A nationwide survey of high school students finds that nearly 90 percent expect to earn their diploma and go to college, but many report a lack of interest and effort in the classroom that may dampen those hopes. "Engaging the Voices of Students: A Report on the 2007 & 2008 High School Survey of Student Engagement" presents the latest numbers from the annual survey conducted by the Center for Evaluation and Education Policy at Indiana University.

Faculty members from the Indiana University School of Education and the College of Arts and Sciences are beginning newly funded projects to enhance the teaching of U.S. history in schools, thanks to grants from the U.S. Department of Education. The grants are each from the Teaching American History program, which the department describes as a program designed "to raise student achievement by improving teachers' knowledge and understanding of and appreciation for traditional U.S. history."

One of the world's foremost learning scientists says the educational system is at odds with technological innovation and change is imperative to ensure many students don't fall further behind. Allan Collins, professor emeritus of education and social policy at Northwestern University, will speak about the changing nature of schools' relationship to technology during an appearance at the IU School of Education on Thursday (Oct. 8).

The National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) has named Gerald Campano, associate professor in the Department of Literacy, Culture, and Language Education of the Indiana University School of Education, as the 2009 recipient of the David H Russell Award for Distinguished Research in the Teaching of English, one of the most distinguished awards in English language education. The organization selected Campano for his 2007 book Immigrant Students and Literacy: Reading, Writing, and Remembering (Teachers College Press).

In a new book that Publishers Weekly says "puts a human face on Christian homeschooling," a professor at the Indiana University School of Education chronicles the stories of six conservative Christian families from across the country and analyzes the growing homeschooling movement. Write these Laws on Your Children: Inside the World of Conservative Christian Homeschooling (Beacon Press) is written by Robert Kunzman, associate professor for curriculum and instruction.

A new survey of Indiana superintendents, principals and school counselors finds that a majority see virtual learning as a way to enhance academic offerings in public education. Sixty percent of respondents to the "2009 Survey of Virtual Learning in Indiana," conducted by the Center for Evaluation and Education Policy (CEEP) at the Indiana University School of Education, said they are offering or may offer online courses in six different areas, including alternative education, gifted and talented education, and instruction for homebound students. But just half the respondents indicated their school would pay for virtual instruction and cited instructional cost as a barrier to offering more online courses.

The third annual Chinese Pedagogy Institute concludes this week on the Indiana University campus after two and a half weeks of intensive work to prepare more teachers of the Chinese language. The institute is a project of the Center for Chinese Language Pedagogy (CCLP) within the College of Arts and Sciences.

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis -- in conjunction with other organizations -- is sponsoring a three-day workshop that begins June 29 for educators to learn more about project-based learning. The workshop, titled "Learning by Doing: Project-Based Learning Institute for Middle and High School Educators," will enable educators to develop their own project-based learning (PBL) plans during the workshop.

The National Academy of Education has selected an Indiana University School of Education assistant professor as a 2009-2010 Spencer Postdoctoral Fellow. Melissa Gresalfi, a counseling and educational psychology assistant professor, is among the 20 researchers selected from a pool of more than 150 applicants.

A program developed by an Indiana University School of Education professor is the basis for a workshop on project-based learning for math teachers taking place next week and next month in Columbus, Ind. Fifty-six teachers from 11 counties will participate in Math Matters in Southeastern Indiana on June 22-26 at the Columbus Signature Academy-New Tech High School. A second workshop takes place July 22-23.

Two Indiana University School of Education professors are in Cape Town, South Africa, this week to attend the "Civitas World Congress" and continue discussions about a growing new partnership for civic education with Malawi and India. The conference is designed for both international and U.S. participants to share best practices in education for democracy programs.

Terry Spradlin, associate director for education policy at Indiana University's Center for Evaluation and Education Policy, will present findings from the 2008 Public Opinion Survey on K-12 Education in Indiana to the State Board of Education on Jan. 7 in Indianapolis.

A comprehensive evaluation of data has found results that support both sides of the debate regarding charter schools in Indiana, but most of all finds that stakeholders have many misunderstandings about the schools. The Center for Evaluation and Education Policy (CEEP) at the Indiana University School of Education conducted the "Study of the Effectiveness and Efficiency of Charter Schools in Indiana" following a request from the Indiana General Assembly.

The Indiana University School of Education will host education activist and writer Jonathan Kozol for a presentation this afternoon (Nov. 20) at the Indiana Memorial Union.

The Lilly Library announced today (Nov. 17) that Deborah Meier, considered the founder of the small schools movement in the U.S., will donate her personal papers to the library's collection. The announcement came during today's commemoration ceremony for the Indiana University School of Education's 100th anniversary. Meier gave the keynote address during a dinner celebration Sunday night.

Dean of the Indiana University School of Education, Gerardo Gonzalez, will be the keynote speaker Thursday morning (Oct. 23) for the "Educational Equity for Indiana's Latino Students" Conference at the Sheraton North Hotel in Indianapolis. Gonzalez will share some of his personal story as a Cuban immigrant and address some of the pressing issues in Latino education in Indiana. His address is at 9 a.m., beginning a day of sessions focusing on Latino education.

Supplemental National Science Foundation funding will expand the already successful Robert Noyce Scholarship program at the IU School of Education at IUPUI to establish the Noyce Teaching Fellowship. Three Noyce Scholars will be named Noyce Fellows and will receive additional scholarship money to complete work toward an M.S. degree in secondary education.

Twenty-two secondary math teachers are in the middle of a four-week mathematics education training program at the Indiana University School of Education. This is the third year the IU School of Education has won a grant from South Korea's Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education to host the teachers. It's part of a program the government in Korea sponsors to send math and science teachers across the United States to learn different teaching methods.

Continuing the "Pathways Initiative" that began collaborative projects last year, the Indiana University School of Education is funding four projects this year to bring faculty expertise and IU staff assistance together with teachers in Indiana's schools. Two projects based at Gary, Ind. elementary schools will build upon already established Pathways projects; two others will start new projects at Indianapolis high schools.

A national advocate of immigrant students will address an Indiana University group completing certification for English-as-Second-Language teaching. Roger Rosenthal, executive director of the Washington, D.C.-based Migrant Legal Action Program Inc., will address the annual Tandem Certification of Indiana Teachers (TACIT) summer retreat on Friday, June 27.

Educators from the Indiana University School of Education are involved in an initiative to support Indiana teachers and administrators to better prepare their students for success in algebra, starting with a free conference for 200 today in Indianapolis.

The Indiana University School of Education at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis has received a $65,000 grant for Project Impact, a project in which it will partner with 11 Indianapolis neighborhood centers to help them support academic learning and child development, particularly in the areas of science and mathematics.

A group of 15 teachers from the Monroe County Community School Corporation is concluding a two-week course that is part of a three-year professional development program for science teachers from kindergarten through sixth grade.

A state appeals court ruling that leaves discretion to individual districts regarding part-time students could have a negative impact on home-schooled students, according to Robert Kunzman, a professor of curriculum and instruction in the Indiana University School of Education. Kunzman is in the middle of a multi-year research project exploring home-schooling practices and philosophies across the U.S., and said that last week's decision reflects the policies of many states around the nation.

Holiday story ideas from Indiana University include how the season appears to people with a color vision deficiency, a survival guide to family get-togethers, how children are affected by their parents' holiday stress and deciding where to contribute your charitable donations before the close of 2006.