Test anxiety: we’ve all been there. Tests are a common and normalized aspect of education across all grade levels, but realistically, they may do more harm than good. Test anxiety looks different for everyone, but it can include physical symptoms such as nausea, headache, sweating, and rapid heartbeat, as well as emotional ramifications such as feelings of helplessness, fear, stress, and disappointment. It [...]
Introduction (What is Selective Attention?) Selective attention is a fundamental ability linked to human memory and cognition, and it plays a major role in academic understanding and achievement. It is the ability to selectively process information that is relevant and specific to a task at hand, while simultaneously avoiding the processing of irrelevant, distracting information. This filtering of information is essential in understanding [...]
Introduction In a traditional sense, a “focus group” is a common market research method to collect feedback from a group of people. A company will survey a small group of people, often having them discuss products or services that have yet to be launched. The expectation is that the company will gain valuable insight into what the public may think once the product [...]
Introduction to Virtual Reality (a.k.a. VR) Rock climbing, skydiving, extreme mountain biking, roller coasters, even tropical vacations: Thanks to VR, all these endeavors are now possible without leaving the comfort of your home. VR refers to the use of computer-generated imaging and stimuli to replicate a “real” environment. In their selected environment, users can experience sound, touch, and even 360-degree panoramic views, as [...]
According to a 2015 national survey, 70 percent of college students reported feeling stressed about their finances. Tuition alone has skyrocketed—during the 2019 to 2020 school year, researchers found a 180 percent increase in cost compared to 40 years ago—but this is merely the beginning. College students have a plethora of other expenses as well, such as meal plans, groceries, boarding, rent, travel, [...]
Whenever I see someone coding on a computer, I get a sense of excitement as I wonder what they’re creating and how they’re creating it. I first tried coding ebooks during my freshman year of college. I participated in an intro workshop run by a club at my school and was intimidated at first. The characters on the screen hurt my eyes and [...]
We’ve all been bored when we were little as we sat in that chair getting our hair cut. All we could do was worry about what we might look like when it was done.Barbers across the country have found a way to resolve this boredom and also have a positive effect on literacy—having children read aloud while getting their hair cut. Ryan Griffin, [...]
When I reflect on my preschool and kindergarten days, nature and exploration don’t come to mind. In fact, the mental image provoked is quite the opposite. Most of my formative days were spent inside a small classroom, only venturing outside for recess during the times of the year when the weather permitted such adventures. Even then, we could only enjoy the outdoor expanses [...]
Over the summer, I spent most of my afternoon breaks with my friends by a lake in rural New Hampshire. Our spot, one that was popular with picnickers, was also frequented by a family of ducks. One of my friends would often toss them a handful of salt and vinegar chips, which were a flavor the ducks didn’t seem to like very much. [...]
During my freshman year of college, I became involved with an AmeriCorps program called Jumpstart. In Jumpstart, I teamed with other college students twice a week to go to a preschool in Dorchester, Massachusetts, where we engaged children in fun, educational activities. All of the songs, puzzles, art and games we brought to the classroom may have seemed only that, we were also [...]