Coronavirus: Universities Are Shifting Classes Online—But It’s Not as Easy as It Sounds
Universities trying to make a sudden shift to online learning face many challenges, including holding student attention, measuring student progress, and designing online interfaces that will work on smartphones.
The Latest in Language Confusion: Morocco Switches Back from Arabic to French
Morocco, which switched instruction in schools from French to Arabic in the 1980’s, is now reversing course, to the dismay of some educators. The change is intended in part to improve the performance of university students.
Making Better Mentors: It’s Not Just an Art, It’s a Science
A new report brings together data from many studies to offer recommendations for more-effective mentorship of young researchers.
Despite a Blue Chip Education, Unemployed and Desperate in Palestine
After earning a bachelor’s degree at an American college campus in Jerusalem and then a master’s degree in London, a young Palestinian returns home to discover her degrees aren’t valued.
Teachers’ Strike in Jordan Ends After the Government Agrees to a 35 Percent Raise
The rare public-sector walkout drew sympathy from citizens also caught between stagnant wages and rising costs in a debt-burdened economy
Why the Split Between Classical and Everyday Arabic Endures
If Arabs want a true lingua franca, they must ease the rigid boundaries they’ve set up between the local dialects and the formal language.
Syrian Children Near Idlib Face Damaged, Abandoned, and Repurposed Schools
The ongoing conflict in northern Syria has closed more than half of the schools, said an international advocacy organization. Syrian teachers confirm that view and describe grim educational conditions.
Algeria’s Higher-Education Minister Encourages Switch From French to English
Minister Tayeb Bouzid says “French doesn’t get you anywhere,” and announces committee to develop Anglophone teaching in Algerian universities.
Advanced Interdisciplinary Programs Place New Demands on Professors
Professors need to adjust course designs and teaching styles to adapt to the increasingly popular interdisciplinary degree programs at the master’s degree and doctoral levels.
What the Science of Learning Says About Improving Online Courses
An online course can be viewed as a learning experiment, with instructors collecting data on student use and making adjustments over time.
