To all of our readers interested in education, here are five intriguing and though-provoking stories you may have missed this week.
Coursera Enrolls 1 Million Students in Just 4 Months
Education from top-notch universities such as Duke, Princeton and Stanford is now available to people all over the world through Coursera. Although students don't get a degree with Coursera, they are given an opportunity to take online classes for free from well-respected professors. It was officially launched four months ago and already, over 1 million students are enrolled across 196 countries.
Can Technology Replace Teachers?
The decision to cut three foreign-language teachers and replace them with online instruction in Eagle County, Colorado, has not been well received. Ian Quillan of Education Week takes a deeper look at the role technology plays in the classroom and if it will eventually replace valuable teachers due to budget cuts.
To Increase Learning Time, Some Schools Add Days to the Academic Year
The New York Times takes a deeper look at the debate over whether a longer school year will help kids succeed. According to the article, education advocates are in favor of an extended school year to help boost achievement, but "teachers' unions, parents who want to preserve summers for family vacations, and those who worry that children already come under too much academic stress argue that extended school time is not the answer."
California Lawmakers Want to Know if Anti-Bullying Laws Actually Protect Gay Students
Each year, 200,000 kids are harassed in California schools because of their sexual orientation. According to KPCC, "California lawmakers plan to request a state audit on how schools and local education agencies apply anti-bullying and harassment laws in response to recent incidents in which students were targeted for their sexual orientation."
Pilot Program Targets Gifted Rural Students
Low-income, rural students are attending a three-week program this summer to boost academic achievement. Education Week reports, "Rural advocates have long been concerned about what they see as limited attention and research given to academically adept students in America's rural schools, compared with their gifted and talented peers in urban settings."
Are there any stories that you found interesting this week that we left off the list? Share the link with us in the comments.
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Jenny is the Education Editor at TakePart. She has been writing for TakePart since 2009 and previously worked in film and television development. She has taught English in Vietnam and tutors homeless children in Los Angeles. Email Jenny | @jennyinglee | TakePart.com