I have always found it fascinating to learn about how scientific “discoveries” are made. Scientists have the power of observing the ordinary and seeing the extraordinary. One of my favorite cases comes from an episode I watched some years ago on the Discovery Channel where a Physics professor from the University of Chicago, Sidney Nagel, one morning, as he was pouring … [Lee más...] about The “Coffee-Stain Puzzle”
educational success
Matt Damon’s Dilemma
Why become an advocate for public education when you send your own children to a private school? That was the question that left well-known actor Matt Damon nearly speechless in an interview with CNN. To make an analogy, it would be like claiming to be a supporter of Michelle Obama’s campaign against obesity with a hamburger, bursting with saturated fats, in hand. … [Lee más...] about Matt Damon’s Dilemma
The Nameless Blog
*Written by Fernando Fernández Parents spend a lot of time thinking about the “right” name to give to their children. But, to what extent do names influence our daily lives? Does our economic welfare depend on them? Can names have an impact on a student’s academic performance? Several studies have shown that there exists a relationship between one’s name and finding success … [Lee más...] about The Nameless Blog
Avoiding the poverty trap
Education seeks to provide equal learning opportunities for all: the poor and the rich. But... can education systems accomplish this goal? Can the poorest children and youth achieve high learning outcomes? To date, no clear response to either one of these two questions exists within the literature. … [Lee más...] about Avoiding the poverty trap
Less Theory, More Practice
* By Vanessa Jaklitsch The students participating in a pilot project to combat dropout rates are at-risk teenagers between the ages of 14 and 16 with poor grades and attendance records. The schools they attend in Barcelona, Spain have high dropout rates; less than 75% make it to graduation day. Spain has the highest dropout rate in the European Union. According to recent … [Lee más...] about Less Theory, More Practice
