Physics, the Great Equalizer Subject that Is Loved by Nearly Every Kind of Student

Physics, the Great Equalizer Subject that Is Loved by Nearly Every Kind of Student

Do you teach physics? If so, you will want to know about research from the Student Research Foundation that found that nearly every kind of student likes the subject you teach. That might come as a surprise – what is physics, after all but the study of energy and matter? How exciting is that?  But somehow students have discovered that physics is not only interesting, but it will also prepare them for a variety of college majors and STEM careers. Read more

Help Students Build Confidence and Success as Students Return to Live Learning

What Will Build Confidence and Success as Students Return to Live Learning?

As educators, we know that students are experiencing stress and uncertainty as they return to classrooms. But what are their greatest fears?

Thanks to recent research conducted by the Student Research Foundation that you can review and share in a new infographic, we have some answers to that question. Our findings are based on comments about remote learning that high school students made on social media during Spring 2020. Their comments reflect what they missed most when learning from home. Read more

STEM Teacher - Student Research Foundation

Teachers’ Commitment to their Students Was their Strongest Motivation During the Pandemic

“Teachers say working with students kept them motivated at the start of the pandemic,” an article that Beth Daley wrote in The Conversation on October 7, 2021, reports reassuring findings about teachers’ strong dedication to their students.

Ms. Daley reports that before the pandemic began, she had begun a study of teachers’ enthusiasm for performing different job duties. At that point, her study found that of all the tasks teachers undertake on the job, working with students was the most satisfying. While her study was underway, Covid-19 struck and classrooms shut down. But her study found that at that time, teachers remained strongly motivated to continue teaching because they wanted so much to support their students. Read more

Student Success and improved graduation rates

Helping Your Students Discuss the Ethical Issues of Applying to College

As you know, a major scandal involving college admissions has been making headlines since 2019. A number of very wealthy parents – some of whom are celebrities – paid vast sums of money to a college admissions counselor of sorts, who then pulled all kinds of strings to get their kids into elite institutions that included USC, Stanford, Yale, and others.

How did that counselor help those students get into top colleges? In some cases, he found ways to assure that they would earn top scores on standardized tests. (In one case, he allegedly stated that one student required special accommodations on a test, then he had that student take the test in a private location where he could answer questions for her.) Read more

Student on Zoom School

Teachers from Coast to Coast Are Dealing with Bounceback Students

“Children are getting sick from COVID-19. Children are also having to go to the hospital at an increased rate due to rising rates of transmission of the Delta variant, especially in communities with low vaccination rates. CDC recommends all schools require universal masking and use additional prevention strategies regardless of how many students, educators, and staff are currently vaccinated. Masks are critical, but masks alone are not enough. Along with promoting vaccination for educators, staff, and students 12 years and older, schools must use several strategies at the same time to keep everyone as safe as possible. Examples of these strategies include improving ventilation and ensuring physical distancing. Federal resources are available to support these efforts.”

Read more