This week news about Plan B contraception turned parenting media to topics of sex, sex education, and sexting. Get informed. ● A new survey shows parents are quite positive toward the use of mobile technology for learning in school. Yet, recent research on multitasking shows shallower learning when students shift focus from schoolwork to "blinking inboxes" on their mobile devices. Would students have the discipline to resist? ● Recently, we’ve featured articles on government funding of brain research, but who can actually understand these projects? Tim Verstynen’s amusing article explains it to us like we were two year olds. ● Find articles about poverty, wealth and the achievement gap, extending learning time, the global achievement gap, language dancing, and out-of-school learning. ● PCM's Top 10 Influencers Arne Duncan and Geoffrey Canada were conspicuous in this week’s news. ● Don’t miss the PBS News segment about a science program at a middle school in Maine. Wow.
Parenting
Parents See Benefit of Mobile Tech, Want Schools To Take Advantage - J. Bolkan, The Journal
Parents May Devote More Teaching Time to Girls Than to Boys - Shankar Vedantam, MindShift
At What Age Should Sex Education Begin? - Room For Debate - NYTimes
Is There Emergency Contraception in Your Medicine Cabinet? - KJ Dell'Antonia, NYTimes
Understanding the Spectrum of Motivations in Sexting - Anne Collier, NetFamilyNews
Real Reason Your Kid Won’t Listen To You? Your Western Parenting Style - Nicholas Day, Slate
“Life is Good”: 4 Ways to Nurture Optimism In Your Kids - Richard Rende, RedHotParenting
The Mark of an Educated Mind - Jessica Lahey, Coming of Age in the Middle
Learning
Why Learning and Multitasking Don’t Mix - Annie Murphy Paul, The Creativity Post
The Reading Brain in the Digital Age: The Science of Paper vs Screens - Ferris Jabr, Sci Am
Lack of Sleep Blights Pupils' Education - Sean Coughlan, BBC News
Have Standardized Tests Really Helped Kids Learn More? - Carol Burris, Washington Post
Explained: the BRAIN Initiative vs. the Human Connectome Project - Tim Verstynen, Psyc Today
Early Math and Reading Ability Linked to Job and Income in Adulthood - Science Daily
Critical Thinking Is Best Taught Outside the Classroom - Dennis M. Bartels, Scientific American
Education
Louisiana Supreme Court Rules School Vouchers Unconstitutional - Valerie Strauss, Wash Post
Are ‘No Excuses’ Reformers & Their Critics Finding Common Ground? - S. Garland, Hechinger
You'll Be Shocked by How Many of World's Top Students Are American - J. Weissmann, Atlantic
No Rich Child Left Behind - Sean F. Reardon, New York Times
To Close the 'Opportunity Gap,' We Need to Close the Vocabulary Gap - M. Petrilli, Ed Week
Growing Movement Seeks to Expand Length of School Day - Celia Baker, Deseret News
Arne Duncan’s Moment of Truth - John Merrow, Taking Note
Geoffrey Canada: Our failing schools. Enough is enough! [Video] - TED Talk
Resources
PBS News Segment: Problem Solvers - Produced by John Tulenko & David Wald, Learning Matters
TED Teams Up With PBS for Education Program - Elizabeth Jensen, New York Times
Can These iPad Apps Teach Your Kid to Code? - Lauren Goode, AllThingsD
Life Doesn’t Frighten Me: Maya Angelou’s Children's Book - Maria Popova, Brain Pickings
Picture Book about Mouse in Space, Written by a Shuttle Pilot - Cory Doctorow, Boing Boing
