support systems. Collaboration among educators, families, and students is critical to ensure FBAs and BIPs effectively support learning and behavior management.
EdWeek: How a Supreme Court Case on Vaping Stands to Impact Schools
The U.S. Supreme Court is hearing a case that could impact schools grappling with youth vaping, as flavored e-cigarette products remain a concern. Despite recent declines, 5.9% of middle and high school students reported using e-cigarettes in the past month, many drawn to candy-like flavors such as “Killer Kustard Blueberry.” Schools have taken action, with some districts suing manufacturers and Juul Labs paying over $2 billion in settlements. The FDA argues that flavored vapes uniquely appeal to youth, posing long-term risks to their developing brains. Manufacturers Triton and Vapetasia challenge the FDA’s 2021 denial of their products, claiming regulatory inconsistencies. Lower courts disagree on the FDA’s approach, prompting Supreme Court review. Schools face ongoing struggles with vaping’s effects on student health and classroom environments. A ruling expected by June could shape future FDA authority and influence efforts to reduce youth vaping, a significant challenge for educators nationwide.
The New York Times: Ohio Governor Signs Bathroom Restrictions for Transgender Students
A new Ohio law, signed by Governor Mike DeWine, prohibits transgender students, from kindergarten through college, from using bathrooms that align with their gender identity. The law requires schools to designate separate facilities based on students’ biological sex, and restricts multi-occupancy restrooms or those open to all genders. The law extends beyond K-12 schools to private institutions and colleges, which must adhere to these guidelines. Proponents argue the law addresses safety concerns, while opponents, including civil rights groups, highlight the negative impact on transgender students, who already face higher rates of discrimination and violence. The law also has no specified enforcement mechanism but is set to take effect in 90 days. This development reflects a broader trend in states enacting policies that regulate transgender students’ rights to access gendered facilities.
Around the Nation
CPR: Save the snow days: A young activist seeks to preserve tradition
Snow days, once a source of joy for Colorado students, have largely been replaced by e-learning since the pandemic. Districts like Colorado Springs’ Academy District 20 now use remote learning after two traditional snow days, dampening the excitement of snowfalls and cherished childhood traditions like building igloos or sipping hot cocoa. In response, 12-year-old Emily Beckman launched a campaign to restore snow days, arguing they are vital for kids’ happiness, imagination, and well-being. Her petition, which has gained over 2,400 signatures, calls for six traditional snow days per year. Emily emphasizes the benefits of unstructured outdoor play and questions the district’s safety decisions, suggesting snow days align with nearby Air Force Academy closures. While the district cites logistical benefits of e-learning, Emily’s grassroots effort to preserve snow day magic has inspired her community and highlights the importance of letting kids simply be kids. Her next goal: 5,000 signatures.
The 74: New UVM Program Brings Mental Health Professionals to Vermont’s Rural Schools
The University of Vermont’s Catamount Counseling Collaborative for Rural Schools aims to address Vermont’s shortage of mental health professionals by training and placing 52 school counselors, social workers, and clinicians in rural schools over five years. Funded by a $3.8 million U.S. Department of Education grant, the program will contribute at least 25,000 clinical hours annually, targeting rising rates of youth depression and anxiety in underserved areas. Led by associate professor Anna Elliott, the initiative builds on her experience in Montana, tailoring training to Vermont’s specific challenges, including suicide rates, substance use, and mental health stigma. The program emphasizes long-term impact by encouraging graduates to continue working in rural schools and offering stipends to ease housing and job barriers. With a focus on systemic support and recruiting rural-based students, the program provides low-residency options for flexible learning.
The Hechinger Report: These Native tribes are working with schools to boost attendance
At Watonga High School in Oklahoma, Indian Education Director Hollie Youngbear helps Native American students overcome barriers to school attendance, a challenge rooted in generational trauma from government boarding schools. Youngbear, a member of the Arapaho tribe, ensures students have supplies, connects them with tribal resources, and even picks them up when transportation is an issue. Collaboration with Cheyenne and Arapaho programs has helped reduce absenteeism. In 2022-23, fewer than 4% of Native students were chronically absent, aligning with school averages—an accomplishment in contrast to national trends. Watonga’s Eagle Academy, an alternative education program, supports struggling students with personalized incentives, helping some achieve perfect attendance for the first time. However, challenges persist, including bullying and cultural misunderstanding. Senior Happy Belle Shortman highlights the need for greater cultural awareness among non-Native peers. Building relationships and fostering inclusivity remain key to Watonga’s success in supporting Native students.
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